xXx
"You can't keep skipping meals Eric, you'll waste away to nothing." I said calmly as Eric continued to lead me through the Xavier grounds.
"It's fine, I grabbed us some lasagna and some water bottles." Eric said, holding up a brown paper bag and looking at me with a mischievous look in his eyes. "Believe me, this is way better than sitting at a table and watching Rhino try to go for fifths of potatoes."
I looked up at the stormy grey clouds brewing over us. "We're gonna get rained on!" I groaned.
"Trust me, this is still worth it."
Eric led me to a large building and opened the small door on the side. He stepped to the side and gave a gesture like 'after you', I rolled my eyes and stepped into the building. It was too dark to see anything so I felt around for a light switch, but found a hand instead. Eric flicked on the overhead lights and grinned at me goofily.
"Whoa, are you flirting with me, Logan?" Eric asked mockingly, wriggling his eyebrows.
I made a face and gave him a shove. "Shut up 'bub'"
"Pfft, whatever you say."
I ignored his silliness and looked around the building. They had everything in here! A huge black jet, not the same one that I arrived in on, this one was bigger. Then there was a row of pretty sweet cars, including two massive Hummers. The walls were lined with expensive beautiful tools to maintain and fix the vechicles, and there were also rows sticking out from the walls with spare parts, on shelves like books at a library. I think I drooled a little.
"This place is amazing!"
"You haven't even seen the best part yet." Eric said, walking over to something covered with a sheet.
"Better than the jet?"
"Way better the jet." Eric promised, pulling off the sheet.
My jaw dropped.
A 1977 Harley sportster xlx. Gold in colour. Crome. Real leather seats. Customised.
Beautiful. Soooo beautiful.
"I think I'm in love. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." I whispered, pressing my face to the lovely, cold metal form of the bike and stroked the black leather seat.
"Okay, that's a little creepy. Especially since your dad said the exact same thing." Eric said, grimacing.
I turned to give him a look. "Hush, you're ruining this."
"Well, if you need a moment with the bike…" Eric said, turning to go.
"No, no," I said, getting up and pulling him back over to the bike. "Thank you so much for this Eric, you don't know what this means to me."
"My pleasure Leah." Eric grinned.
I turned my attention back to the bike. I went over every inch of it and found it flawless. Not that I expected Dad to ride anything but. I sat gently on the shaped leather seat and sighed. "Is it wrong to propose to a machine?"
"Yes, in more ways than one." Eric answered with a straight face.
"Then ours will be a forbidden love." I said in a deep, throaty voice, clenching the handles.
I nearly jumped when Eric sat down behind me. I felt his thighs move up to go around mine and his breath on my neck as he wrapped one arm around my waste. I looked behind him, my mouth the shape of an 'O'. He just said. "You're telling me you don't want to go for a ride?"
"You have the-"
"Keys? Yup. So we do'n this or what, Logan?" Eric dangled the keys in front of me.
I took them and started up the bike.
"He purrs like a lion." I sighed. "Hold on!"
We rode out of the shed and down the long laneway to the gates.
xXx
We rode along one of the back roads, avoiding the city. I hardly noticed Eric holding on tight to me, all my senses focussed on the bike below me and the road in front of me. Dad had taken me for rides all the time, and let me drive as long as I stayed below 20 km an hour (in American, that's very slow), on his lamer, slower bikes, and never went out on the highway. Once, when I earned a 97.5% grade average, he let me drive his Fatboy, but that was a special occasion.
This was me driving free, like a mad biker, on my dad's bike.
I liked it, but I also missed Dad more.
Eventually, Eric motioned for me to pull over. I didn't really want to, but I knew the bike needed to cool down and Eric wasn't used to riding on the back of motorcycles for hours. I pulled in to the curved pavement and found that we were on a rocky beach.
"That was awesome!" I grinned as I laid back on a large flat slab of rock. It was dark now and I could see a few stars that weren't covered by the wispy clouds. "Did you see how he took corners? Or how fast he could jump to 120? Or-"
"Calm down Leah, you look like you're about to explode." Eric said evenly, taking a seat beside me. "You're still a little clone of your dad."
"I'm taking that as a compliment."
"Never meant it to be anything but."
I looked over at him. "Fang Ivana Bang?"
"What?" Eric asked.
"I heard that's what the girls call you now." I explained, ignoring the way my heart beat hard in my chest. "So what's with that?"
"Oh, um, I guess girls just like me, that's all." Eric said dismissively.
"Well, I can see why. You're just a big bag of flirt, my friend." I teased.
"I am not, I'm just trying to be nice."
"Sure, sure." I let the topic drop. I only brought it up because I wanted him to know I didn't want to play these games with some wheeler. I had enough guys like him at my old school. Flirt with anything in a skirt, move on, always looking for someone better. Convince a girl he really liked her, she'd give him everything, then he'd explain that he wasn't looking for a relationship and move on to someone else. I hated flirts. Sure, they could be fun, but they caused more trouble than they were worth. I'd seen enough of my friends be hurt by those guys to know to keep my guards up.
"Leah, listen, I-" Eric stared to say, when lights from a car shined on the beach. We looked towards the source and saw two cops getting out of a cruiser. Eric quickly pulled me off the rock and hid behind it.
"Oh no." I didn't have my license! Plus, the bike was technically stolen! I didn't have any proof that it was mine, or my dad's! And I'm in this country illegally! I'M SO SCREWED!
"Any chance you're a telepath and can send these guys away?" Eric whispered. I gave him a look for an answer. "Yeah, I didn't think it'd be that easy. Wait here."
"Eric, don't!" I hissed, but it was too late. He had already striped off his clothing and handed them to me.
"As soon as you can, get back on the bike and drive to the gas station we passed on the way here. I'll meet you there." Eric instructed. "And no peeking!"
Eric shifted his body, and moments later he was the same black and white dog that had landed on me earlier this afternoon. He bounded out towards the cops and turned on the puppy charm.
"Hey, who's this handsome little guy?" The one cop commented, getting down on her knees and holding out her hand. "Come here buddy."
"Jamenson, don't touch it. It probably has fleas." The other cop said.
"Not this cutie. Awww…" Jamenson sighed, as Eric rolled over for a belly rub, his ears flopping back adorably.
"The hardest cop in the division turns turn pudding because of a dog. Now I've seen everything." The male cop muttered to himself, getting down to scratch Eric's ears.
"Who's a cutie, who's a cutie?" Jamenson asked, using her puppy voice.
"He's got no collar."
"Can we keep him? Right, stupid question. Alright, we'd better taken him into the shelter and try to find his family."
As on cue, Eric leapt up and bounded away.
"Hey, come back!" The male cop called before both of them ran after Eric. I took the opportunity and ran to the bike and started it up.
xXx
Fifteen minutes later, I was leaning against the bike and saw the black and white dog lope towards me. I placed the bundle of his clothes behind a tree to give him some privacy. Eric came back around the tree, dressed and human, and got back on the bike.
"Who's a good boy, who's a good boy?" I mocked, using a puppy voice.
"Just shut up and drive." Eric grumbled, but I saw a smile pulling at his lips.
I laughed before starting the bike to head back to the school.