8

                                    

                                          
Jungkook
"First ride? How come?"
         
My curiosity blundered, enthralled to know about it. Her touch over my waist brought the clutching feeling I didn't anticipate I'd sense in my life. Something extraordinary and intangible.
          
"I've never sat on this bike, it's my first time." Oh, she meant the specific one. Curiosity killed the cat but I didn't tend to ask more questions, may it be about her past relations or other sort. She was a stranger and I'm not the one to ask about it. So, valid. 
          
"You know about bikes then," I guessed the concurrency but was uncertain whether she knew about other labels, including the one I own. "Yeah, a few maybe," I raised the speed scarcely but enough to capture what she was speaking. 
         
"Name those few, let's test your prevalent knowledge," I chuckled at my silly query but it didn't annoy her as she proceeded to name them immediately with contentment. "Uhm, one is Yamaha, then Kawasaki, then Honda, BMW, KTM? Yes, and..."
          
If any of my friends witnessed my beaming face with my helmet glass up as it is right now, they'd be alarmed about my behavioural shift and drop to the floor, immaculately in scare. 
         
The smile I didn't wish to occur over my tarnished, lame face, was here. And the causality for that was none other than a pretty, stunning, and gorgeous lady, who'd be my backpack for tonight. 
         
"That's plenty! I didn't think you'd have this much knowledge on bikes, pretty lady," her mouth raised a scoff, not charmed by my response. "Don't judge a book by its cover, Mr. Nice Guy." 
         
A nickname for me? Sounded cute but from her mouth, it was a scrumptious venom enacted with offence. 
         
My glance swirled to my mirror, the way her hair was breezing with the air and the speed, her right cheek pressed over my shoulder and her eyes shut to feel the waft that blew away. 
         
A strand of her hair fell over her eye and the desperate me, claimed to be an anti-romantic, at that moment, wanted to move that strand away from those glossy, dreamy eyes that held a soft gaze. 
         
Her hand clasped the hair together but it lived short as those silky locks free out from her clutch, meeting the wild wind again. Just as she was about to glance in the mirror, I turned back to my neutral complexion, reminiscing that scene again in my mind while concentrating on the route.
         
She scooted closer than before to outmatch the heat and uphold against the cold as her arms constricted further like a toddler grasping a finger tight enough to not let go. 
         
"Can't bear the cold, pretty lady? Should I drive slower?" My plea came out softer than I visualized and I obtained a hum in response, reducing my speed from 70 km/h to 30. 
I hated going slow but... whatever. 
       
The night was sprinting faster than ever, with her telling me her address and those instants of serenity were plenty for me to stay delusional for months, not getting weary of them any soon. 
         
Halting my bike at the designated address, she relaxed a bit before easing her hold from my abdomen which felt like a jigsaw puzzle going missing from the collection. 
         
Carefully removing my jacket after getting down and lending it back to me, instead of wearing it on I set it over the tank which perplexed her but it was for my benefit. 
         
"Thank you for the ride, it was very satisfying and fun," her cheeks glowed red due to the cold as a smile hot enough to melt ice emerged over her. "My pleasure, pretty lady. Have a good night," 
          
My lips thin to a line, my heart not glad to let go of this and inconceivable to do so, I looked at her face for the last time which held a gaze of gloom as if she'd read my mind of dissatisfaction. Her hand rose to bid me goodbye, waving it along with returning "Good night," to me. 
Only if I could trade anything to relive this moment again...
          
Appeal engrossed me with the want to know about her thoughts as I sped up from her location to mine, wanting to talk more than just bikes. But holy fuck, I didn't get her name or her number. 
What the hell was I thinking?
         
I couldn't turn and reach out to her or knock on her door just for her number, that's cynical. I facepalmed myself for being an idiot and drove in despair until reaching my place and repented for my mistakes. 
         
The pent-up anger over myself releases after the cold shower of suffering and guilt, flipping my head back, and getting out shortly. The night of joy turned into sorrow, the time and person whom I could never encounter again. 
         
Or if I could, even if the world was small and even if I knew her address, that opportunity was likely narrow. I grabbed the jacket, her scent still intact. Inhaling the sweet, captivating rose and vanilla essence, my sanity yet revolved over our interactions. 
In the night's embrace, we ride,  
Her trace, a spark I can't deny,  
Curiosity in her pale look,  
A stranger, yet the warmth.
  
Her chuckle hops with the current,  
At this instant, time seemed to halt.
The chill drew her near, we're entangled,
A hushed wish in my restless mind.
In this ride, a bond was built,  
In the chill of twilight, my soul was warm,  
A fleeting odds, a devotion untold,  
In her sights, a tale unfolds.