*Chapter 28*
"Do you think they saw us leave?" Tessa giggled as the two quickly jogged towards Zane's game.
"Doubtful," Zane breathed as they hooked into Dead Zed's outlet. They slowed to a normal walk once they were out of Game Central Station, which was completely empty for the night time reset. He heaved a small laugh and ran his fingers through his hair, as if having it that tidy for too long was against his code.
"Where are you taking me anyhow?" Tessa wondered, she began to feel a twinge of nervousness hit her skin. She furrowed her eyebrows as they quickly moved through the wire that lead to his game, "Isn't Dead Zed dangerous at night?"
"It is, but I told you that you'd be safe with me," Zane said softly as he glanced at her with a look of sincerity, "I've walked through those jungles at night. The key is just to remain silent and move quickly."
"What kind of things are out there?" Tessa said, her tone got softer and softer as they pushed into Dead Zed. The game was dark, only illuminated by a stark white moon high in the sky, as well as thousands of twinkling stars.
"You'd turn heel if I told you," Zane whispered, though he stopped and peered at Tessa. They hung near the gaping opening of Dead Zed, though out before them was nothing but wilderness. Zane's humble, little town could be seen nearby, however. Tessa squinted her eyes and got a good look at it, though she peered back at Zane nervously.
"I'd rather not be surprised out of nowhere," Tessa breathed as she stared into Zane's honest eyes.
"Just stay close to me," Zane assured with a kind smile as he slipped his hand into hers, "You'll be safe. I promise."
"Okay," Tessa breathed with a small nod, though she jolted one Zane quickly began to take off.
He squeezed her hand as if to remind her to stay close. Tessa raised her eyebrows and swiftly glued herself to Zane's side, she felt her eyes grow wide in the dark. She had to wonder how Zane could see in this near pitch black environment. Tessa felt her heart race in uncertainty as her eyes grew wider and wider, as if somehow she could develop the ability to see in this intense darkness. Her ears pricked to any and all sounds that became present. The only thing holding her sanity to Arcade was the warmth and strength of Zane's hand in hers. She bit her lip in nervousness as he continued to lead them through the dark. She furrowed her eyebrows lightly and was floored to see them eventually reach light. Zane's small town was gently lit with lamp posts, they were buzzed with a few moths that hung near it's alluring light; Tessa wrinkled her nose with a smile and felt as if, in this moment, she could greatly relate.
"I see what you did," Tessa finally braved as their feet were finally met with gentle, worn cobbles of the streets of his town.
"Hmm?" Zane side eyed her with a kind smile.
"I wondered why we wouldn't just go through there with a torch or anything, but that would draw attention to us," Tessa stated, Zane nodded lightly.
"Exactly," Zane assured, "Remain silent and unseen. Even though there are creatures in this game, that can see in pitch black, usually if you tread through their home with an ungodly, blazing torch, they won't take kindly to you. Basically, you move in and out. No noise, no disturbances, they usually won't bother you."
"Dutifully noted," Tessa mumbled, though she lightly glanced down at their hands and noticed they were still gripped. She raised her eyebrows lightly and didn't dare to budge; she appreciated the way her heart jolted about at these new found feelings.
"You left your bag here, from the other day," Zane said quietly as they approached his home. They quickly moved up the stairs one at a time and approached his door. He unlocked, opened it and let the two of them in as he continued, "Did you bring a change of clothes in it?"
"I think so," Tessa said as she quickly moved across Zane's warm, dark loft and to her bag. She had left it on his kitchen counter. She opened it and continued on, "How come?"
"Well, where we're going, you might not want to be wearing that dress," Zane said as gently as he could with a small smile, "I don't want it to get ruined... It's beautiful. Y-You're, beautiful."
"Thank you," Tessa said after a few moment of bashful silence between the two. She heaved a small laugh and rummaged through her bag. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a tank top she had packed from the other day, "Where is this place, anyways?"
"Nivia Valley," Zane said casually as he took his jacket off, though he furrowed his eyebrows lightly and bashfully hung up his coat; he turned a light on in the process and felt flustered, "I-I know no one lives there, I just figured I'd name it."
"Oh," Tessa said lightly as she carefully watched Zane; she shook her head lightly and quickly moved to his bathroom, "I-I'll be right back."
"Kay," Zane pointed in an obnoxiously dorky fashion, mostly towards himself, once she was out of sight. Though as she closed his bathroom door, he slumped his whole existence to his kitchen counter and scrunched his face in a fit of dismay towards himself.
