The Woman on the Bus Ch. 01

All characters in this story are at least eighteen years old.

The Woman on the Bus

ONE

Week One and Lunch with Gina

I have a story to tell you. It's about an event that changed my life for the better and I only hope that everyone gets to experience something like this in their life. A friend can be more than just a friend with a nudge in the right directions. It began one Monday morning...

Monday

I noticed her in the back of the bus after I stumbled onto it as I did most Monday mornings. She was a young brunette sitting at the rear of the bus on the opposite side. I thought to myself that she had to be in her late twenties. Her hair was up, and she was wearing jeans, a shirt with frilly sleeve ends, and tennis shoes. She had on light colored glasses, and I could tell they were likely only necessary for reading since they didn't seem the thickness required for all day wear from my perspective. She didn't appear to be a business professional, but maybe more of a techie. The kind where it's not their appearance that matters as much as their innovative ideas and creativity.

She had her legs crossed and was reading a book she was holding upright on her knee. She didn't notice me the first glance, but the second time I looked, we met eyes for a split second. As soon as I saw her eyes staring back at mine, I shot my glance in a different direction hoping she didn't see me staring at her. She was looking directly at me, though. I resisted looking again but couldn't help it. This time, she had a small smile on her face and her stare seemed to linger on longer than usual. I tell you, I instantly time warped back to my awkward teenage years and became that shy little girl when a boy said something nice to me. There I was in my business attire, trying to get to work and this girl was snatching my attention.

I spent the rest of my time on the bus considering why she was smiling at me and why I found her particularly appealing, especially considering I was not nor have ever been on the prowl for a female companion. Regardless, the bus stopped at the station before mine and she left. I watched her pack her stuff up, toss her backpack over her shoulder, and exit the door at the rear of the bus. She never stopped to look at me again, so I thought I might have been making the whole thing up in my head.

I didn't have much down time at work, so my thoughts of this young woman didn't invade my mind until after I got home. My husband, Ben, was away on a business trip so I made a small meal for myself and made myself comfortable on the couch watching a Lifetime movie. Half way through, my mind wandered to her. I questioned my interpretation of the series of events as they happened. Maybe she wasn't looking at me. Then again, maybe she was flirting with me. I shrugged off the entire event and continued watching TV.

Tuesday

The thought of her was pretty much out of my mind by the time I got out of bed. I got in the shower and the rest of my morning went on as it always had. I locked up the house and proceeded towards the bus stop. That's when her face popped back up in my head. I didn't know what to expect from today's bus ride, if she would even be there again. I had not noted her as a regular before today so, it was entirely possible she was just a flirty little thing that just happened to like what she saw that day.

As if I was not in control of myself, I caught myself watching everyone who got on at every stop. I work quite a distance from home so, there are several stops along the way. Yesterday, she was on the bus when I got on. Today, she didn't get on until much later. I watched as the boarded the bus and looked around. She was wearing clothes that closely matched the style of those she wore the day before.

I wasn't in the spot I was the day before, but I saw her look over that way and then again to somewhere else looking for a place to sit. I must have been staring at her because as soon as she sat, she resumed scanning the people on the bus and her eyes locked on mine when she saw me. We stared at each other for what felt like minutes before she smiled and reached into her backpack for her book. Something inside me told me to not look away.

She was then beginning to pre-occupy my thoughts. If I also had a book, I would not have been able to read it. Instead, I had a conversation with myself to try and figure out what was happening. I don't know why I was watching her as much as I did but, I felt a certain draw to her. She was alluring. She also seemed to be playing a game with me. The kind of game where she forces me to notice her, then plays hard to get. I did wonder why she was dancing through my head as she was. I consistently asked myself why I even looked.

I continued questioning my behavior and was snapped out of it when I was tapped the shoulder. It seemed the bus stopped at my stop and one of the regulars pointed to the digital sign in the bus and told me the driver was about to close the doors. I thanked them immediately started to depart the bus. As I did, I looked around for the mystery woman and realized she must have gotten off while my internal monologue was running amok.

She was on my mind all day that day and my worked showed it. I tried to snap out of it, but her face stirred in my mind. Questions began piling up about the situation. I stopped working long enough to realize that she's either going to keep riding the same bus as me and we will have an encounter sooner than later or, she's just being flirty, and I'll likely not see her again. I played both scenes in my head and noticed a unique physiological difference in response to each scenario. The former gave me goosebumps and the latter made me feel sad.

