The Bad Boy's Attraction

Travel Buddy

It's official...Natalie has given up on trying to understand how some female brains work. No matter how much she tries to, she doesn't get it. She even considered seeing it from their point of view but it still doesn't make any sense to her. 

"One person, the same person...One insufferable, full of themselves person."

"How do they do it? Do they like, fall for the same guy or something? How is it that they all have the same taste?" 

Natalie blinks so many times when everything doesn't make sense even in her head. How every girl is drawn to one single person just doesn't make any sense to her.

She rolls her eyes at the latest girl making her way out of the bus. Her retreating back seems to be trying to get the entire world to look at her. Or maybe not the entire world but one person in particular. She is seriously swaying everything behind her for the whole world to see and Natalie can't help but roll her eyes again. 

It's been like this at every one of their stops and Natalie wished she could have dropped earlier to avoid seeing every girl flaunt themselves like they were a piece of meat. Some even found a reason to hang a bit around Brendan's seat in hopes of getting noticed. She also didn't miss that she was the subject of their glares to which she responded with glares of her own.

And surprisingly, the target audience doesn't seem interested or is pretending not to be. He instead keeps on letting out a chuckle every time someone puts on a show. She on the other hand, even though aware of his presence refuses to acknowledge him. Even when she can feel his eyes on her, she simply refuses to look his way.

She shifts her attention away from the annoying show, head shaking in disbelief and decides to enjoy the scenery outside. 

The change feels refreshing instantly. It's been a while since she has used the bus and since she has been on this particular route. Even now it's only thanks to her treacherous friend that she is here. But nonetheless she's here and she chooses to enjoy the drive. 

At this time of the day many of the day's activities are slowing down paving way for the night life. 

Her mind quickly wanders to why people enjoy being out of their homes during the night time when they could spend some time with their families after having a busy day. It's just one thing that she has found weird. Or maybe because the night life is just not  her thing, or it could be that life outdoors doesn't really interest her that much. 

She would pick being home watching movies or reading a book or two over a trip to the most famous spots in their city. 

Of course being friends with Ava has seen her being dragged out of her home and spending hours and hours doing what Ava says is good for the soul. But to her it just gives her an excuse to oversleep the following day.

She lets out a tiny laugh at that. Even though she is mad about her best friend at the moment, thoughts of how Ava always encourages her to live a little makes her smile. Sometimes they gang up on her with her dad just to get her to step out of their house.

She spots one of the famous night spots in the city as they drive by. A girl that she thinks is only a few years older than her just walked through its doors and she wonders if she works there or she's an early customer. The place has a few of its employees busy moving the furniture about and she guesses they are getting the place ready to open.

Further down the road she spots a pizza place and she suddenly feels hungry. Unconsciously her hand drops down to her stomach. She realizes that because of today's events, she skipped her meals and her stomach rumbles just in time to register it's complaint. 

"Just a little while longer." She seems to say to the rumblings in her belly that follow one after the other. And now, even she feels the hunger as it bites her insides. 

A look outside makes her smile when she notices a woman laughing with a little girl while they eat ice cream. Something about that scene warms her heart. She wonders if she ever did that with her own mother. Most of her childhood memories are fuzzy now but she likes to imagine that they must have had a good time.

"Are we there yet?"

Brendan's deep voice startles her and she almost bumps herself on the window. She curses under her breath when she finally recovers and glares at him. She doesn't even understand why he is asking her that. It's not like she is his travel buddy or anything. She decides to ignore him again and continue her sight seeing.

"Are we there yet?"

This time he gives her shoulder a nudge and she grits her teeth so hard she thinks they might even c***k under the pressure. 

"Why is he even talking to me?"

She really wants to have nothing to do with him today. She even thought of missing her stop earlier to keep him from knowing where she stays but she doesn't think her sanity will survive anymore of him. She already feels like it has been ages since she's been on the bus. Not to mention how uncomfortable she feels being trapped between him and the window. She curses under her breath. At this rate she will go insane before the day comes to an end.

"Are we there ye…."

"Just shut up already." She snaps eventually. 

"We have barely covered any distance and to be honest I'm tired of your whining." She says bitingly.

"Ooh...are we being honest with each other now hmmm?" He sounds amused and scoots closer to her. 

"Ewww..get away from me" She bites, half afraid of having any form of body contact whatsoever.

"Jesus! What have I done to deserve such punishment?" She mumbles under her breath. The level of frustration she is feeling at not being able to handle this situation is already causing a headache. She is extremely infuriated. But all that seems to fade when her stop finally comes into view and she feels like she is looking at the gate to her freedom.

"Excuse me." She says flatly when the bus comes to a stop.

"What? This is it?" Brendan asks instead of moving out of the way.

