Perception

XL

Eli had gotten his hands on some seriously decent bikes, she realised as she watched the narrow front wheel spinning swiftly over the asphalt underneath, her feet pushing the pedals round easily. It was wonderful as well, this cycling, the physical activity a great counterpoint for all the thinking that had come before.
"You doing okay?" he asked next to her, and she looked at him and smiled.
"Very okay. This is awesome!"
She shook her hair out into the wind and watched the houses roll past. She could already see green fields in the distance, and she guessed he was taking her there.
"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?" she asked him then.
He smiled a new, enigmatic smile. "Nah, but you'll like it, I'm pretty sure."

They cycled along quietly for a few moments before he spoke again.
"So, did you sleep okay?"
It was an innocent enough question, but she could feel the weight behind it. He was making sure she was okay with what had happened the night before, wasn't he?
She kept her eyes on the road as she answered him with this honesty he always seemed to allow.
"It was an interesting night, let's say. But I'm good now."
She looked him right in the eyes for just a moment then, because she wanted to put his mind at ease. "I am. I'm good now."
"Cool." he nodded.

They had reached the fields, now, and they were on one of those very archetypically Dutch red cycle paths. You could cycle in two directions on these things, even, a white line separating the lanes like some weird super-narrow dual carriageway, and there were no cars anywhere to be seen. There were lots of cyclists out though, because it was a lovely day, and they were overtaking people regularly on their quick bikes.
"This was a great idea, Eli!" she complimented him. "I've been thinking I should get a bike for some time."
"It's one of the things I really like about being here." Eli said. "You don't need a death wish to cycle on the main road."
Anna grinned, remembering what Eli had told her about the roads in Devon, where he grew up.
"What are some of the other things?" she asked then.
He thought for a second.
"Apart from the obvious?" he said, one eyebrow raised, and she smiled because she realised what, or who, he meant. "I like how open it is here. People speak their minds, but they're not nasty about it like they are in some places. And they accept you in so easily. I really like that."
"I like that too." she told him. "In fact, it's one of the reasons I love this city so much. Have you travelled a lot?"
"I've travelled a fair bit, yeah. Roughing it in Asia, mostly. And I backpacked through Australia in my gap year, just like basically ever other English bloke, picking Pink Lady apples in forty degree heat. But I also went to America, Canada, New Zealand and Hong Kong that year."
"Wow, that's so cool." she said, impressed. "I haven't really been many places at all. I've never actually left Europe."
He hesitated for just half a second, and she knew at that moment that he realised full well why she hadn't travelled very far.
"Maybe I can take you to some of these places one day." he said then.
She felt the smile spreading on her lips before she could stop it. Because travelling with Eli didn't sound scary at all. She was sure, somehow, that he'd have her back. And maybe she'd have his in return.
"That would be awesome." she told him.

They cycled on through the fields, past some charming little villages, until in the distance there were some very quaint looking wooden houses, painted in green and white hues. 
"There it is, I think!" Eli enthused. "Apparently it's called the Zaanse Schans and it's a must-see when you're here. Wanna go look at some very old houses, see how people used to live?"
"Absolutely!" she said, and they stopped and tied their bikes to a tree.