This love (remma)

Chapter 7

Emma

As they ate their dinner, the tension eased and they began to feel comfortable around each other. They connected through the sweet nostalgia of their teenage years and talked for hours and hours, food disappearing and their drinks refilling. Rikki would crack a joke and Emma would laugh uncontrollably, just like old times. They didn't even notice, but the restaurant around them slowly emptied, till it was just the two of them.
The waiter came walking up to them and looked a bit embarrassed but finally managed to tell them that it's closing time. Emma and Rikki felt bad about this, so they made sure to leave a big tip.

When they got outside, the street was quiet, just lit by a couple of lamps.
"Would you like to go get a drink?" Rikki asked, not yet wanting to part with Emma.
"I uhm, I don't really drink anymore." Emma swallowed nervously. "I'm sober. The reasons that I was drinking for, they weren't really the right reasons and I thought I have to give it rest." She looked at Rikki for a reaction. Rikki was looking at her, giving Emma her complete attention, as if her every word was poetry.
"Of course." Rikki said quietly. "I understand." She seemed to be deep in her thoughts.
"I'll accept a ride back to the hotel tho." Emma said this hopefully. She felt bad about rejecting Rikki's offer for a drink, but she really wants to stay sober.
"Right, of course I'll take you." Rikki set off towards the parking lot where she left her bike.
"Ha! Haven't been on a motorbike in a while" Emma was a bit nervous about it, but she knew she's safe with Rikki.
"Your carriage awaits, madame" Rikki said this with her poshest accent and grinned. "Oh and you can have my jacket, it might get a bit windy." With this she handed Emma the worn leather jacket.
As Emma got on the back of the bike, she instantly gripped Rikki around the waist. She concentrated on the feeling of how Rikki's soft blouse feels against her skin and ignored the engines deep humming. The wind was blowing at her hair and she held Rikki's waist with an iron grip, closing her eyes and burying her face in Rikki's back. She smelled of cigarettes and something citrusy. This comforted Emma more than she'd care to admit.

When Rikki stopped the engine in front of the hotel, Emma's muscles were cramping.
"Uh, Ems? You can get off now."
"Yes, right, I'm getting off." It took Emma a lot of strength to peel her arms off of Rikki and loosen her muscles. She staggered off the bike, still dizzy from the journey.
"Thanks so much, for the ride." Emma swallowed. She had this strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, part of her just didn't want to leave Rikki's side.
"Your welcome." Rikki replied with a genuine smile, a kind of smile she hasn't had for a while. Emma stood there fidgeting with her key card, not quite sure what to do next.
"It was nice seeing you." Emma said.
"Nice seeing you too." They hugged. Tightly, clinging to each other, as if clinging onto dear life. They let go and Emma disappeared through the glass doors.