Chapter 42 First Bus Ride

"Bye~"

Luke looked at her with a slight surprise when George the driver dropped them off at the bus stop. After having breakfast with the Blacs, Cosette told him he could tag along with her for today's extravaganza. He didn't know what she was up to, but he was already curious.

"Why did he drop us off here?" he asked, blinking innocently.

"Because we will take the bus." Her answer was quick, sporting an innocent front as well.

"I know that, but why?"

"What do you mean, why? So it will take us to where we're going?" Cosette cocked her head to the side, and then it hit her. Both of them were rich kids — they didn't need to ride a bus to go to wherever they wanted to go.

She cleared her throat and giggled at the thought. Cosette bumped her shoulder against him mildly.

"I take the bus," she clarified, perking her chin up when she caught the approaching bus. "It's nice to ride a car, and it is convenient, but sometimes, commuting isn't bad too. You will learn a lot."

"Ever wonder why others are so streetwise?" she added and at the same time, the bus slowly halted in front of the shade they were standing under. "You will never see the outside world if you don't go out of your box. Let's go and be humans."

Cosette chuckled as she slapped his chest with the back of her hand before skipping her steps and hopping onto the bus. Luke frowned but still followed, shrugging as he didn't mind riding the bus. He couldn't be a baby now since he didn't have other plans for today aside from hanging out with her.

As they entered and paid — Cosette did, since Luke didn't know how to — Luke looked around the bus. There were already a few people inside, following Cosette, and they sat down two rows from the back seat. Cosette sat down near the window while he perched beside her.

"Do you always take the bus?" he asked out of plain curiosity.

"Mhm! Every day." Cosette flashed him a smile. "I ride the bus when I go to school and when I go home. Uncle George fetch me at the bus stop where he dropped us off."

"Why?"

This time, Cosette frowned slightly. "I just told you. I want to be human."

"You mean you want to be a commoner?"

"That's quite rude."

"Do you think saying you want to be human isn't rude?" he scrunched his nose up, holding on to the handle attached to the seat in front of him. "You're like saying being rich means you're not human."

"Did that offend you?"

"Not really, but well… it still makes me think you see me as not human."

She chuckled as she leaned back. Not that she sees him as not a human, but he was a character in the novel. Cosette glanced at him with her lips stretched from ear to ear. Even though Luke was a character in the novel, he felt real. Just like Maxen and Conrad and everyone she met so far.

"What?" his brows rose upon noticing her prolonged gaze.

"Nothing." She shook her head lightly. "I'm just happy that you went to see me today. I was surprised, but I'm glad my friend came to see me, needless to say."

As the last syllable escaped her lips, Cosette turned her head to the window and smiled subtly. Meanwhile, Luke could only stare at her and his cheek slowly flashed red.

For Luke, he thought Cosette would find him strange by coming by early in the morning without prior notice. But he still did because he had nothing else to do today and he wanted to be friends with her. People used to say his character was a little too much, and he was so impulsive.

pAn,Da n<0,>v,e1 So he was relieved she didn't think like that. Luke stare at her side and smiled subtly, leaning back and making himself comfortable.

"This is my first," he remarked after minutes of silence, noticing her look back at him through his peripheral vision. "My first bus ride. I never rode one before."

"Hehe… it's not as convenient as riding a private car."

"Well, I don't think there's a huge difference." He turned his head back to her, only to see her grin. "What?"

"You'll know why it's inconvenient sometimes, but it's still fun."

His brows furrowed at her answer but didn't dwell on it longer. Luke only realized what she meant by that when more people rode the bus and filled all the vacant seats. When he thought the bus wouldn't stop to take more passengers, he was wrong. Because not long after, there were already people standing in the aisle.

'Shit!' Luke jumped to Cosette's side when the man's crouch leaned closer to his shoulder along with the movements of the bus. He gazed up at the man, who didn't seem aware of what was going on down there in dismay.

Cosette chuckled as she squeezed herself to the window so he could have more room. "I told you."

"Shit." Luke ground his teeth, face flustered as he faced her squarely. "We're overloading," he said in a quiet voice.

"But the bus isn't full yet."

He gasped in disbelief, glancing around to check the crowded bus. "You don't call this full?" he looked back at her in dismay.

"You'll get used to it." Cosette giggled. "Welcome to the real world."

'Damn…' he huffed in distress as he looked around and his face contorted when the bus stopped once again. Some passengers hitched out, but the people kept on coming until it was fully packed and everyone was inhaling each other's breath.

While Luke was trying so hard to avoid the people standing on the aisle, Cosette stare at him with a smile. For her, it was only natural for him to act this way since he was born with a golden spoon. But Luke was taking it better than she expected.

When she noticed a middle-aged lady standing up, Cosette tapped his shoulder to catch his attention. She smiled when he looked back at her.

"My time is up. Excuse me."