Page 59 of Life of the Party

I slumped back in my seat. There were no words to voice my frustration. I shut my eyes and wished for some cocaine. And a cigarette. And to be out of the car already.

Mom pulled furiously into the school parking lot. “You come straight home after school, you hear me?” She threatened through a yawn. “We’ll be waiting. We need to have a good talk, all three of us.”

“Oh joy,” I grumbled. I got out of the car and grabbed my things from the backseat, slamming the door as hard as I could. I waited until Mom was well down the street before I dropped all my stuff, pulling a smoke from my purse. No way could I write a major exam without a cigarette first, not with the mood I was in.

My mood was even fouler by the time I finished my math exam. I’d gone through the questions doggedly, struggling to make my brain work properly, but most often I’d gone with my best guess. The number closest to the one I came up with was the one I chose. My head pounded as I handed in my test, and I frowned at the prospect of going home for a family meeting. Dealing with my parents was the last thing on earth I wanted to do. I walked through the empty halls of the school, echoing with absent students, and headed into the bright, sunny day, totally miserable.

But then I saw him. My head was down; I didn’t notice him at first. I looked up from the grey slab sidewalk and there he was, standing there, waiting for me beside an oldwhite motorcycle gleaming with steel. His bare, tanned arms were crossed against his chest; a sexy grin curved his lips when he noticed me. I could see my reflection in the large, dark aviator sunglasses that fit his face perfectly.

My breath caught in my throat and I just stood there, amazed.

I wasn’t sure what to expect. I hoped for the best, but braced for the worst, just in case Grey had come to deliver another“we’re still just friends, right?”speech. My heart beat nervously as I approached him, but I tried to stay positive.

“What’s up?” I wondered. I hoped I looked okay; self-consciously, I remembered my messy, bedraggled hair and lack of makeup. Grey smiled—his lips curved into the playful smirk I knew so well, and when he lifted his glasses, the way he looked at me made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. My cheeks flushed pink, and I returned his smile wholeheartedly, my heart surging with relief.

Grey shrugged and motioned to the motorcycle beside him. “I thought maybe you’d like to go for a ride.”

“Wow. And here I thought you’d forgotten all about me.” I kidded.

“I’m afraid it’s a little late for that.”

My blush deepened at his words, and I flashed him a happy, bashful smile. “I didn’t know you had a bike.” I stepped forward to admire it, running my hand down the cold steel of the handlebars. I didn’t recognize the make, but for an older model, it seemed in good condition. The steel gleamed silverly and the white paint looked pristine.

“I keep telling you. There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Grey winked, slyly. He grasped the handlebars, straddled the machine and flipped the kickstand, his black boots planted firmly to keep the bike from tipping.

“Hop on, sugar.” He grinned, his blue eyes shining. His jeans were tight over his bent knees; his white t-shirt hugging his hard torso beneath. He put his glasses back on, and I smiled eagerly. Studying was going to have to wait.

As I grasped the hard muscle of his arm and threw my leg over the seat behind him, fleetingly I imagined my parents—their arms crossed, their feet tapping impatiently as they watched the front door for my arrival. They would have to wait as well. No way would I give up an afternoon with Grey just because they suddenly gave a damn.

As if reading my thoughts, Grey turned to me over his shoulder. “Are you going to get in trouble for this?” He wondered.

“No.” I lied. “Who cares?”

He chuckled. “Ever been on a bike before?”

“No. Well, like, a pedal bike. Does that count?”

“No. This is easy though. Just lean when I lean.”

“Okay.”

“And Mackenzie?”

“Yeah?”

“Hold on tight.”

I laughed and obliged him willingly, wrapping my arms around his waist, resting my hands on his hard abdomen. I could smell the delicious warmth of his skin and his cologne, very subtle, just enough to make me want more. I smiled happily to myself as a surge of excitement and anticipation thrilled through me.

The bike roared to life then, making me jump. I could feel Grey laughing as he slowly walked the motorbike backwards, away from the curb.

He shouted to be heard. “Ready?”

I nodded. One moment we were sitting there, the next we were moving smoothly out of the parking lot. We sped up when we reached the street and I clutched Grey tighter. It was a totally foreign feeling to me; I wasn’t used to being so exposed, so weightless. There was nothing to keep me in, nothing to protect me but him.

It didn’t take long before I loved it. The wind floated over us, carrying with it the scent of Grey’s cologne on the warm summer breeze. He was young, and strong, and gorgeous, sitting just before me, switching gears expertly, in total control of his vehicle. I had never been prouder to know someone, to be with someone, to have others see me with someone. I tipped my head back and let the wind brush over my face and my neck, a smile curving my lips.

The soft, gentle breeze was caressing as we rode, and as it stroked my arms and my skin I caught the promise of adventure, the desire for total exhilaration that only more speed and wind could bring.

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