"Rember, Bella—no touching when Elara's with us," I reminded her as I stepped onto the bus, heading straight for our usual spot in the very back. The familiar hum of the engine and the faint sll of worn leather filled the air as we settled in.
Bella didn't respond right away. She just gave a quiet smile, her legs swinging slightly against the seat. The silence lingered for a mont, only broken by the soft rumble of the bus and the occasional chatter of other passengers.
Then, out of nowhere, she tilted her head toward . "Do boys like sex?" she asked, her tone completely innocent but her words anything but.
I blinked, caught off guard. "Yes, Bella, they do," I said flatly, rolling my eyes and letting out a sigh.
She humd in thought, looking out the window as the passing streets blurred by. Sothing told this was only the start of a long, awkward bus ride.
"How do I get a boyfriend? I want one..." she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked down at shyly, her cheeks tinged pink, eyes shimring with that mix of innocence and longing that made it impossible to be annoyed at her.
I sighed quietly, leaning back against the seat. This was going to be hard for her—but maybe, if I gave her so honest advice, she'd actually have a shot.
"Just... don't be too pushy with guys," I said after a mont. "Most don't like that. But if one starts flirting first, then that's different—he's probably easy to win over. Just be nice, okay? No one likes a an girl. Well... so do, but not the majority."
Bella nodded attentively, her eyes glued to as if I were teaching her so kind of secret life lesson. Then, without a word, she wrapped her arm around like she always did—gentle, warm, and familiar. The bus rocking slightly under our bodies.
"I like touching you..." she said with a playful giggle, her fingers pressing gently into my arm. "You're so soft and warm," she cooed, leaning in closer like she couldn't help herself.
"Rember what I said, Bella?" I sighed, glancing at her with a mix of patience and warning. "I'm in a relationship—you can't be touching like that."
Her smile faltered, a small pout forming on her lips. "I know but—"
Before she could finish, the bus hissed to a stop. I stood up, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. "Co on, Elara's waiting for us, I think."
Bella sighed but followed, dragging her feet slightly as we made our way down the aisle. We stepped off the bus, the late afternoon sun washing the street in gold. The driver gave a small wave, and as always, we thanked her before heading off toward Prince Pizza.
Bella muttered sothing under her breath, too low for to catch, but the sound of her voice was quickly drowned out by the rush of excitent I felt when I spotted Elara's car parked by the curb.
She was leaning casually against the hood, arms crossed, her hair glinting under the warm sunlight. The mont her eyes t mine, I couldn't help it—I ran straight to her, wrapping my arms around her and pressing my lips to hers in a passionate kiss that made my chest feel light.
"Hey, Bella," Elara said, glancing over as I pulled away slightly, her tone calm but warm. "Thanks for looking out for my love."
Bella shifted awkwardly, rubbing her arm. "Uh... yeah, of course."
"Co on," Elara said with a grin, threading her fingers through mine. "I'm paying today." She gave my hand a soft squeeze as we headed toward the door of Prince Pizza, the sll of lted cheese and dough wafting out as she opened it.
Bella trailed behind us, quiet but observant, her eyes flicking between our joined hands and the way Elara smiled at .
I parted from Elara's hand and made my way to a booth near the corner—one big enough for the three of us. Bella trailed close behind, sliding into the opposite side of the table, leaving the spot beside open for Elara. Perfect. I wanted to be close to her.
As Elara went to order, Bella leaned forward slightly, scratching at her collarbone. "Why do you guys kiss so much?" she asked, her tone a mix of genuine curiosity and confusion.
I gave a small chuckle, resting my arms on the table. "When you love soone, you want to show them. Whether it's touching, kissing, or just saying how you feel. Affection—stuff like that, you know?"
Bella blinked, clearly thinking it over. "So... when you love soone, you feel like touching them?" she asked, her voice soft and almost childlike in its innocence.
I nodded. "Yeah. But there's a difference," I added, leaning back a bit. "So people do it because they care, but others? They just prey on n."
Bella frowned slightly, tilting her head. "That's... weird."
"Yeah," I muttered, staring down at the table, mories of Sara flashing through my mind. "It really is."
"I'm sorry that you get harassed so much. I'll protect you, I promise." Bella's voice was soft but certain, her warm smile carrying a kind of innocence that almost made feel guilty. She placed her hand gently over mine.
I pulled back instinctively, glancing around to make sure Elara hadn't seen. "Bella, not here," I whispered firmly. "Elara's gonna freak if she sees you touching like that. I won't be able to hang out with you anymore, so just... keep it down, okay?"
Before she could answer, Elara returned, balancing two steaming pizzas—one loaded with different ats and cheese, the other a perfect pepperoni. She set them down with a grin, the sll of baked crust and garlic butter instantly filling the air.
"Ti to stuff our stomachs," she said, sliding into the booth beside and giving my shoulder a playful nudge. Then, with that sly smirk of hers, she added under her breath, "Just like how you'll be stuffing ..."
My face flushed instantly, heat crawling up my neck. I froze, caught sowhere between embarrassnt and disbelief. Bella tilted her head, confused, while Elara just laughed quietly to herself, clearly enjoying how flustered I'd beco.
Bella grabbed a slice of the at lover's pizza and took a massive bite—no hesitation, no pacing herself—just one huge chomp that nearly devoured the whole slice in a single go. and Elara froze mid-motion, staring at her like we'd just witnessed a magic trick. Even Elara, who could out-eat most girls at a buffet, looked impressed and slightly horrified.
"Holy shit, Bella... you know you can just enjoy it, right?" Elara said, half-laughing, half-bewildered.
Bella froze mid-chew, cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, and tried to speak through a mouthful of pizza. "I'm shory... I'm jusht very humgry," she mumbled apologetically, sauce smudged near the corner of her mouth.
I couldn't help but smile. I genuinely didn't understand how she was still starving—she'd eaten two trays of school food earlier like it was nothing. Then again, maybe all those muscles of hers burned through calories faster than normal.
I picked up my own slice, hot and dripping with cheese, and took a bite. Instantly, that familiar warmth of greasy perfection spread across my tongue.
Elara bit into hers right after, our eyes eting briefly as matching smiles crept up our faces. Nothing beat a cheesy, saucy slice of pizza after a long day.
"Thish ish sho good..." Bella said through a mouthful of pizza, her words muffled but full of enthusiasm. "I can eat like fifty of these!" she added, eyes wide and sparkling like a kid who'd just discovered sugar for the first ti.
Elara snorted into her drink, trying not to laugh but failing miserably. I couldn't help it either—a quiet chuckle slipped out of . The way Bella said things so honestly, so full of energy, was kind of refreshing.
"I swear, you're gonna put this place out of business one day," Elara teased, grinning.
Bella just giggled, unbothered, already reaching for her next slice. I leaned back in my chair, smiling softly as I watched her. For all her quirks and bluntness, I hoped she never changed.
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