My usual spot was all the way in the back, but because I had other priorities that day I sat in third seat back from the front; fortunately, as luck would have it the seat was located on the right side; literally, not to mention Jessica was also sitting in that same seat. As we waited for Sam to finish the head count I looked around to see who else was riding the train home. The first person I noticed was a freshman named James Flint (an overweight mammas boy whom everybody picked on) was in his normal spot located directly behind the driver's seat. Across from him was a new girl. I had heard that her dad was a preacher, and that they had just moved to Willow Creek a day beforehand.(it was to be her first and last day at Hoopa High.) Behind her was Algena Hanger (her dad is the foreman for the Humboldt County road dept. located in Hoopa), then Jessica and I, a few seats behind us was Tom Gallager(he was the play by play announcer at all our home games), and finally I saw Kenny!.
Mays (whom I've known since the third grade) he was sitting in the "Emergency Exit" seat.(if he only knew).
It was a twenty- mile ride from the high school in Hoopa to my house which was just outside of Willow Creek, towards the golf course. Jessica's stop was one before mine, so I estimated that I had at least 40 minutes to dazzle her with my charm. I looked at my watch one last time as we pulled away from the school. It was 3:15 and if all went well I should have a date for the prom by 3:45. As we were leaving the valley, I looked across the river and saw the old Indian sweat houses(there's a killer spot for skinny dipping right down below them). Then at the top of the hill we passed Tish Tang campground, that's when I noticed that a girl named Stephanie wasn't on the bus. Her stop was across the highway from Knights trailer park which was about the halfway mark. Not stopping at Stephanie's was going to knock about ten minutes off the ride, so I had better stop daydreaming and just ask her.
