Continuing from the last time I've spoken to you, my reader, I was last dropped off at my house.
Mom made me a warm, hearty dinner, but the warmth from the meat and potatoes didn't compare to that of the feeling within me. He cares. And cares about me, at that. The feeling that someone watches over me, as a protector, and friend, is so overwhelmingly wonderful. It was easy to get to sleep that night.
The morning was bright and cold. The sky was white and the sun was still asleep. In a simple black hoodie, jeans and tiny warm boots, I bare the cold.
In an old shed, a whitewashed mountain of wood, there lay an old bike. My Schwinn. A simple silver cruiser adorned with black cursive letters. My frozen fingers pinch the tires - they're tight with air. My icy eyes inspect the chains - nothing is wrong.
"huh," talking to myself out loud "Not a thing wrong with it. I haven't touched this thing in a few years..." I wait for a moment, then straddle the wide black and white seat and grip the rubber handles. Its a tall bike but I can still touch the ground. You never forget how to ride a bike.
I ride around my bare front yard, then leave the gate to venture out. The chains, although rusty, were working beautifully. The wind is so cold that tears come to my eyes and freezes my nasal cavity. I have to go back to my house.
"There you are," a petite little woman hides behind her coffee mug, looking at me with big eyes, "It's cold, huh?"
"Morning, Mama. It is so cold outside. I was just fixing up that old bike"
"Oh, good," she smiles "you have fun?"
"yeah. I'm going to go ride around when it warms up a little." I grin, and my mother thinks I'm just excited to ride. I'm actually hoping to see him again.
"That'll be fun, just bundle up, ok?" She punctuates her sentence with open arms. I give her a hug, we're a family of huggers.
I wait for noon. I hope he'd be out by now, it's early, though. Well, he sure was out, and waiting for me.
"I'm heading out, Mama" I skip out the door. Luckily, my mother doesn't linger at the door, because immediately I sense him. He's standing in plain sight, shaded by a huge oak. Once again I straddle the seat and ride away from the yard, onto the asphalt. The trees pass me by in a blur, and between them, he stares at me. I don't try to ignore him, but I want to focus on riding. A grin on my lips, my hands lift away from the handles. The front tire wobbles and my hands are planted on the handles again. I repeat, and try to see how long I can go. I can feel his stress. I'm making him anxious; he's afraid I'm going to fall. I bite my lip and do it again.
Pedaling hard, I release my grip on the bars and whip my body back, my arms parallel to the ground.
I'm afraid, but he's more afraid.
The front tire falters.
I'm going to fall.
I'm falling.
I open my eyes when I realize I'm still moving. Those familiar icy fingers are wrapped around my arms. Looking up, his blank face is full of feeling. His usually black aura is miserably grey. I wish I enjoyed it while it lasted, but quickly I remember that I'm on a street. Never busy, but certainly in the spotlight.
I control the bike again and pull to the side. I pant with nervousness and hide behind a low hanging branch, falling to the ground in a soundless plop.
"You ok?" he stands before me, relieved but frazzled. "I'm sorry." I look at my surroundings, it seems warmer under the trees. "come sit by me" I pat the earth beside me.
When he moved, it was like slowly watching a tree fall. Achingly creaking forward, towering above, sliding next to me. He radiates a scared, nervous, awkward and almost endearing feeling. He's stiff and rigid as he sits, facing forward, tentacles neatly tucked behind him. With a sigh, I rest my chin on my hands, blankly staring at the road.
Maybe a minute passes before I make my bold move.
My back straightens.
Cold locks of hair point downward as my head moves gently to my side.
I give up being gentle; my weight falls onto his side and my arm folds into my lap.
He's startled, but doesn't move.
My head rises up.
My eyes meet his deathly pale face.
"I'm cold."