The Future isn't Bright

Twenty-Six

I felt my cheeks burning. Oslo’s eyes were still on me, making me feel like a deflated balloon. I stood up quickly, needing to get away from Oslo. He mirrored my movements simultaneously.

“Want to get out of here?” Oslo said casually. It took me a while to find my voice.

“I- yeah, sure?” I blurted out. Oslo lead the way out of the museum with me close on his tail. Close enough to smell him, like the time I crashed into him at his house what felt like weeks ago. He smelled as good as ever.

Oslo turned around slightly, hiding a grin. I whipped my hands on my mouth, cursing myself for thinking about him. I was still thinking about him though. I groaned, frustrated at my lack of self-control as we stepped outside into the sunlight. The sunlight shimmered off of Oslo’s body, illuminating him like a light display.

I turned away from him forcefully, giving myself the same pep-talk as before. I noticed a collection of the same machines that the man almost ran me over with before, when I was walking with Mac. She said there were bicycle rentals by the museum, and that we would ride them together. Maybe next time.

“If you want to ride them, I’m down,” Oslo pulled me out of my reverie.

“Really?” I asked hopefully. I couldn’t do it alone: I didn’t know how to work them.

“Have you ridden a bike before?” Oslo ran down the rest of the steps, toward the rack.

“Uh, not really,” I grimaced.

“Looks like I’ll have to teach you,” Oslo said with a smirk, making me force the corners of my mouth down.

He paid the man in charge of the bicycles ten dollars for the two of us, which I thanked him for, and we were to return them in an hour.

Oslo took a bike out of the rack and wheeled it toward me.

“Here you go,” I took it from his grasp. After he took his out and whipped his long leg over the seat to sit down, I tried to follow his lead. When I lifted my leg up and around to the other side of the bike, it took all my balance to not fall on the ground. I looked like a complete idiot.

“You’re not an idiot, Donna, you’ve never ridden a bicycle before,” Oslo responded. I was too busy trying to stand back up to scold him for being in my brain again. Once I placed both feet steadily on the ground underneath me, I told Oslo I was ready. His face told me he didn’t believe me, but he started off nonetheless. I watched his movements as he circled around and pulled up right beside me.

“Just put your feet on the pedals and push,” he instructed. I nodded and did what he said, pushing them down. I moved about a foot, and I clenched the handlebars so tightly that I lost balance and felt myself toppling over. Just when I accepted my fate, a hand caught my arm and balanced me again.

“I feel like you’re constantly catching me,” I said as Oslo gave me a confused look.

“After the fight? And right now,” I clarified.

“Maybe if you’d stop falling all the time I wouldn’t have to,” he laughed, making his face light up. I cleared my throat as he let go of my arm, straightening myself on my bike.

“I have an idea,” Oslo said as he scooted his bike closer to mine, making my heartbeat increase. He grabbed the edge of my handlebar.

“Hold onto my bike,” he told me. I followed his instructions, gripping his right handlebar. Our arms were touching as he began to push on his pedals. I lifted my legs up and did the same, propelling us forward.

“I’m doing it!” I said excitedly, enjoying the gentle breeze that tickled my face as we pedaled down the street. It was a thrilling feeling. We passed Canadians on the sidewalk, earning warm smiles from most of them.