He quickly perked up, after a second, and swiftly moved across his loft, to his chest of drawers. He hurried to pull out a dark pair of comfortable jeans and a shirt, and as quickly as he could, he changed clothes. He muttered nervous things to himself, he suddenly felt a strange, new air about the two. They had their friendship down to a T, though he felt as if they had suddenly traipsed into a new chapter that he wasn't certain how to go about. He heaved a hard sigh and straightened his dark blue tank over his body, he fined out any wrinkles and glanced at himself in the mirror. He quickly moved back to his kitchen nook and tried to tidy a few things, purely out of nervousness. He jolted as he heard his bathroom door open quickly.
"Boy I wish you could've seen the look on Selka's face," Tessa giggled as she emerged, she was wearing a casual pair of jeans and a white tank top. Zane raised an eyebrow lightly and tried his very hardest not to look over her beautiful figure, so not to seem too pushy. He felt his face get hot as she approached, though she glanced about his clothes and noticed he had changed as well, "It was pure gold. I-I don't even know what I was thinking. Why did I want to dance with him in the first place?"
"Well," Zane kindly shrugged and looked down and to the side, "I mean, I get it. He's popular and bold and daring. Guys like that generally are never overlooked."
"I wish I would have denied him right off the bat," Tessa said in an annoyed tone towards herself, she gently rested her mother's dress over Zane's bar stool.
"I don't," Zane said after a few moments, the two were still in Zane's seamless loft. Tessa lightly furrowed her eyebrows and gazed at Zane from across the kitchen nook.
"Why?" Tessa wondered softly.
"Well," Zane looked down with a bashful smile before his eyes pierced hers once more, "If you would have denied him right off the bat, well... u-uh, Emery probably would have gone with him."
"Right," Tessa breathed with an annoyed smile, though she lightly flinched as Zane slowly approached her.
"And, I wouldn't have had the honor of teaching you," Zane said tenderly as he kept his head down, though his eyes locked on hers.
"Honor," Tessa exhaled through a look of amused disbelief.
"Do you keep forgetting you're royalty or something?" Zane shook his head, furrowed his eyebrows and wrinkled his nose in a sudden burst of expression, he beamed a wide smile and softly laughed, as did Tessa.
"I don't ever forget it, I just don't see what the big deal is," Tessa laughed as she slumped her arms to her sides; Zane shook his head with a beaming smile, he moved across the room to a small coat closet that was near his bathroom.
"Welp," Zane chimed with an endearing smile, he neared Tessa with one of his hoodies, "I do."
"Just don't ask me for my autograph, and we'll be alright," Tessa chuffed, though she raised her eyebrows in dewed surprise as he stepped closer to her. He unzipped one of his dark brown hoodies and opened it for her.
"Here, you can borrow one of my jackets. The, uh... The ride there might be chilly," Zane eased as Tessa gently slipped her arm into one of the arm holes. He helped her put on his coat and went back to the closet to get another.
"Thanks," Tessa chimed as she zipped up the zipper to the middle of her body, she gently adjusted it over her body and was thrilled to feel it's larger structure drape over her. She gently moved her hands inside the sleeves and brought the soft fabric to her nose. As subtly as she could, she gently inhaled Zane's familiar scent; she almost wanted to throw herself out the window with just how hard her heart jumped.
"Of course," Zane said politely as he quickly threw on another one of his hoodies as well. He gently gestured for her to follow him as he moved towards his front door, "C'mon."
"What kind of a place is this secretive getaway, anyways?" Tessa wondered gently as they closed the door to his home and moved down the single stairwell, they hooked around the front of his loft and to his closed garage.
"I-It's sort of hard to explain," Zane said gently as he reached out to a small box on the wall; he punched in his security code to his garage. They smoothly began to open shortly after.
"Just a little reminder that I'm not in my game," Tessa said sheepishly, though she jolted once Zane quickly stopped and looked at her, as if he were mildly offended.
"Tessa," Zane wondered with a sad expression, though he tried his hardest to remain neutral, "A-are you worried you're going to game over?"
"That's sort of always my worry whenever I leave Sugar Rush or Fix-It Felix Jr.," Tessa chuckled as she shrugged lightly, though she held her curious eyes on Zane. He lightly blinked and kept his gaze on her.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Zane assured, he knew he'd say it however many times he had to, "I promised you."
"I'm sorry," Tessa breathed as she gently stepped closer to him, to follow him inside of his garage, "I trust you, I just... This game is very hostile at night, isn't it?"
