CHAPTER 3

The engine sounded very stuffy and Priss wasn't sure if it could make the trip home. She knew it needed an overhaul from Nigel.  She remembered that he used to have the garage open late at into the night. It was either that or try and head back home carrying the bike on her back. The distance from Hot Legs to the garage wasn't very long. Anyway she knew she would have to face Nigel eventually. It was almost as if her bike intentionally broke down. She went to the garage and was surprised by the fact that all was dark and closed up. She stopped and dismounted the bike to investigate; it was evident that nobody was there.

"Shit! Nigel, where are you?"

Perhaps, the bike could wait for one more day.  But she would have to bring it back the next morning and it was already getting late. She mounted again and tried to start it up. Nothing happened.

"Please baby, don't do this to me this now! Hold on! Just a little longer."

Priss quickly considered her options. Walking home was crazy.  Thinking of the train, she vainly fished in her pockets for money.  Her empty pockets reminded her of spending all she had left on a couple of beers. Leaving the bike alone in the street for the whole night was an idea that she just didn't like very much either. Waiting for Nigel seemed to be the best option remaining. So she parked the bike in front of the garage's door, sat down on the ground and prepared to wait.

Watching the bike, she started to think about what it really meant to her. Hiroshi had given it to her almost a year ago for Christmas. According to him, he got it with a friend's help. It was one of the best presents she received in her life. It didn't take her much time to learn to master it. She had driven bikes since she was young; it was like a family custom. That year, the bike accompanied her in many ways; it was her treasure. The only person besides her who was authorized to put a finger on it was Nigel.  He really knew how to fix it and always made it look as good as new. It was as if he had a special link with the machines. The bike and Nigel…the legacy left by Hiroshi.

*****

Strange dreams hounded her the whole night, interlaced images from past and present. Her father fixing the bike in the garage that he had when she only was a little girl…Hiro giving her the Christmas present and showing her how to mount a bike that looked impossible to drive…and Nigel. The three faces watching her, the men who had marked her life in some way, combining into an unique figure without a face… her future? All seemed to be uncertain and confused. Two of them didn't exist anymore… fate took them away from her side, but she could feel them because she knew that from some place they were still watching her. Nigel…he was there, he was her friend, her confidant. She loved him, but the question was in which way… as a father figure… or as more?  Priss didn't care in which way, she felt very attracted to him. However, with the attraction came a real sense of fear, fear of losing him, that he wouldn't be there for her anymore… just as with her other two loves. The anguish grew in her heart and mind.  She felt oppressed, almost as if she wanted to scream but couldn't.

She eventually became aware that none of this was real and the key to get out of the suffering was as simple as opening her eyes. With that, she suddenly woke up shaking and sweating. What she saw next alarmed her much more than her nightmares. She was completely dressed, even with the jacket and her boots still on, but lying in the bed that wasn't hers… in a room completely unknown.  She wondered for a moment if the dream hadn't ended yet.

She got out of the bed and started to inspect the place when a noise from below caught her attention.  It was the sound of someone working with a drill. She opened the door and descended a short staircase. The noise stopped.

"Hi. Did you sleep well?"

"Nigel!"

Priss didn't understand what was happening. She was in the garage, but the last thing she could remember was waiting in front of the door. Nigel stood up and took off his gloves.

"I'll make some coffee. There are some biscuits in the kitchen if you want."

She was still speechless. It all seemed so confusing. She gazed at her watch and couldn't help but shout out.

"12 p.m.!"

Nigel was still imperturbable.

"How long did I sleep? And what the hell was I doing in your bed?"

"I found you sleeping at the front door next to your bike. It was 7 a.m."

"Shit! Where the hell did you go?"

"I had urgent business."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I tried, but you were deep in sleep and shivering too, so I decided to get you in bed. At least you could be more comfortable there."

The man went to the kitchen and started to warm up some coffee. Priss began reviewing everything. Even though she was very tired last night, she never thought she would fall asleep in the street. After all, it wasn't the first time. Before she had her trailer, she had to pass so many nights in the bleakness. Luckily those days were kept in the far back reaches of her memory. Nigel served coffee for both of them. He utilized Priss' breakfast to take a break for himself.

"Please, take some cookies."

