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Recently with Rick, Beth felt that their relationship was on the verge of a complete change. It felt as if someone was holding a hourglass on its side, waiting for the strength to flip it fully upside down and let the sands pour down in its wake.
They were friends, best friends, but she knew that the once platonic love she had for Rick had shifted to an increasingly deep devotion. She was completely in love with him, and lately she had been feeling more and more that he may also feel the same.
It was in the small things.
The way anytime she was with him she could feel that he was completely attentive to her. No matter how long she would ramble even if he didn’t really look like he was fully paying attention he could, days later, reference exactly what she had said. The way he would sometimes help her with her house chores when he came over. As if this place, with her in it, was his true home. The way he would always always pull her into his side and hold her umbrella if it was raining on their way to Pat’s shop.
These small things, along with many others, made Beth wonder. However, she had easily been able to brush off her interpretations of those actions as just wishful thinking. But lately she felt a glimmer of hope as Rick began to slowly become increasingly affectionate towards her.
It started off as a gentle guiding hand on her back whenever he held the door open for her. She noted how she never saw him do that to Court or Yolanda. It progressed to a comfortable arm over her chair at lunch time. Which then progressed to a comfortable arm around her when they were watching movies at her house. And finally, just this week, he had begun softly rubbing her shoulder with the arm that he rested behind her.
This was how they were sitting, watching the Summer Olympics cycling event, when an idea popped into Beth’s mind.
“Rick we should go biking tomorrow! It would be so fun to have a biking partner.” Beth exclaimed excitedly.
Rick looked grim, “Ha. Maybe not the best idea...”
“Why not? If you don’t have a bike my dad has one here that you can borrow?”
“Uh well actually...I don’t know how to ride a bike.” Rick admitted.
“Oh” Beth paused surprised, “Im sorry...”
“It okay” Rick replied a bit sadly, “uh my parents never got the chance to teach me and my uncle was way too drunk and just never cared enough to do it.”
Beth looked at him with sad eyes, not with pity, but just an empathetic understanding.
Suddenly her eyes brightened and she leaned up on the couch, turning so she could completely face Rick, “Well tomorrow you’re going to learn!”
Rick’s eyes lightened, “Is that so?”
Beth bounced a little smiling, “Yup! I’ll teach you! You’re so smart I’m sure you’ll pick it up in no time.”
Rick’s eyes looked at her with an emotion she couldn’t quite decipher, as he responded breathlessly, “Thanks Beth.”
Beth looked down shyly overwhelmed by whatever the look was in his eyes and settled back into the couch leaning a bit more into his side.
the next day
“Okay safety first” Beth proclaimed as she placed a helmet on top of Rick’s head. Laughing at how her extra bright teal helmet looked on top of Rick’s head.
Rick have her a playful glare as she giggled. Beth stepped closer to him, just a breath away from him, reaching up on her tip toes to secure the helmet buckle. Her body warmed at the close proximity.
“Alright all set! Here, hop on top of my bike.”
Rick grabbed onto the handle bars and lifted his leg across the bike. Then he sat down on the bike seat and used his feet to balance the bike.
“Okay, I’ll be right beside you.” Beth assured him before she began to explain, “Start taking long steps one foot at a time down the sidewalk. Then, when you’re ready, push off and just glide a little bit. And when you get a feel for being on the bike and balancing you can start to pedal.”
Rick nodded and began to walk the bike. Beth walked next to him ready to help if he looked like he needed it.
After 30 minutes Rick had started to put up his feet on the pedal.
He would pedal a little bit and then put his feet back down. The whole time Beth stayed right next to him, lightly holding the bike if he needed her help balancing, happily cheering him on.
“You’re doing so good Rick!! You’ve almost got it!”
Rick smiled softly his eyes lit up with excitement and anticipation.
Then, after another 15 minutes, he took off.
“Yes Rick!! Oh my gosh you’re doing it! You’re doing it!”
Beth jogged next to him as he biked by himself down the sidewalk.
Rick smiled, his eyes bright, as he biked for the first time.
He went faster and faster down the sidewalk till Beth no longer could keep up with him.
Beth stopped jogging and just watched him happily as he biked ahead.
After going down the sidewalk for a bit, Rick turned and started heading back to her. He looked so light and happy riding Beth’s bright teal bike.
As he got closer to her he reached one of his hands up, taking it off the handle smiling brightly, “Look one hand!”
Beth smiled a bit nervously giving him two thumbs up as he made his way back to her.
Suddenly, just a few feet away from her Rick lost his balance and began to tumble off the bike.
“Rick!” Beth exclaimed worriedly. She rushed to his side to try to help him balance. Instead he fell off the bike and on top of her, taking them both down on to someone’s lawn.
Rick braced the fall making sure he didn’t land in a way that crushed Beth under his larger body.
Still hovering above her, Rick’s eyes scanned over her in worry, “Beth, are you alright?”
Beth stared at Rick in shock for a second before bursting out laughing.
Her contagious laughter soon infected Rick and he started chuckling with her.
They laughed for a while and even after their laughs died down Rick made no move to get off top of Beth. An electricity charged between the two as she stared up at Rick with a nervous curiosity and desire.
Rick murmured, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop himself, “I really want to kiss you right now.”
Beth eyes sparkled as she whispered back, “Do it then.”
Rick brought his head down quickly, ready to finally kiss the girl he loved, when a soft thud stopped them both.
“Ouch” Beth giggled, her forehead had bumped into Rick’s teal helmet.
“Shit sorry.” Rick grumbled shyly.
Beth just smiled and softly pushed him so that he was now beneath her. She unbuckled the helmet pushing it off his head, letting her hands run a bit through his hair.
She let herself linger above him taking in the moment before bringing her lips to Rick’s.
Rick sighed into the kiss. Holding her tightly to him.
‘Finally.’