I’d have to hold onto him.
“Abby,” Jake said, softly this time. He moved himself in front of me and looked into my eyes. “Who did this?”
“It’s nothing. I’m fine,” I answered. I tried to sound casual. “That’s about as much as I want to tell you, and if you don’t want to give me a ride anymore, that’s okay.” I took the helmet off my head and placed it back on his seat. “I’ll take my chances with the mosquitoes.” I started walking.
Things had been getting too close for me, anyway.
“Hey, wise-asser,” he called out. “Get that wise-ass on the bike, and let’s go.” It was kind of a joke and kind of a demand, but I got the point. He wasn’t going to pry anymore, but that didn’t do anything to solve my other situation.
I pulled my sleeves down to cover my wrists and stared at Jake where he sat on the bike. He seemed to sense my hesitation. “You ever been on a bike before?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“Just get on behind me, one leg at a time, be careful not to have your legs touch the metal pipes at the bottom because they can burn.” Little did he know I’d prefer the burn from the pipes than the burn of his touch.
“Where do I put my arms and legs?” I asked.
“You wrap them around me,” he answered, like it was the simplest thing in the world to do. I suppose for most people, it was.
But, I wasn’t most people, and it wasn’t simple for me at all.
“Is there an alternative?” I asked.
“To what?” I was hoping he wasn’t going to have to make me explain it. I didn’t care if he thought I was odd. It was late. I was tired. And if Jake thinking I was a whack-job sped up this process, I really didn’t give a shit.
“To putting my arms and legs around you,” I answered. Jake looked like he was contemplating my question. He didn’t ask me the reason for it. He didn’t make fun of me for asking. He just looked like he was thinking, and that was all.
“When you get on, scoot as far back to this chrome piece as possible. He pointed to a chrome semi-circle attached to the back of the seat. Put your feet on the back of these stirrups here and hold your arms behind you, and grab on to the bottom of the seat. It may not be comfortable, but it’ll work.” Jake got off the bike. “If you get on first, it’ll be easier.” I did as he instructed, and I noticed that when he got back on he was riding close to the handlebars. There were a solid few inches of space separating us.
I sighed in relief.
“Thank you,” I said. He may have been judging me on the inside, but I was grateful he didn’t say anything to me about it. I didn’t need anything to piss me off further. The night was as over as I wanted it to be.
One good thing did come out of the night after all. It turned out that riding on a motorcycle was my new favorite thing.
Like, ever.
The excitement of the roaring bike beneath me was a thrill I wasn’t expecting. The wind ripped through my hoodie like it was no match for its power. It had been so long since I’d found enjoyment in anything that I was shocked when I heard my own voice shouting into the air. All my senses were still humming when the bike stopped just a few minutes later.
“That was amazing!” I shouted, ripping the helmet from my head, forgetting to be careful of the wound on my jaw. “Ouch.” I rubbed the spot with my hand and placed the helmet back on the seat.
Jake laughed at my clumsiness, but was still looking at my jaw as though it had offended him in some way. “You’ve really never been on a bike before?”
I shook my head. It was then I noticed that he never asked me where I lived, and we certainly weren’t at Nan’s house.
We were at the beach.
“Okay, I know I said I would take you right home, but this is my favorite time of day, and I thought maybe you’d want to take a walk with me. Are you mad?” I was about to tell him that I was too tired for something like that when I realized that I actually was no longer tired at all. The adrenaline from the ride had given me a second wind. I looked out over the water. Sure enough, the sun had started to make its entrance. I’d seen the sunrise many times from Nan’s seawall, and it was always beautiful. But, I’d never seen it from the beach.
“No, I’m not mad,” I said hesitantly. “We can walk.” Jake look pleased with himself and shrugged off his leather jacket. He rested it over the seat and led the way down to the beach. We walked in silence, side by side. The dark light of day flirted with the horizon, peeking out a little at a time. When Jake sat down on the sand, I plopped down next to him, and we watched the sun change from a smear on the horizon to a force to be reckoned with. Its early morning rays were already strong enough to burn the fragile skin of the unprepared tourists.