Wednesday

I left that morning the same as I had, only this time I was determined. I was going to decide what I was seeing and go with it or leave it alone. I wasn't going to let her torture me any longer, though I must admit, it was making my life anything but mundane as I felt it had been lately. I did the same thing as I had prior. I got on and sat in a place where I could see most of the bus, or at least make her walk past me to get to a seat.

I boarded the bus and waited for her. Her stop came, and she was there, waiting. My heart skipped a beat, and I could feel the adrenaline flowing through me. She did the same as she had done the day before, except this time, she walked past me. Sunflower! She wore sunflower perfume and it hit me like Cupid's arrow. This woman was driving me crazy. I didn't understand how or why, but I was going to let it happen. I lazily sat back in my chair with my bag on knees and casually scanned the crowd watching her from time to time. She didn't pay strict attention to me, and her nose was stuck in the book she was reading. I was a little disappointed but waited to see if there was a way for me to initiate contact.

Nearing her stop, I noted she paid attention to where the bus was and when her stop was to be next, she closed her book as if she had just remembered something. You know, the light came on over her head and she quickly jostled around in her backpack. She drew out a pen and a sheet of paper and began scribbling. She put the pen back in her bag, folded the sheet of paper, and waited for her stop.

When the bus stopped, she got up, put her backpack on her shoulder and looked at me. She scanned the people on the bus before locking eyes with me and began moving in my direction. She put her arm down as she passed me and alerted me with her eyes to the paper she held in her hand as she continued walking. This was it, I thought, this is where she tells me to stop being a creeper and stop staring at her. I was wrong.

The note said 'You're reading it right. I hope you like my perfume today.'

It's like she knew she was dancing in my head all day. She could have said 'liked' as in, I won't smell it again and think of her. But she said like, knowing full well I think of her when I'm not on this bus. I didn't know where this was headed, but I was onboard for the ride. I think I committed myself to this thing, regardless of where the road took me. I recall thinking that if I found myself in bed with her one day, it wouldn't shock me. I also recall wondering why I was imagining being in bed with her.

That night while on the phone with my husband, he noted a change in my mood. I knew I was at a crossroads there. Did I tell him and make it an adventure for me or keep it to myself and call it an affair? Once upon a time he told me it was a fantasy for him to see two women together. He never said that fantasy involved me and another woman so, it was a tough road. I certainly wasn't going to tell him over the phone. I decided to wait.

I'll leave the details out, but in the end, he was as interested as I was and genuinely for my sake. See, he's slowed down a bit lately but when his fire is lit, it's an inferno so he understands where I'm at with this new adventure. I tell him each night what happened that day and he enjoys the story. I think mostly because it's not some text posted on a website. He's hearing it from my voice which tantalizes him even more.

Thursday

The next day I was a nervous wreck. I woke up and did all the things I normally do; except I spent a little more time in the primping department. First, my time in the shower was a tad longer as I shaved some areas I had previously neglected. I don't know what my mind was anticipating that morning, but whatever it was, I was going to be prepared. Then I pulled out my perfumes to see which I thought would grab her attention. I picked a light lavender that morning. I stared at the mirror and re-did my hair probably a dozen times. I decided to leave it down, but I ran a flat iron through it to give it some shine.

I made my way to the bus stop and patiently waited. That morning was different. Instead of getting on the bus and waiting for the bus to get to her, she came to me. She was already on the bus when I stepped on. It turns out that there was nowhere to sit that morning as the bus was unusually full. She was seated next to the door at the front of the bus. For the first time in my life, I took a bold step and stood next to her, holding one of the handholds dangling from the top of the bus.

My mind was racing. I think I knew what I wanted her to do, but I could not say a word to her. I did look down from time to time to see what she was doing, and I noticed she kept shuffling about in her seat. I didn't know exactly why, but I had more time to find out. Also, since I had more time and I was already feeling bold, I decided to see how I can move whatever was hap[pening forward a bit. Maybe exchange words. Fate seemed to have enough of my hesitation and took the next step for me. The bus turned unexpectedly and since I wasn't sitting, my body shifted a little more than I compensated for.

