A little over a week had passed since Otto had first met Alanby and watched
the sunset with her. Now they made a point to go out every day around six.
She seemed so strong to him that she never cried while sitting there. But
then, neither did he. Today is Friday. Alanby and Otto sit on the hill,
awaiting the sunset.
"So Otto, what did you do in Ocean Shores?" Alanby asks.
"I skated and surfed."
"Really why don't you anymore? I mean, you can't surf here, you'd freeze your ass off, but there's plenty of places to skate!"
"Because I always did that stuff with my old friends. It just wouldn't feel right without Reggie and Twister. It would ever feel wrong without Sammy hollering about safety behind me."
"Well, that's stupid to give up!"
"And you never gave up anything?" she is silent a moment.
"Okay, I'll make a deal with you. You teach me to skate, and I'll teach you to ride."
"Horses?"
"HELL NO! Motorcycles, dirt bikes, anything with two wheels and a motor."
"Don't you need a license to drive? If you hadn't noticed, we're 14."
"Nope. Not if you race. They even have a jr. league for 5 year olds!"
"Alright then, deal. Wait, you gave up racing? That's extreme! For something that must've taken so much time, that's like you quit breathing!"
"Lay off. I'll be back in competition when you are." They pause a moment as the sun takes it's leave.
"They have skating competitions here?"
"Yeah. We've got some of the best here in England! You didn't think much of us when you moved in, did you?"
"Well, not really. I learn fast though."
"Is there anything you didn't give up?"
"Nah, my whole life was outdoors. You?"
"Well, I umm," she sighs, "I sing." under her breath.
"That's cool. Will you sing for me?"
"I...I could." She said, blushing slightly.
"Well, I'm waiting Madonna."
"Phft. Don't hold your breath. I said I could, not that I would. I don't want to, I mean, sure I didn't quit, and I still take lessons, but it's just kinda, I dunno, embarrassing. "
"That's not fair. Sing little canary bird! Croon!"
"It's weird, I've recorded, but no one's ever really asked me to sing. Not even the studio. I just, do, or I don't. I'm in a don't mood."
"Well you must be good. C'mon, just sing something."
"Fine. LALALA. There, you happy?" she says sarcastically.
"No."
"Too bad. Can we change the subject?"
"Ugh. Fine, fine. You choose."
"Wish."
"What?"
"Wish! The stars, just wish." She says, pointing at the sky.
"Nothing I wish for can ever some true." He says sadly.
"Aww c'mon Rocket Boy, what can it hurt?"
"Don't call me that. Hey, where are you going?" he asks as she walks off.
"Home!"
"So you're just going to abscond me?"
"Well, no, you're invited! My mom wants to meet you anyway." They walked in silence. Though it is dark, Otto can still see Alanby gazing at the stars and sky. There is a sign in front of the house, but Otto can't see the writing.
"ALANBY! You know to let me know before you take off!" a woman says angrily as the pair enter.
"I left a note Mom. See, there it is on the table like always." Alanby replies.
"Oh. So who is this?" Alanby's mother responded.
"Otto Rocket. I wanna get him acquainted with the bikes so we're-"
"You're a saint Otto! I've been trying to get her in the garage for at least 6 months!"
"Uhh, thanks, I think." Otto was violently reminded of Violet Stimpleton. Alanby sighs heavily.
"C'mon RB, we've got work." The duo sits in Alanby's garage assembling two dirt bikes and going over basic operation for three hours.
"Otto," Ray booms, "You're late."
"Uh, sorry Dad?"
"And?"
"And I should've told you I'd be out."
"Good enough. You're filthy, where've you been?"
"Assembling bikes with Alanby. She teaches me to ride, and I teach her to skate."
"Sounds like fun. Alanby hasn't ridden in forever." Sage says.
"I'm glad you're making friends." Ray says.
"Uh-oh. Anyone friends with Alanby gets the pleasure of a wake up call when it's still dark to see the sunrise. Better go to bed early. I'll swear to god that girl's obsessed with the sun." Sage assumes.
