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The sun was already hanging low over the horizon when Chris decided that this had definitely been a bad idea. Not because Claire couldn’t ride. She just couldn’t ride yet. And that was exactly the problem.
He stood a few feet away from the motorcycle, arms crossed over his chest, watching his seventeen-year-old sister put on her helmet with the expression of someone who was about to accomplish something great.
The motorcycle belonged to him. It was well maintained, reliable, and, most importantly, big enough for Chris to ride comfortably. For Claire, it was a little too heavy.
Of course, Claire thought otherwise.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
Chris raised an eyebrow.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re already planning to call an ambulance.”
“I’m not planning to.”
“Good.”
“I have the number saved in my phone.”
Claire rolled her eyes.
“Chris.”
“What?”
“I’m seventeen, not seven.”
“That’s exactly why I’m not relaxed.”
“Can you be a normal older brother for five minutes?”
“I am a normal older brother.”
“No. You’re a paranoid older brother.”
Chris sighed and shook his head. He wasn’t going to argue with her. He knew that if they started, Claire would want to prove him wrong, and then the entire lesson would end even faster than it had started. He walked over to the motorcycle and pointed toward the handlebars.
“Okay. One more time. Clutch here. Front brake here. Rear brake with your foot. Gear shift with your left foot. Don’t release the clutch too quickly.”
“I know.”
“Repeat it.”
Claire looked at him in disbelief.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“Clutch, left hand. Front brake, right hand. Rear brake, right foot. Gears, left foot. Throttle, right hand.”
Chris nodded.
“And?”
“And I don’t release the clutch like an idiot.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But you thought it.”
“A little.”
Claire smiled to herself.
“Get on.”
She sat on the motorcycle, adjusted her position, and spent a moment trying to find the right place for her feet. Chris stood beside her, ready to catch the motorcycle if she lost her balance.
Claire glanced at him.
“You don’t have to hold it.”
“I know.”
“Then let go.”
“No.”
“Chris.”
“Claire.”
“Let go.”
“Start moving first.”
“How am I supposed to move if you’re holding me?”
Chris stared at her for several seconds.
“Fine.”
He let go.
Claire immediately tilted the motorcycle a few inches. Chris caught it at the last second.
“I told you!”
“Nothing happened.”
“You almost dropped my motorcycle.”
“I didn’t.”
“Because I caught it.”
“So everything went according to plan.”
Chris closed his eyes. For a moment, he genuinely looked like he was praying for patience.
“Again.”
This time went better. Claire started the engine, and the low rumble of the motorcycle spread across the empty lot. Chris stepped back a few paces. He knew motorcycles well enough to know what he needed to watch for. He also knew that Claire was stubborn to an unreasonable degree. If he told her now that she might end up on the ground, she would take it as a personal challenge.
“Slowly!” he called.
Claire gave him a thumbs-up. She started moving. The first few meters looked surprisingly good. Chris even began to relax. Then Claire turned. Too sharply. The motorcycle wobbled slightly, and Chris immediately moved toward her.
Claire straightened it out.
“See?!”
Chris stopped.
“I see.”
“I told you I could do it.”
“You went ten meters.”
“But I went ten meters.”
“That’s true.”
A triumphant smile appeared on Claire’s face. She turned around. This time, she went fifteen meters. Then twenty.
Chris stood in the middle of the lot, watching her with growing concern. Claire had good coordination. She was picking up the basics much faster than he had expected. The problem was that with every successful run, her confidence grew. And Chris already had experience with that. When his sister became convinced she was good at something, she stopped listening to everyone.
Claire stopped the motorcycle in front of him.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“Say it.”
“Say what?”
“That I’m great.”
Chris stared at her blankly.
“You’re decent.”
“Decent?”
“For your first day.”
“Chris.”
“What?”
“Really?”
“I’m not going to lie to you.”
Claire scoffed and started moving again.
“Claire, wait.”
She ignored him.
Chris sighed.
“Of course.”
For the next few minutes, everything went well. Claire rode around the designated area, practicing starting, braking, and changing gears. Chris even started giving her fewer instructions. He simply watched. Then Claire decided that since she was doing so well, she might as well try going a little faster.
Chris noticed immediately.
“Claire.”
She didn’t answer.
“Claire, slow down.”
The motorcycle accelerated.
“Claire!”
She heard him. She turned her head.
That was a mistake.
A small uneven patch of ground appeared in front of her. Claire jerked the handlebars to avoid it. The motorcycle tilted sharply.