Priss drank the coffee and ate the cookies as if she was eating for the very first time.  She was starving since she hasn't eaten anything since yesterday.

"It will be ready by tonight."

"That's great."

"If you have something else to do, you can go."

The man finished his coffee and went to his workspace where he put on his gloves again and started with his work. Priss remembered that she still needed to have a conversation with him about what happened at Hot Legs. Taking some courage, she finally began on that particular subject.

"Nigel…about the other day…I..."

He continued with his work seemingly without paying any attention. Priss wavered for a while, the fear beginning to take control of her again.

"It's OK. Don't worry," he answered before she could continue. Priss opted for silence and tacitly both of them accepted the situation. Having a lot of things to do in the day, she decided to go, hoping to find the needed focus to talk seriously later that night.

"I'll be back tonight. Bye."

"Bye."

*****

       "This dress suits you wonderfully!"

"Really? Don't you think that the low neck is…a little bit provocative?"

"Don't be shy!"

"Umm, it's fine, but I want to try on this one too."

The young woman delayed in the dressing room for a couple of minutes while Sylia arranged others things. The girl shyly walked out of the door quickly catching Sylia's attention.

"This is so embarrassing. I think I prefer the other one."

"Why? The dress you're wearing doesn't have a low neck at all."

"Yeah…but…it's too short," The girl's cheeks were red.

"Let me see."

The dark blue dress certainly didn't have a low neck; it was totally closed with a high neck. It was very tight enhancing the figure, but was extremely short with a cut in each side… one of the best Silky Doll designs. Sylia gazed at her closely from head to foot and approached her.

"Don't worry, it suits you perfectly." The girl smiled. Sylia encroached even more and started to caress her face softly.

"And you have a beautiful body."

"Th… Thanks…"

"So, which one do you want?"

"I like both but…"

"Don't worry, if you have a very gifted figure, you must show it."

After a short moment of wavering and feeling weird from the strange behavior of the boutique's owner, the girl finally made her decision.

"I'll take both."

"That's my girl!"

Sylia knew exactly how to convince her clients what were the best "options" at the time to choose the right clothes. Her persuasive power was enormous and she used it like some kind of piece to a game. But it wasn't only to try and convince them. She seduced them to the point of bending them to her will. It was a dangerous game… but she knew exactly with whom she could play.

She placed the dresses in separate bags. Once the young woman had paid, she saw her to the door and wished her luck… but something shocked Sylia. The girl had already gone but before she could close the door, she noticed someone passing in front of her. It was the same person who had taken over her thoughts and her dreams… the prey she was hunting. By the time Sylia's senses returned, Priss was already turning the corner. Who are you? Where are you from? Or are you only in my mind? All of these questions threw her into despair… because of that woman, she was going mad.

She came back to the store and watched the fish swimming placidly through the crystal wall, trying to find peace for her troubled mind. She started to plot in her head the way to take possession of that woman.  For the moment, she wasn't in a hurry… she wanted to take this delicate situation nice and slow.

*****

       "Priss, we've got to release a new song. We've got to increase our play list."

"I know Maxon, I'm working on that."

"It'd be better to have a strong theme with a touch of techno. We already have ballads and our fans love to move."

"It'll be the Christmas holidays shortly. You think we can finish the song before then?"

"Jaid, it's almost a month before Christmas, at least we can finish the music and the lyrics. When we're back from the vacation, then we can record it."

"Do you want to take a vacation?" Priss asked worried.

"It's been a long time since I've seen my family and I like to take advantage of the holidays to visit them."

"Yeah, me too." Added Maxon.

"What about you Priss, where do you want to go?"

"Nowhere. I don't have a family, remember?"

"I'm sorry."

"If you wanna feel better, I haven't got any place to go. I'm alone too." Fox said from the back of the room, smoking a cigarette.

"OK, we've had enough distractions. Let's get to work." Priss stood up and went to the studio to start with the practice. She found in the music and the lyrics of the songs the momentary escape of everything, evading all that was around her. At the same time it made her spirit stronger looking for the way to confront the feelings she was afraid of.

Once again, that damned season when everybody had to be happy and joyful. Luckily, Japan wasn't a country that was greatly influenced by this kind of event. Only the New Year was really important. Christmas was a Western import, more of a commercial feast for most Japanese people. It was best way to keep alive the customs for the Christians and westerns whom had long ago established themselves in the East.

