Warped Tour (A Shannon Leto Story)

Bike Rides & Heartbreak

Never again. Seriously, never again was I sitting around and drinking with that many couples. What had started out as a simple night of drinking and celebrating the nominations had turned into what would have been an orgy had everyone not retired to their own rooms. I let out a long sigh as I reclined back on my bed for the night and stretched out my sore muscles. Finally a real bed, god I missed this. Hotel beds are all good and well but they were overslept in and not soft plushy goodness. I could feel my eyes getting heavy and wanted to slip into oblivion when a knock on my door had me jolting up and glaring at the offending noise.

     "Go away," I yelled before cringing at the thought of drawing any of the other occupants attention to my room.

     "Open the door Syd," Shannon's voice had me sliding off the comfy bed and dragging my feet across the room to let him in.

     "What do you wa--" I trailed off noticing how he was dressed. I let my eyes fall to the dark boots covering his feet, to his light ripped jeans and up to his leather clad arms, motorcycle helmet in hand, "what the hell?"

     "Come on, we're going for a ride." He handed me the dark helmet before glancing over my appearance, "you need to change first though."

     "I don't think I brought my riding jacket dude." I grumbled as I sat his helmet down on the bed to rummage through my suitcase.

     "You have a designated riding jacket?" I glanced back to see him leaning against the door frame with confusion painting his gorgeous features. I took a deep breath and swallowed hard, trying to hydrate my now parched throat.

     "Ye-" My voice caught as he stretched, revealing a small sliver of skin. Clearing my throat I started again, "Yeah, you know for when I go riding."

     "Wait, hold on, we've been friends for how long, I've talked about my bike and you're just now telling me you ride?" He dropped his arms and prowled into the room, eyes locked on me.

I shrugged as I looked away from him and started pulling out clothes I deemed ok to wear in case we crashed. "It wasn't really brought up?"

     "Not brought up? Really Syd, you're a mess sometimes, ya know that?" He sighed out as he watched me finally grab some clothes and turn to him.

     "Yeah so I've been told, on numerous occasions." I looked at him expectantly, before finally waving my clothes around, "Are you going to get out so I can change?"

I watched as his eyes clouded over, lost in his own thoughts that weren't helping my own, before he shook his head and backed out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. God I was in over my head.

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The night summer air was cool as it whipped around me. The helmet Shannon lent me keeping my hair out of my face, allowing me to enjoy the ride. I hadn't been able to just enjoy the ride since getting my own license, so I let the sensation fill me. I felt Shannon shift, kicking the Ducati into 6th gear and speeding up the winding mountain roads. I leaned with him when he took the next curve, whooping joyously as the adrenaline flowed through my veins. God I missed my bike. I couldn't wait to get back home and take my gorgeous beast out for a ride through the Wilmington back roads. Soon the bike was being downshifted into 1st, allowing us to coast to a smooth stop. I waited for Shannon to put it in park and kick the stand out before I climbed off and looked around. The view was unbelievable, the night lights shining back at me like a sky on fire. Los Angeles was stunning in the day but at night it was simply breathtaking.

     "This is my favorite place," Shannon breathed out as he came to stand next to me.

     "It's beautiful." I let the awe saturate my voice as I took in the scene.