Hello August, Please Be Good To Me

Chapter 39: 1.800.RENT.A.BIKE

I'm back to riding shot gun with Justin, and it feels too good to be true. Every now and then I mess with my hair, which is in a twist out. The last thing I need is help from the humidity and the gift of a puffed up afro. "It looks fine," Justin reaches one hand up to mine and moves it to my lap, his other hand resting easy on the steering wheel. "You should wear your hair like that more often," he adds, and my cheeks burn on cue. "Ehh," I answer, but secretly I'm pleased. It's not often I experiment with my hair, and after I cut it that made it even harder to work with. GO figure.

"So where are you taking me?" I ask the fourth time after messing with my hair. I've been switching between the two. "The concept of a surprise isn't hard to understand Lyric," he says, and flips off the radio. "Hey," I protest, and he plugs in his phone. "If I hear 2 Chains or any chain blare out those speakers, we will fight," I ball my hands up into a fist, and lift it up across my chest. Justin looks at my sorry fist and cracks up. "Why? You afraid you'll start singing that song too?" I ignore the comment and pick up his phone and start going through his music. "Give that back," he demands holding his hand out as if I'll surrender it that easily. "The concept of finder's keepers isn't hard to understand. Justin." I continue to scroll until I feel a poke in my side. I giggle and scoot closer to the door. "Quit it!" I yell, but Justin's just gotten started. "Oh, so you're ticklish. You didn't tell me that," he says, and goes for my side again. I can't help it. I tighten up in a ball, and wiggle around wildly laughing my head off. "Concentrate on the road before we crash," I laugh, and the phone slips from my grip. I slap Justin's hand away and reach down to pick it up. Big mistake.

He goes in for my side and my stomach this time, and I howl with laughter, slumped over in the seat with the slack of the seat belt holding me up. "Stooppppp," I'm hoarse and now phoneless. At the stop light, he reaches over and plucks his phone back. "Teach you not to mess with me around here," he fakes in a gangster tone, and roll my eyes. "Now, let's hear some good old Andy," he says, and Honey I'm Good starts playing. I hop up in my seat. "Oh my God you listen to Andy Grammer?" A grin plays on Justin's lips. "Of course," Justin pulls up into downtown, looking for a parking seat. But instead of trying to figure out what we're doing, I'm I start singing along. Justin joins me, and I stop so I can hear him better. "Justin I didn't know you could sang," I say in a stage whisper just as he parks. "Shhh, don't tell Olivia, then she'll definitely want me to do karaoke nights with her." Justin gets out and comes to my side to let me out. "Don't ask," he continues, before I even open my mouth.

"Okay fine, but why are we here?" I ask, looking out. I see the Challenger Learning Center and get excited. "Oooh, are we going to see a movie?" I point towards the IMAX theaters hopeful. Justin grabs my hand but doesn't respond, and I deflate when we walk to and then by the center. "So movie is out?" He still won't answer me, instead kisses me on the forehead. "Don't be kissing my forehead and you won't tell me where we're headed." I pretend to wipe off my forehead, but as I do he kisses that hand. "Stop," I snort then groan automatically. Bad habits die hard. I hit the crossing button, and Justin and I swing our arms like little kids. We're just as loud as a couple of kids when I notice small, older, white haired lady with a pointed nose and pale complexion staring at us. Not unkindly, but not exactly nice either. I'm just about to point her out to Justin when he pokes me and turns me around to see two black guys pointedly ignoring us. I don't even hear the jokes you'd expect them to spit for me holding hands with a white guy. They must think their silence is more effective. I'd rather take this than being hassled, but it just goes to show me how some things have yet to change.

We cross the street, Justin highly amused and me? Highly bothered. The older lady stays where she is, while the two guys walk into a store nearby. "I wonder what was up with them," Justin says, cracking up. "It's not that funny." I don't hear the edge in my voice until after I've spoken. Justin picks up his pace, and suddenly we're running. "Okay, now would be a great time to tell me what's up!" I huff. I'm seriously out of shape, and Justin goes faster, tightly holding my hand. He stops near the old capitol building, and I bend over with my hands on my thighs to catch my breath. Then remembering that's bad technique from years in cross country, I stand up and put my hands on my head.

He starts walking again and I groan but follow. "Are you a decent bike rider?" he asks me, and I shrug. "I don't know, you tell me. I get on a bike, pump my legs and hey look I'm moving." He laughs again slowly turning to me. His hands are in his pockets, and for the first time today I see the nervousness in his eyes. What's going on? "So new question, are you opposed to going for a bike ride. With me?" He completely stops walking, and it's then I notice the row of bikes next to us. They're painted blue, and look all official with the city's name across the handle bars and the length of the bikes in white. There's an ATM like machine not too far away, and I look at the bikes again, then at Justin who was so sure a few minutes ago and now wears a hopeful expression.

"How long have these been here? I used to live on this side of town."

"I don't know, but I do know it's something new."

Bouncing on my heels again, I inspect the bikes,and take a look up. It's a nice day. Hot, but nice. I hop on a bike, and pretend it's a motorcycle I'm revving up. "Well, whatcha waiting for? Pay the nice machine and let's go!"