Stranger Boy

A Ride To Remember

The rest of the school day felt like the longest in history. Every class dragged on, every tick of the clock teasing me. I caught Bradley’s eyes a few times across the hallway, and each time, he gave me that quiet half-smile that made my stomach flutter.

By the final bell, Ana had already packed up. “So,” she said, glancing between me and Bradley’s desk, “are you two going to pretend you’re not dying to talk again?”

I tried to act normal. “It’s just… a ride home, Ana.”

She looked at me, smirking. “Mhm. A ride to remember.”

Outside, the afternoon air was cool and soft. I spotted Bradley leaning against his motorcycle by the gate, one hand in his pocket, his helmet resting on the seat. He looked as if he had walked straight out of a movie.

“Hey, Mari,” he said, his voice low and calm. “Need a lift?”

I laughed and shook my head. “You’re making this a habit, aren’t you?”

He grinned. “Maybe. Maybe I just like rescuing you.”

I knew I was supposed to go with my driver and that my mom would worry if I didn’t, but I didn’t care anymore. I quickly called my mom and told her I would be going home with Ana, so she should tell the driver not to come pick me up. Bradley handed me the helmet, and I climbed on behind him. As soon as the engine started, my heart raced. The wind brushed through my hair, and I could feel his warmth through his jacket. It was both thrilling and strangely comforting.

We did not talk much at first, just listened to the hum of the motorcycle and watched the city blur past. Then Bradley slowed down near a quiet stretch of road.

“I moved here last month,” he said suddenly. “Didn’t think I’d meet anyone so soon.”

I smiled into the wind. “So soon as in…?”

“As in, someone worth remembering.”

My chest tightened a little. “You have a way with words, you know that?”

He chuckled. “Guess I mean them.”

When we reached my street, he parked in the same spot as before. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in orange and pink. I didn’t want to move.

“So,” I said softly, “why did you move here? You never said.”

He hesitated, his fingers drumming lightly on the handlebars. “Family stuff. It’s… complicated.”

There was something guarded in his tone, like he was hiding something he did not want to reveal.

“Oh,” I said gently, “you don’t have to tell me if it’s private.”

He looked up, his blue eyes catching the last of the sunlight. “It’s not that I don’t want to. Just… not yet.”

I nodded. “I get it.”

He smiled faintly and reached into his jacket, pulling out something small. It was a black leather bracelet.

“Here,” he said, handing it to me. “So you don’t forget your mysterious stranger again.”

I laughed. “You think I could?”

He shook his head. “You never know.”

As he handed it to me, our fingers brushed. For a second, the world fell silent. I felt a gentle, magnetic force between us that made me smile.

“Thanks,” I whispered.

He looked like he wanted to say something more, but didn’t. Instead, he said, “I’ll text you tonight, okay?”

“Okay.”

He put on his helmet, started the engine, and rode off down the street, the sound fading into the distance.

I stood there for a long time, the bracelet warm in my palm.

When I finally went inside, Mom was in the kitchen again, pretending not to pry.

“So,” she said casually, “you told me you were coming home with Ana. Who was the young man I saw outside? Is that the same boy who brought you home two days ago?”

I couldn’t hide my smile. “Maybe.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Hmm. He seems polite. But remember, darling, not everyone is who they seem.”

I rolled my eyes lightly. “Mom, it’s fine. He’s… he’s different.”

She smiled knowingly. “That’s what every girl says before things get interesting.”

That night, I could not focus on anything—not my homework, not my phone. When it finally buzzed with a message, my heart raced.

Before I put my phone down, I heard the faint sound of a motorcycle in the distance. For a moment, I thought it was him passing by my street again.

But when I peeked through my window, the road was empty except for a dark car parked a little too long at the corner. I did not think much of it then.

Later that night, as I lay in bed, I could not shake the feeling that someone else was watching.