A Silent Hope

Chapter Sixteen

Mackenzie

"There you go." I knocked twice on the helmet after putting it on for Thalia, making her frown.

"I'm still having second thoughts about this." The woman grumbled as she eyed my bike wearily.

"Why? My baby's faithful." I patted the bike. "She's beautiful, huh?"

She watched me with hesitation, face still holding that frown. "That seat doesn't look safe."

"Sure it does." I answered quickly. "You're small." I swayed my hand from my height to hers. "See?"

"Are you calling me short?" Thalia sent me a scowl.

I bit my lip, shaking my head. "Not calling. Pointing it out. I'm tall, you're not."

She huffed out a laugh and landed a gentle punch to my arm. "If I die, I'll haunt you for eternity."

"No problem." I shrugged with as much nonchalance as I possibly could.

"And I don't just mean follow you around." A threatening finger stabbed my chest with each word she spoke. "I'm gonna switch out your sugar for salt. Everytime you try to watch your favorite movies, the power will go out. I'm gonna find the world's hottest pepper and put it in your hot sauce, and yeah, I know about your love for hot sauce. You'll be living on the damn toilet. Whenever you sleep, I'll make sure you have nightmares about Clifford and Garfield chasing after you. You won't be able to save yourself by climbing a tree, Kenzie." She muttered in a calm tone. "You'll have to put up with that for the rest of your life."

Images of a big red dog trying to reach me on top of a tree flitted through my mind. He would be able to get me up there to lick my face then chew it off. Then I envisioned a lazy cat chasing after me as though I was a lasagna, tearing me apart with its claws. I shivered. My ass would definitely burn from too much hot sauce. Salt in my coffee? No more Kate Beckinsale or Mila Jovovich?

I gulped nervously and breathed out a forced laugh. "I, uh, O-okay. Promise."

"Glad we're on the same page." She gave a firm nod, proud that she instilled fear in me.

I straddled the bike and then let her sit behind me. "Hold onto me." She gingerly wrapped her arms around my waist. "Tighter than that, Thal."

"Don't let me fall." Her hold almost suffocated me then.

"I won't." I chuckled but regretted it when she pinched my stomach. I whispered a small 'ouch' and waited for her to hold me again.

I drove slowly, allowing her to enjoy the cool evening breeze and freedom. We already decided to drive to an amusement park which was an hour and a half away in another town.

Thalia didn't relax fully until her feet were on the ground again. She was mumbling something about her heart beating unnecessarily fast, all because I was an adrenaline junkie. I smirked under my helmet as I came off the bike. I assisted her on taking off hers first and then mine.

I hung them on the handles and turned to her. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

"Mhm. You get to keep your sugar for now." Crossed arms and pouting lips in a non pout.

I slipped my hands into my pockets, an attempt to keep them to myself rather than throwing one over her shoulder. We strolled into the amusement park set at the outskirts of Crestville, most likely the biggest and richest town I'd ever seen.

While Thalia was caught up looking at a passing clown, I sneakily paid for our tickets and tugged her along to not notice.

"I saw that." She murmured.