Lys's demand for answers cut through the air, his voice sharp enough to draw all attention.
A girl who had been sitting near Sofia earlier shrank under his intense glare. She hesitated, glancing nervously toward Kalli's group before stammering,
"She... she went to the bathroom. Back at the station. I've not seen her since then."
Lys felt the ground shift beneath him, his blood run cold, "And you... you're just telling me this now?"
The girl flinched, unable to respond.
Lys turned away abruptly. His mind was screaming at him to act... to act fast.
"We have to go back," he rasped, pushing past the other students. Their confused whispers barely registered as he stormed to the front of the bus.
"Turn this bus around!"
Simon looked up in the rearview mirror. "Why? what happened?"
"My girlfriend's missing," Lys shouted, "She's still at the station. We have to go back!"
Every pair of eyes were now focused on Lys and Simon, holding their breath as they waited for the next move. Simon's knuckles turned white as he was trying to process this nasty situation. His gaze shifted to the supervisor.
The supervisor was visibly shaken but trying to mask it with a forced calm. After a moment's pause, he gave a nod. "Yeah. We should go back."
Simon didn't wait for further instruction. With a sharp twist of the wheel, he yanked the bus off the road. The tires screeched against the pavement as the bus made a sharp U-turn back toward the station.
From the back of the bus, Kalli's voice pierced the tension. "Chill. What's the worst that could happen? Relax."
Lys didn't respond. He didn't even turn around. His mind raced through every worst-case scenarios.
When the bus halted at the station, he didn't wait for the doors to fully open. He bolted out, his legs moving on instinct as he sprinted toward the bathrooms.
One of the bathroom doors was locked from the outside, the padlock shining under the dim station lights. It felt ominous, like.... a suffocating coffin.
"Sofia!" he shouted, slamming his shoulder against the door. "Sofia, are you in there? Answer me!"
No response.
He struck harder, his desperation growing with each failed attempt. And then, with a final, desperate grunt, the lock gave up, and the door swung open.
There she was.
Lying motionless on the cold tile floor.
For a moment, the world stopped around Lys. The faint hum of the bus engine, the distant voices.... it all faded into a suffocating silence.
He fell to his knees beside her, his hands shaking. "No... no, no, no..." Tears blurred his vision as he gently touched her face.
"God, what's with all the commotion?" Kalli muttered, stepping off the bus. A cigarette was still dangling between her fingers.
But her steps faltered when she found the scene. The cigarette slipped from her lips, falling to the ground.
Lys's head snapped up, his teary face contorted with rage as they locked onto Kalli.
"It was you, wasn't it?" he growled, "You did this…"
In a heartbeat, he lunged toward her. His body moved on instinct, powered by blinding anger.
That resulted into a slap.
The sharp crack echoed in the still air, shocking everyone that was watching. Even the supervisor had no courage to stop him.
Kalli stumbled back, clutching her cheek, her eyes meeting Lys's. The sting was more than physical.....
"You fucking…" Lys's voice broke, "Sofia can't handle small spaces! Not even for five fucking minutes!" He was struggling to find words.
Suddenly, A commotion behind him pulled his attention.
It was the mechanic. He just arrived the scene, alarmed by the shouting. Lys turned on him. And, without hesitation, Lys's fist flew, colliding with the man's jaw in a blow.
The mechanic almost tripped, "What the hell, man?"
"Where the fuck were you?" Lys roared, "My Sofia.... she was probably screaming for help! You could've heard her! She probably panicked and…" His voice faltered, tears streaming down his face.
The mechanic backed away, hands raised in surrender. "I-I didn't hear anything!" he stammered. "There was so much noise from the other vehicles. I'm sorry! I should've checked, but—"
Lys yelled, "Shut the fuck up."
The entire crowd recoiled. Lys stood in the middle of it all, "That's my heart lying there. Unconscious. My heart. And all of you… you all failed her."
Kalli's face drained of all color. Her lips parted, "I didn't… I didn't do anything…"
Then her eyes drifted, almost unconsciously, to Jenna.
Jenna stood frozen at the edge of the group, her shoulders hunched as if trying to disappear. Kalli saw it....subtle but undeniable.....the slight quiver in her lower lip, her eyes were showing more than just fear.
That was guilt.
Kalli's stomach sank.