"Yes. So move over before the bus starts moving." She says quickly afraid of drawing attention to herself though it's kind of too late already. Every eye has been looking their way every now and then and now that they are moving out all eyes seem to be on them. Or rather on him. 

He gets up slowly making sure to take his time and it takes Natalie everything in her to keep herself from pushing him. Once he gets up though she pushes herself in front of him and practically runs out of the bus. 

"Aren't we supposed to be discussing how we are going to do this thing?" Brendan calls after her the moment they drop off but Natalie just keeps walking without saying anything. 

If she wasn't this tired, she would have broken out in a sprint to get home quickly and avoid him altogether.

"Hey, are you this uptight always?" 

Brendan's hand on her makes her freeze on her spot.

"We aren't supposed to be doing anything." She replies with arms folded half regretting how awkward her answer sounds.

"And no, not always. Just when I have no intention to waste my breath with the likes of you."

"The likes of me?" 

He looks at her with an eyebrow raised and for a second that look on him causes a little flip in her belly.

"Yes." She replies before turning around and continuing walking home. She doesn't get why she's even reacting to him in any way

"Damn treacherous hormones." She thinks to herself as she tries to hurry away from him.

"So the likes of me?"

She hears Brendan do a little trot before finally reaching her side.

"What do you think of the likes of me?"

"Did he just ask me what I think of him?"

A sinister smile crosses her lips before looking at him nonchalantly. She might as well have some fun if he insists on walking her home.

"I don't think you really want to know that." She shrugs her shoulders appearing innocent while her insides get excited about telling him what she really thinks.

"Oh please, do tell." There is expectation in his voice that makes her jump at the idea. She can't believe that he just took the bait.

"Like I said, you really don't want to know but if you insist." She appears to be innocently thinking before looking ahead.

"Firstly I would say a jerk, a very insufferable jerk. Secondly an arrogant jerk, a very arrogant jerk. Thirdly, an annoying jerk, a very annoy…."

"Yeah, yeah I get it. A very annoying jerk." He cuts her off, sounding a little annoyed. 

"I get it. I'm a jerk." He says flatly.

"You asked for it, you can't blame me for telling you the truth. " 

"Glad that we are already being honest with each other." He finally chirps after a few steps. 

Natalie whips her head towards him, surprised at his change in demeanour. He sounds like he did a complete 180 from his annoyed self a moment ago. And she doesn't miss how her heart skips a beat when he talks about them being honest with each other again.

"I'm glad you think I'm a jerk. I wouldn't have it any other way." His lips curve up in a wry smile and Natalie looks away quickly when her heart skips a beat again.

"Treacherous hormones."  She mutters under her breath. She really needs to get home before she is totally betrayed by these biological pests that are able to snatch her control from her in a heartbeat. She decides to hasten her steps in a bid to cover more ground quickly. She figures the earlier she can reach her house the earlier her tormentor can leave her be.

"What's the rush? Trying to get away from me so quickly babe?" Brendan sounds amused as he catches up to her again and she feels like pulling at her hairs. He is a complete recipe for frustration and he is annoying her on purpose. 

She stops in her tracks and turns to him with gritted teeth.

"Firstly, I'm not your babe." She points a warning finger at him.

"And secondly…"

"Why do you always feel the need to number your statements?" Brendan cuts her off mid sentence. 

"What?" She looks at him confused and upset at the same time.  She doesn't really appreciate being cut off like that.

"Your statements, why do you feel the need to number them?" 

There is amusement dancing in his eyes and she feels like slapping him.

"Firstly, I don't…"

"That!" Brendan exclaims before she can even say anymore. 

Her eyes go wide when she realizes what he means at once. 

"So the jerk is observant too." That fact surprises her. For someone full of themselves, it's really surprising to know that he can pick such a little detail. 

"Or maybe it's not so little." She thinks to herself but stops when she realizes that she hasn't even noticed that about herself.

"I don't owe you any explanation." She finally says bitingly before deciding to continue walking.

"Are you also this hostile?" Brendan says sounding even more amused and this time she stops and looks at him square in the face. She has finally had it. Though it's surprising that what he seems to think of her is what has finally ticked her off. And she is truly feeling hostile at this very moment.

"Listen Bachmann junior." She sees him flinch when she calls him that and she feels some sense of satisfaction. 

"I didn't ask you to follow me neither did I ask you to talk to me." She sneers.

"Just...just leave me alone!" Now she is just plain exasperated and his smirk is not helping either. 

She relaxes a bit though when the familiar surroundings remind her that she is finally home. And she finds herself turning away from the person who managed to annoy her the entire day today. She doesn't even bother letting them say anything before she steps into her yard and all the way into her home. And for once she is not worried that he knows exactly where she stays.  She is just glad to be away from him.