That girl had been sitting there for the last four Saturday's in a row, not that Dawn had been counting. It bugged her more than anything, someone just wasting their life away, nose stuck in a book, nothing could be more depressing. She scoffed and shook her head in disgust. Pushing her long blue hair out of her face, the young woman mounted her motorcycle and prepared to head out, but hesitated. Painted finger nails tapped along the handlebars in an annoyed fashion, a long sigh escaping the girl's mouth.
"Fuck."
It made absolutely no sense. Why should she care about some random girl she's only seen on a stupid bench every weekend for the past month? It wasn't that Dawn didn't care about anything, it's just she preferred not to. Even so, there she was, getting off her bike and marching over to the girl in the yellow sweater.
"Get up."
A startled gasp came from the girl, finally looking away from her book for the first time since she'd arrived at her reading spot.
"Uh- um I'm sorry?"
A scoff. "Ugh, do you have some sort of hearing problem? I said get up, we're going for a ride."
And with that, Dawn thrusted her helmet onto the girl's lap.
"E-excuse me?"
"Hey, what'd I say about having a hearing problem? It's obvious you've got nothing going on, so get up, we're getting out of here."
The girl began to play with her hair, a nervous habit Dawn figured.
"Oh um, I don't know. I really shouldn't, I should just-"
"Should what?"
"I, uh, I-"
"You always do what you should do, don't you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're a nerd, a teacher's pet, a goodie two shoes."
"Hey!"
"Oh, it's got a bark!"
"Oh, I- I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"
"There you go again. Don't apologize to me! Tell me off! Call me a bitch! For Christ's sake, have you ever done anything for yourself?"
"For myself?"
"Yeah, something you wanna do, something you aren't 'supposed' to do. Have you ever done anything worthwhile?"
"I- of course I have! I just don't want to do what you do!"
"Oh? And what is that?"
"N-no please let's just drop this."
"Hey four-eyes, enlighten me, since you're so smart, what do you know about me from knowing me for these past 4 minutes?"
"It's not just this conversation, I've seen you before. I see you smoking with your friends, I see you ride your motorcycle like some sort of daredevil. I see you taking risks just to take them, not because you want to. I don't want to be like that."
Dawn's jaw had dropped. This girl had been watching her, noticing her like she noticed her. For the first time in a long time, she failed to form words. She couldn't tell if it was from shock that she spoke so bluntly or that what she said was true.
"S-so what if I take risks just to take them? I'd rather do something with my life then have my entire life pass me by!"
It was as if what she was saying wasn't spoken by her at all, because as the words came out she was as shocked as the girl. She hadn't meant to push her this far, and why the fuck was she going through all this in the first place? If she had her right of mind she'd grab the helmet and storm off. But the girl opened her mouth to speak.
"I know I don't really go out, or do anything as exciting like you do, but,"
Dawn looked down to see the book the girl had been reading, her hands placed on it, from its condition it was obviously a loved book.
"I, it's not that I don't mind 'wasting my life,' it's just... I'm sc- I'm worried about taking risks, it's just not who I am."
Dawn released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She wasn't angry with her, in fact she had confided in her. Again, Dawn knew in any other situation, she'd take this chance to yell and scream and run away. But instead, she smiled down at what she expected was her new friend.
"Hey, risks are better when you do them with someone else, especially with a veteran risk taker. You're worried? Hell, so's everyone else, glasses! The one thing keeping you from going after what you want? That's you. Now enough of this crap, get off that dumb bench and onto my motorcycle."
"Wait, your motorcycle?"
"Duh; that's why I gave you the helmet."
"But I'm not sure, wait don't you need a helmet?"
"Ah don't worry about it."
"No."
"Huh?"
"I'm not going on your motorcycle."
Was this it? She finally felt like she was genuinely getting along with someone, still she should've expected this, she should've...
"Not without you wearing a helmet."
Dawn looked into the girl's eyes, and for the first time she saw what she thought was a bit of a sparkle.
"Oh fine, nerd, you win."
"I have a name you know."
"Oh? Well I'm not a mind reader, what is it?"
"May."
"Well, nice to meet you May, the names Dawn."
"That's a really pretty name. Actually poetic..."
"Ugh you're not gonna get all dorky on me now, are you?"
"No, but I thought I'd say it anyways, compliments are always nice to hear."
"You sure are talkative all of a sudden, you sure you're not gonna burrow underground anytime soon?"
"Oh! Um, I don't know, I guess I feel comfortable with you. Is that ok?"
It was more than ok.
"Yeah, I mean I'd hope you'd only ride on a motorcycle with someone you feel comfortable with."
"I suppose that would be best."
They found themselves at a nearby store and bought a helmet, and headed back toward Dawn's motorcycle.
"Hey, mind if I ask, whatcha been reading? Must be a hell of a book to keep you glued to that bench."
"Oh, um The Bell Jar."
"Oh by Sylvia Plath?"
"You know it?"
"Of it. Isn't it like super depressing?"
"Oh well, I suppose but, the way she writes is incredible. She can describe something mundane and make it sound like poetry. And she's really interesting, she talks about not wanting to get married and having no use for men."
"Sounds like my kinda girl."
"Hey, since I'm going to ride on your motorcycle, I think it's only fair you do something that I would do that you wouldn't."
"And that's?"
May handed her the book, Dawn stared at her as if she touched it it would break.
"Read it. I think you'll like it."
"Are you sure? This is your book, I don't want to take it-"
"Consider it a loan, besides I've read it so many times, it'll be nice for someone new to read it."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"So, you ready for a joy ride?"
"No, but I don't think I'll ever really be ready."
"Atta girl!"
Dawn mounted first and May followed, placing her arms around Dawn's waste.
"So, what's riding on a motorcycle feel like? Is it like a rush? Or like flying? Or maybe-"
"Babe?
"Um, yeah?
"There are no words."