by P. Anastasia
“We can get through this without Dad. Brian’s been a big help in school for me.”
“And Alice has made me work a lot harder, too,” Brian added.
Mom let us both go and pressed a tissue to her eyes.
“So, can we see each other again, now?” Brian asked.
“Brian!?” I shook my head at him.
“No. No. He’s right to ask, Alice.” My mom stood and gathered the pile of wet tissues from her seat. She inhaled deeply and looked down at us. “You’re perfectly in the right to ask, Brian. Now I know the truth and I’m sorry I had to punish you for what happened that night, but I didn’t know what was really going on at the time.”
I held my breath.
“Yes. You two can keep seeing each other. In fact, if your mother doesn’t mind, Brian, I’d love to have you over for dinner once in a while.” Mom tilted her head and smiled at him with her eyes.
“Sure. That’d be great,” he replied, excited. “I’m pretty busy with the new job and all, but I’ll definitely find the time.”
“I am going to have to add a little bit of motherly advice, though. When you go out together, I want you both home before curfew. I don’t want any more late night police visits. Do you understand?”
“And I don’t want to spend any more nights at the police department either.” Brian shook his head. “Seriously. Not gonna happen again.”
“Good. Then we’re done for now. You’ve probably stressed yourselves out enough just trying to tell me all of this. We can talk about it more later on.” She headed toward the kitchen and looked over her shoulder at us. “In the meantime, if the Saviors say anything else, you have to keep me in the loop. I’m part of this, too, even if they’re going to pretend I’m not.”
“Of course,” we replied in tandem.
Mom disappeared into the kitchen and I sighed in relief, the knots in my stomach finally uncoiling.
“Oh my God. I thought she was going to throw you out.”
“Me, too.” Brian flinched. “But your mom’s cool. She took it really well. Surprisingly. Probably because she doesn’t know about what we almost…”
“Shh.” I shook my head.
“Speaking of which.” He looked down. “I’m… sorry for assuming something I shouldn’t have.” He raised his head and looked me in the eye. “You have the right to say no. I just…”
“It’s okay, Brian.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. I should have told you earlier. I was afraid you’d be angry.”
“No. I wouldn’t have been. I just overreacted because I didn’t know what you wanted and thought…” He sighed.
“Forget it. If you’re not upset, I’m not upset. Alright?”
“Yeah.” He nodded and smiled a little. “Okay.”
We stood there for a moment, not saying anything, our eyes meeting briefly again and then glancing away.
“Geeze.” I grumbled. “I can’t believe they took my mom, too, and didn’t even bother to tell us. Did they not think it was important? I mean, really? How stupid did they think we were?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m glad I don’t have to creep around like a stalker anymore.”
“And I can text you from my phone.”
“Speaking of stalking… what you wore to bed last night was…” He bit his lip and raised his eyebrows at me.
“Ugh!” I pretend-punched him in the arm, a little harder than I’d meant to.
“I’m kidding. I’m kidding.” He laughed and rubbed his shoulder. “Ow. Geeze.”
I knew that…
Chapter 24
The doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it!” Mom yelled from the kitchen. Delivery people usually came in the afternoon.
I went back to derping on my computer. Sam messaged me the link to another internet meme video. I clicked it and laughed out loud. Stupid dance crazes.
The front door shut.
My phone chirped.
BRIAN: You have 20 minutes to get ready, or I’m leaving without you
“What?” I was still in my frumpy day clothes. Not dressed to impress.
ME: That is so unfair
BRIAN: So is having to wait on your GF to get ready
ME: :(
BRIAN: Wear something “nice”.
BRIAN: Don’t come downstairs until you are ready ;)
ME: @_@ KK….. I may need more than 20
BRIAN: . . . ?
ME: NM I can do it
BRIAN: You’re such a grl . . . :P
ME: Aren’t U glad?
He didn’t respond to the last one. I felt triumphant.
I dug through my closet for something nice and not wrinkled. It was cloudy and in the low 80’s outside, so I reached for one of my skirts. A deep blue velvet one with the hemline just above the knee. I found a pretty coordinating lacy tank top. Deep violet purple with little rhinestones along the sweetheart neckline. Filigree up the sides and a ruffle on the hemline. It was pretty. He would like it.
BRIAN: Oh, and jeans ;) Sorry
I rolled my eyes. A little late.
I changed out of the skirt and into a pair of dark blue jeans. Popped on a pair of black flats and then ran into the bathroom to comb my hair. I twisted it up into a ponytail and flipped it in front of my shoulder. Some quick, light make-up. Lip gloss.
Why couldn’t I move any faster?
I took a deep breath and looked myself over in the mirror. Everything looked okay.
I ran downstairs, assuming I’d find him in the living room.
“Mom? Where’s Brian?”
“He’s outside. In the driveway.”
The driveway? It was over 80 degrees out. Ick.
“Okay. Thanks.”
“Hey, wait a minute.” Mom came out of her room. “You two be careful, alright?”
“Yeah, sure.” I shrugged, cocking an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t we be?”
“Well…” She bit her lip. “Never mind.” Then she forced a smile and gave me a quick hug. “Love you.”