"I'm not even gunna ask how you know that cause I wouldn't put it past her. Night Aunt Sage, night Dad." Otto called, walking upstairs to shower and sleep.
"So Otto, what did you do in Ocean Shores?" Alanby asks.
"I skated and surfed."
"Really why don't you anymore? I mean, you can't surf here, you'd freeze your ass off, but there's plenty of places to skate!"
"Because I always did that stuff with my old friends. It just wouldn't feel right without Reggie and Twister. It would ever feel wrong without Sammy hollering about safety behind me."
"Well, that's stupid to give up!"
"And you never gave up anything?" she is silent a moment.
"Okay, I'll make a deal with you. You teach me to skate, and I'll teach you to ride."
"Horses?"
"HELL NO! Motorcycles, dirt bikes, anything with two wheels and a motor."
"Don't you need a license to drive? If you hadn't noticed, we're 14."
"Nope. Not if you race. They even have a jr. league for 5 year olds!"
"Alright then, deal. Wait, you gave up racing? That's extreme! For something that must've taken so much time, that's like you quit breathing!"
"Lay off. I'll be back in competition when you are." They pause a moment as the sun takes it's leave.
"They have skating competitions here?"
"Yeah. We've got some of the best here in England! You didn't think much of us when you moved in, did you?"
"Well, not really. I learn fast though."
"Is there anything you didn't give up?"
"Nah, my whole life was outdoors. You?"
"Well, I umm," she sighs, "I sing." under her breath.
"That's cool. Will you sing for me?"
"I...I could." She said, blushing slightly.
"Well, I'm waiting Madonna."
"Phft. Don't hold your breath. I said I could, not that I would. I don't want to, I mean, sure I didn't quit, and I still take lessons, but it's just kinda, I dunno, embarrassing. "
"That's not fair. Sing little canary bird! Croon!"
"It's weird, I've recorded, but no one's ever really asked me to sing. Not even the studio. I just, do, or I don't. I'm in a don't mood."
"Well you must be good. C'mon, just sing something."
"Fine. LALALA. There, you happy?" she says sarcastically.
"No."
"Too bad. Can we change the subject?"
"Ugh. Fine, fine. You choose."
"Wish."
"What?"
"Wish! The stars, just wish." She says, pointing at the sky.
"Nothing I wish for can ever some true." He says sadly.
"Aww c'mon Rocket Boy, what can it hurt?"
"Don't call me that. Hey, where are you going?" he asks as she walks off.
"Home!"
"So you're just going to abscond me?"
"Well, no, you're invited! My mom wants to meet you anyway." They walked in silence. Though it is dark, Otto can still see Alanby gazing at the stars and sky. There is a sign in front of the house, but Otto can't see the writing.
"ALANBY! You know to let me know before you take off!" a woman says angrily as the pair enter.
"I left a note Mom. See, there it is on the table like always." Alanby replies.
"Oh. So who is this?" Alanby's mother responded.
"Otto Rocket. I wanna get him acquainted with the bikes so we're-"
"You're a saint Otto! I've been trying to get her in the garage for at least 6 months!"
"Uhh, thanks, I think." Otto was violently reminded of Violet Stimpleton. Alanby sighs heavily.
"C'mon RB, we've got work." The duo sits in Alanby's garage assembling two dirt bikes and going over basic operation for three hours.
"Otto," Ray booms, "You're late."
"Uh, sorry Dad?"
"And?"
"And I should've told you I'd be out."
"Good enough. You're filthy, where've you been?"
"Assembling bikes with Alanby. She teaches me to ride, and I teach her to skate."
"Sounds like fun. Alanby hasn't ridden in forever." Sage says.
"I'm glad you're making friends." Ray says.
"Uh-oh. Anyone friends with Alanby gets the pleasure of a wake up call when it's still dark to see the sunrise. Better go to bed early. I'll swear to god that girl's obsessed with the sun." Sage assumes.
"I'm not even gunna ask how you know that cause I wouldn't put it past her. Night Aunt Sage, night Dad." Otto called, walking upstairs to shower and sleep.