Chris moved. Claire tightened her grip on the handlebars, regained her balance, and straightened her course. The motorcycle stopped several yards away. For a few seconds, there was silence.
Claire turned her head. Chris stood completely still.
“You okay?” she asked.
Chris didn’t answer.
“Chris?”
He slowly walked toward her.
“Get off.”
“But…”
“Get off.”
Claire sighed, but did as he said. When she stood in front of him, Chris took off her helmet and looked at her.
“Okay.”
“What?”
“That’s it for today.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you almost drove into a ditch.”
“I didn’t.”
“You almost did.”
“But I didn’t.”
“Claire.”
“What?”
Chris rubbed a hand over his face. He looked genuinely exhausted. Not physically. Mentally. As though he had aged a good twenty years in the last thirty seconds. Claire started laughing.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing.”
“You look terrible.”
“Thanks.”
“Seriously. You look like you just saw a ghost.”
“I’d rather see a ghost.”
Claire laughed even harder.
“You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not.”
“Everything was under control.”
“It wasn’t.”
“Was.”
“Claire, for a moment you were driving straight toward a ditch.”
“But I avoided it.”
“Because you got lucky.”
“Because I can ride.”
Chris looked at her.
“You really are impossible.”
“And you’re overprotective.”
“I’m responsible.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“In this case, it absolutely is.”
Claire took off her gloves and stuffed them into her jacket pocket.
“Fine. Then show me the gear shifting one more time.”
Chris was silent for a moment.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I said we’re done for today.”
“But…”
“No.”
Claire crossed her arms over her chest.
“You’re the worst instructor in the world.”
“And you’re the worst student.”
“At least I’m trying.”
“I know.”
The I know sounded different this time.
Quieter.
Claire looked at him.
Chris walked over to the motorcycle and checked that everything was okay. He found no damage.
“You know why I panic like this?” he asked.
Claire shrugged.
“Because you’re Chris?”
He gave her a brief smile.
“That too.”
For a moment, he leaned against the motorcycle.
“I just… don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Claire’s expression softened.
“Nothing’s going to happen to me.”
“I hope not.”
“Chris.”
“What?”
“I’m more careful than you think.”
He looked at her.
“I wouldn’t say that.”
Claire nudged him with her shoulder.
“Idiot.”
Chris laughed quietly.
“Maybe.”
They stood beside each other in silence for a moment. The sun was sinking lower, and the air was getting cooler. Claire glanced at the motorcycle.
“Can I do it again tomorrow?”
Chris didn’t even hesitate.
“No.”
“Chris.”
“Next week.”
“Tomorrow.”
“No.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Claire.”
“I promise I’ll be careful.”
Chris looked at her suspiciously.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ll listen to me?”
“Yes.”
“And you won’t speed up just because you think you’re amazing?”
Claire thought about it.
“That depends.”
Chris snorted.
“I knew it.”
“What? I can’t lie.”
“Exactly why I’m not letting you ride my motorcycle without supervision.”
“So tomorrow, then?”
Chris shook his head.
“You’re impossible.”
“But I can?”
“We’ll see.”
Claire grinned.
“That means yes.”
“That means we’ll see.”
“To me, that means yes.”
Chris sighed.
“I don’t know who you got this from.”
Claire looked at him with amusement.
“You.”
Chris was silent for a moment. Then he nodded.
“Unfortunately, you’re right.”
Claire held out her hand.
“Helmet.”
“Why?”
“I want to sit on it again.”
“No.”
“Just sit.”
Chris handed her the helmet.
“Just sit.”
Claire put it on and climbed onto the motorcycle. Chris stood beside her, holding the handlebars. Claire looked at him.
“You know you’re overreacting, right?”
“I know.”
“And that one day I’m going to ride better than you?”
“No chance.”
“We’ll see.”
“In your dreams.”
“Then you’ll have to make sure I don’t beat your record.”
Chris shook his head, but he was already smiling to himself.
“First, learn how to start without trying to kill both of us.”
“Deal.”
“And Claire?”
“What?”
“Tomorrow we start with the basics.”
Claire groaned.
“Again?”
“Again.”
“I hate you.”
“I know.”
“Really.”
“I know.”
“But you’ll bring me tomorrow?”
Chris glanced at her.
“Yes.”
Claire smiled beneath her helmet.
“I knew it.”
Chris simply shook his head.
He already had a feeling that teaching Claire how to ride a motorcycle was going to be one of those things he would regret for a very long time.
But as Claire rode home with him, laughing at something she had just said, he thought that maybe it was worth it after all.
Even if every time she got on his motorcycle, his heart decided to give him a little heart attack.