"Well, with how fast we'll be going, nothing can harm us," Zane said, almost as if he was saying it to himself.
"Exactly how are we getting to this secret place, anyhow?" Tessa wondered as she followed Zane further into his dark garage, which was only illuminated by the street lamps outside.
She gently crossed her arms and slowed to a stop, though he continued on. She furrowed her eyebrows gently as he moved up to a large mass that was covered by a sleek, dusty tarp. She tilted her head lightly and opened her mouth to speak, though she let her eyes follow Zane's uncertain hands. He tenderly slid his fingers up the tarp and grabbed it with light fists, as if he was quickly contemplating his next move. To Tessa's surprise, he eased his hands off of the tarp and looked at Tessa over his shoulder. She largely furrowed her eyebrows and gazed at him in confusion. She took a step or two closer and began to worry.
"What's wrong?" Tessa asked softly, though Zane looked down to the ground with a facial expression that read eons of contemplating dilemmas.
"Nothing I just..." Zane trailed off and held his hand on the large mass under the tarp. He gently, and finally, made sincere eye contact with Tessa, "I just have never really let anyone into this aspect of my life, before."
"What do you mean?" Tessa wondered, her brilliant eyes held locked onto his, though she felt her inner girl dance around that she was the only one he trusted with his deeper layers, she shook her head lightly and gazed down at the large mass before them, "You can tell me anything, Zane, you know I can keep a secret."
"I know," Zane smiled at the ground before his eyes grabbed hers once more, he heaved a hard sigh and peered down at what was underneath his hand, "Th-There's so much I want to tell you, but..."
"Then show me," Tessa said politely with a gentle shrug, "If you're having such a hard time talking about it, then just show me what's going on. I can put two and two together."
Zane held his strong, nervous gaze on Tessa and was practically frozen, though after a few gentle moments of loving silence between the two, he finally nodded lightly and grabbed the tarp with both of his hands. In one quick swipe, he ripped the tarp off of one hell of a gem. Tessa felt her eyes bulge out of her head as a beautiful, sleek black and electric blue, light bike sat poised in perfection. It was glorious; Tessa heaved a hard exhale of disbelief and could hardly believe her eyes. She tenderly laid her hand on the cold, black metal. She shook her head lightly and peered back at Zane in stunned curiosity.
"How in Arcade did you get a light bike?" Tessa hissed in a whisper, as if his secret was now hers to keep, "Tron got unplugged so long ago, didn't it?"
"Hmm," Zane hummed with an eager, closed mouth grin as he looked down and shrugged his hands into his jean pockets, "Rumor has it, it still exists. I found this beaut abandoned in EZ Living's train station."
"Someone just... Just, abandoned, a light bike," Tessa laughed in disbelief as she shook her head in disbelief at Zane, though she held onto a wide smile.
"Trust me," Zane's eyes bulged, "I could hardly believe my luck."
"It's beautiful," Tessa hissed as she walked about the front. It was sharp, it looked untouched.
"When I found it, it was pretty beat up," Zane said gently as he pat the side of it, "I've been working on it for the past few months. She's finally in good, running condition."
"It runs?" Tessa asked, as if she had struck gold, she shook her head and crossed her arms, "Please tell me we're taking this light bike to your destination."
"You'd be correct," Zane heaved, though he continued on in an annoyed tone over his shoulder, "Would you look who it is..."
"Who?" Tessa quickly looked up and peered out Zane's garage, it was none other than Selka and a few of his friends, in which Tessa briefly met. Tessa harshly furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms, "Greaaat."
"C'mon, let's get out of here," Zane muttered as he turned to Tessa.
"Does Selka know you have this thing?" Tessa beamed a curious smile as Zane swung his leg over and mounted the light bike. He gently held his hand out to Tessa to help her onto the bike behind him.
"He will now," Zane muttered as he glared in Selka's direction.
"Secret's out, then?" Tessa quietly laughed as she mounted the bike behind Zane. She felt a sudden rush of belonging come over her, she dared to rest one of her hands on Zane's waist.
"I'm feeling brave," Zane deeply breathed a soft chuckle as he glanced over his shoulder to Tessa, "You ready?"
"Yeah," Tessa eased lightly, though she took that as her cue to hold onto Zane; she gladly wrapped her arms around Zane's back and middle as she lightly buried her face and nose into the back of his shoulder.