I overcompensated once I realized I had to adjust and found myself leaning, or perhaps even falling towards her and in quick thought I found my angle. I allowed myself to get closer and braced myself on the window behind her, allowing her to smell my perfume. I whimpered out a meek 'excuse me' and stood back up. I looked back down at her and saw that she was smiling. The next thing I knew, it was her stop. The bus slowed and she began to gather her things and herself. When it stopped, quite a bit of people began shifting around trying to either depart the bus or move so others could. She stood up right next to me and placed her hand in the small of my back.

She turned to me and whispered, "Thank you."

I melted at the sound of her voice. She was truly a Siren. I knew I had to up the game the next day.

Friday

The last day of that week, I made sure that I was ready to see her again. Whatever fate wants to deal me today, I'm ready for. What I was not ready for was the weekend without contact. I suddenly realized that while we were not exchanging conversation, maybe she will take my number and text me. I spent a long time writing down the ten digits while also realizing that I was behaving like a love-struck teenager. I lamented over the look of my nines, about whether to put a heart shaped period under the question mark, and even if my handwriting would turn her off. She took notice of me before any of the details of my existence became known to her, so I doubt my handwriting would put her off.

I decided that day I was going to be a little bolder and throw the ball back in her court.

I was happy, once again to see her on the bus before me. The bus was crowded again so I assumed the same spot in front of her, despite there being a couple open seats. I had the piece of paper I wrote my number on in my hand but had not yet decided how I would give it to her. I was going to put it in her backpack, but she didn't have one with her. I don't know if that was planned or not, but I had to come up with something else. With my decision made that I was going to be bolder, I looked in that direction for an answer.

My face lit up when I realized what I needed to do. I waited for my moment.

The bus turned a corner, and I knew her stop was next. I studied her movements as she prepared to leave when she turned and looked me in the eyes. We both smiled and I reached forward and took hold of her hand, passing to her the small note. She looked down at our joined hands and my thumb took a mind of its own. I gently moved my thumb across her skin, and it was as if an actual fire started within me. I looked at her face and noticed an obvious blush. The game was set, and the timer was ticking.

Sunday

At Giovani's Italian Eatery

"You've been pretty happy lately." Gina commented bluntly. There's no way she knew, but I'm bursting at the seams to tell her.

"What do you mean?" I asked without alerting her that she may be on to something, "I consider myself fairly happy more often than not."

The waitress came up to take our drink orders, pointing to the list of sodas, juices, wines and mixed drinks available from the bar.

"I'll have the Rose Moscato!" I said a little too quickly. I would probably need a little help to tell this story. I might have given something away, though.

We were in the corner of patio area, facing each other. There are enough passersby that those stationary around us would not pick up on what I'm saying unless they were trying to. If that was the case, then by all means - listen.

Even still, I motioned her to move closer to me so that we would be facing the street, our voices projecting that way. The waitress would still have room to serve us as we appeared to people watch. I sensed her curiosity rising.

"It just seems like you're smiling more and also a bit distracted at work," she noted while browsing the menu.

"I'm going to tell you exactly why I'm happier than normal." I stated with no ambiguity in my tone. "It started on the 613 route I take from home to work."

I told her about each day as they happened, and I watched her ride the same emotional roller coaster I did. It was a little amusing to see her reactions, especially as I regaled her with my story. Her demeanor had changed near the end, though, and I realized what was going on. I think Gina was turned on. I recall thinking to myself that she was going to be a wreck by the time I was done telling her about the text conversation I had with her the day before.

"Are you okay, Gina?" I asked.

She snapped out of it, "Yes, you have my undivided attention. This is not what I was expecting when I mentioned that I noticed a positive change, but, my god, this is amazing!"

I told her about the day before and how I woke up with a certain sense of anxiety about whether the woman on the bus would text or even call me at all that day since she didn't Friday. I carried on about my day, shopping, having dinner and sitting down with some wine to watch a movie. I told her I had about given up when my phone buzzed. I looked over at Gina and could tell she was mentally on the edge of her seat.

"I couldn't believe that with as quiet as she was, she sent me the message she did," I teased, "and it was a doozy!"

"Damnit, Christy, just tell me what she said!" Gina mildly snapped at me with a smirk on her face.

I leaned over and whispered in Gina's ear, "Getting a little hot and bothered, are we?" I teased her again, "it said 'I missed you today.'"

Gina sighed a little and knew there was so much more to come.