Thanks all of you for reviewing. It means more to me than I can ever say.
A very special thanks goes out to charmedfanatic3000, who's been more of a loyal friend, reader - and addict - than I deserve. The next two chapters are dedicated to you my friend. What with all the encouragement you give me, I can't help but fuel your addiction to my story!!! Special thanks also go Prue101 and svata2004 who've reviewed my last chapter! Thanks you guys, I'll try and live up to your glowing reviews.
Please keep reviewing everybody!!!!
Enjoy!
Chapter 10: Reckless Abandon
Talia pressed her hands tighter around Valdis' waist. The wind whipped her hair making her feel more exhilarated than she had ever felt before.
"Faster," she whispered in his ear, and he, obediently, increased the dangerously high speed, of his motorbike.
Talia relished the adrenaline rush that washed through her.
Being able to flame meant that, though she knew all about them, she had never had the need to use cars or motorbikes. Her first time in a car had, in fact, been on the day after her first appearance on the Haliwells' doorstep and into their lives. It being a Saturday, they had all gone to the park for a picnic. It had been Phoebe's idea to get her to meet everyone properly. Piper was a slow and careful driver and, though the drive was exciting because of it's novelty, it paled by far in comparison to Talia's first motorbike ride. For the first time in her life Talia felt "the need for speed", for reckless abandon.
It was this quality she admired the most in humans. Humans were so fragile, that the amount of risks they took with their own lives would, if thought over reasonably and rationally, be considered stupid. Yet the very taking of those risks made one feel invincible. It was what made life worth living, Talia decided.
Something she had once heard someone say came unbidden to her mind.
~"To deny our own impulses, is to deny the very thing that makes us human."~
Talia held onto Valdis even tighter. She'd never felt more free in her life than she felt right now, riding a motorbike with a mysterious stranger.
************
Talia tiptoed softly on her way to the stairs carrying her boots in her right hand. She had almost made it when the lights came on as if by magic and she heard a sad, soft voice speak.
"Where have you been, Talia," asked Phoebe.
Talia sighed and changed her course. She sank gratefully to the couch next to Phoebe and placed her boots on the floor.
"Hello, mother," she said in response. Her voice sounded tired. She was in no mood for a fight. "How did you find out I wasn't upstairs?"
"I thought you were working hard and you could use an ice cream break. Obviously I was wrong. Where have you been, Talia?"
Talia felt a wave of guilt wash over her, as she couldn't help noticing the hurt in her mother's voice.
"I'm sorry mother, I should have told you."
Phoebe's eyes willed her to go on.
"It all got a bit too much for me I suppose. I like living here, I really do, but it's just that I'm not used to having so many people around. School was just the icing on the cake. Everyone was so incredibly polite, I just felt out of my element. I didn't mean to lie to you, but I had to be alone for a while. Can you understand that?"
Phoebe looked at her daughter for a few moments saying nothing. The girl was obviously trying to explain as best as she could and she had put a lot of effort in the little speech she had just made. Phoebe's eyes softened and a small smile lightened up her features.
"Yeah, I can understand you wanting to be alone. Believe it or not, I used to be your age once." If anyone could understand Talia's need for escape, Phoebe could. She too had been fiercely independent and had relished her own company. It was the same need for escape that led Talia to that night's escapades, that had pushed her into moving to New York. "So," she continued pleasantly, "wanna tell me what you did and where you went? It's ok if you don't, but whatever it was, you've definitely had a good time!"
Her smile had coloured Phoebe's voice betraying her amusement as she took in her daughter's appearance. Talia's hair was flying in all directions, courtesy of the motorbike ride and Valdis' running his fingers through them. Her lipstick was heavily smudged from his passionate kisses. There was a twinkle in her eyes that hadn't been there before.
Talia grinned at her mother's comment.
"Oh, I had a good time! I met a guy!" she announced excitedly.
"How about I go make us some of my world famous hot chocolate and you tell me all about it?" suggested Phoebe with an indulging smile.
"Sounds nice," agreed Talia. She could used to having a mother like Phoebe.
