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

Unwind

Heading outside I noticed their bikes parked  at the front and admired by the passersby.

‘Rose, coming with us?’ Leo asked cheekily.

‘On that? You bet!’ she answered in a split second.

‘What about my car. I came in my car. Ican’t just leave it here.’ I said.

‘Please ride with me.I can bring you back and pick it up later’ Harry pleaded and I knew I couldn’t refuse.

I nodded and he got on his bike, handed me his helmet and helped me adjust it. I just loved his hands on my face taking care of me. Soon the loud roaring sound filled the atmosphere and everybody turned to look at us but I didn’t mind at all. I was actually quite excited that they could see me like that with him. I felt confident and thrilled.

‘What about you?’ I inquired worriedly.

‘Well you’ll have to hold me tight so we don’t fall down and hurt ourselves’ he smiled at me.

He was a bit mischievous and more relaxed than I remembered and he seemed to enjoy himself immensely. Rose rode with Leo and we led the way as I showed them around town. I held on Harry who would occasionally rub my fingers which embraced his waist and I would die each time he did that as if a current of electricity went through me. I would point at the different university spots and explain in his ear where the library was or the department offices, the amphitheatre and the quaint coffee shops, the park and the pubs as well as the night club where I worked at the weekends.

He seemed interested and asked me various questions about the place that would be of no use to him but I appreciated the shy attempt he made to have a conversation with me.

When we reached our apartment, I asked them to come up for some tea or coffee and they agreed with Harry giving me the most beautiful smile and Leo demanding beer instead. Good thing we had some.

The afternoon went by faster than any of us wanted with Leo making jokes while exploring the apartment, Harry going through our books and checking the photos on the walls, jokes, coffee, beer, lying lazily on the couch.

At one point Leo looks at the time and jumps up. ‘It’s late we need to go’

‘My car'I remembered surprised.

‘We’ll take you there and we’ll leave because we need to head back. I’m meeting someone in a couple of hours’ Leo announced.

Harry looked at Leo and then back at me, then back at Leo. The grin attached to his face for the last couple of hours.

‘Who are you meeting?’ I asked curiously.

‘Someone’ he answered flat and I dropped it.

Harry drove me to my car with on hand on mine and the other on the steering wheel most of the time driving me crazy. As soon as I got off and handed him the helmet, Leo said he would go to fuel his bike up at the station nearby obviously wanting to give us some time alone.

I kissed him on the cheek and said goodbye and he hugged me a brotherly hug and looked me straight in the eye:

‘You know I love you, don’t you?’ he said.

‘I know Leo. I love you, too. Take care. Drive safe. OK?’ I replied stunned by his emotional outburst.

‘Yes Sir,’ he replied and he was back to his old self before he set off.

Harry leaned on the bike facing me and took my hands in his.

‘I should go too but I need to tell you something first’ he said and looked down.

Looking back at me again he continued boldly.

‘I like you. I like you very much’ he admitted but before I could reply he added ‘I haven’t felt this way for a very long time and I know that we barely know each other but I needed to say that. I want to see you again soon. Is that OK with you?’ he asked longing for an affirmative reply.

‘Yeah, I would like that very much.’ I said again unable to believe how lucky I was to have this sweet handsome guy who had so many girls at his feet say these things to me.

‘Good.’ There is this word again that gives me so much pleasure. He leans forward and presses his lips on mine in a sweet kiss.

‘ I need to see you soon, there is something I need to tell you but I guess it can wait’ he said shyly.

‘Can I see you on Friday?’ he asked in a needing manner.

‘I’m not coming home. I have to work.’ I explained.

‘I know. I meant can I come and see you before work, after I finish from the garage and during work, and after even?’ he asked with a grin.

‘You mean you want to come and stay for the weekend?’ I asked him surprised at the revelation.

‘Yeah.I have a friend who lives here and he can put me up for the weekend" he continues a bit frustrated moving one of his hand pushing his hair back, a signature move by now.

‘ Can’t wait!’ I reply.

‘I’ll text you when I get home’ he said and got on the bike but before he put on the helmet he grabbed my wrist pulling me close to him and kissing me once more with one hand holding the helmet and the other on the back of my neck holding me close.

‘I don’t want to go’ he said breaking our kiss.

 ‘I don’t want you to go’ I answered my voice almost breaking.

He eventually let me go and started the engine leaving me panting, he put on the helmet and looked at me once more before he finally left and I stood there motionless, the sound of the engine in my ears minutes after he had left.

I was in trouble. I knew that I was falling for him but I also knew that there was something missing from the puzzle. Call it intuition, I just knew that this was simply too good to be true.

Despite my deep negative thoughts the week passed fairly quickly with the exams coming and going and on Friday morning I was already exhausted from all the studying. Harry had called me every day after the exams wanting to know how I did and to see how I was dealing with the exam pressure. It was so sweet of him as he didn’t strike me as the guy who would care about these sort of things. I was aware that he called only to check on me and the sound of his raspy voice gave me chills. I missed him.

Pens down at five and I was done. Free at last and ready for my two weeks off. I left in a hurry, relieved that exams were over, without talking to other students about the topics getting in my car as quickly as possible and when I turned to reach the apartment my heart leapt as I saw the familiar bike parked outside the block.  He was here and I was so happy.