Chapter one The Bus Mishap The fog was thick enough that Divya’s socks felt damp and itchy against her ankle braces She bent down to adjust her socks underneath the braces and watched as a whirl of orange-ish yellow zoomed right past her Oh no that was her school bus How could Bus Driver McCool miss picking her up Wait Divya called and chased after Bus 72 Running wasn’t easy with her weak ankle joints but walking to school all the way down North Drew Lane and then across Centerville Highway to get to Watson Elementary School was next to impossible Just as Divya started to plan what she would do instead of going to school Bus 72 slammed to a stop Bus Driver McCool extended the stop sign and then swerved the oversized school bus in 7
reverse Divya thought he was going to bump into the curb but he stopped in time Sorry he said as he cranked the doors open He lowered his voice as he asked Divya You’re not going to tell Mrs Holmes or Mr Sleuth about this little mishap are you Divya had been too shocked about Bus Driver McCool almost forgetting to pick her up and then driving so crazy that she hadn’t thought about telling Mrs Holmes the principal or Mr Sleuth the school secretary I really am sorry Bus Driver McCool said He sure did look upset the way his thick eyebrows frowned along with his whole thin face In fact the bus driver looked tired and he reminded Divya of the way her father came home exhausted when he used to work at the hospital Her dad still looked that way sometimes when he had to work overnight shifts at Centerville Nursing Home Divya’s dad often took care of Bus Driver McCool’s mother there (cid:55)(cid:75)(cid:76)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:90)(cid:68)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:191)(cid:85)(cid:86)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:76)(cid:80)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:92)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:82)(cid:85)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:80)(cid:76)(cid:86)(cid:75)(cid:68)(cid:83)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3) any kind had happened Divya liked that Bus Driver McCool picked her up at a special stop 8
over a block and a half from the real bus stop so she didn’t have to walk so far He was always nice to everyone even Klaude who could be super annoying Plus Bus Driver McCool cranked out the best music on the radio He knew how to carry a tune when he sang along with the songs It’s okay Divya said She was about to make her way down the bus aisle to sit next to her friend Javier but she spied a small piece of paper near her foot Divya picked up the paper and almost threw it in the garbage bin near the driver’s seat then she saw it was a receipt (cid:36)(cid:3)(cid:192)(cid:82)(cid:85)(cid:76)(cid:86)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:70)(cid:72)(cid:76)(cid:83)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:90)(cid:76)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:3)(cid:87)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:81)(cid:68)(cid:80)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:41)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:48)(cid:70)(cid:38)(cid:82)(cid:82)(cid:79)(cid:3) on it to be exact she noticed Divya handed it to the bus driver Oh thanks Bus Driver McCool said shoving the receipt into the pocket of his faded jeans that had large rips in the knees Did he just turn red Divya thought to herself Javier’s sketchbook sat on his lap when Divya took her spot next to him only he wasn’t drawing dragons or space cats like he usually does He stretched his neck from side to side 9