Priss didn't hate these kinds of celebrations, but she detested being completely alone. It was five years ago when she had her first Christmas in solitude, without the dearest ones close to her and without any gift, with strange people in an orphanage that she hated with her soul. Then came better times in her life, until she met Hiroshi and the band boys. Moments filled with a temporary happiness that would never come back. Now Hiroshi wasn't here anymore and even her partners now had family.

When they ended practice, they shared some pizzas and beer. Priss was aware the hour was late and she had to hurry to the garage to pick up her bike.

"I have to go."

"Now? So soon? We aren't even drunk yet," said Maxon.

"Hey Priss, where's your bike?"

"In the garage, I have to go to get it."

"OK, if you have to go…"

"Bye, see you tomorrow."

*****

       Priss felt weird without her bike like she was incomplete. She hoped Nigel had finished fixing it. Even now that she had money for the train, she wasn't about to go another day without "her".

She arrived at the garage and found a light on. She pushed on the door and found it open as well. Her bike was there and looked as good as new, but Nigel wasn't anywhere to be seen. She waited for a moment.  She was sure that he was busy inside or he hadn't opened the garage. When Nigel finally appeared, Priss couldn't help but be surprised by him. He had changed his clothes, wasn't wearing his typical overalls and his hair was unkempt and wet. Everything indicated that he had just taken a shower. Unlike when she met him at Hot Legs, he was almost unrecognizable. Seeing him in the garage this way was so different, so very strange.

"It's ready. I fixed the problem with the engine and took care of some general maintenance."

"How much do I owe you?"

"I haven't made up the bill yet."

Absolute silence followed. Priss didn't know what to say. She took a step towards the bike just as Nigel spoke.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No, thanks. I'm not hungry."

"A beer?"

She couldn't deny such an invitation. After all, being with him was one of the things that she most enjoyed. And perhaps the alcohol would give her the strength she needed to start the real conversation she had in mind.

While they were drinking, they talked about bikes as always. Both of them avoided any deeper conversation. This time, Priss didn't want to talk about what happened last Saturday. She wanted to confess what she felt, but cowardice was getting the better of her. When she finished the beer, Priss gazed at the clock that was on the wall and noted that it was getting very late. It would be better to get back home soon.  She wanted to avoid the same luck as the other day by getting trapped in another voomer incident. Once again, she found herself running away without even trying. She was ready to go, putting her helmet on.

"I have to go, Nigel."

"No."

"What?"

"Don't go." Nigel was behind her, wrapping her up with his arms. Priss' movements stopped dead. She could feel his lips kissing her neck. She turned around and they looked into each other's eyes for a while. Her heart was throbbing more loudly than normal, trying to guess at the reasons for the deep gaze of the man in front of her… and the reason for such an action. He took her face in his hands and softly kissed her lips. She closed her eyes and surrendered herself completely into a much deeper kiss. Joining in a passionate hug, her right hand dropped the helmet. She couldn't say no…it was what she truly wanted. Priss desired for that moment to last forever. Even though it was only a minute, it seemed to linger for a century. When they separated, an accompanying silence fell between them. Nigel picked up a few things and closed the garage since it was past closing time. Priss waited even though she didn't know what exactly what for… but she could sense something. Even so it seemed strange, the fear and cowardice had left her completely. Nigel approached her again and took her hand.

"Come."

Priss said nothing as she followed him. She found herself in the same bedroom she awoke that afternoon. Nigel stood before her. The intensity of their eyes spoke more than a thousand words. She felt on her face the touch of his hand. Next was the touch of his lips on hers. They both lost themselves in a second endless kiss. Without realizing it, her jacket slithered through her arms and was dropped on the floor. Her hands started to unbutton his shirt and slithered on his chest.

Suddenly she was lying down on the same bed she had slept in that morning. Priss couldn't help but blush by the way he was kissing her neck while he undid her corset. She abandoned herself to her emotions and focused on nothing but the present. For the first time the ghosts from her past stopped haunting her and she could forget Hiroshi for just a moment. Now the face of her future seemed to take shape in the figure of Nigel. At last Priss could find the peace she was looking for in the arms of the man she believed she loved.

To be continued.