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Part One: The Beginning
Kayla Anderson was the kind of girl who always had a plan. Color-coded Google calendar? Check. Straight A’s? Check. After-school job at Smoothie Shack three days a week? Duh. She didn’t have time for crushes, drama, or any of that high school love story stuff. At least, that’s what she thought. Until Rowan Everhart happened.
Missed Rides & New Routes
It all started with a missed ride. Kayla’s best friend/ride-home Naomi had to leave school early for a dentist appointment. Kayla, stuck after marching band rehearsal, had only one option: the late activity bus. She’d never taken it before. Just the name sounded tragic. The bus smelled like old Gatorade and boredom. A few athletes, a couple theater kids, and some strangers sat scattered across the seats. Then she saw him — sitting in the back, hoodie up, earbuds in, sketching in a notebook like he was in another universe. Rowan Everhart. Quiet. Artsy.
Kinda broody. They had history together, but he never really talked. She sat across from him — not too close, but close enough. Their eyes met for a half-second. He nodded. She nodded back. That was it. But it felt like something.
Every Thursday
The next week, she had to take the late bus again. And so did Rowan. Then again. And again. And again. Coincidence? Maybe. But by the fourth time, his backpack had “just happened” to move off the seat across from him when she got on. Each ride, they talked a little more. “What smoothie was that yesterday?” “Strawberry banana.” “Nice. Mango pineapple is elite though.” Then came music. Books. Art. How Rowan wanted to study animation. How Kayla kept failing her driving test and secretly hated gym.
One day, she asked, “Can I see what you’re drawing?” Rowan hesitated, then slowly handed her the sketchbook. Pages filled with galaxies, dragons, flower crowns, and a comic series about a lonely robot who learns to love. It was wild and raw and... beautiful. “Rowan, this is insane. Like, so good.” He blushed. “I kinda live in my sketchbook.” And she smiled — because she was starting to want to live in it, too.
