"Can we talk for a minute?" Thomas stalled the motorbike as we slowed to the left of the gravel road.
"About what?" I couldn't look up. I glanced at what I could see of his black t-shirt. Blank.
"What? You know what I mean......You and him. I just heard today." His eyes matched the sky, reminding me of someone else.
"Oh."
"Are you okay?" That's all he wanted to know I realized as I slipped off the red bike. I felt relief that I wasn't losing my best friend too.
"Yeah I'm okay," I answered, slowly looking up, "We just weren't talking so well and now...maybe...we can get along so much better as friends."
He twisted the bike around to the right side of the road. I could smell the grass starting to grow again beneath the flat, blue sky; see farther where the horses grazed contentedly together; sense the lone stunted cow yearning to be closer to them.
"So he's talking to you more now? Wow."
"Yeah. It's just better now without the pressure of our own and others' expectations because," I stuttered here, " we we're a couple." Alpacas wailed at the fence behind us. Smoke billowed up ahead.
"I'm glad I don't have a girlfriend now. Man, it's too complicated. I'm gonna make it in the NBA, you know, have a bunch o' kids and one wife, eventually." He could always turn something serious into something to smile about. The sun reflected his short strawberry blond hair.
"Come on we better head back."
"'Before they wonder where we've gone eh." I lifted my leg over the back of the bike and held on to his waist with both arms. "Ready?" As he put the bike into gear, I placed my feet gently over his so they wouldn't drag along and we took off. Dust spit up at my mouth and wind fiercely blew back my auburn hair as we tore faster down the grid road.
I felt ecstatic, unable to contain my smile. The week before I'd spent the first sunny summer afternoon trying to spill out the right words to make him understand."I don't want to date anymore." I was still anxiously clasping his hand in mine. I couldn't take that away so soon."Maybe later when I've grown up... figured out what I want to do in life. We can still be there for each other."
"You're crazy," was all he had replied to that.
"I know," I'd placed my hand over his rapid heartbeat. "Please."
Thomas slipped the dirt bike into the highest gear. Sursprisingly, I had no fear of falling off suddenly or being thrown violently into the ditch at such a speed. I loosened my grip on his waist, felt his tight stomach, and aimed my voice at the sky; rejoicing for the coming summer.
I recalled how he had agreed; whispered: "If that's what you want. I'll be your friend," and kissed my cheek. "But I'll miss being closer to you..." He didn't hate me. I wasn't losing everything. I wanted to cry and laugh all at the same time as we slowed into the driveway. Thomas breaked in front of the barbeque, joining the party again.
"Well girl, you look a little windblown!" someone observed with humour. In reply, my eyes sparkled with life. I stepped off the bike with adrenaline still shooting through my wrists, legs swaying, and nostrils filling with the smell of beef. "Ready?" My eyes still sparkled.