“Love you, too, Mom.”
I opened the front door, strolled down the walkway and then froze in the driveway.
I gasped and my eyes widened. “Oh my God!” I squealed excitedly, hopping up and down like a cheerleader.
Brian was dressed in light jeans and a black leather jacket, standing beside a sleek, electric blue motorcycle.
“You finally got one?” I clapped.
“Yeah.”
“Was it… expensive?” I felt bad asking, but I was curious.
“Depends on what you consider expensive. For me, yes.” He polished the gas tank with his sleeve. “But that’s why I’ve been working so much. It’s used, though, so I’ve got it partially paid off already. Not the latest or greatest, but it’s nice and it will work for what we need it for.”
“We?”
“Yeah. We. I’d have bought something much smaller, and cheaper, if I hadn’t been so worried about taking my girlfriend with me everywhere.”
I grinned shyly.
“I didn’t know you liked blue so much,” I said, running a finger over the metallic blue gas tank.
“What can I say? It’s been growing on me.” He did spirit fingers with his left hand and laughed. I smiled. “Besides, it reminds me of your eyes. Not quite as pretty, though.”
I probably blushed. Thank God I wasn’t diabetic. Brian was sweeter than sugar.
Seriously.
My phone chirped again.
SAM: Still alive? You stopped messaging me
ME: YES!!! Sorry!!! Brian came over. Will TTYL about it!
I snapped a picture of his bike and texted it to her.
SAM: OMG Lucky!
ME: ;) Yes! TTYL! Weeeee!
I couldn’t contain myself even in a text. It was like Christmas all over again. I think every girl’s secret fantasy is to have a motorcycle-riding boyfriend. Apparently
it was one of mine.
“So you got your license?” I brushed off the seat and gave him a cute little “can I?” look, batting my lashes for effect. He nodded and lent me a hand to help steady myself as I lifted a leg up over the bike to sit on the seat. It was warm from the sun, but firm.
“Hell, yeah. Like the week after my birthday. You have to apply for a motorcycle one separately, so I wanted to make sure I had everything I needed.”
“Drive it much yet?” I curled my fingers around the handlebars, squeezing the rubber grips.
“A friend of mine back in Montana used to have a sweet dirt bike he let me ride on the weekends. But I’ve had this one for a few weeks, actually. Been riding it every single night for as long as I can.” He drove a hand through his hair and shrugged. “I wanted to make sure I felt comfortable with it before I asked you to join me.”
I grinned like a Cheshire cat, shaking with excitement.
“I’m sorry it took so long for me to tell you. The best news is, you won’t have to take the bus to school anymore if you don’t want to.”
My jaw dropped. “That would be so cool!” I clapped. Being able to go to school with Brian would be a-maaaazing. Other girls would be so jealous.
“I know I asked you to dress nice and I understand it’s hot out, but you’re going to have to wear this.” He handed me a brown leather jacket. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
I slid my arms into the sleeves and shrugged it over my shoulders. It fit snugly but wasn’t tight.
“Here.” He tossed me a helmet. Metallic dark purple with a pair of black leather gloves inside.
“Yay! Purple! Thank you!” I beamed, polishing the top of the helmet with the hem of my shirt. I swept a loose lock of hair from my face and shoved the helmet on my head. “Aw. This is not as sexy as it is in the movies.”
“Neither is being dead,” he said, and flipped down the clear visor on my helmet, then adjusted it a bit.
“True.” I shoved the gloves onto my hands and tugged the fingers taut.
He flicked his head back to get his hair out of his face and then shoved his black helmet on.
“Can you get up for a minute?” He gestured for me to move back. Then he sat on the leather seat in front of me and motioned for me to sit back down. “Now I’m going to walk you through this, because it’s going to be something you’ll need to adjust to.”
“Okay.”
“And if you don’t mind, I want to ride a couple of blocks here in the subdivision so I can get used to the weight difference, too.”
“Are you calling me fat?” I chuckled, the sound muffled by my helmet.
He looked over his shoulder at me, his face darkened by the tinted visor on his helmet. “No. But this bike is going to handle differently with two of us on it. I want to make sure I get a feel for it before we head onto the main road. I’ll explain it as we go, okay? You can hold on to the sides of my jacket, or whatever you can. Just make sure you don’t make any sudden movements. This thing’s going to lean into the turns and it’s something you’re going to have get used to.”
“Right.” I nodded, reaching to clutch onto the sides of his jacket. “Talk me through it.”
He was serious. I had always thought riding a motorcycle would be fun and carefree, but there’s a learning curve. It’s definitely not something they tell you in the movies. Hop on, hold on and let the wind blow through your hair. IRL, hit the ground and end up in pieces. Road rash, bikers called it, as Brian had politely informed me.
I had no idea steering a motorcycle was such an art. Who was I kidding, though? I hadn’t even gotten my learner’s permit or set foot on a gas pedal yet. He had much more experience under his belt thanks to his dirt bike riding friend in Montana.
Brian handled his bike like a pro. Not that I had anything to compare it to, but he seemed like a natural. Turns were gentle. Stops were smooth. You’d think he’d been riding for years.
