Bella hates the bus for its lack of space, dirty seats, and crazy passengers. She plays the Stranger Game to pass the time—a game of invented names and stories for the people she encounters. When Mr. Widebottom pushes Ms. Greencoat’s body and hand into her lap, Bella realizes that for the first time, she’s become part of the game. Every bump in the road is another push in the right spot, every abrupt stop of the breaks and sudden slip of a digit a seemingly deliberate caress. With her destination several minutes down the road, Bella must decide whether to play the game or not, and if winning is worth the prize and judgment of the other passengers.