A very special thanks goes out to charmedfanatic3000, who's been more of a loyal friend, reader - and addict - than I deserve. The next two chapters are dedicated to you my friend. What with all the encouragement you give me, I can't help but fuel your addiction to my story!!! Special thanks also go Prue101 and svata2004 who've reviewed my last chapter! Thanks you guys, I'll try and live up to your glowing reviews.
Please keep reviewing everybody!!!!
Enjoy!
Chapter 10: Reckless Abandon
Talia pressed her hands tighter around Valdis' waist. The wind whipped her hair making her feel more exhilarated than she had ever felt before.
"Faster," she whispered in his ear, and he, obediently, increased the dangerously high speed, of his motorbike.
Talia relished the adrenaline rush that washed through her.
Being able to flame meant that, though she knew all about them, she had never had the need to use cars or motorbikes. Her first time in a car had, in fact, been on the day after her first appearance on the Haliwells' doorstep and into their lives. It being a Saturday, they had all gone to the park for a picnic. It had been Phoebe's idea to get her to meet everyone properly. Piper was a slow and careful driver and, though the drive was exciting because of it's novelty, it paled by far in comparison to Talia's first motorbike ride. For the first time in her life Talia felt "the need for speed", for reckless abandon.
It was this quality she admired the most in humans. Humans were so fragile, that the amount of risks they took with their own lives would, if thought over reasonably and rationally, be considered stupid. Yet the very taking of those risks made one feel invincible. It was what made life worth living, Talia decided.
Something she had once heard someone say came unbidden to her mind.
~"To deny our own impulses, is to deny the very thing that makes us human."~
Talia held onto Valdis even tighter. She'd never felt more free in her life than she felt right now, riding a motorbike with a mysterious stranger.
************
Talia tiptoed softly on her way to the stairs carrying her boots in her right hand. She had almost made it when the lights came on as if by magic and she heard a sad, soft voice speak.
"Where have you been, Talia," asked Phoebe.
Talia sighed and changed her course. She sank gratefully to the couch next to Phoebe and placed her boots on the floor.
"Hello, mother," she said in response. Her voice sounded tired. She was in no mood for a fight. "How did you find out I wasn't upstairs?"
"I thought you were working hard and you could use an ice cream break. Obviously I was wrong. Where have you been, Talia?"
Talia felt a wave of guilt wash over her, as she couldn't help noticing the hurt in her mother's voice.
"I'm sorry mother, I should have told you."
Phoebe's eyes willed her to go on.
"It all got a bit too much for me I suppose. I like living here, I really do, but it's just that I'm not used to having so many people around. School was just the icing on the cake. Everyone was so incredibly polite, I just felt out of my element. I didn't mean to lie to you, but I had to be alone for a while. Can you understand that?"
Phoebe looked at her daughter for a few moments saying nothing. The girl was obviously trying to explain as best as she could and she had put a lot of effort in the little speech she had just made. Phoebe's eyes softened and a small smile lightened up her features.
"Yeah, I can understand you wanting to be alone. Believe it or not, I used to be your age once." If anyone could understand Talia's need for escape, Phoebe could. She too had been fiercely independent and had relished her own company. It was the same need for escape that led Talia to that night's escapades, that had pushed her into moving to New York. "So," she continued pleasantly, "wanna tell me what you did and where you went? It's ok if you don't, but whatever it was, you've definitely had a good time!"
Her smile had coloured Phoebe's voice betraying her amusement as she took in her daughter's appearance. Talia's hair was flying in all directions, courtesy of the motorbike ride and Valdis' running his fingers through them. Her lipstick was heavily smudged from his passionate kisses. There was a twinkle in her eyes that hadn't been there before.
Talia grinned at her mother's comment.
"Oh, I had a good time! I met a guy!" she announced excitedly.
"How about I go make us some of my world famous hot chocolate and you tell me all about it?" suggested Phoebe with an indulging smile.
"Sounds nice," agreed Talia. She could used to having a mother like Phoebe.