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People really were just too inconsiderate.
Everywhere she went it seemed as though everyone was intent on being as loud as possible.
It’s not like she was even particularly studious, there were a dozen other things she’d rather be doing with her time, but she had to pass this upcoming exam. If not she’d be forced to repeat the whole year, and honestly there was nothing she could think of that she’d rather do less than spend another year at Fourth East High.
So, in an effort to actually get some work done so she could pass the exam and put the stress of this whole ordeal behind her she’d found a resting area underneath some elevated tracks. Other than the occasional sound of a passing train, it was a remarkably quiet place.
She liked the little park because it had a vending machine with her two favorite drinks, Georgia canned coffee’s emerald mountain blend, and a type of melon flavored creme soda that came in a tall thin can that was neon green and almost too sweet even for her.
It beat studying at home, because here she could take in the smell of fresh rains that came with the arrival of an early spring and not the damp musk of her apartment. She’d tried to make her apartment into something comfortable since her mother’s passing, but in reality it just felt suffocating. That was in equal parts due to the sadness of being in an empty space and the mold filled walls that she was sure were poisoning her slowly.
The whole stupid building was rotting, and she couldn’t wait to get a job and find a nice place. Or at least one that was up to code. Until then, she has this place.
Or, she had this place.
He’d started showing up about a week and a half ago.
He was about her age. Maybe a year older, if that. He had dumb blond hair that absolutely couldn’t be natural, even if she couldn’t see the roots. A ratty leather jacket, like he was trying to be some sort of walking cliche. And then there was the coup de grâce: he drove around on the loudest motorcycle he possibly could.
The day she’d first seen him, she’d just settled in to study with a drink when she heard the sound of his motorcycle. His bike was this bare bones affair that he’d crudely spray painted a reddish orange. He’d whipped around the corner, the roar of his bike almost deafening her. He looked over his shoulder at her and she shot him a glare and he stopped dead in his tracks so fast the whole rear end of his bike lifted off the ground and he fell.
A part of her had wanted to laugh, she really had. But as she watched him stand up and dust himself off, she was just glad he was okay. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to come back to this place if she’d had to watch an idiot turn himself into a street stain just because he wasn’t paying attention. She thought it was only a matter of time though. He never wore a helmet, which as she observed him more seemed par for the course.
Since that incident, he drove past every day around the same time, which of course just so happened to be when she’d settled in to study. He’d slow down this time, give a careful look over his shoulder as he passed, then keep rolling down the hill.
It had become an annoying, but predictable part of her routine now. For nearly two weeks now she’d show up, make her selection at the vending machine, sit down, and no sooner than she’d crack open one of her books would she hear the sound of his bike in the distance. Today would be no different.
Or at least that’s what she’d thought.
She’d just gotten her drink and taken her seat, opening her book to start studying. The test was tomorrow, and while she was sure that she couldn’t possibly absorb any more information if she tried, she’d kick herself if she wound up failing and wondering if the extra day of studying would have made the difference.
Then, like clockwork, the sound of a bike.
She rolled her eyes and flipped a page. She didn’t look up. She didn’t dignify the noise with a response anymore. The sound got louder and closer, and she waited for it to pass like usual. But this time it didn’t. Instead, it got louder than it ever had and then it just…stopped?
She looked up and there he was just across the street stepping off his bike, and he was walking towards her.
He barely looked both ways as he crossed. It was like there was a shark in the water that had smelled blood. She felt herself tense up. What did he want? It was bad enough he slowed down to watch her like some creep every day, had he decided he needed to harass her now too? What had she done to even get his attention?
As he stepped closer, she realized he was taller than she’d initially thought. She tried to focus on her book. He stopped a few paces short of her, and she threw a furtive glance at him from behind her book. His brow was furrowed, and he looked lost in thought. Then it looked as if he’d gotten an idea.
He stepped past her to the vending machine and slotted in his yen very carefully, like he was counting out something precious. He pulled a some sort of lemon lime flavored soft drink out, and cracked it open and stood there trying to look as nonchalant as possible.
The silence persisted for a few moments, then she spoke
“Can I help you?”
He looked startled to hear her speak first, but he schooled his face back to the feigned nonchalance from earlier.
“Nah…just thought I’d stop and grab a drink. This place looks relaxing, and I hardly ever see anyone here.”
His voice was softer than she’d expected, not the brash sound of some punk. She still rolled her eyes
“You see me here. Everyday actually.”
That seemed to really throw him off.
“Well yeah, but one person hardly makes this place a jumpin’ spot.”
