Zach sat in the back of the bus, slouched over his Gameboy, punching away and waiting for Ashley to slump down next to him.

But she didn't.

At the front, past the heady smell of sweaty vinyl seats and kids who didn't know about deodorant yet, the door wheezed shut. Annoyed at its lot in life, the bus groaned hard, pulling away from Hollow Creek K-8.

Zach leaned into the aisle for a good look. Elbows and knees crowded his view, but Ashley was the type of girl to stand out. She wasn't on the bus.

He settled back in and resumed his game, wondering what happened with Mr. Bristol. And, more importantly, if she'd meet him at the creek like usual.