"What's the matter, momma's boy?"

I looked up from my book, my earbud tapping the pages as I focused on Lukas and the kids surrounding him.

"I'm not a momma's boy!" Lukas exclaimed. JJ laughed and shoved Lukas, knocking his head into the window.

"Nah, I bet he runs home because he hates us," Mitchell stated, grabbing Lukas's shoulder and jerking him roughly forward. "Isn't that right, Lukas?"

"Let me go!" Lukas attempted to pull Mitchell's hand off of him, but didn't succeed. I stood up and walked back seven seats before smacking the back of Mitchell's head with my book- War and Peace.

"He said to let go," I said coldly. Mitchell rolled his eyes and flipped me off, but let go of Lukas. I sat down in the empty spot next to him. "Are you okay, Lukas?" I whispered. Lukas nodded before turning and staring out of the window, his right leg bouncing rapidly.

"Way to ruin the fun, Kayla!" Ryan jeered. I flipped him the bird before opening my book and continuing to read.

"Hey, we're talking to you!"

My earbud was ripped out of my ear by none other than JJ.

"What do you want?" I hissed, closing my book and slamming it onto the seat next to me. Everyone in the seats around me jumped at the sudden noise.

"Move," Ryan growled, grabbing my upper arm. I stared him dead in the eyes and peeled his fingers off, not hesitating nor struggling.

"I'd move if you wouldn't be jerks," I said, shoving Ryan's hand into his chest, pushing him into Mitchell.

"Look, girlie," Mitchell begins. "It's none of your business what we do with this guy. You aren't his siblings, you aren't his family, and you sure aren't his friend. So buzz-"

"Kayla, this is my stop," Lukas said urgently, tapping my shoulder. I stood up and watched him speed down the aisle. The second his foot touched the ground, he was running down the street to the second-to-last house.

"I bet his mother abuses him," Ryan suggested.

"No, you're wrong!" JJ exclaimed. "His father abuses him."

"Well, it's definitely nothing that he doesn't deserve," Mitchell chimes in. I must have made a disgusted face, because Ryan looked at me weird.

"No one deserves to be abused," I stated, standing up. JJ grabbed my hand and pulled me into his lap, my book falling to the floor pages first.

"Here," JJ whispered, leaning forward and picking up my book, placing it on my legs. "Look, babe-"

"Not together," I growled, shoving JJ's arms off of me and standing up, dusting off the pages that hit the floor. "Now, I'm going to tell you this once: leave Lukas alone. Or things are going to get very, very ugly."

I took one step towards my original seat and was immediately shoved into an empty seat by none other than Bella.

"Back off of JJ," she growled. I looked away and noticed light reflecting off of glass, on the floor underneath Lukas's seat.

"Hey, could someone hand me my phone, please?" I asked, pointing to the object in question. JJ nodded and picked up the phone and handed it to me without a second thought.

"Hey, that's not-"

"Shut up," I hissed, slapping my hand over Bella's mouth and glaring directly into her eyes. "Don't you dare say another word."

Bella moved aside and let me pass, no one else bothering to try and touch me.

How do I get into contact with Lukas to tell him about his phone?

I sat back down where I was before, turning on the screen of Lukas's phone. Slide up to open read the bottom of the screen. Sighing in relief, I slid my finger up the length of his phone.

Okay, phone app, phone app- here.

A notification appeared on the top of the screen from SnapChat.

Bear🐻💟 is typing...

Message from Bear🐻💟

I went to slide the notification off of the screen, but ended up accidentally clicking on it.

Hello to whoever has my phone. If you would, please, hand my phone to Kayla? Girl with short black hair, nose always stuck in a book? Ask her to leave it with the bus driver, I'll pick it up tomorrow morning. Thank you kindly!

I smiled and slid the phone into my pocket, opening my book once again and attempting to block out the guys behind me talking crap about Lukas with the world of fiction.

No surprise, but Mitchell, JJ, and the rest of the guys get off at JJ's stop.

Bella and her fake friends get off together, leaving me alone.

"Kayla, this is your stop!"

The bus driver's melodic voice filled my ears, pulling me from my reading. I stood up and smiled sheepishly, putting my cap on my head.

"Thanks, Danny," I said, walking down the bus aisle and stopping in front of the driver's seat, holding Lukas's phone.

"I'll give it to him tomorrow morning," Danny said, accepting the phone from my outstretched hand. "Have a good day, Kayla!"

"You too," I sang, walking down the steps of the bus. I stopped for a few moments, drinking in the sunlight filtered through the green leaves of the oak tree before heading inside to be greeted by my two screaming siblings.