By the Skin (completed)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It's been a week since I ended my Elliot fast. And I'm still talking to Mayo.

I know, I know, Elliot's been telling me not to! But I've been hanging out with her. In secret, I mean.

I only text and hang out with her outside of school. We have first and last period together, coincidentally the same periods I have with El. We don't say a word.

She drives me home, though. I told Elliot that I didn't want to bother him with his extracurricular, so I got a family member to drive me home, and he didn't mind one bit.

Without me, he can finally attend daily BHAA meetings. The Birmingham Honors Arts Association. Only a select few get chosen to represent our school in performing and visual arts contests, showcases, etc. Long story short, Elliot's the best artist in 10th grade. I love comparing myself to him all the time. I love him. I feel bad.  

I feel bad for lying to him, and I feel bad for kind of talking trash about him, but I do legitimately feel bad that I make him miss his club to take me home. Plus, he would have complained about it and Mayo essentially has the same music taste as him. 

Mayo's been such a good friend to me. Just because I didn't follow her advice with Elliot doesn't mean that she gives bad advice in general. She's my therapist! Sometimes I feel like I can just lay down in her lap and tell her about my personal issues.

Today, she's taking me bike riding. We're gonna ride around her block and then go to an ice cream place near her house. I'm so excited! And literally so nervous! 

The thing is, I don't know how to ride a bicycle. I didn't have the sweet American family that had cool milestones for every age; so I don't know how to drive, I don't know how to survive in the wilderness, and I definitely do not know how to ride a bike. I'm probably the most uncultured teen at Birmingham. 

"You can go ahead and borrow my bike." She says, getting out of the car. "I have an extra."

I've already told Ma about me hanging with Mayo. She was super skeptical but let me anyways. As long as I don't do drugs or any of that shit.

I hesitantly step out of Mayo's old car, and onto the pavement of her garage. Her house is so nice. She must be rich. 

"Can I meet your parents?" I'm kind of eager.

"Oh, my father works late. I'm sorry."

"No problem at all!" 

She didn't mention her mother. It's not like she bombards me about my father, so I don't think I'll ask.

Mayo hands me a helmet and pads for my elbows and knees. With every breath I'm dreading the moment I have to get on that hellish wheel device.

Mayo brings out the bike she is using, and after brings the bike out for me. I'm pretty sure it's her princess bike from when she was little. I have a small figure, and Mayo is worlds taller than me. She'll usually pat my head when I get in the car to go home. I don't appreciate it. 

Swinging her leg over the bike, she's already pedaling circles around and around me. She stops and drags the bicycle over for me. It is not long before she pedals behind me, and the moment has arrived. 

"Uh, you can go ahead of me." I shuffle my legs together. 

Take my hint, bitch! I don't wanna go on that thing! The seat is so small, I'm gonna be infertile by the time we're done. And, and, these pads are so itchy and I wanna scratch my arms  and I can't feel my head under the helmet-

"No thanks." She smiles, with a hint of passive-aggressiveness. "This is my neighborhood, I wanna make sure you don't get lost. Please get on the bike." 

AHHH! No! Don't make me!

"...okay." I think I'm, like, legitimately sweating.

I throw my right leg over the seat and try to relax. I cannot. No surprise. 

My foot is shaking as it lifts to the pedal. It is not long before Mayo realizes my secret.

"Okay, so you can't ride a bike."

Shit! 

There's no point in hiding it now. I'm so lame. This is the worst. 

"Nope." 

She puts the break on her bike and pulls her tube of Protopic out of her painted jeans. She decorated it with stickers. 

"Hey-" 

Mayo stops me. Without a word, she slides off my pads and puts Protopic on my arms and legs. Her face is in a comforting smile. It's a kind gesture.

So why the fuck am I turned on?

She positions the pads back in place and looks up at me. "I could tell you were irritated."

"Okay, you're psychic, bitch."

Snickering, she walks away from me and puts her bike back in her garage. I follow her and start pushing the bicycle back in.

"No, no, no." She puts a hand on my shoulder to stop me. "You're gonna learn."

HUH?

Is she gonna teach me how to ride? Like a parent?

The sun is setting. This is a bad idea. This is a bad idea. 

"Get on the seat like this. You should only push off when you're ready to go."

"Try to memorize where to put your feet. It'll take a little force to make the pedal turn."

"The hardest part for me was to put my other foot on the other pedal. I was so nervous."

Bad idea.

"When you are ready to stop, pull the break on the handle and relax. The bicycle will naturally lean to one side so catch the bike with the foot on that side before it falls to the ground, like this."

"It'll take a while to balance, but practice makes perfect."

Fun idea. Shit. This is so much fun.

"One time, my hair got stuck in the chair and I fell on my head. Worst fucking day of my life. My hair was to my ass when I was younger but since then I try to keep it mid-back. Anyways, I think you're ready."

"Okay...and...go!"

Good idea??? Good idea????

I'm doing it! 

"Keep it steady... yes! That's it!" Mayo is running behind me.

"Okay, keep pedaling."

"Yes, Evangeline!"

I think Mayo saying my name distracted me. I started tipping over the bike and in a panic I forget to put my foot down. 

"Shit!" She jumps to my side and catches me. The bike tumbles to the ground, and so do we. Mayo broke my fall. And we can't help but laugh so frickin' hard.

"Haaah," I let out a post-laugh sigh. "Thank you, my prince." I lay in her lap.

She blushes a little. "Pfft. Simp."

"Wha- Simp?" I playfully push her. We break into laughter again. 

She takes my helmet off and starts braiding my hair. We're pretty far away from Mayo's house. A little more practice and I think I got it down. 

The sun has fully set. It's dark out. While she's braiding my long hair, I take a peek at her face. 

I never really noticed how nice her eyelashes are under the moon.