The road is clogged with too many cars going different directions. Buses and other public vehicles, private ones are on the other side bound for the south. I highly believe that there's too many private cars already. The traffic lights are not helping either. How can we turn when there's just 30 seconds of green light and 60 seconds of red light? The world is so unfair.
I cannot sleep again so I'll just have to endure this two hours of ride with this sleeping guy beside me, who I asked before if he could trade seats with me. It's so uncomfortable sitting by the isle. He didn't even bother looking at me but doze off covering his face with his cap. Jerk.
So what else I could do but find something to do while stuck here, which is way better than standing in line for the bus that are also stuck in the traffic? Then I remember the mix I got earlier.
I opened my binder and found the CD, title neatly written on its case, "The Sound of Settling". Creative I may say. How about the songs? Only one way to find out. I opened the case and put the CD in my player (yes, I carry a CD player), pressed play and the first song came up.
The singer's vocal is boyish and innocent, and often reminiscent of the late Elliott Smith. What is this song?
Reider's crowning achievement in this mix is this one song, which begins with the simulated sounds of a train track, followed by ascending chord changes which evoke hopeful melancholy and lyrics that display the singer's seemingly tired desperation: "I thought it less like a lake and more like a moat," he says of the ocean separating him from his lover. This is so different from the others, which are more of deep attachment whereas the others are about starting something and settling in. The only thing missing is a dramatic men's choir. Oh wait, there it is! The songs give the record an intricate and textured feel, but strips the songs down to bare basics at the same time, each track cascading flawlessly into the next.
I put the player on shuffle and fell asleep.
Now I didn't see that coming. I woke up, startled by a soft touch on my shoulder. Here we go again. I didn't intended to fall asleep but what I didn't expected to see is Alex's frustrated face beside me.
"Are you not going to move?" He said, getting his bag and trying to squeeze past me but couldn't.
"Um, yeah, sorry." I gathered my stuff and stand up to make a way for him. He stand up, walk past me and didn't even tried to hide his frustration. "You live here?" I asked, following him. I realized that we're finally home. What time is it? Why do I always fell asleep on the bus and woke up like this? Alex did not turn but continued off the bus. So I followed him. Alex is one of those people I don't talk to in class because he thinks he's better than anyone. And aside from the fact that he doesn't really talk that much. I'm not even sure if he has friends. He's cute okay, broad shoulders, dimples that cannot be seen unless there's necessary papers for you to ask him to smile, brown eyes, killer jaw (oh god!), tall but not that tall, really talented and smart. Oh and so hot. He doesn't shows off though, keeping everything inside him.
"You would've gone off earlier if you just traded seats with me when I asked you to." I called to him. Still no response. Why do I always have to deal with jerks like him and Reider a few days ago? "Jerk." I turn the other way to leave.
"Allison Jae Lovel" I heard but did not turn to look. Maybe I'm not the one he's talking to.
"Three years of no talking? That's a record, don't you think? And now you're calling me a jerk."
Okay maybe he was talking to me. But I kept on walking. Just a few minutes and I'll reach home. Better not get into conversation. And he will not follow me.
"Allison!" but he is following me now.
Do not look. Do not look. Ignore.
"So that's how you shut that mouth. Just say the name and she'll shut up." Ignore.
"Is this yours?" What is mine?
"You like mixes?" What mixes?
I turn. Oh. That mix.
He's smiling like an idiot. I walk towards him. He's radiating hotness but I am not intimidated. I stop just inches from him but his grin is not fading it's giving me a headache. He's tall, much taller than me. I reach just few inches before his shoulder. He's dwarfing me but I am greater than that. I am braver than what my height wants to offer. I reach for my CD but he kept it away from, above me. He's waving it and I am trying to grab it but couldn't reach. Jerk.
So I turn to leave.