For those who don't know about The Adventures of Meia, she grows and changes in each story. She could be a totally different character from one story to the next. Each story is a fresh plate.

As a note, this is rough .

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I had never seen anyone like her before. She sat staring out the window. It would have looked like a blank stare to someone giving a quick glance, but to someone really looking, like me, it was a thoughtful stare. She was watching everything moving past as I drove, oblivious to the actual motion of the bus and the other passengers aboard. I wished for a brief second that I could zone everyone else out like she could, but it never worked out for me.

Her name was Meia, and she sat at the front of the bus – in the mornings. She sat at the window on the right side. On the way home she sat in the third last seat on the left, behind me. Eventually she would end up in one of the two front seats near me, so by the time I was beginning the last 15 minute stretch of my route, she was in her normal seat. She was the only one who lived that far out, and as the closest bus to her home I had been given the route. I wasn’t happy about it at first, but now I was.

I would never talk to her, only watch, which could be hard at times…she made me want to look at her, her aura drove my eyes to her…if I could freeze time, I have no idea how long I would stare at her. I don’t think I could stop. She looked so peaceful, so entranced, so different. The whole mystery behind her stare was what captured me, made me look, and forbade me to ever look away…If anyone knew how I felt they would have reported me. My route, if I were allowed to continue, would be changed. I hoped no one noticed my glances at her. I was 28, she was probably 16, and still in school.

Today she had brought a friend with her, who sat next to her in silence. I caught her eye a few times as she caught my glances. I hoped she thought nothing of them.

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When I arrived home, I sat outside with my cat on my lap. My chair was comfy, and my sunroom offered privacy while I watched the cars driving along the highway, which was right in front of my house. The road itself was paved, unlike most of the roads around here, and had a decent amount of traffic. That’s to say about 6 cars every five minutes, 13 if it were holiday season. I admit it had become a hobby of mine to sit and watch the cars idly, with Samsun purring away on my lap happily. It was our special spot, where we could relax and philosophize about anything our hearts desired.

Today, as I lay back in my favorite chair, I was thinking about her. No, I was not obsessed, I was worried. I did not want my glances to be misconstrued by anyone. My glances were that of blatant curiosity, nothing more… and you may not believe me when I say it, but I didn’t love her or harbor any sort of sick attraction for her. I was just fascinated by her. Something about her aura made me want to know what she was thinking and how she could look so at peace with the world.

I got up angrily and went to go chop wood. In a town as small as this word travels fast – if anyone had noticed then I may as well have announced it at a town hall meeting. I grabbed my axe and hauled a log over to my chopping block, setting up for work.  Eventually the sky grew dark and I went indoors, carrying my logs and dodging Samsun as he ran through my legs to get inside.


When I returned to my route on Monday morning, Meia glanced at me when she got on the bus. Something new. She had never paid me much attention before, at least not intentionally. She had a hint of a smile, but it could have been my imagination....If it wasn’t I was in trouble. There’s no saying what sort of rumors a 16 year old could spread. I felt awkward, and looked up at her face in the mirror. She was looking at me, though not in the mirror. Alarmed, I hit the gas too hard and sent the bus rocketing forward suddenly. I apologized to the bus, embarrassed, and she laughed behind me. I wondered how I was supposed to survive this. I had to drive her home; I had 15 minutes alone with her if she didn’t bring a friend again..

I could feel her eyes on me the entire way to the school. Every time I glanced up she was looking at me in her peculiar fashion, and I could deduce nothing from her stares. She never looked at my face through the mirror, instead choosing the direct stare approach. She was good. I had no idea what she was thinking and that made me nervous. She was staring daggers into the back of my head until she got off the bus, when she spoke two words, “Thank you”.

I didn’t mind the wait that morning as the super went over the condition of the buses, of which the drivers had to be present and seated. As I waited for my turn I was recovering from the shock of this morning. I had never heard her speak before. Her voice was amazing. I was dizzy at the thought! My heart was still racing, along with my mind, as I wondered if it meant anything. Well that was stupid. It didn’t mean anything other than a simple act of appreciation…but what for? I drove that bus every day. I’d driven her to school for months now! It didn’t make sense…
   “Drew?” My name. I looked up to find the super beating his cane on the door of the bus. I leaned over and pushed the button to open the doors and moved back to the drivers seat. “About time, what were you doing? No time for dreaming on the job Drew. You’re my last bus, anything to say for yourself?”
   “uhh..” I fumbled. What was he talking about?
   “Right then!” he proclaimed and a whale of a man climbed onto the bus, his weight causing the bus to lean to the side. I wondered if this was how they checked the suspension and sniggered. The super stayed outside by the door, watching me and the whale who moved up the isle slowly, turning his hips in an attempt to squeeze by sideways. I watched, amused and trying not to show it.
   “New guy?” I whispered to the super, who was looking rather worried by this time.
   “No, he’s the head of transportation. Top dog.” He raised his brows anxiously and added, “What’s the weight limit on your bus Drew?”
I burst out laughing, causing the whale to throw a look back over his shoulder. “The weight limit will hold him, I’d be more worried about the suspension and the tires!” I hissed under my breath, replacing the keys as the whale made his way back after fiddling with the emergency exit. When he made it back he shook my hand, engulfing it in his massive palm.
   “Everything seems to be in order,” he muttered and crawled down the stairs tentatively, as though he might fall. The super scooted out of the way throwing me a quick wave as he took the whale back to his office. I started the bus watching them disappear, then drove the bus back into the garage.