Four Years Later
Rylan glanced behind him once more to check the distance between him and the guy who was going to come in second, grinned and then looked back ahead to the left hard turn coming up. As it got closer he remembered what Kody had told him to do.
"Plant your foot and swing the bike, but don't plant too hard or your gonna break your leg," she had chastised him when he tried it. "You gotta feel when to gun it again," she explained softly. "When that back tire stops its drift hit the gas and hold on," she had said.
It had taken him weeks to get it right, but now after that summer four years ago it was like second nature.
"Guess you're part of the family now," she had joked when he finally got it right, her father laughing along with her when he finally came back to them. At Rylan's urging Kody had finally opened up to her father before summer had come her senior year. Her confession forced out his own, they both laughed at each other and life went on.
"About damn time boy," her father had boomed. "It only took Kody two days to learn that trick, sheesh, I thought I was gonna have to get her to dump you," he patted Rylan on the back to assure him that it was all joke.
"Good turn Mr. Huckleberry," Kody's voice suddenly filled his helmet, his head whipped around to locate her.
"I thought you couldn't make it," he said, confused as he spotted her standing next to her uncle and father. She had told him on the phone just an hour ago that she was still packing, she would see him tomorrow.
"I lied," she said simply and he could hear her grin.
"I cannot believe you lied to me," he gasped as he crossed the finish line and just kept riding toward her. "How am I ever going to trust you again?" he asked, just before pulling the bike to a stop.
"I think you'll manage," she smiled when he finally ripped his helmet off.
"Hey baby," he smiled dropping a quick kiss to her lips.
"That was a much better greeting," she laughed hugging him.
"I thought you were still packing?" he asked as they walked towards the trailer, Kody tucked under his arm.
"I wanted to surprise you," she smiled up at him, "and it would not have been a surprise if you thought I was coming."
"True," he laughed putting the bike away while she waited. "But you are the one graduating tomorrow," he said, pulling her against him.
"What has that got to do with anything?" she asked frowning up at him.
"I should have gotten to surprise you," he moped.
"Oh stop it," she pushed him away and he just pulled her back.
They were walking back towards her father when he suddenly pulled her to a stop, "Kody we need to talk," he said seriously and Kody groaned inwardly.
To be honest she had been waiting since freshman year for this to happen. He had finally grown tired of their long distance relationship. Not that she could blame him; it was hard on her too. They would go weeks without getting to see each other because she was busy with school and he had coaching to do.
Fights had broken out between them resulting in hours of noncommunication, it was all that either of them could last. She looked back up at him, trying to smile it felt wrong. She was about to be dealt that blow she'd heard girls crying about in the dorms.
The love of her life was about to break her heart.
Should vowed to herself that she would not beg him to just wait one more week, she was graduating tomorrow and then moving back home; moving home to him. She looked up into his hazel eyes and waited for him to say the words she knew were coming next.
