Identity [ON HIATUS]

4. Daisy Gets Burned

I had a pastel blue umbrella to match my pastel blue sweater as I headed home in a Fall downpour. Rain spattered against the sidewalk, gathering and swimming down the gutter alongside the road. I huddled under the small umbrella, the frills on my white socks getting splashed a little.

Cars sped past and didn't slow to make sure I didn't get soaked. I was cleverer than that; I ran past the large puddles so they didn't even have a chance. The umbrella covered most of my vision, but I could hear a different kind of engine; a smaller but louder one, one that was more exposed to the rain that hit it. It slowly rumbled to a stop on the side of the road and I heard the patter of boots hitting the ground.

"Daisy!"

Rose's voice stopped me. I titled my umbrella back to see her stood there, the hood of her black hoodie barely covering her head, her hair matted to her face and a big grin on her face. She brought me closer to her so she was sheltered from the rain but it was already too late; her clothes and face were soaked, her dark makeup already dripping in places.

She began steering me off the sidewalk. "I need to show you something." She lifted my umbrella so I could see what was in front of me. A motorbike. And I'm not talking about those cute scooters or a continental thing that the Italians drive. I'm talking a full on Harley Davidson.

It sat there, in a puddle by the gutter, it's engine still warm as was the seat probably. Rose's backpack hung from one of the handle bars like she used to do with her push bike back when we were younger.

"Is this yours?"

"No, it's Charlie's. But I like to pretend it's mine. This is the first time he let me take it out for a spin on my own." I moved closer to it, stepping off the sidewalk. My feet completely engulfed into the muddy water but I didn't care. Charlie had a motorbike, one of the most dangerous vehicles ever, and he let my sister ride it on her own.

I hated him.

He better thank the Lord he wasn't here right now.

I pressed my hand against the engine and hissed when it scolded. I knew nothing about bikes. "You actually ride this on your own? Don't you need a license or something?"

Rose shrugged, before retrieving her helmet which sat on the seat and strapped it on. "I'll get one, I'm just getting used to it."

There's nothing that I could have said to change her mind about this. I looked at her look at the bike, she was in love. In love with the bike and with Charlie. Both two dangerous things that were out of my control. I swallowed hard, keeping this from mom and dad would be difficult.

Rose gave me a playful punch on the arm. "Hey, don't worry about it Daze. Charlie's gonna teach me how to ride it properly and I'll get my license. She sat herself on the bike and let the engine rev. It was loud and obnoxious; it fit her perfectly. She looked so grown up on it, albeit small compared to its roaring engine and shiny metal.

"I'll see you at dinner, right?"

"Huh?"

"Dinner? At 7?" My words got drowned out by the engine, and she just nodded. I know she didn't hear me. Her brain was a sieve; either she genuinely couldn't remember things or she decided to forget because she didn't find them important. In no way was this dinner important to her.

I obviously didn't know her at all.

Rose popped some gum in her mouth before waving as the motorbike sprang into action.

And she sped off the down the tree lined road, splashing me a little as she rode through the fall rain, leaving me with rain sodden socks and a scolded hand.

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