Cassy:
"I hope you don't mind, but I got us a rondawel in Hartenbos for the weekend," Ruan says as soon as he's greeted my mum. "Pack your swimsuit as well, and just so you know, we're going on a run to Knysna Sunday morning."
"Cool!" I say, running upstairs to quickly pack my swimsuit before I close my backpack and get the helmet Ruan bought me out of my cupboard. I'm dressed in a pair of jeans, with a denim jacket and boots.
Once downstairs, I kiss my mum, and then we're off. I need to get away from everything that's been going on, and this is the perfect opportunity. It takes us less than thirty minutes to get to Hartenbos. It's almost 17h00, so we decide to get something to eat at the Spur. Since it's walking distance, we leave the bike at the rondawel.
Once seated, he asks, "So how's your new school?"
"I love it. Made some really cool friends. You'd love them," I tell him while looking at the menu.
"Any guys I should put in their place?" he asks jokingly, but when he sees me blush, he says, "You want to tell me the untouchable Cassy Botha has fallen in love. I have to meet this guy!" he says.
"Actually, he got cold feet," I say, waiting for the waiter to take our order, before I continue, "Long story short, we had a great weekend, and then he ran. And to make things worse, he's also my neighbor. According to his friends, Jared was dumped by a girl in Gr 8, and since then, he's been gun shy," I explain to him.
"But you like him?" he asks.
"Very much. I've never felt like this about a guy." I admit.
"What about him? Does he have feelings for you?" he asks, taking a sip of the beer the waiter has brought in the meantime.
"Everyone says he does, but they say he's scared of getting hurt again," I tell him.
"Do you think he has feelings for you?" he wants to know.
"I don't know. It looked like it, but then he suddenly withdrew. This other friend of mine Mike said we should push him a little, so the whole of this week he's been hanging around me and Jared definitely didn't like it " I say, taking a long sip of my milkshake.
"Maybe when I drop you off on Sunday, you can introduce me to him. I'll tell you quickly if he's into you or not," he suggests, dead serious about meeting Jared.
Just then, our food arrives, and we fall into a companiable silence while eating our food. After he paid for the meal, we walked along the beach back to the rondawel, stopping halfway to smoke a joint.
"So when are you going back to the rig?" I ask, taking a drag of the joint.
"In six weeks," he says, taking the joint from me.
"How long are you still going to do this?" I want to know.
I'm always worrying about him when his on the rig.
"If all goes according to plan, I can get off at the end of next year. Then I want to start my own business contracting people. I've made a lot of contacts so far, and this one friend of mine is interested in joining me," he says, passing the joint back to me.
"That's great. I don't like you working on the rig. It's too dangerous."
We spend the rest of the evening chatting and watching a movie before we go to bed.
Saturday morning, we laze around on the beach before he takes me to lunch at Dolfinos in Mossel Bay.
Saturday night, we have a braai before we go to bed at about 22h00. We have to be up early on Sunday because Ruan still wants to check his bike and fill it up before we have to be at the clubhouse.
Jared:
I'm feeling restless. Neil had to cancel his plans with me because his dad needed his help, and Justin was still with Ashley. On a wim, I decide to ride through to Mossel Bay. One of my biker brothers, Keith, stays there, and he has a leather jacket I've been wanting to buy for a while now. I just never got so far as to actually go and pick it up.
When I phone to check that he's home, he says, "Jared bud, how's things?"
"Good man and with you?" I say, putting the phone on speaker while checking the bike's oil and petrol.
"What can I do you for?" he asks, and I can hear people chatting in the background. He's probably at the clubhouse.
"You going to be home today?" I ask.
"Later yeh, why?" he wants to know.
"I've got nothing to do, and I'm looking for an excuse to get on the road. Thought I could come through and get that jacket you promised me." I say to him.
"I can do you one better. If you're looking for a ride, a few of us are going on a run to Knysna tomorrow. Why don't you sleep over and join us tomorrow." he says, and I'm immediately game.
Keith used to be the Road Captain of Megapower Mossel Bay before his work transferred him to George. Even though Mossel Bay is only 50kms from George, he used to work long hours, and in order to have time to ride with the club, he transferred to Megapower George four years ago. About a year ago, he transferred back to Megapower Mossel Bay when he moved back and started his own business.
When I started hanging around the club five years ago, he sort of became my sponsor, even though I wasn't a Prospect yet. He helped me buy my first proper bike, a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636, when I turned sixteen. He also taught me everything I needed to know about club rules and about riding in a pack. Eleven months ago, when I asked to join the club, he vouched for me.
The motorcycle clubs in the Southern Cape are mostly social clubs, and although we stick to a lot of the usual club rules, we are also a lot more relaxed than a lot of other motorcycle clubs.
"I'd love that. What time should I be there?" I ask while going back up to my bedroom to pack my backpack.
"I'm going to be at the club till about three. You can come join us here, or I can get you at my house after three, " he says.
"I'll see you at the club," I say, going downstairs again to tell my mum what I plan on doing.
"Ok, check you in a bit," he says and disconnects the phone.
"Mum!" I call my mum. "MUM!" I yell when she doesn't answer.
"Backyard!" she yells back.
She's busy cutting roses when I get outside.
"Keith invited me to go on a run with them tomorrow. Will it be ok if I sleep there tonight?" I ask, helping her carry the cut roses inside.
"Of course, love. Just be careful," she says while putting the roses in a vase.
"Ok, thanks. See you later then," I say, giving her a kiss on the cheek before I hit the road.
YOU ARE READING
The Boy Next Door.
RomanceMoving to a new town is difficult, but when it happens in your final year of school it's even more difficult. To make matters worse Cassy also immediately dislikes their new neighbor's son. With his long hair, tattoos and whoring ways, he's definite...
