Evelyn

For the last two years, Mark has always gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. One day, the smell of burnt toast brought him back from his daydreaming while getting dressed. On other days, it could be the cold shower or the fact that he ran out of milk for his coffee. Sometimes, he even forgets to buy coffee. He feels like a loser in his cheap one-bedroom apartment, sometimes wishing he had never come here. Every day of the past weeks, something went wrong.

Mark didn't realize this, but everything was smooth sailing this morning.
It's a splendid day already. The sharp sun pierces Mark's pupil like a drill, but he doesn't mind; nothing gets to him this morning. It's only seven o'clock, and Mark is already enjoying his day; he's happy as a bunny. It wasn't always this easy for Mark in New York. It has only been this easy since, well, today. It's the best day ever for him.

Two years ago, he finished high school and moved to New York. Found a job, it's not a big job, but it's his first job, and he loves it. We all have a thing that's getting us out of the bed. That's his getting out of the bed thing. Mark walks to the bus stop like every other day of the week, but this time, he's on time. It's the first time in the last two months he's early enough to grab the 7-15 bus. The warm summer breeze flowing around his face puts a smile on his lips. Today, Mark is in a good mood.

He's in the big league now, playing with the big boys. Because of his body, he never saw himself as a man. But now he's growing a mustache; kids call him Sir. His awkwardness kept him from making new friends in New York, but that's all behind him now. What will happen today will change his life forever. He doesn't know it yet, but he will soon find out.

An all-boys school is the only thing Mark knew. That's why he's not Ferris Bueller when speaking to girls his age. The Timex was so famous with guys of the same age as Mark. He had put an alarm at 7-10 because Mark knew himself. Most of the time, when he walks, he gets lost in his mind, just floating in space, swimming from one idea to another. The beeping sound of his Timex snaps him out of his daydreams, and he doesn't have to look at the watch.

"Flipping burgers, I'm late!" says Mark out loud.

Back from fairyland, he has to run. He finally gets to the bus stop after the bus. Lucky for him, an old lady is trying to get in. The driver sits there looking at his watch, waiting for her to enter. Mark's a good man, so he helps the lady in. She takes a seat in front of the bus near the driver. It used to be the same driver, but not today as Mark's earlier.

"Morning Ralph!" Mark calls him Ralph as he did with the other driver.

"My name is Pete!" says the offended driver.

Mark had started a game with the other driver a few mornings ago. The driver calls him Sam, and he calls him Ralph, like the cartoon show on Saturday mornings.

Mark sees an empty seat in the back. After what happened with the driver, Mark aims for the seat way back, where no man has gone before. He ambles to reclaim this empty seat, holding on to the handlebars. He doesn't want to fall in front of everybody as the bus is already moving.

It's precisely at this moment that his eyes cross her path. The girl has a round face without imperfections and big round eyes like a doll. They both lock eyes like lazers as Mark passes by. He was sure everyone heard Mark's heart miss a beat. Mark thought it was Love Touch by Rod Stewart playing on the bus radio. It was actually the song Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins. He passed by her seat without saying or doing anything. She smiled at him, and he tried to reply with a dubious look. Once seated, talking to himself.

"I should have smiled and said hi. What a jerk I am," he said, complimenting his flirting style.

A big guy gets in, wearing a Chevy never dies T-shirt under his red and black Michael Jackson jacket. He talks to all the girls and tries to sit next to every one of them.

Mark jumps out of his seat without thinking and rushes to the seat next to the girl as the big guy arrives at her side.

"Sorry, the seat is taken!" Declares Mark with a stupid laugh at the end of his sentence.

"Hahahah!"

The guy stood there for ten seconds, which Mark felt like an eternity. Our antihero is more of a bookworm than the sporty, muscular type. He thought to himself, "I'm done. Tell my mother that I love her."

Mark saw his life flash before his eyes; it went so fast. He didn't want to die right here in front of that pretty girl whom he didn't even know her name. The big guy didn't even bother when he saw Mark's shape. He went to sit in the back.

The girl looks at Mark.

"thank you, stranger!"

Mark looks at her and doesn't know what to say. He wears a stupid grin on his face that won't go away.

For the past few days, Mark has been the first person at the bus stop, before the old lady, before anybody. He sat beside her every time he could. One morning our hero got on the bus, and a woman was sitting beside her so Mark had to find another seat. Smile at her as he passes by. Two stops later, the woman got up, and Mark jumped in the seat as fast as he could. He knew exactly where she was getting off, and all the way, Mark tried to initiate communication with the female in vain.

Then, one morning, Mark sat down Next to her.

"Good morning." says the pretty girl.

Mark smiled. He could not believe he had not said a word; that was his chance—a chance of a lifetime, and he froze like a popsicle. A few days passed, and Mark had not yet spoken to her. But today is the day he's going to say something. Like all other mornings, he arrived early at the bus stop and got on the bus with a big smile, like a kid in a toy store.

He pulled to her seat, lifted his head, and sais.

"Hi!"

She's not there, and it's an old bearded Guy sitting in her spot replying to him.

"hey!" Says the big bearded guy.

He looked around and didn't see her anywhere, so he returned to the back, thinking about everything that could have happened to her. The following day, Mark hopes to see her; the second he is on the bus, he hears a lovely, soothing voice. He looks up and sees her face, the prettiest face a girl can have, fragile like a rose. So, now that Mark will not let his third chance pass, our shy guy starts talking. He's baffling out the words.

"Bood morfing!" he's too nervous.

She smiles at him. The more she smiles, the more he puts his feet in his mouth. Mark can't believe he still struggles to speak to her after all this time. She giggles as Mark gets his feet further down his throat.

"Cow are you?" says Mark, with his ears turning red

"Sorry!" says Mark as he wants to change seats, but he wouldn't mind jumping out the window of a rolling bus.

She finds that so cute. She puts her hand on his leg to calm him down as he gets up.

"It's ok! Take your time. You're so cute." she says with such ease.

Mark feels the redness go from his ears to his face while he sits back in his seat.

"I'm fine." says the girl.

He gently put his hand on hers. After that, Mark was in the zone. He was talking, telling stories, and asking good questions, and she was laughing, staring at him with hearts in her eyes. For fifteen minutes, Mark was flying. It was the best time of his life, and she had her head in the clouds.

"This is my stop," says the young girl. I have to go. I won't be here for a few weeks; I will be out of town. I have to go. What's your name?" as she gets up and rings the bell.

"Mark, I'm Mark." says the shy guy as he looks at her walking the aisle.

The bus finally stops, and she takes a last look at him before stepping out. They lock eyes like every other day she leaves the bus. But now, it might be the last time they lock eyes. Mark has so many questions and so little time. He struggles to open the window, but he manages to squeeze his head out and ask.

"What's your name?" shouts Mark as the bus rolls away. She turns back at him and yells her name.

"Evelyn. My name is Evelyn." she says with a smile, ears to ears.

Two months have passed, and Mark is Alone on the bus, sitting where she used to sit. He never saw her again after that perfect day. He knew what the possibility is when you meet a complete stranger on a bus. Lucky for him, she gave him something before she left. Something he didn't initially notice when she left him on that bus. She gave him the confidence to talk to strangers, girls in particular. He finally breaks free from his shell. He thinks about her daily, hoping to see her again on the bus. Sometimes, he tells his s
tory to the old ladies sitting beside him.

All he has now is a memory and a name.

EVELYN.