"Okay, point out your clutch?"
Katnis pointed to the lever on her left handlebar, accidentally letting go of her grip on the clutch, causing the he heavy bike wobbled underneath her, threatening to knock her sidewise. She grabbed the handle again, trying to hold it straight.
"Jacob, it won't stay up," Bella complained from beside them.
"It will when she stops moving," he promised. "Now where's your brake?"
"Behind my right foot."
"Wrong."
He grabbed her right hand and curled her fingers around the lever over the throttle.
"But you said—"
"This is the brake you want. Don't use the back brake now, that's for later, when you know what you're
doing."
"Aren't both brakes kind of important?"
"Forget the back brake, okay? Here—" He wrapped his hand around hers and made her squeeze the lever down. "That is how you brake. Don't forget." He squeezed hee hand another time.
"Okay," She agreed.
"Throttle?"
She twisted the right grip.
"Gearshift?"
She nudged it with her left calf.
"Very good. I think you've got all the parts down. Now you just have to get it moving."
"Alright," She muttered.
She stared down the long stretch of dirt road, bordered by thick misty green on every side. The road was
sandy and damp. Better than mud.
"I want you to hold down the clutch," Jacob instructed.
She wrapped her fingers around the clutch.
"Now this is crucial, Katnis," Jacob stressed. "Don't let go of that, okay? I want you to pretend that I've
handed you a live grenade. The pin is out and you are holding down the spoon."
She squeezed tighter.
"Good. Do you think you can kick-start it?"
"If I move my foot, I think I will fall over," she told him through gritted teeth, her fingers tight around her live
grenade.
"Okay, I'll do it. Don't let go of the clutch."
He took a step back, and then suddenly slammed his foot down on the pedal. There was a short ripping
noise, and the force of his thrust rocked the bike. She started to fall sideways, but she caught the bike
before it knocked hee to the ground.
"Steady there," he encouraged. "Do you still have the clutch?"
"Yes."
"Plant your feet—I'm going to try again." But he put his hand on the back of the seat, too, just to be safe.
It took four more kicks before the ignition caught. She could feel the bike rumbling beneath her like an angry animal.
She gripped the clutch until her fingers ached.
"Try out the throttle," he suggested. "Very lightly. And don't let go of the clutch."
She twisted the right handle. Though the movement was tiny, the bike snarled beneath her. It sounded angry and hungry now. Jacob smiled in deep satisfaction.
"Do you remember how to put it into first gear?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Well, go ahead and do it."
YOU ARE READING
(2) Katnis Swan: Moved On?
FanfictionEdward makes the decision to leave Katnis after he almost lost control of himself. Katnis is hurt, heart broken even, by his departure but she understands why he left. He wanted to protect her from himself. One month after The Cullen's leave Forks...
