Rebel The Odds

Chapter 11 - The bridge

Chapter 11

The ride on Ethan's bike was awkward to say the least, Leah's hands went through a cycle of gripping the edge of his jacket, to tightening at the sides of his torso whenever he made a turn, and returning back to gripping the edges of his jacket when she realized it.

Aside from all that, she founded riding the bike didn't seem so bad, to be honest, it was actually pretty relaxing. With the wind brushing against her hair and the zooming sound that played frequently throughout their ride, the helmet she wore no longer felt stuffy and tight like when she first wore it.

Sometimes she would find herself in awe of the new feeling. It felt like all her problems were disappearing, passing through her like the wind and leaving only a satisfying feeling behind. 

After about twenty minutes on the bike, Ethan finally stopped and her eyes swoon at the view she had only seen through the windows of her car whenever they passed the place.

Ethan leaned the bike beside the sidewalk and helped Leah took out the helmet, all while she stared at the scenery behind him.

He felt his heart tightening at the awestruck look she had on her beautiful face, Ethan felt this immense overwhelming feeling wash over his heart like he was looking at the most adorable thing.

He took out the helmet from her head and while she seemed occupied, he took the chance to brush off some strand of her light brownish blonde hair that became wild from the wind. 

She still looked beautiful. 

He relished at their intimacy and the feeling of her soft hair.

Reluctantly pulling away, Ethan offered a hand for Leah to take and cleared his throat to catch her attention. "Shall we?" he asked and she glance at his hand before taking it, her eyes still stuck at the view of the vast blue ocean over the bridge on the highway.

Ethan tugged her towards the railing until they both leaned against it and Leah stared at the smaller details she couldn't catch.

The water was blue in color, not clean enough to be clear as it was surrounded by the city, but it wasn't dirty to appear murky either. The light from the sun illuminated against its blue ground while the sound of waves filled the surrounding, overshadowing the cars on the road. 

The wind was strong, but not too strong, and they were under the shade so it wasn't hot. It was just perfect.

Ethan stared at her silently, his heart contracting from the overwhelming feeling. Was it even possible to find someone so attractive simply by just a look?

"Next time, I'll take you to the beach" the words came out from his mouth in the state of his daze, his eyes widened when he realized what he just said. He was about to say something to correct himself when Leah glanced at his direction with an excited smile.

"Sounds good to me" she said before turning back to the view. 

"Leah..." Ethan subconsciously called out while he stared at her silently, his heart pacing the fast rhymed that seem to grow more familiar when he was around with her. Crush was an understatement explanation, he never really had one before but he knew his feelings traveled further than a mere puppy-crush.

What was this feeling inside him that can't seem to stop growing whenever he was with her?

"Hmm?" As Leah turned her head to face him, he flinched for a second as he was bought out from his daze, he quickly recollected himself by glancing around in search of an explanation as to why he called her and his eyes fall down to a food truck close by.

"Let's eat something"

Leah followed his line of sight and nodded her head. "Let's"

"You know..." Leah begin as they sat on a metallic public chair beside each other and facing the sea while their hands held onto the long potato chip stick,

"It's been a while since I've gone to places aside from school"

Ethan glanced at her curiously, watching her as she took a bite of the potato chip and munch deliciously with her mouth closed.

She looked so adorable at the moment he wished her school's photographer was there to take a picture of it.

"Why is that?" he asked, he had finished his potato stick a lot faster than her, probably because he ate a lot less elegant and much messier then her, he had wished to improve his reputation Infront of her eyes but he couldn't help it,

Delicious things were meant to be savored faster.

"My mother doesn't really allow me to"

Ethan furrowed his eyebrows, "Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I guess it was because she didn't want me distracted from school"

Ethan frowned but tried to hide his displeasure. 'What the hell, her mother was one of those strict moms', he thought to himself. He heard of those moms but never really witness them first hand, his aunt and grandmother was both pretty lenient on him even though there was a time when his aunt tried to be more sterner with him but he didn't care.

"Did you want to? Go out more to places like this?" he asked.

Leah hummed in thought, swallowing her food while she eyes her potato chip stick, her lips smacked at the salty-sweet taste.

"Of course... This does feel nice, being out and all, not about school once in a while. Seems like a good relaxation" Leah said with a genuine soft smile as she brushed a strand of her hair from her face.

"Then why don't you tell her?"

For a moment, there was a silent pause. Leah had stopped munching and Ethan waited for her answer, all that could be heard were the subtle sound of waves underneath the bridge and the wind carried by the cars passing behind them.

Leah thought for a moment, her eyebrows furrowing at the question that had taken her aback, 'Why didn't she?'

Was it because she already knew what her mother would say?

Or was it because she didn't want to see her mother's further disappointing face if she ever talked back?

Her mother was a proud domineering woman, at times she could be really emotionless and cold but Leah knew how ambitious her mother truly was, her mother strive for perfection, and she would never settle for less.

Her mother was an authority figure, she was used to having people follow her orders without questioning, and she treated Leah, unbeknownst, the same as her employees.

And she had become used to it.

Leah glanced at Ethan, eyeing him from head to toe as she grew curious at what he might answer her next question.

"Should I?"

Often times she would keep her emotions and feelings to herself, she never really realized how often she had done it until now, how often she rejected the idea of speaking out.

It always seemed bothersome to her, as if it could change anything, much less her mother's mind. Then Why bother?

She could at least guess what someone like Ethan would answer, he seemed like the type of person who wouldn't do something he didn't like to do even if everyone told him to, no, people would be too scared to even ask him to do something.

Ethan looked at her and shrugged,

"I know I would"