Why did he have to play dumb?
“I meant that I don’t think it’s a coincidence you stopped here. You’ve driven by here every day for almost two weeks, always slowing down to look at me. It’s creepy.”
His eyes blew open wide.
“Oh…I, uh, didn’t think you’d noticed that.”
He shifted on his feet and scratched the back of his neck while keeping his eyes trained on the ground. She sat her book to the side and crossed her arms
“I did notice it. I also noticed how you nearly killed yourself the first day you drove past.”
That more than anything so far had seemed to embarrass him the most.
“Oh…so you did see that…I was really hoping you hadn’t. Look, it’s really important for what I’m about to ask you that you know that that almost never happens to me. Like that was actually only the second time I’ve ever wiped out.”
She could laugh in his face, what kind of idiot was-…wait, what did he want to ask her?
“What were you about to ask me?”
He straightened up his posture and looked serious for a moment
“Oh! I was gonna ask if you maybe wanted to go for a ride some time?”
He can’t be serious
“A ride? I don’t even know you! And besides that thing doesn’t even look safe. I wouldn’t get on one in a million years!”
He looked confused now
“Huh? It’s totally safe! I’ve only wrecked twice and I didn’t even get a scratch on me either time!”
She stood up, getting more annoyed with him, and crossed her arms
“Oh yeah, like I’d take your word on anything! I wouldn’t get on that thing even if i hadn’t watched you fall off it!”
He looked frustrated now
“I only fell off it because of you!”
She was aghast now, was he really trying to pin that on her?
“Me?!? How on earth is it my fault you didn’t look where you were going?”
He spun around dramatically throwing his arms up in the air before facing her again
“Because you were over there lookin’ like that! How was I ‘sposed to keep my eyes on the road?!?”
She could feel her face heating up now. Now he was hitting on her? Really? What a jerk!
“Is that your idea of a pick up line? Blaming me for your screw up?”
He looked annoyed now too.
“ ‘S not a pick up line! You think I’m that clever? I just saw you sitting over there and you looked good and I wiped out. There’s nothing else to it!”
She rolled her eyes
“Oh come on, that’s so corny. If you’re gonna stand around and waste my time then you can at least try a little harder!”
He was pouting now. Oh my god, he was actually pouting like a child.
“Look, do ya want a ride or not? There’s some free food in it for ya. I know a Chinese place that makes great pot stickers just down the way. Dirt cheap, all you can eat.”
Why the hell was he so persistent? Nobody had ever taken this much interest in her before, and the last guy who’d tried asking her out stood her up as a joke. She didn’t even want to date. It was a waste of time. So why on earth was this guy trying so hard?
“I don’t even know your name. I’m not going somewhere with someone who’s name I don’t even know.”
His face had lit up at this. Like she’d handed him the cheat code to some stupid video game
“My name’s Denji. What’s uh…what’s your name?”
The way he said his stupid name with such earnestness caused her to unfold her arms and relax just a bit
“My name is Asa. Asa Mitaka”
He flashed his teeth in a sheepish grin and she noticed each had a subtle little point to it, like he had a mouth full of canines
“Asa huh? That’s a really pretty name and it’s short too, I like that. So…you know my name now. I know yours. We’re not technically strangers anymore. How about that ride?”
She really wanted to tell him to just go away, but something was stopping her. Maybe he’d just slowly worn her down. Maybe it was the mention of free food. Maybe the prospect of spending another hour staring at a book made her want to bash her head up against a wall. Or maybe, just maybe he’d charmed her. This was the first guy who’d ever been this persistent, plus he’d called her pretty, even if in a roundabout way. This was a stupid idea, but she thought if he was going to do something unseemly he’d have done it by now
“Fine…I’ll go for a ride with you. But I’m holding you to the Chinese food thing…I haven’t ate all day.”
He smiled again and led her over to his bike. He threw his leg over the seat and released the kickstand, then nodded towards the small passenger seat behind him.
She took a deep breath as she threw her bookbag over her shoulder.
The free food better be worth it.
She carefully threw her own leg over the side of the bike and got on.
He looked over his shoulder at her and flashed her a smile
“You ready?”
She nodded
“Then hang on.”
He started up the motorcycle, and it was the loudest thing she’d ever heard. She knew what he meant when he said hang on, and wondered if this had been his game the whole time.
She tentatively wrapped her arms around him
“Let’s go”
He revved the engine and the bike carried them toward the road as the streetlights began to flicker on and illuminate the path forward