Zane furrowed his eyebrows in Selka's direction and gently held his palm over the touch screen reader on the bike. He remained solid as the bike suddenly roared to life, it's futuristic, whirring engine hummed in it's usual way as the light bike's fluorescent, creamy, hot blue lights illuminated the entire garage. Tessa widened her eyes and peered over Zane's shoulder in a eager way; she knew both parties were about to be treated to a master class in dominance. Tessa curled deeper into Zane's strong back and hugged him tighter as he tenderly eased the bike forward. As they exited the opening of the garage, Zane lightly tapped a button on the wall, which signaled for the doors to close behind him. The bike shifted it's tires as gently as it could muster, it swapped from grid tires to all-turrain tires. The bike deeply grumbled with powerful life, though Tessa eagerly kept her gaze on Selka and his group; all five of them looked completely stunned as Zane gently neared them.
"Who is this?!" Selka barked loudly, though Zane slowed the large bike as they neared. Zane gently sat up, which cued Tessa to ease up as well.
"Don't be too surprised," Zane retorted loudly, Tessa sat up fully as Zane brought the bike to a halt, though it's powerful engine continued to purr.
"Zane?" Selka asked in dumbfounded surprise, "Wh-What in Arcade are you doing with a light bike?!"
"What, am I'm too dorky to own one?" Zane barked, Tessa lightly let her eyes bulge; she sat back and watched this unfold, she often wondered what Zane looked like when upset.
"Wh-Why would I ever say that?" Selka nervously chuckled and held out his arms and hands, as if to be delightfully clueless.
"Not sure," Zane snapped, "Why would you say any of the stuff you've said?"
"C'mon, Zaney, you know I don't mean any harm," Selka glanced at Tessa, "I see we've got a tattle tale, here."
"Proud and true," Tessa crossed her arms and beamed an annoyed smile to Selka, though she began to feel worried once he began to approach Zane.
"How'd you get this thing, anyways? Tron got unplugged years ago," Selka said casually to Zane, as if there was no issue between them, though Zane largely cranked the engine of the bike; it roared to life all of the sudden, a ground rumbling, core shaking growl that Tessa went wide eyed to, though it remained stationary. Selka flinched and took a few nervous steps away, as did the handful of other people with him.
"Hands off," Zane snapped darkly, Tessa raised her eyebrows and tenderly hugged her arms around Zane's middle again; she knew he wouldn't take off if she wasn't holding on to him, though she didn't want to take her chances.
"What, just because you've miraculously landed yourself a girl, you feel the need to be an ass?" Selka argued as he harshly pointed.
"Guess I just am cold towards people that have wronged me," Zane spat, Selka furrowed his eyebrows.
"I've done nothing of the sort," Selka protested, though he nervously glanced at Tessa, as if to worry that she knew too much.
"I don't need Tessa's words to know that you wronged me, last year," Zane practically growled, "I don't need her to tell me that you've been keeping me as a friend to merely trash me behind my back."
"C'mon, Zane, this is ridiculous, the second this chick comes along, you hate me all of the sudden?" Selka laughed as he looked back to his friends; they shook their heads and laughed in agreeance towards Selka.
"She's not just 'some chick', and I didn't need her help to know that you're lowly scum," Zane chuckled as he readied the engine once more, though more gently this time; Tessa knew for sure that was her cue to hold on to him tighter. She smiled a victorious smile into the back of his soft hoodie and closed her eyes gently; she squeezed him a little and wondered when this ride would begin. Her ears pricked as Zane continued, "I know everything you've ever said about me."
"How," Selka laughed as he crossed his arms, "It's not like you're Zed or anything."
"You can carry on being popular and annoying," Zane smirked as he eased the bike forward just barely, "But, this time, I stole your girl."
Tessa heaved a small, quiet laugh into the back of Zane's shoulder, though she shut her eyes tight in mild nervousness as he loudly revved the light-bike's powerful, mind numbing engine. The bike took off with a jolt, which spewed debris and dust into the air surrounding Selka's group. Tessa beamed a wide smile and held onto Zane tighter as they immediately rocketed away from Zane's neighborhood. She easily burrowed into his back and clung onto his warm center as tight as she could. After a few seconds of feeling the wind harshly lick at their faces, she furrowed her eyebrows lightly and rearranged her grip on Zane to that of a more loving and understanding grip, though she still held on tight. She gently glanced at the side of Zane's face and wondered just how much hurt he was hiding. He kept his eyes forward, they were trained to the darkness. He knew exactly where to go, though the only thing keeping his jumbled thoughts to the Arcade was the precious cargo on the back of his bike.