The Girl Who Cried Wolf

|5 - Part 1|

Rhyna King. That is your name. Your first name means 'queen'. It is quite ironic. You don't know it yet, but that is your destiny. You will find out today. Happy birthday XĪNGĀN. Your adventure starts now. 

It's that voice again. I can slightly recall the sound of it. I can remember the tone and how long he or she talked. I can.. never mind. Everything I remembered is gone just like all of the other times. Beats me what the voice even said.

My surroundings are slightly blurry at the moment. Not because I just woke up, even though that would make perfect sense, but because I'm on a bus headed to my impending doom. 

I don't know what to expect. There are supposed challenges that are out of the ordinary and arrangements that I couldn't even think of fathoming. 

They don't exactly tell you what to pack or what it might be like. It's going to be one giant rollercoaster that I've never had the pleasure of being on. The seat belts are nonexistent and I will more than likely fall out of my chair.

Death is just another one of the factors in this rollercoaster. Am I ready for that? Most definitely not. But, it is what it is. I'm already on a bus to get there. It'll be a long five hour ride with one hell of a playlist. That is, until, I'm interrupted. 

"Hey there Beautiful. Where are you headed?" 

This random stranger decided to yank my headphones out of my ears. I wouldn't have minded as much if he hadn't done that. One, that's my property. You don't just yank my headphones out of my ears. Two, I don't know him so it's a bit weird. Three, that's just rude and disrespectful. 

"Hey there Disrespectful Stranger. I'm headed to a place that doesn't involve you." 

He snarls, "No need to be a bitch." 

"No need to be a tactless brute. Didn't your momma teach you manners," I smile sarcastically. 

He grunts, "Didn't have a mom or dad."

"Am I supposed to feel bad for you? We all have a story," I laugh. 

The stranger grins sadistically, "Didn't your momma teach you manners."

I state, "Yes she did. I just lose them when the respect is not reciprocated. Oh, and when I come in contact with an uncultured swine."

How is it that we are having a conversation and I don't know his name?

"What the hell is a swine," he asks.

I lean against the window and tap my finger against my temple, "Last time I checked, a swine is defined as a pig. Not surprised you don't know that."

He only seems to get angrier. I plead innocent of all charges. He shouldn't have yanked my headphones out in the first place. He was just asking for it. 

"What's that supposed to mean," he spits.

I wipe my face dramatically, "First of all, simmer down with the saliva. Your DNA belongs to you and away from me. Secondly, it means you're an idiotic inane. A.k.a., you are unintelligent. And third, how did you pass English? Swine isn't exactly a difficult word in the dictionary." 

He smirks, "I don't mind having my DNA all over you." 

This dude is a certified dimwitted dunce. Does he seriously not know how to take a hint? Take a hint by the Victorious Cast needs to blast in this bus. Or maybe Tori and Jade need to show up and perform it for this guy. 

"I'd rather be in a solitary white room with nothing to do then be remotely close to you."

He then tries to touch me. That is until, I break his finger. You might be thinking 'Rhyna are you out of your mind? You have cracked ribs and a broken arm!' And I would reply 'Doesn't mean I can't still defend myself.' 

"Listen here b***h, I've been all kinds of nice. I'm getting real pissed off with your remarks and now you have even assaulted me." 

I smile, "Quite the contrary. You have been harassing me since you first decided to come over here. I have been hostile to you ever since you yanked out my headphones. That is my property. Not to mention, I have given you no sign that I want anything to do with you. You have been pushing your luck in this entire conversation. Especially when you tried to actually touch me. That's not okay. Now, I suggest you go back to where you came from and leave me alone orphan boy." 

I wouldn't normally say that to someone, but he really won't leave me alone. I am way passed done with his crap.

"I have a mother and father for your information," he sneers. 

I laugh, "Oh, so you're incompetent, disrespectful, and a liar? How sweet. Leave me alone. I have said that twice now," I pause and then continue with a low, venomous tone, "I won't say it again you witless, foolish, and absolute imbecile." 

The stranger starts to tremble a bit, "Y-Your eyes. They turned purple for a split second." 

I look up thoughtfully, "Last time I checked, I had purple hair not eyes. My eyes are amber and ice blue; not violet."

