Читать книгу Soul Fulfiller - Ар'лан ис'Дрекхэм - Страница 4

California is an amazing place. Sometimes it gets tiring when you’ve lived here your whole life, but every time you visit new spots, you discover a different side of it. My life is a constant chain of changes — something new every day — and I’m endlessly happy about that.

“Ariel! Sam’s here!” my mom shouted.

“Coming!”

My friend looked flawless, as always. I hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

“So, where are we going today?”

“First, I’m going to introduce you to someone,” Sam replied, pulling me toward the door.

“Mom, we’re heading out. I’ll be home late.”

The weather didn’t disappoint — the evening sunset was just what was needed to lift my mood. I grew more and more curious about what Sam had in mind.

“Who are you going to introduce me to?”

“You’ll see for yourself,” she said.

We arrived at our favorite spot — a huge field, usually used for car races or exclusive parties. Almost every week, underground fights were held here as well. Today, it was motorcycle racing. The heat was unbearable. The roar of the engines filled me with a strange kind of passion. It was unreal.

“Ariel, meet my cousin,” Sam said, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek.

A very handsome young man looked at me and said,

“Colin.”

“Nice to meet you, Colin. I’m Ariel.”

“Want to ride with me?” he asked, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Can I?”

“If you ride with me, then yes,” he said, kissing me on the cheek.

“Go on, Ariel, you won’t regret it,” Sam pushed me gently.

We climbed onto the motorcycle, and I wrapped my arms around Colin’s waist, resting my head against his back. The guy on the black bike shouted at Colin:

“Colin, this is a bad idea!”

The guy was clearly unhappy with what Colin was doing. I wondered what he meant. I noticed that everyone else was riding alone — I was the only one sitting with Colin.

“Hold on!” Colin shouted.

The engine roared to life, and I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing myself tighter against him. When a gunshot rang out, I felt the wind whipping through my hair. It was an indescribable sensation, and I wanted to scream. I could feel Colin riding with complete confidence. I was enjoying the ride.

Sharp turns, unpredictable weather, and the antics of the other racers kept throwing challenge after challenge at us. I felt us veer sharply to the right and climb a hill. I gripped his waist even tighter and closed my eyes, feeling free. Adrenaline coursed through me, a mixture of thrill and fear. A couple of times, we lifted so high that I was grateful I held on tightly — if I’d been lucky the first time, I might not have been the second.

We arrived first. For a few seconds, we sat in silence, catching our breath and taking in the stunning view. The beauty of it all captivated us, and still panting, I tried to process everything that had happened in the last few minutes.

“That was amazing, thank you,” I said to Colin, handing him back his helmet. Adrenaline was still coursing through me. He kissed me on the cheek and wrapped an arm around my waist.

“You guys are so cool!” Sam shouted.

Colin left us and went over to his friends.

“So, girlfriend, did you like my bad-boy brother?”

“Just a little,” I replied with a laugh.

We headed toward everyone, moving in the direction of my best friend’s stepbrother. Colin brought me a beer, and I thanked him with a teasing smile. The music got louder, and the dance floor filled with people.

“Want to dance with me?”

“Baby, I don’t dance,” Colin replied, patting me on the back and grabbing another beer. Sam tugged me by the hand and pulled me onto the dance floor. I could feel Colin and his friends watching me, but I decided to ignore it. The alcohol seemed to have lifted my spirits a bit.

Suddenly, I felt cold hands on my waist. Turning around, I saw Colin. His hands stayed on my waist, and I placed mine on his shoulders.

“You said you don’t dance.”

“You have a good effect on me,” he said, stepping closer. I could feel his quickened breath. Something inside me stirred, and I reached up on my tiptoes. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed him.

“And you have a bad effect on me,” I replied, continuing the kiss.