Shell

It's the second year of college. The young man began his first class a month earlier. He was not very tall, 5'8, and had hair that almost extended to his shoulders. On his face was a beard, moustache and some facial hair on his cheeks. He didn't like his beard or moustache alot, yet when shaves he kind of misses it, because it looks cool.

Despite his appearance, he was a really cool guy, so people tell him. And he was; he gets along with people at school and people outside of his college. He was a shy guy, very very shy... it's something that bugs him alot. He always sees a beautiful girl everywhere he goes, but never has the courage to talk to her. Anti-social isn't a way to describe him; he gets nervous sometimes, maybe it's the surroundings. He has met some people at his school, last year and this year, but noone whom he talks to all the time, if at all. Never got anyone's contact info.


One day he saw a girl get on the bus while coming home from the mall after school. She was a short girl, looked atleast two years younger than him. He eventually found out from her she was 16, which shocked him; he was gonna turn 20 in 3 days, and was surprised from her age. While he waited at the bus stop, he decided to take a chance and start talking. He stood up straight, while she sat down on the bench waiting for the bus.

"Do you know what time the bus comes?" she asked him. He looked at her, and then looked north to see if the bus was coming. "I don't know." he said. They were waiting for 5 mins, and then he started talking to her.

"Do you go to Joshua High?" he asked, he noticed the I.D. in her bag, thought she graduated. "Oh, yeah. I do this year now. Last year I went to Mayfair high", she said.

"Really?" he asked. "Yep." she said, and moved her hair. "I'm in 10th grade when the new year begins," and it came as a surprise to him when she said that. She looked alittle older to him, atleast a highschool graduate. "Hmm, 10th grade." he said. "Did you get your I.D. at the school?" He asked, and looked at the lace in her bag.

"Oh yeah. Hah, I just got this earlier this month when I went to registration." and pulled it out of her bag. She said she wasn't sure about going to the new school, but he assured her it wasn't as bad as people said it was. She will meet some cool people there, and the classes and teachers are nice. It isn't the best high school around, but it's something.

"I graduated last year", he said. "I was in the class of 2008, and I started college last fall." He went to a community college, and she looked at him. "Last year? Wow, I was in 8th grade when you graduated!", and recalled she transfered to the new school. Afterwards they started talking about various things; jobs, music, school, what they do afterschool. He didn't feel nervous, not one bit; he was at ease talking to her. He had someone to talk with, no one else at the moment.

"Ohh, I didn't ask you your name." the girl said. And he looked at her, moving his hair out of his eyes. "I'm Matt."
"Matt. That's a cool name." she said. "Heh, thanks. What's your name?"
"I'm Susan." she said.

"I don't know a Susan. That's a good name."
"Thank you." she said. He's heard alot of common names in his life, but not one Susan throughout his days of living.

They continued to talk, while still waiting for the bus, sitting in the shade; it was a hot day.

"Umm, may I ask you something?" Susan asked.
"Sure." Matt said.
"Are you a pot smoker? You kind of look like one."
"No. I don't do drugs." he answered back; that question bothered him, no matter who asked.
"Ohh! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. "It's just you kind of remind me of one. My ex was into that. He did drugs and drank."

"It's fine. I get that sometimes from people." he said. It hurts when people did ask him. It was like judging a book by it's cover. Obviously if having long hair makes you a druggie, then listening to heavy metal makes you an alcoholic.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask." she said.
"Don't worry about it, really." he said, smiling.

When the bus arrived, she got up, and got her bus pass. He grabbed his bus pass out of his pocket and boarded the bus with her. They sat down, and he asked where she was heading.

"I'm going to the library."
"Hmm, that's cool."
"I like going there alot. I enjoy reading and being content."
"I do too. Actually, I like going to study and do homework there. Not that I can't concentrate at home, but I feel like I can do more work there."

"That's cool." she said, nodding.

He stayed on the bus longer than he usual, just to spend even one more minute talking to her. When it came to a stop, they both got off on the street right across the library. She was about to cross, before saying goodbye.

"Byee, it was nice meeting you." she said, and they shook hands, smiling. "Byee, nice talking to you." he said. She crossed the street to the library, and he walked home. Before continuing walking, he looked back at her once more, and smiled.

She's a cool girl, he thought. I hope that I can see her again. He walked to his house, feeling confident that he'll break out of his shell someday.