Then he does something absolutely hilarious. He starts screaming frantically. He looks ridiculous trying to tell the rest of the people on the bus that I'm 'an alien' and I'm 'trying to kidnap' him and sell him 'for parts in the alien market place'. Well, that's one way to get him to leave me alone. I didn't even do anything. He just went crazy. Although, I can't say that I'm not surprised. 

"Will you shut the f**k up you creep? You wouldn't leave the poor girl alone and now your on some stupid ass theory that she's an alien," stands up a man on the bus. He is clad in a black leather jacket, a black fitted t-shirt, a silver chain necklace, black jeans, and black suede boots. I like his style but he has a handsome face and nice hair to go with it too. Wavy, dark hair and dark eyes. You know, the typical 'bad boy' vibe. Except, that he isn't the typical cliche where the white kid is the loner, wannabe bad boy. No, he is a lightly tanned Asian that is more attractive than I'd like to admit. 

Creepy Stranger Dude, the nickname I have finally given the guy who wouldn't leave me alone, freaks out, "Don't you see? She is manipulating you! She is getting you to do her dirty work with mind control!" 

Handsome Stranger Dude, the nickname I am giving to the hot guy, "You have three seconds to stop talking."

It's a miracle! The bus is completely silent. 

"Now that I have your attention, you are going to get off the next stop, and get on a different bus. I don't care where you were going to go. You aren't staying on this bus and continue harassing this girl and everyone else on it. You have become not only a threat to yourself but also a threat to others," remarks Handsome Stranger Dude. 

Creepy Stranger Dude doesn't say anything. He just finds another seat closer to the doors of the bus. 

I look at Handsome Stranger Dude in curiosity, "What's your name Handsome Stranger Dude?" Yes, I just did a bold move and called him by the nickname I gave him. I have no regrets. 

He looks at me and says, "Of all the nicknames in the world you could come up with, that's the one you decide on?" 

I stare unblinkingly, "Yes. I could just call you Batman but I won't because Handsome Stranger Dude is funnier." 

"Batman?" 

"You are either dressed as some biker dude, a wannabe bad boy, a cop, or Batman. I chose the Batman direction simply because it's more interesting."

He chuckles, "Well, you're in luck. I'm none of those things. And, by the way, my name is Norio. Not Bruce Wayne." 

I start, "So-"

Norio interrupts, "Can I sit next to you before I lose balance on this moving bus?"

"You just ruined my fun. I was going to ask why you're still standing there," I remark jokingly. 

He smiles as he sits down in the seat next to mine, "I live to disappoint." 

"My name is Rhyna." 

"Interesting name. How often do you dye your hair?" 

I look at my hair, "Oh, you know, never," I continue, "I was born this way. Same thing with my eyes. I'm pretty weird." 

His dumb-founded surprise stops him from talking for a moment. "You know what they say. Normal is boring." 

Laughing, "Well, then I'm definitely not boring," I state. 

He looks at me curiously, "I detect no lies." 

"For a funny statement, you're looking at me kinda weird."

He looks away and smiles giving me a good look of his side profile. Let me just say, this man is hotter than a summer in the desert. 

"No need to be shy Bruce." 

Norio throws his head back and laughs so hard his eyes tear up. Then, I do the weirdest thing. I laugh too. See, the thing is, I love sarcasm and I love my family. However, I hardly smile let alone laugh. At least, for real and not when I'm being sarcastic. 

"You have a nice laugh, Queen." 

I look at him funny, "Why in the world did you just call me, Queen?" 

He closes his eyes and folds his arms behind his head, "I could call you Rhyna but your name means the same thing." 

He slouches and gets as comfortable as he can get. These seats are no joke. They probably got the design from Ikea since they're not exactly cozy. 

"How did you know that," I ask inquisitively. 

Still keeping his position, "I know really random facts. Plus, I just wanted to impress you."

"How does impressing me have anything to do with the fact that you know what my name means?" 

"It doesn't. But I surprised you didn't I?" 

Birds are chirping somewhere in the world. 

"Case closed. Now, where are you headed?" 

I shake my head, "A town called Purgatorian."

"Ah. So you're in the competition too," he glances at me.

"Yeah. I figured 'why not'? I just got fired from a job I liked and I have nothing better to do."

"Is there a story there?"

"Yeah, it's called being born." 

He chuckles, "Honestly. What happened?"

