9.Closer than I should
1025 Words
Enya's Point of View
The Ducati roared to life, sleek and powerful, as if it carried the same quiet arrogance of its owner. I had no idea how Raphael managed to find a bike that matched his personality so perfectly. This bike seemed like it was manufactured specifically for this ice prince.
The rumble of the engine vibrated beneath me as I sat stiffly on the back of his sacred bike. Being this close to him felt awkward and uncomfortable. I tried to keep a distance from him as much as possible, holding the sides of the seat rather than his waist. But the moment we sped onto the road, as the wind lashed at my face, I almost lost my balance.
"Hold on." Raphael's voice cut through the air. Steady and commanding.
"I'm fine," I replied, gripping the sides of the seat tightly.
He sped up the bike without giving me a reply. My body tilted and hit his broad back.
"Sorry!" I quickly moved away, dying with embarrassment.
"If you don't hold on, you'll fall. Other people are waiting for us; we don't have time to crawl there." He sounded cold, but his words were practical.
I couldn't argue with him on that, so, letting my pride crumble, I slid forward, circling my arms around his waist. My fingers clutched his shirt tightly.
His body was warm, and honestly, it felt so good. It was a warmth I was willing to sacrifice anything for.
I closed my eyes, trying to calm my mind. I was afraid he would feel how fast my heart was beating through the thin fabric between us.
How ironic. In my past life, I desperately wished for a ride like this on his motorbike. Sitting behind him, clinging to him, letting myself absorb the warmth of his body as he cut through the wind. At least for one ride...
But he never allowed it. Even when he met me one day on a deserted road, injured and struggling to walk, he refused to let me ride with him. That was the place I had in his life. For him, I wasn't worth more than a fleck of dust on his shoes.
And yet, today, I was here, sitting behind him. I didn't even ask for this; I had no intention of letting this happen either. I had no idea why Raphael wanted to give me a ride all of a sudden. How could he have changed this much from how I remembered him? Sometimes I feel like the life I'm living is entirely different from the past.
We arrived at the bar quickly. The moment Raphael parked, I got off the bike.
"Thank you..." I murmured and headed inside without even waiting for him.
The bar was filled with laughter and chatter. The group was already gathered around a long table. Rose spotted me first.
"Enya!" she yelled, gesturing for me to sit beside her.
I smiled politely at everyone and hurried to the seat next to Rose.
"How are you, hon?" Sandy asked.
"A lot better..." I smiled.
"Great!" Sandy said happily.
Then I quickly sat beside Rose and pulled her arm.
"How could you leave me behind?" I pouted.
Rose blinked as guilt flushed over her face. "Check your phone..."
I fetched my phone from my pocket. After seeing Raphael standing beside my bed, I had completely forgotten to even check it. There were three missed calls and several messages from Rose. There were two missed calls from Sandy as well.
Oh no! The time I thought I was reminiscing, I had actually fallen asleep.
"I was about to go and wake you up myself. But we didn't have enough cars and we were late. So Sandy suggested Raphael should get you from the medical centre and ride with you while we drove here."
My chest loosened. So it was Sandy's idea all along. Raphael didn't decide to give me a ride. It was still strange for him to let anyone ride on his precious bike, but now I felt much better. I had been paranoid, panicking over nothing. I should stop always comparing the present Raphael to my past stepbrother.
"Oh! I see... That's fine..." I let out a sigh.
Rose tilted her head, studying me. Then she grabbed my hand. "Come on. Don't be grumpy. It's our first night out as college students."
The night flowed more easily than I expected. Everyone was drinking, chatting, and laughing. Sandy was so good at keeping people excited with her cheerful self.
For a while, even I could forget about everything else and be truly happy.
But from time to time, I couldn't help but get distracted by the tall figure sitting a few seats away from me. Even when he was silent, his presence carried weight. He was like a human magnet, always attracting others' attention. Every time he spoke, answering something someone asked, or adding a detail someone missed, his deep voice, that calm and cold way he spoke, sent a shiver running through my heart.
I told myself to ignore him, to focus on Rose, on Sandy, on anyone else. But every so often, I caught myself looking at him. After being that close to him a few minutes earlier, it seemed like I had gotten even more sensitive to this man. Damn it!
"Alright, everyone!!!" Suddenly, Sandy's voice cut through the chatter.
"I feel so bored just chatting and drinking," she claimed dramatically.
Everyone stared at her.
"Let's play a game!" she said playfully.
"What game?" someone asked.
"What game suits a night like this better than Truth or Dare!" Sandy laughed cheerfully.
My stomach tightened. Oh no.
Everyone began to shout in agreement.
"God! I always wanted to play Truth or Dare in college!" Rose's excitement was evident.
I forced a smile, my heart tightening.
Truth or Dare in front of the man who destroyed me in my past life? I just wanted to be far away from him, not confess truths in front of him.
A game like this with Raphael... I could think of a million ways it could go wrong.
- Writer
