Page 71 of Tailwhip
He smiles at me and pushes a strain of hair off my cheek, “Remember what I said, Peanut, about Anthony. I want you to be happy, okay? Also, stop hiding your face; you’re beautiful–nothing can take that away.”
He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, gets up, and stops at the door. “Goodbye Ashlynn.”
He turns and closes the door behind him. Shocked, I start to silently cry, but at the same time I am smiling because Avan just wants me to be happy and not even happy with him, but with Anthony.
I wake back up around 10:45 later that morning and just lay in bed for a while before I go and get interrogated by both Cora and Neha. I feel for my phone on the nightstand when I feel something else. I turn over and see a necklace. Not just any necklace–my snowflake necklace that Avan gave to me in high school. The necklace I never wore home in fear my mom would find it in a drawer and take it away from me. He kept it all this time. I read the folded piece of paper that is tucked under it. “You left this at my house! Love you P!” I lay back down and just laugh at his note.
I finally get up and shower for the day. I have no weight bearing down on my shoulders after everything. Right there, as I am getting ready, I forgive Anthony, like Avan told me to. I don’t know what Anthony was thinking and what he was going through, but I don’t care anymore. I forgive him and now it is my turn to get him back. Avan is right: I still have strong feelings for Anthony, and I don’t want them to go away. So, I don’t care how long it takes. I am getting my guy back. The same guy who knocked me on my ass in high school, the same guy who showed up at my house to answer my text, and the same guy who flew me to Dallas to watch him ride in the finale of the Extreme Tour. I say to no one, “I’m coming back, Anthony.”
Before I leave my room, I sit on the bed and contemplate unblocking alerts and texting him, but I stop. I want to see him and tell him everything to his face, so he knows that I am serious and that I want US back.
41
Anthony
Make it Up to You – River City High
It has been a few days since I left Frisco and my talk with Heath. After getting everything off my chest, I feel better and have a clear vision of how to move forward with everything regarding Ashlynn and me.
Before I start my riding for the day, I look over at the few upcoming competitions that are on the books for the other riders on the team. I decide to give Chase a call to let him know that I am coming back and to get me back into those competitions as well. I already called and set up a meeting with 360 energy about the drink collab that they wanted to do with me and have that planned for May. Everything is coming back together. I really do have Heath to thank for this; he gave me that hope, telling me that Ashlynn has asked about me and then seeing the framed picture of us in Seattle just made it even more concrete.
Chase's phone keeps ringing incessantly, and I wonder what he's up to since he's not answering my call. He usually picks up right away. As soon as I hang up, I toss my phone on my hoodie and drop in to start a few new trick variations I have been working on for the Competition in Santa Cruz. I am looking forward to going out to California for this one. It is a whole new event. It is something that really hasn’t been done before. It sounds similar to an extreme tour; the only real difference is the first part is for the pro rookie class to get additional endorsements and the second part is for the pro riders. Along with the split, they also will have a ton of food vendors, apparel, and even a free show once the pro day is done to close it out.
I have been riding for a few hours when my phone starts ringing over the speakers that my Bluetooth is hooked up to. Once back on deck, I lay my bike down and answer Chase’s call. “Hey man, what’s up?”
I haven’t talked to Chase since his quick text message about the team wanting to go up to New York for a cruise, but I haven’t seen anything showing they have done that. “Hey! Sorry I missed your call. I was on the phone with Paul Hendrix, trying to plan when I can get out there and meet face to face. How are things going? Are you coming home yet?”
I take a seat on the deck and let my legs hang over. “Yeah, I am coming home in the next few days. I need you to get me back into the competitions, if that is at all possible. I got my meeting setup with the energy drink company for May.”
I hear Chase let out a long sigh. “Finally! The team doesn’t know what to do with you being gone. You are the glue of the team, man. They even decided against the cruise in New York because they wanted to wait for you to get back. So, to answer your question: yeah, I’ll get to calling for the competitions!”
I don’t know what to say besides, “Thanks man. I appreciate everything you do and for letting me get away to get my shit together.”
We are both quiet for a few minutes when Chase asks, “Are you better? No more drinking? That wasn’t you.”
