Angel and Sarah headed downstairs, still laughing and whispering about their small victory. Outside the college gate, they spotted the bus waiting. The late afternoon sunlight caught Angel's hair, and for a moment, she felt light and happy, almost as if the day had turned entirely in her favor.
On the bus, they found their seats and settled in, their minds still buzzing with the thrill of their discovery. Sarah was giddy, talking nonstop about the boy, about how handsome he was, how exciting it was to finally have his name. Angel smiled along, but inside, she felt something stronger—a fluttering excitement that surpassed Sarah's. She couldn't tell anyone, not even Sarah, how much she had actually cared about the discovery.
The chatter of students faded when a familiar figure appeared near the college gate. David Sinclair, walking with his friends, was already heading home. Angel's heart skipped. She could barely breathe for a second, watching him move casually, unaware of them, unaware of anything.
Then, something unexpected happened. The teacher they had just seen at the tech room, the one with the seating list, was walking nearby. Suddenly, the teacher smiled, looked directly at David, and shouted his name.
David froze. The teacher hurried toward him, whispered something into his ear, and pointed toward the bus. Angel and Sarah exchanged shocked glances, unable to move or even speak. They could hardly believe what they were seeing.
For a few long seconds, time seemed to slow. David's head tilted slightly, his eyes flicking toward the bus, as if considering what the teacher had just told him. Slowly, he started moving in the bus's direction.
Sarah gasped. "He's… he's coming!"
Angel felt her chest tighten, and both girls instinctively leaned closer to each other, eyes wide. Everyone on the bus noticed their sudden excitement and turned to look, whispering among themselves, wondering if the girls were all right.
Then, just as suddenly, the teacher stopped David, spoke to him briefly, and smiled before walking away. David paused, glanced once more at the bus, and then continued on his way home.
Sarah and Angel exhaled loudly, relief washing over them. They sank back into their seats, hearts finally slowing. Minutes later, the bus driver started the engine, and the journey home began.
The ride passed uneventfully, though Angel found herself stealing glances toward the front, remembering David's quick glance at the bus. The small thrill lingered in her chest. When the bus finally dropped them off at their location, they stepped down carefully, still buzzing with excitement and relief that their small adventure had gone successfully—no one had noticed, no one had judged, and the secret of David's seat number remained theirs alone.