The state that I'm in. (BEING EDITED)

The ride

I woke up early with tons of things to study as my finals were nearing but the effects of the previous evening were more than visible. Deprivation of sleep is definitely not helping with my concentration. I was screwed.

My mom was giving me weird faces because I did go to bed at eleven according to her watch and I was too sleepy.

I made myself a second cup of coffee and headed back to my room for some much needed  studying. I did have to meet with the boys and Cathrine at five and I could just not be late tonight.

I started underlining some lines from Janette Winterson’s book The Passion that our literature teacher absolutely adored.

“What is luck? But the ability to exploit accidents”

“Wherever love is, I want to be, I will follow it as surely as the land- locked salmon finds the sea’’,

“Gambling is not a vice, it is an expression of our humanness. We gamble. Some do it at the gaming table, some do not. You play, you win, you play, you lose. You play”

Captivated by the truth I found in her words I continued reading, underlining making notes. It was almost three. I had finished with literature and I still needed to make some notes on Psycholinguistics but it had to wait. I had to get ready. My hair was a mess and I needed to find a proper outfit for our little ride.

I stepped in the shower thinking about Harry and why he invited me trying not to read much into it but I couldn’t get it, get him out of my mind. His enigmatic look, his being so reserved, his tension. I don’t know what it was but there was something I didn’t quite get about him.

I put on a pair of jeans and my red converse along with a white t-shirt and burgundy scarf. I also grabbed my black leather jacket and l straightened my hair which was ridiculously long and in desperate need of a haircut and texted Cathrine who was already waiting for me downstairs. I told my mom I was meeting Leo and she didn’t need anything more.

"Someone is looking good " I said as soon as I saw her. It was true. She looked absolutely stunning in her jeans and tank top. She had a cardigan with her in case she got cold and her hair was down blonde and wavy.

"Someone is also looking good girl, " she replied with a smirk on her face.

"What can I do. This is my completely natural look, effortless. I can’t complain."

We both laughed and Cathrine swithed on the radio to a channel we simply loved and we started singing John Newman’s Can you love me again. Life was fun.

When we arrived at the garage where Leo worked we noticed that there was only one bike there: Leo’s.

Maybe he forgot about it I thought, or he changed his mind most probably.

I stepped out of Cathrine’s car and walked towards Leo who was fixing something on the beautiful bike in front of him.

"Well, well, well. Look who’s here?" I said jokingly and Cathrine started laughing with my tone.

"If it’s not the pain in the ass" he completed standing up giving me a hug and kissing me on the cheek doing the same for Cathrine.

"So, I will leave you to it. I’ve got studying to do",  I said.
"Cathrine, keys please".

Before I could finish my sentence I heard the roaring sound of an engine approaching us. I looked back to see Harry standing up trying to park the heavy motor.

He was simply breathtaking. He was dressed in black, jeans and a T-shirt with a leather jacket to complete the look. Taking off his helmet, I thought the world was in slow motion. I looked at Leo trying to shake my amazement and then I looked back at him. His hair was again so perfectly messy and his tattoos were struggling to show under his garments. He was truly very handsome.

"Hey", he said first shyly, looking at me but taking his eyes away instantly as if something was wrong.

"Hi!" I said back.

"So here is your helmet, as promised", he smiled.

"Thanks." I was at a loss for words.

"Any time. So hop up. Let’s get going", he added.

"Eager much?" Leo said abruptly before handing Cathrine a helmet, too.

Leo got on his bike, Cathrine followed putting on the helmet and I too got on Harry’s bike. They both started the engines simultaneously and we were off.

"Hold me, you could fall off", he said in a calm voice.

On hearing him, I put my arms around him without a second thought and held him tight. He sped and I grabbed him even tighter. The wind, the smell of the sea near us and Harry’s cologne made me so excited. I almost felt free; not a care in the world.

We rode around the town close to the sea when Leo overtook us signaling that we should stop at the old harbor.

We did just that and I unwillingly got off the bike not wanting to take my arms off his body but I had to. It was an amazing feeling. Turning my gaze to Cathrine I could swear that she felt the same.

Leo turned to me as he took off his helmet to put it on the bike and said:

"Let’s go for a walk Val."