We all watched as the bus driver sat back down in her seat and started the bus again. Before moving she called back to us, “Sit yer butts down, ya hear? And no one stands up again.”

I resumed looking out my window, going back to trying to be invisible again. The boy, the sweet one who’d rescued me, sat down besides me.

“Mind if I sit here?” He asked, even though he already was.

I shrugged my shoulder in response and didn’t break my stare.

“I’m sorry about those guys…” He said, “Ya know… not all of us guys are such jerks…”

His sentence broke off like he wasn’t sure what else to say. I finally turned to look at him, amazed that he was even still trying to talk to me.

I gave him a half smile to let him know I was joking as I responded, “Yeah, but you all seem to be oddly persistent.”

He chuckled and I saw a slight blush creep up to his cheeks. He asked sheepishly, “You noticed me looking at you…?”

“Oh… only all day. " I kept my tone light as I smiled for real. “Hey… What’s your name anyways?”