Read Online Strength by Angela B. Macala-Guajardo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Angela B. Macala-Guajardo
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hers.
“Rox! What happened?”
She stopped and looked at the man’s face. “Aerigo!” She shook her head and said, “It was Daio! I found him. We gotta go!” Aerigo took her hand and together they hurried toward a white wooden booth marking the station’s entrance.
“Where is he?” Aerigo asked, anger in his voice.
“Beats me. I left him lying in pain on a sidewalk.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I kind of kicked him below the belt.”
“ What ?”
Roxie shrugged. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“I need to teach you some better self-defense moves.”
“What? Kicking him in the groin proved very effective...”
“Never mind,” Aerigo said. “Let’s just get on a bus before Daio recovers.”
They crossed the final street and Aerigo hid away his dagger before they stopped at the teller. They had several coach buses to choose from, one of which was scheduled to leave in two minutes for New York City. Roxie used Grandma’s credit card to purchase the tickets, since Aerigo lacked any American money, much less any currency from Earth. They jogged to a tall navy blue bus with a Blue Eagle Express banner along its side and Roxie climbed the steep stairs, getting doused by a welcome wave of cooled air. All that running and dodging had built up a modest sweat. She walked down the narrow aisle, finding a pair of empty seats toward the middle, and shoved her backpack and breakfast in the overhead shelf, then took dibs on the window seat. She angled the air vent on her overheated face.
Aerigo squeezed his way to Roxie and stowed his backpack next to hers. “Move over.”
She looked up at him. “Why? Just sit there.” She pointed to the aisle seat.
“Because you’re more vulnerable by the window. Please move.” The bus lurched into motion and Aerigo grabbed the overhead shelf.
She hadn’t a chance to notice before but Aeirgo’s arms were huge. They weren’t the excessively huge like that of a Mr. Universe bodybuilder, but huge like someone who’d made a career out of living in the military. “Aren’t we safe enough?”
“No. Now please move in. I promised your grandmother I’d protect you. So far I’m off to a bad start.”
“I don’t need a bodyguard!” she snapped. Several people seated in front of her turn their heads.
“You do now,” Aerigo said.
Considering how she’d handled Daio the second time, she didn’t agree. Nevertheless she didn’t want to attract unwanted attention from other passengers.
Scowling, she lifted herself over the armrests and plopped into the adjacent seat. Aerigo stepped over her knees and yawned as he sat down. He leaned into the crux of the window and chair and stared out the glass, his eyes half open. Good. Maybe he’d give her a break from his Mister Safety crap and take a nap.
Roxie pulled out her hair tie from a capris pocket, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and it took a heartbeat to register the sudden looseness around her fingers. She fished the worm of a tie out from between her seat and shoulder blades and stood. To her relief, she found a fresh package of hair ties in a side pocket. After a second attempt, her hair was out of her face, off her ears and pulled back in a snug ponytail. Roxie sat down and re-angled her new air vent.
The bus pulled out of the parking lot and headed for I-90 eastbound, and the sun ducked behind incoming rain clouds. Using the overhead speaker, the bus driver announced some details about the bus ride (when they’d stop for food and a stretch). “Our final destination is in the Bronx, folks, right in front of Yankee Stadium. Anticipated arrival is four o’ clock.”
“Hey, Aerigo?” Roxie said softly, not wanting eavesdroppers.
He snapped his head up as if he’d been foiled from dozing off, yet he didn’t seem bothered by the interruption. “Mm?”
Roxie was about to ask a different question but, come to think of it, Aerigo’s sudden tiredness confused her. “Why are you tired all the
“Rox! What happened?”
She stopped and looked at the man’s face. “Aerigo!” She shook her head and said, “It was Daio! I found him. We gotta go!” Aerigo took her hand and together they hurried toward a white wooden booth marking the station’s entrance.
“Where is he?” Aerigo asked, anger in his voice.
“Beats me. I left him lying in pain on a sidewalk.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I kind of kicked him below the belt.”
“ What ?”
Roxie shrugged. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“I need to teach you some better self-defense moves.”
“What? Kicking him in the groin proved very effective...”
“Never mind,” Aerigo said. “Let’s just get on a bus before Daio recovers.”
They crossed the final street and Aerigo hid away his dagger before they stopped at the teller. They had several coach buses to choose from, one of which was scheduled to leave in two minutes for New York City. Roxie used Grandma’s credit card to purchase the tickets, since Aerigo lacked any American money, much less any currency from Earth. They jogged to a tall navy blue bus with a Blue Eagle Express banner along its side and Roxie climbed the steep stairs, getting doused by a welcome wave of cooled air. All that running and dodging had built up a modest sweat. She walked down the narrow aisle, finding a pair of empty seats toward the middle, and shoved her backpack and breakfast in the overhead shelf, then took dibs on the window seat. She angled the air vent on her overheated face.
Aerigo squeezed his way to Roxie and stowed his backpack next to hers. “Move over.”
She looked up at him. “Why? Just sit there.” She pointed to the aisle seat.
“Because you’re more vulnerable by the window. Please move.” The bus lurched into motion and Aerigo grabbed the overhead shelf.
She hadn’t a chance to notice before but Aeirgo’s arms were huge. They weren’t the excessively huge like that of a Mr. Universe bodybuilder, but huge like someone who’d made a career out of living in the military. “Aren’t we safe enough?”
“No. Now please move in. I promised your grandmother I’d protect you. So far I’m off to a bad start.”
“I don’t need a bodyguard!” she snapped. Several people seated in front of her turn their heads.
“You do now,” Aerigo said.
Considering how she’d handled Daio the second time, she didn’t agree. Nevertheless she didn’t want to attract unwanted attention from other passengers.
Scowling, she lifted herself over the armrests and plopped into the adjacent seat. Aerigo stepped over her knees and yawned as he sat down. He leaned into the crux of the window and chair and stared out the glass, his eyes half open. Good. Maybe he’d give her a break from his Mister Safety crap and take a nap.
Roxie pulled out her hair tie from a capris pocket, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and it took a heartbeat to register the sudden looseness around her fingers. She fished the worm of a tie out from between her seat and shoulder blades and stood. To her relief, she found a fresh package of hair ties in a side pocket. After a second attempt, her hair was out of her face, off her ears and pulled back in a snug ponytail. Roxie sat down and re-angled her new air vent.
The bus pulled out of the parking lot and headed for I-90 eastbound, and the sun ducked behind incoming rain clouds. Using the overhead speaker, the bus driver announced some details about the bus ride (when they’d stop for food and a stretch). “Our final destination is in the Bronx, folks, right in front of Yankee Stadium. Anticipated arrival is four o’ clock.”
“Hey, Aerigo?” Roxie said softly, not wanting eavesdroppers.
He snapped his head up as if he’d been foiled from dozing off, yet he didn’t seem bothered by the interruption. “Mm?”
Roxie was about to ask a different question but, come to think of it, Aerigo’s sudden tiredness confused her. “Why are you tired all the
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