I sigh, "I worked at a library. Childhood bully s***h ex-best friend decided to pick a fight with me. I didn't hit her or anything. I did nothing. I just let her beat the crap out of me; in front of a bunch of people I graduated with. The cops got called and they arrived along with the ambulance ; hence the swollen face and arm sling. Oh, and even though I was the victim I got fired. Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk." 

For a few eery seconds, he is disturbingly quiet. 

In a hostile voice, "Why the f**k would anyone do that to you?" 

I look at him dumb-founded, "I exist. That's all the reason they need. I have weird hair, weird eyes, and I talk to no one." 

Norio scans my eyes as if looking for something that isn't there. "You don't deserve that. You don't have weird hair or eyes. Being different doesn't mean deformed. And, by the way, you do talk to people. You talked to the lunatic at the front and now you're talking to Batman." 

I smile, "Yeah, I guess I am. Thanks for the pep talk coach!" 

He looks away, "Alright, we have a long ride ahead of us and I want to sleep so goodnight." 

As he says this, he takes off his jacket and puts it in my lap. He then lays his head in my lap on top of his jacket. 

I look at him funny, "What are you doing?"

He squints, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to sleep on your lap. Do you see a bed laying around here? No. So, your lap and my jacket will have to do the trick. Stop asking questions now and just roll with it. It's sleepy time." 

I shrug my shoulders and look out the window. He gets comfortable once again and falls asleep within two seconds. If he was a someone else, I would have pushed them on the floor and said, 'That is your bed. Leave my lap out of this.' However, he stood up for me against the psycho, had a real conversation with me, and treated me like an actual person. I know how stupid this might sound. But, if I got any bad feelings from him, I would've been more antagonistic and belligerent.

Just to be funny, I take my phone and blast Highway to Hell by AC/DC in his ear. Norio jolts awake and simultaneously falls on the floor. He quite literally reacted like a fish out of water. I snickered and he looked up and glared at me.

"For someone that supposedly hates people, you like to play pranks." 

I hold up one finger, "Correction, people hate me and isolate themselves from me. Sure, I can be judgmental but I don't actually hate people. I just pretend that I do to prevent rejection." 

He looks at me with concern, "I don't hate you." 

I smile, "Dumb decision if you ask me. Now, come back up here and go to sleep. I won't mess with you anymore. Scout's honor."

"I have no doubt that you definitely were not a scout." 

I grin, "You're so smart that Einstein would have a heart attack and die all over again." 

He shakes his head and gets back to the position he was in. He falls asleep and soon I nod off too. 

When I wake up, Norio is scrolling through his phone and his legs are completely stretched out over the aisle and onto the chairs across from us. 

"You do realize some people are going to want to sit on those seats right?"

He glances up at me, "They can either walk over my long legs, sit in the seat they aren't on, or sit somewhere else." 

I reply, "I have no comment." 

Still scrolling through his phone, "You just commented." 

I glare, "Okay, Smartass."

He says nothing. Instead, he grins cheekily and continues to scroll on his phone.

Out of boredom, I poke Norio multiple times on the face and neck. 

"Would you stop that?"

"No, I'm trying to figure out if you're sane, an alien, or just plain stupid." 

He smacks my hand away, "I'm sane sometimes. I'm not an alien, I'm Batman. We have already established that. And I'm pretty sure you said something along the lines of me being smarter than Einstein." 

I laugh lightly, "All true statements. But, I'm feeling bored so annoying you was the better option."

"What was the other one?"

"To stare out the window." 

He glares up at me, "You couldn't have just done that?"

"No, that isn't nearly as fun as annoying you."

"Mhmm. Go back to sleep. We still have three and a half hours left of the bus ride."

I shrug, "Whatever. I was going to anyways." 

I put my headphones back in and listen to music. About thirty minutes later, I fall asleep. 

I'm in the middle of my reoccurring nightmare when Norio shakes me awake. 

"Go away demon."

He flicks my forehead, "We're here you're royal demoness." 

I open my eyes, "You're telling me I slept for three hours straight?" 

"Yep."

"Alright cowboy, help me up." 

I don't like asking for help but I'm not stupid. If I don't get help, I will fall right back into my seat and hurt myself even more. 

"You're the boss."

Norio helps me up and we walk off the bus with our stuff. Little did I know, that would be the day  that my whole world is flipped upside down.