The Tracks

Highball

Jay insisted that she ride with him on Rhonda and that Dei leave her bike by their tree.

"We would be going a lot faster if we take Rhonda. You can't keep up with me on your bike, Dei."

"I got ahead of you that day, remember?"

"And where did your foot end up that day, huh?"

She had no answer to that, making him smirk and slide up his bike to make room for her at the back.

"Besides, you won't be sitting up on the tank this time. It's your chance to put your arms around me. Ow!"

She hit him hard as she mounted.

"Come on, let's go. The quicker we do this, the less eyes will be looking at me as we go into your town. Us from the North aren't necessarily welcome visitors in your area, right?"

He drove through the eastern tunnel, surprising her because she didn't know that he would be taking a different route.

"Hey! Where are you taking me?! No funny business, Jay, I'm telling you, or I would jump off this bike!"

"Just relax back there and hold on tight. I'm taking the east short-cut. You didn't want to be seen, so this will be a better route to take. And actually nearer to my house."

They went through the woods, on a path that only those who have passed through there more than once would know. He drove through the path quite cautiously, careful not to hit low hanging branches that might swing directly on their faces. She held on to the sides of his waist, which made him feel warm all over. At one part of the path he accidentally hit a small crack, making them jump slightly, which moved Dei closer to Jay, her arms wrapping around his waist. He turned his head to check if she was ok, and she just nodded. He was half-expecting her to adjust her position, but she kept her arms around him for the rest of the ride. He couldn't help but smile, not wanting to make any remark for she just might get conscious and move away.

It took them fifteen minutes before Jay pulled up at their back porch. She got off the bike and looked around carefully as he wheeled the bike to their garage. When he came back, he held out his hand to her, which she took unquestioningly as he led her through the back door.

"Welcome to the Faulkerson household. You want a drink?"

"Water. Thanks. Uhm, we're alone here, right? I mean, do your folks know you're bringing me over?"

"My mom knows, but she's out to see my aunt. My dad is in the fields, so we have the house to ourselves."

"You have no siblings?"

"My brother has his own family, and my younger sister is probably helping at the food bank."

"Food bank?"

"We store a portion of our harvest in one of big warehouses in town, that's our food bank. It's pretty much like a bank, we deposit part of our harvest and we can withdraw anytime. All of the farming families have a stock there, and it's for everyone in the town. Don't you have one in the North?"

She kept silent and looked away. He felt the change in her mood so he moved closer to her and tried to catch her eye, lifting her chin up to turn back to him. She didn't resist but she averted from looking into his eyes.

"Hey, did I say something wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just...envious, I suppose."

"Of what?"

"Of how good everything seems to be here in your town. We haven't had a decent harvest for four cropping seasons now, and it's taking a toll in everyone's income. A lot of my friends have moved out of the North to find work some place else because they had to sell their land. And no, we don't have a food bank. Because us Northerners don't really act like a community as yours does. To each his own. Except when it comes to hating you guys from the South, well, that's a different story."