May woke to light.
Not the harsh yellow glow of her bedroom back home, but something softer, warmer. Sunlight slipped through the bus window and brushed her face, pulling her slowly from sleep.
For a moment, panic flared. Her body tensed, heart jumping as she forgot where she was.
Then the gentle hum of the engine grounded her.
She was still on the bus.
She had not been dragged back.
Relief washed over her so strongly her eyes stung.
She hugged her bag closer to her chest, fingers curling around the strap as if someone might take it from her. Her reflection stared back at her from the glass, eyes wide, hair a little messy, face pale from exhaustion.
I really did it, she thought. I made it.
A soft chuckle sounded beside her.
"First time in London?"
May startled slightly and turned. The man sitting next to her was watching her with an easy smile, not intrusive, just curious. He looked a few years older than her, relaxed in posture, dressed neatly but casually.
She realized then that she must have been staring out the window like a child seeing the world for the first time.
"Is it that obvious?" she asked quietly.
He laughed softly. "A little. You look like someone who just escaped something."
Her fingers tightened unconsciously. "Do I?"
"Yeah," he said, tilting his head slightly. "But in a good way."
She did not know what to say to that, so she stayed silent. The city continued to unfold outside, loud and bright and impossibly big.
"I am William," he said after a moment, extending his hand.
She hesitated before taking it. His grip was warm, reassuring.
"May," she replied. "I am May."
"Nice to meet you, May."
Hearing her name spoken so casually felt strange. At home, it was usually said with irritation or disappointment. From him, it sounded… normal.
They sat in silence for a few moments, not uncomfortable, just shared. Then William spoke again.
"You look happy," he said.
She blinked. "I am."
The word surprised her as much as it seemed to surprise him.
"I mean," she added quickly, "I think I am."
He smiled. "That counts."
She glanced at him, studying his expression. There was no mockery there, no hidden judgment. Just genuine interest.
"Do you come to London often?" she asked.
"All the time," he replied. "It is kind of hard not to."
She smiled faintly at that, then looked back out the window. The bus slowed slightly as traffic thickened. People hurried along sidewalks, lives moving at a pace she had never known.
"And you?" William asked. "What brings you here?"
Her smile faltered.
"I…" She paused, words tangling in her throat. "I do not really know."
He did not push. He simply nodded, as if uncertainty was a perfectly acceptable answer.
"That is allowed too," he said.
She let out a breath she had not realized she was holding.
They talked about small things after that. The weather. The city. How loud it was compared to quiet towns. She found herself laughing once, softly, surprised by the sound.
"You have a nice laugh," William said without thinking.
Her cheeks warmed. "No one has ever said that before."
He frowned slightly. "That is strange."
She shrugged, eyes dropping to her lap.
After a moment, he asked gently, "Do you have family in London?"
The question landed heavier than the others.
She shook her head. "No."
"Friends?"
"No."
"A place to stay?"
She hesitated, then shook her head again.
William leaned back in his seat, studying her carefully now, not suspicious, but concerned.
"So," he said slowly, "no phone, no family, no place to stay."
She nodded, bracing herself for judgment that never came.
Instead, he sighed. "You are either incredibly brave or completely reckless."
She almost smiled. "Probably both."
The bus began to slow again, this time for good. The driver's voice announced the stop, and passengers started gathering their things.
William stood and pulled his jacket on. "Come with me," he said.
She froze. "What?"
"I have somewhere you can stay," he continued calmly. "At least for now. It is better than wandering around alone."
Her instincts screamed caution. Every lesson she had ever learned told her not to trust strangers. But something in his tone, steady and unassuming, quieted her fear.
She searched his face for danger and found none.
"Okay," she said softly.
They stepped off the bus together into the noise of the city. The air felt different here, heavier, full of possibility and threat all at once.
William flagged down a taxi with ease, opening the door for her. She hesitated only a second before getting in.
As the car pulled away, she stared out the window again, heart pounding.
What am I doing? she wondered.
Yet deep down, she knew the answer.
She was moving forward.