Page 2 of Tailwhip
“Does he have a good reason?” she says, challenging me.
“You cannot honestly think I am the reason he hasn’t toured Denver for the past four years?”
Shrugging her shoulders, she says, “I’m just saying, it kind of makes sense. You guys haven’t seen each other or talked since you broke up with him senior year and he left right after that to pursue his pro career, which, if I might add, worked out very much in his favor!” To say I am shocked by this would be an understatement. Neha comes closer to me and gently puts her hand on mine and tells me some raw truths that I was not ready to hear. “Ashlynn, you broke that boy’s heart. He called me after it happened, asking me if I knew why. I couldn’t tell him anything that would make him feel better. He told me your reason, and it was a shitty reason. That’s when he said he was leaving and asked me to take care of you. So, even though you broke his heart, he still cared enough about you to make sure I would look out for you.”
My mouth is suddenly so dry, but I somehow manage to get the words out. “So, it is because of me. I am such a horrible person.”
“You are not horrible. He just left for Greenville, NC, where he had a better chance at going pro, though you did help push him along!”
“Thanks for that, you jerk!”
“Just being honest,” she says, batting her eyes at me.
All I can do is shake my head at her and say, “At least he is doing well and doing what he loves. Have you ever been to an Extreme Tour?” I must ask her this, because I really don’t know if she has or not.
“Yes, I just never told you. At the ones I have gone to, I was never able to talk to the top guys, though. Sorry that I never told you.”
Looking at my best friend letting her know I am not upset, I say, “Neha, it is your job. I wouldn’t have been mad.”
“Oh, thank goodness. I was a bit worried!” she says sarcastically.
“Yes, I am so sure you were!” This has to be one of the strangest nights. Neha just dropped in on me this early in the morning, bringing up these kinds of memories at 2 AM. Only she can manage to do this sort of thing. “Anyway, when does the tour stop here?” I ask to get as much information as I can.
“First weekend in August. So, be ready, Ashers. You are coming with me!”
I really don’t think my eyes can get any wider. “I cannot go to that! What if he sees me?”
Neha looks very annoyed by my comment. “Seriously! There are hundreds of people at these tours; the chances of you two seeing each other are pretty much nonexistent. Anyway, I am going to go home now, and I will call you later!”
“Oh, thanks for leaving me after dropping these bombs on me!”
“No problem, babe! See ya later!”
After Neha shuts the door and leaves me with my thoughts, I lean my forehead on the door and say to myself, “I guess I am going to the Extreme Tour!”
2
Ashlynn
Harsh Realm - Widowspeak
It has been a week since Neha dropped in on me, telling me she got an assignment to interview the top riders of the Extreme Sports tour. One of those top riders happens to be my ex-boyfriend from high school, Anthony Ville. Since she left me, it seems that all I have been thinking about is our relationship and feelings we had for each other. It is true my reason for breaking up with him was shitty, to put it lightly. I literally broke up with him just to break up; I was such a jerk. Honestly, though, looking back on our relationship, I think I was just scared because our feelings were so intense for each other. I think that I thought that if he went off and became a pro, he would find someone so much better and then I would have had the broken heart. Selfish, I know!
I need to get my mind off him. I haven’t thought of him in so long–well, not that long. I think about him more often than I like to admit, and I would never tell Neha this. She would never let me live that down. Sometimes, I swear I can still smell the cologne he used to wear or feel his lips when we would kiss–god, I miss that. Wait, what? I shouldn’t be thinking about that! Though, I also miss his hugs; he was so much taller than me and would just wrap me up in his arms, and I felt safe there. He gave the best hugs. I don’t regret anything in our relationship. I loved that boy so fiercely, and I think he loved me that way, too. We were inseparable. We just fit together so well, and I could tell he wanted to ask me to be his girlfriend. Of course, I wanted to be. Once he finally asked and I said yes, he stated we are like math without the numbers because it was the two of us coming together! He was so cute and stumbled over his words. Of course, I wanted to be his girlfriend!
I need to get my mind on something else. I need to call Neha and ask what the plans are for Denver. “Hey! How are you? I wanted to ask what the plans are for Denver?” I am met with silence, which is not like Neha.
“You really want to go with me?”
I am shaking my head at this girl, though she cannot see me. “Yes, you kind of didn’t give me an option. Was it too early for you to remember all this at 2 AM?”
Sighing as loud as one possibly could, she starts saying, “I just didn’t think you would really go with me because of your concerns. I know I said you more than likely wouldn’t run into each other, but what if you do?”
This was my worry at 2 AM and it didn’t seem to matter because she assured me chances of us running into each other were nonexistent. Now, she is second guessing this–unbelievable. “Neha, I honestly doubt we will see one another, and if we do, I will just smile and wave at him. I won’t be awkward about it, and I hope you won’t be either. Besides, I want to see you in action! I’ve never gone with you in your interviews. I just won’t be there for the BMX one, for obvious reasons.”
Receiving silence again, I have to say hello just to make sure she is still on the phone. “Neha, are you still there?”
Clearing her voice, she finally speaks. “Yes, I am still here. I am just shocked you are agreeing to go. It will be fun, I promise. Can you drive us there, though? You always say my driving freaks you out.” It really does freak me out–she is the worst driver in the history of driving.