Manifestation of Manipulation - Vance Hopper x Male Reader

Bike Ride - 11

(Photo from: onlyinyourstate.com)

We arrive back at Grab 'n Go and meet up with the girls who have made good friends with Morgan over the pinball machine.

"Here keys, and if you want to smoke, my joints are in the same box they were packed in." Handing Morgan my car keys with a smile. I'd let Morgan hang out with her new friends but I don't think I can handle her and them at the same time. Morgan would definitely find a way to out me and the last two years of high school would be hell. I'd be thee laughing stalk if the boys told anyone.

"Thanks doofus, see you later!" She smiles, ruffling my hair before she gets in my car. I wave at her as she pulls away, my Marathon bar half way in my mouth.

"We're going run out of day light waiting for you!" Bruce calls to me as he pedals around the parking lot. Smiling I start walking towards the exit of the parking lot, finishing my Marathon bar quickly. Only hoping I can keep up with the others on their bikes, and that the quarry's not too far.

A bike comes to a stop at my side, Vance looks at me like I'm stupid. "Get on, I'm not biking slow for you." Vance says to me, scooting forwards on his long, definitely 1960's bike seat. I smirk and move behind him, swinging my leg over the back of his bike seat. "Such a gentleman." Vance scoffs and scoots back, until his back is touching my thighs. "Shut up man." Vance spits, sounding annoyed already.

"Let's go!" Robin calls to Vance, he and Finn are already biking out of the parking lot, Bruce far in front of them. "You heard him." I smile at Vance and pat his back. He glares back at me and angrily grabs my wrist. "I'm waiting on you, grab my waist or you'll fall off." He mutters to me, I do as he says and wrap my arms around his waist.

"Aye aye captain, now peddle onwards!" I call, pointing a finger forwards. Vance laughs a bit and begins peddling, I hold on tighter as we gain speed. "Don't fall off, kid." Vance tells me, I scoff and scoot closer to his back. My chest presses his back softly and I grip his waist even tighter. "Says the one in 9th grade." I stab at him, Billy, whose beside us on his bike laughs crazily. "Hahaha! Oh my god that's so funny, he thinks you're young enough to be a 9th grader!" Billy snorts out, his other half, Griffin laughing with him on our opposite side.

"All of you are a bunch of dick heads." Vance calls as we start down a hill, towards the middle of the town. "What? Did I get it wrong?" I laugh at him, he ignores me and peddles faster to get away from the smirking face of Billy. "Don't be so uptight, you can just tell me you're a 10th grader." I roll my eyes, Gwen over hears and smiles at me. "I'll kill you if you say that again." Vance promises me, I laugh hard and lean back a bit.

"And quit squirming, you're going to kill us both." "I'll stop moving if you answer me." I say, brushing his hair out of my face quickly before grabbing his waist again. "Answer what?" He growls at me. "Which one it is, 9th or 10th? There's no reason to be ashamed, if anything you should make fun of me." I laugh, he shakes his head and elbows me in the ribs. "Gah! You dick!" I yell, he laughs and takes a stab at me. "Why should I be making fun of you? What, are you a freak?" "Well, yeah of course I am, but that's not what I was talking about." I answer, trying to stay as still as possible as we ride down a bumpy back road on the edge of town.

"Then what are you taking about?" He seems curious enough, enough so I can pry at him again. "I'll tell you if you answer me first." I hum, he groans and peddles faster as a distraction. Just when I think he's ignoring me and I'll have to tease him again, he speaks up. "10th, I'm in 10th grade. I was held back two years in 6th grade." He finally replies after a long silence, my heart squeezes itself when he finishes. I smile and nod, staying quiet as I think. When I don't reply he glances back at me, immediately regretting it. "You're so annoying!" He yells after seeing my grin, coming to a harsh stop in front of what looks like a trail down a forest covered path.

"Pffft, what? Are you embarrassed?" I tease, jumping off his bike, Vance clenches his jaw and throws his bike down. "Vance dude, he's joking." Robin says as Vance stomps towards me. My smile fades when I realize I've hurt his feelings. "Woah woah, I'm kidding- Vance-" "Shut up! Just quit talking about it!" He yells, glaring at me angrily. I glance around for everyone else's reactions, trying to figure out if this is usual or if I should be really concerned. Robin sighs and shakes his head at me, I cross my arms and follow Vance as he locks his bike up to a tree.

"Hey dork, I'm not saying that makes you a freak. I mean if you think it does then I am too. I'm nineteen and a junior. I mean my situations a bit different- I-I uhm." I stop talking when Vance turns around and gets in my face.

"Keep talking." He demands, I smile and look him in the eyes. "I was homeschooled, by my biological mother and father or more like unschooled. They didn't teach me much. Denver's got this weird homeschooling policy and now I have to go to school if I wanna get a job." I explain, he seems to lighten up when I'm done. He walks past me and starts down the trial. Was it the fact I'm in the same boat as him, or was it because I said my biological parents?

"Tuff subject?" I ask, looking around. "Not really, it's just because you're new." Bruce smiles, patting my head. "Why's that a problem?" I ask. "How's he supposed to trust you without knowing you?" He tries explaining, it still feels like a flawed argument. "True, wouldn't everyone already know though?" Bruce pauses and frowns, his frown is taken to heart.

If I made him frown it must be important to him, and to Vance. "That doesn't mean much, it'd still hurt if you made fun of him for it. Whether everyone knows or not." I nod softly in understanding and start down the trial after a girl who must be Donna. It'd be the same for me too I guess, if everyone found out I was Y/S it'd still hurt if they picked on me.

"That's totally fair, I get it now, thanks." I mumble, Bruce walks behind me and I can feel him get ready to ask me something. "Of course. So uh... If you're nineteen how old is Morgan?" Bruce asks, smiling wide when I look back at him. I laugh and shake my head. "She's seventeen, why? You got a crush?" I tease, Bruce laughs and shrugs. "I don't know, I was just wondering."

"You don't know?" I laugh, I slow to walk right next to him. His cheeks turn a soft pink and when he doesn't reply, I shoot him a wink. "I'm sure she'll give you a chance." I laugh, hurrying up again as we come to a big clearing.

A big pond and or quarry lays in front of me, a huge clearing in a cliff side, fully surrounded by trees and secluded from the rest of the world. "Woah haha, this would be the perfect place to dispose of me." I laugh, glancing at Vance, he doesn't pay me any mind as he kicks boots off.

"It was our master plan all along! Raaaa!" Gwen giggles, grabbing my shoulders to scare me as she walks by. I laugh and glance back up at the trail. Finn and Robin quickly peck each other on the lips and turn back towards me, to continue walking. I pretend I didn't notice and continue about site seeing. If they want to tell me they will, I'll let them tell me on their own time. For their sake I'll keep pretending I don't see.