I listened and I learned.
He was careful. Confident.
It was easy to trust him with my life.
Chapter 25
Brian took my jacket and pulled out a chair for me.
“I hope you don’t mind me bringing you here,” he said. “I thought it’d be nice for you to see where I work.”
I sat. “It’s fine. Really.” I sniffed the air. It smelled of fresh-baked bread and burning firewood. There was a brick oven across the room in an open area of the kitchen. Flames were licking up through the metal grate inside.
He draped his jacket over the back of his chair and sat across from me.
“You look great, by the way.” He smiled. “Sorry I didn’t say anything earlier.”
I looked around. We weren’t the only people wearing jeans, but I felt underdressed. White linen tablecloths. Fabric napkins. A real tea light candle burning on the table—not one of those LED ones. I lifted the burgundy leather-backed menu and cracked it open. The fancy parchment-style pages even had raised text.
“Do you need a suggestion?” Brian asked, peering over his menu at me.
“Maybe?” They had a lot of seafood. Not my thing.
“I’ll order you something then. How’s that?”
“Oh, a surprise. Sure.”
Our server, James, returned with a serving tray. He set a tall glass of iced tea in front of each of us and pulled two straws out of his black apron. He placed a set of cutlery to the side of our plates, followed by a basket of steaming-hot rolls in the center of the table.
“I’m guessing you don’t have any questions about anything,” James said. “Have you decided what you’d like?”
“Yeah.” Brian put down his menu and reached to take mine. “We’ll both get the house specialty.”
“Alright, then.” James scribbled down something in his notepad and tucked it into his apron. “I’ll get that out to you shortly.”
“So, what did you order me?” I reached across my plate to grab a roll from the basket. I broke it in half. Piping hot with a delicious smell.
“A burger.”
“What?” I stared at him, doubtful.
“Just kidding. I know you don’t like burgers. I got you the house chicken special. It’s chicken roulade with mango chutney and brie.”
“Um, you lost me after chicken.” I nibbled on my bread. Buttery with a hint of sweetness I couldn’t place. Honey, perhaps.
“All you need to know is that I think brie is the best cheese in the world.”
“I see.” I licked my lips.
. . .
After dinner, our server cleared the plates from our table and brought us a sharable slice of French chocolate cake. Dark chocolate sprinkled with a dash of powdered sugar and served with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh raspberries on top.
“That looks really good.” I nibbled my lip in anticipation. Mmm, chocolate. “I would eat the whole thing if I hadn’t eaten too much already.” I laughed.
“That’s why I ordered one and not two. I’m not going to eat the whole thing, either.”
I fished around my plate for the dessert fork.
That’s when Brian’s hand came across the table, sliding something toward me.
“Happy birthday, Alice,” he said, lifting his hand from a small white jewelry box.
“Oh!” I gasped. “But you’ve done so much already.”
He smiled and shrugged. “I’m behind a couple of holidays.”
What a gorgeous box! White brocade with a silver ribbon tied on the lid. Just looking at it made me nervous. And excited and…
“I hope you like it. Go ahead. Open it.”
I cupped the box in both hands and stared, admiring it. Imagining what might be inside. Then I lifted the lid and squealed out loud. Someone nearby cut a glance at me and I ducked down, bashfully.
“I love it!” I untangled the silver chain from the indentions in the box and lifted out the pendant—a silver dolphin curved in a cr
escent shape with a purple amethyst faceted between its fin and tail. “It is perrrfect. I love it.” I couldn’t keep my voice down.
“I showed your mom and she agreed it was something you might like.”
“She was right! It even matches my top.” I pried open the lobster clasp with my thumbnail and put the necklace around my neck. “Thank you. It’s wonderful.” My eyes watered a little. Brian smiled, looking quite pleased with himself.
“I’m glad you like it. I’m sorry I had to miss your actual birthday, though.”
“I’m sorry I had to miss yours, too. Sixteen is a big one. I would have liked to have been there. I…” I looked down at my dessert plate. “I want to do something nice for you, but I don’t know what.”
“I can think of a few things,” he said with a smirk, raising an eyebrow.
“Excuse me?” I squinted.
“No, not that.” He rolled his eyes and chuckled. “That’s out of the equation for now. I’m totally aware. But, seriously. You spending time with me means a lot. If you wanna go out riding with me once in a while, that’d be cool, too. I just want to spend time with you.”
I exhaled, my gaze softening, my lips settling into a contented smile.
I picked up my helmet from the chair beside me and swapped seats with it so I could sit closer to Brian.
“It looks nice on you,” he said, glancing down at the necklace.
Our eyes met, then I brushed my fingers over his ear and kissed him.
“Thanks, Brian,” I whispered, cutting it short because we were in public.
His eyes opened slowly and he sighed. “You’re welcome, Alice.”
. . .
“Enjoy your evening?” Brian asked.
We were sitting on the top step of my porch.
“Yes.” I fiddled with the dolphin pendant, tangling the chain around my fingers. “I lost a shoe on the way back, but otherwise, it was really nice.”
“Sorry about that. Lace-up shoes next time.”
