A bus. An ordinary bus on and ordinary day. Its not peak hour anymore, I've worked late and the time has passed since the heavy afternoon tussle. Now things are slower, there is more places to sit on each vehicle. My book isn't good. I look up, I look around. Such is the world that we live in. Few people are doing the same. Even those without a phone to play with, a friend to talk to, stare ahead, squarely at nothing as if real life is a distraction.
A man sits behind me, four seats further back . He catches my eye. Grins. His blue eyes are luminous, his stubble is unpracticed, and his grin breaks an otherwise handsome face into an expression of lopsided mischief. Who wouldn't be hooked? My heart pounds. I look away. The driver breaks unexpectedly and elderly passengers make annoying, audible disapproval noises simultaneously as they bend forward, riding the motion, old bodies creaking like carriages at a rail yard, heavily and suddenly brought to a halt.
I look out the window, catch a glimpse of my own reflection in the day's fading light. I look past it and open my face up into a smile. I read somewhere if you are happy enough to smile when no one is watching, you must really mean it. Someone is watching today. Blue eyes from the back seat makes me self conscious.