Oh poor god, I didn't think she'd take our rant about Sofia this seriously.
The realization hit Kalli like a punch to the gut. The look in Jenna's eyes told her everything.
It wasn't Sia. It wasn't even me who did this to Sofia. It was Jenna.
If Lys knew, if everyone knew, Jenna wouldn't stand a chance.
Kalli bit her lip, clenched her fists, forcing herself to stand tall. If anyone was going to take the blame, it wouldn't be Jenna.
"Lys…" she began, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do any harm. It was just… just a harmless prank. I didn't know about her condition. I swear."
That confession awakened some monster inside Lys. He stepped closer, but before he could unleash his anger, Sia's voice cut through the moment like a blade.
"Ungrateful little shit!" Sia spat, stepping between Lys and Kalli, "Don't even think about hitting my friend again. I never had an issue with you, but you've crossed the line now. Don't you ever forget...her mom's the reason you're still riding that damn bus--"
Kalli's eyes widened in horror. "Sia, that's enough!" she hissed, grabbing her friend's arm. "What are you even saying? Apologize to Lys!"
Lys froze after hearing Sia's words. For a moment, his fury wavered, replaced by disbelief.
He let out a bitter laugh, "I don't need any fucking apology. Not from her. Not from anyone."
Sia sneered, "Just take your girlfriend back to the bus, She'll be fine. Motherfucker, you don't even know who's guilty or not, and you're out here throwing punches like you own the place. Fucking pathetic."
Lys stared at Sia and then his gaze shifted to Kalli, searching her face for something.....anything. He wanted her to defend herself, to speak up, to deny her involvement.
And Kalli... she just stood there, silent. Her head was bowed slightly. Ready to take the blame. Ready to bear the weight of his wrath.
But instead, Lys's voice softened, "I'm sorry for slapping you," he muttered.
Without waiting for a response, he turned away.
Bending down, he gently scooped Sofia into his arms. Her fragile form was limp and lifeless against his chest. He held her as if she might shatter.
Lys whispered to Sofia, "I am sorry for not being there for you."
Sia sighed, "That's better."
Lys didn't respond to Sia. He climbed back onto the bus, the murmurs of the students fading behind him. Carefully, he laid Sofia across a seat, his hands trembling.
As the others boarded the bus, Jenna lingered behind. She reached out and grabbed Sia's hand. Tears streamed down her face, "I'm sorry, Sia,"
"I just thought… I just wanted to teach Sofia a lesson. I didn't think it through.....I didn't know she'd panic like that... and she'd faint like that, bro.... I thought maybe… maybe it'd make you or Kalli happy.... My braincells couldn't comprehend this situation, bro....And now, because of me, you and Kalli have to deal with all of this. People will...."
"Who cares what people think?" Sia interrupted. Her gaze softened as she squeezed Jenna's hand. "I don't. And you shouldn't either. Come here."
Jenna collapsed into Sia's arms.
Kalli let out a heavy breath and placed a hand on Jenna's shoulder, "It could've been funny, maybe. But who knew Sofia had such a condition? It's fine, Jenna. We've always got your back."
Jenna sniffled, her face covered with guilt. "Again, I didn't mean..."
"It's okay," Kalli gave her shoulder a squeeze.
Sia : "I won't let anyone hurt my friends. Now, let's head back onto the bus. It's freezing out here."
They climbed back into the bus together. At the back, Kalli sat stiffly.
Jenna sat beside her. Her voice was trembling as she was still mumbling. "I didn't mean for this to happen... I didn't know..."
Sia leaned in to soothe her, her quiet words offering comfort in the heavy silence.
Up front, Simon, who had been watching the scene unfold in the rearview mirror, let out a quiet sigh.
For a brief moment, his hardened demeanor softened. Without a word, he reached over and turned on the radio. A soft melody drifted through the bus, an attempt to ease the tension.
~~ Did you let the birds the cry? ~~
But Kalli heard none of it.
Her eyes never left Lys, following each gentle movement as he wiped Sofia's brow. A wave of sorrow washed over Kalli. She still felt that sting on her cheeks.
And, Lys- he hadn't looked at Kalli once since the confrontation. Not a glance, not a word. It was as though she no longer existed.
Kalli looked at the window, her reflection staring back at her, lost.
"I got the worst luck." she wondered, "With everyone I care about."