Motorbike

Chapter 19: She Has a Plan

I waited for her, nervous.

She finally exited, and I removed my hat.

"(Y/N)? Do you just stand around waiting for me to exit my house all day?" She teased, grinning.

"I was just- hoping to walk with you to the newspaper meeting," I said, folding my hands behind my back.

"Oh! Well I wasn't planning on doing much walking, but you're welcome to ride on the back," she said, pulling out her motorbike.

There was a big enough space on the back of the giant seat.

I nodded, sitting sideways on the back and holding onto her waist as she started it up.

The motor began, and I yelped out, squeezing her and feeling certain that we'd fall off and die.

"Muriel- I'm going to die, I'm literally going to fall off and die," I said, holding her even tighter.

"Oh you'll be alright, just hold onto me," she said, speeding it up.

I buried my face in her shoulder, inhaling her sweet scent. Suddenly, I didn't feel so scared.

I focused on the feel of her waist and imagined our position. Scandalous if she had been a man.

We arrived at school, and I hopped off the bike, sighing and shaking.

She laughed at me.

"It's not funny," I said, but she continued to laugh.

"Thank you, (Y/N), for making me smile in this time of anger," she said as we walked in. I nodded, sitting down at one of the desks as she set up at her desk. A few people were already there, but not that many.

Everyone finally arrived, and she got up, talking to us, telling us about what the board had decreed, etc etc.

"I think the best option is to play by the rules for a spell, and then maybe down the road they'll... reconsider," she said, sighing.

"No ones forcing them to read the paper," Gilbert argued, crossing his arms and looking down.

"What are the new rules anyway?" Gil asked, and she scoffed, handing him the paper.

"Weather, hat fashions, farm stories. No references to animal husbandry," he said, raising his eyebrows and tightening his lips.

"It's good they fired her," Moody said out of the blue.

Diana got defensive.

"What did you say?"

"If she were here she'd just tell us to use our imaginations and ruin what's left of this for the rest of us," he said, shaking his head.

"Let's not forget how this started. This started with Billy Andrews disrespecting Josie Pye," Gil shot back.

"Anne should've left it alone," Tillie said.

"Anne stood up for a person who suffered a cruelty," he continued.

He picked up the newspaper.

"Women matter on their own, not in relation to a man. Who here disagrees?" Gil read, turning and looking around the room.

He continued to read the paper.

"Anne would've stood up for any of you, because that's who she is," he said, and suddenly the door burst open. The redhead herself stood there.

"I know I'm not your favorite person right now but-"

Everyone ran to her, apologizing and saying they were wrong. Gil smiled at her, and I looked back at the whole scene, watching.

"I've got enough of these for everyone," she said. We all looked at her, confused.

"Well I have a plan," she continued.

"Good! Because Miss Stacy's is terrible!" Ruby said, and we all laughed. Miss Stacy put her hands up in admittance.

She explained the plan, and I smiled. At least she was setting things right.

—————

We all sat in the barn, painting.

Miss Stacy sat down besides me.

"Think all this will work?" she asked softly.

I nodded.

"It will, I promise. Whatever it takes, we deserve freedom of speech," I said, dipping my brush in the paint again.

"But what if it doesn't work?" She expressed nervously, looking around the barn.

"Then I'll give them a history lesson. I'll publish it in the paper, twist the guidelines a little but that's alright," I said, smiling. She raised an eyebrow.

"A history lesson on what exactly?" She asked.

"Freedom of speech. It's origins, why it matters, etc etc," I said, grinning at her.

Suddenly, Jerry came up from the ladder with more paint. He smiled when he saw me. I waved for him to come over.

Miss Stacy gave me a look.

I nearly forgot, she saw me kiss his cheek that one day. Suddenly I regretted it, but the smile on his face was too cute.

"(Y/N), I'm surprised to see you here," he said, sitting down.

"Well, I don't have a large emotional attachment to the newspaper, but I do believe in freedom of speech, so," I explained, and he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Freedom of speech, being able to say what you want to without the government or some form of power limiting you. Though I suppose this is more so freedom of the press, which is being able to publish opinions without getting in trouble with the government for it," I explained to him. He nodded.

"How did they- how did they limit you guys?" He asked.

Miss Stacy handed him the paper.

"And you can only write about these topics?" He clarified. I nodded.

"Exactly. And it's ridiculous, so we're planning all this to get our rights back again," Miss Stacy said, smiling at me.

He smiled, nodding and getting up when someone called for him.

"You and him?" Miss Stacy whispered.

"No! Nononono- he- I used to feel that way but- no we're just friends," I said, blushing. She grinned, raising an eyebrow and nodding.

As we all wrapped up for the day, Miss Stacy walked Gil and I out.

"You two get some rest hm? You'll need it," she said, putting a hand on Gil's shoulder and cupping my cheek.

We nodded, and she smiled, waving and taking her bike in the opposite direction.

As we walked I smiled, and Gil teased me as I touched where her hand had been.

I decided to ignore him.

I think he would've done this if Anne or Winifred cupped his cheek too.

Either way, Miss Stacy was right. Tomorrow would be a big day. It was essential that we get some rest.