I nod my head even though he can’t see me. “Yeah, at least no more drinking in the morning.” Chase is quiet when I finally laugh. “I am kidding! I haven’t had anything since New Year’s, and I feel like myself again.”
After that, we each say bye and hang up and I get back to my riding.
I have been riding for a few hours after my call with Chase and I decide, fuck it, I want to ride at the skate park down at Memorial Park and get on the full vert ramp for some air. I don’t care who sees me or if it gets posted anywhere. I throw my bike in the back of my truck and start toward downtown. As I am driving on the interstate, my phone vibrates with a new text. I ignore it until I pull into the parking lot and get out. I look at who text and it’s Heath, along with a picture of the note I left.
I burst out laughing when I read his message and see the picture of the note I left on her table in her writing room, when I get another message from Heath.
That gets my full attention–no wonder why they have stayed all as unread. She has the alerts silenced, but she had to have seen the number bubble next to my name, unless she always leaves her messages to Heath or Neha open, so she doesn’t really see any other ones. I am almost certain that is what she is doing. I type out a message back to Heath before I go and ride some more.
After that, I toss my phone in the glove box and get on my bike toward the bowls. I drop in and flow around before I start doing anything. It is a warm day in Colorado Springs for mid-February. As I am riding around, I notice a few kids taking pictures and pointing at me. Once I stop, they come over and ask for a few selfies with them and I am happy to take some. One of the younger kids asks me if I am going to go on the vert ramp. I let out a sigh and ask him if he thinks I should. He gets an excited look on his face, saying “Hell yeah man!”
With that easy answer, I make my way up the stairs for the drop in. I don’t usually ride vert, but it’s nice to have the option at the park. After a few runs on the ramp, I am done for the day.
As I am loading up my bike in the bed of my truck, I take a seat on the tailgate and just stare at the mountains that are the backdrop to Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak in particular, America’s mountain they call it, and it looks good, fully snowcapped from the winter and spring storms. I get why Ashlynn loves it here so much; the state has the Rocky Mountains for a nice backdrop. It’s then I notice a lifted 4Runner pull into the parking lot of the skatepark and my heart nearly stops because it looks exactly like Ashlynn’s 4Runner. I am staring, waiting for the driver to get out, but when they do, it is not Ashlynn. How could it be when Heath told me just a few nights ago that she is in Vancouver with Neha and Cora? My mind is playing tricks on me, making me think that could have been her. Talking to myself, I say, “Great, now I am starting to see her when she isn’t even here.”
After I see the 4Runner, I get on Instagram and pull up Ashlynn’s page and noticed that she uploaded a reel. I click on it and see that it is of her snowboarding and taking on a jump, sticking it, and face planting–all in the span of a few minutes. Whoever was recording her caught the big smile on Ashlynn’s face after she rolls onto her back. It makes me smile, knowing she is having fun out in Vancouver. Maybe someday I can meet her friend Cora. She wasn’t in high school with us, so I really don’t even know how her, and Ashlynn became friends or how long they have been friends. Leaving the skatepark to head back to the house, I see another 4Runner and say to myself, “How many freaking lifted 4Runners can there be in Colorado Springs?”
I am back at Jason’s dad’s house and getting all my things packed up to head out first thing tomorrow morning. I know I told Chase in a few days, but I am anxious to get home and see the guys and ride with them again.
I wake up bright and early, get my bikes secured in the bed, and toss my bag in the back and get onto the interstate to head back home–back to Greenville–where it all started. It’s a 26-hour drive from Colorado Springs back to Greenville, which will essentially be two days because I cannot drive that myself. I drive for 15 hours the first day and end up stopping to get a hotel room. While sitting in my hotel room, I check my messages to Ashlynn, just hoping they are marked as read now after what Heath told me, but they all still reflect unread. I need to give it some time; I am sure once Heath tells her I was at her house, they will be read. I am up bright and early to finish up my last 11 hours of driving. I have a feeling of excitement, heading back home and seeing the team.
I pull into my driveway around 4 in the afternoon and notice the team is out back building dirt jumps–of all things to be building at a house that doesn’t even belong to them. I just sit in the truck for a few and get out since no one has noticed that I pulled up yet. They are all busy smoothing out a big jump; Nash is just standing, watching with his back to me as I walk toward them. I stop a little behind him. “What the hell do you all think you are doing?”