One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

Lauren woke up in the morning to a pair of big brown eyes staring at her. Once they were completely focused, she rolled over onto her back and let out a sigh. The events of last night came flooding back to her.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice horsed as she ran her hand through her hair in hopes that would alleviate her aching head.

“You were drinking… a lot,” the brown-eyed boy smirked as he leaned back in the chair.

“And you were just there to save me and be my superman?” she said callously as she rested her arm over her eyes.

“Who knows who’s room you would have wound up in if I wasn’t there,” she could hear the smile in his voice.

“Thank you Travie,” she was able to smile at him. “But it looks like I wound up in your bed,” she smirked as she uncovered her eyes to look at him.

“You were just that lucky.”

“I guess I am, Trav,” she said softly once he pushed himself out of the chair.

She lay there with a weak smile on her face as she heard Travis open the door. Not thinking that someone had knocked, she sat up quickly to see what was going on. Bad move. A sharp pain shot through her head as a small yelp left her.

“You ok?” Travis asked as he peaked around to look at her.

“Never better,” she replied as she stood slowly. “Is somebody here?” she went on to ask as she followed his route with her hand running through her hair again.

She stopped short when she saw a guy standing in the doorway. To her, he looked to be in his mid-twenties. Tattoos ran all the way down his left arm clear to his knuckles. His smile seemed to brighten the whole room up as he stared back at her with eyes that mirrored Travis’s, but were a light shade of brown, tinted with blue. A black Fox shirt hung loosely around his hunky physique that faded down to a pair of form fitting jeans that covered a pair of, what Lauren thought, DVS shoes. To top off his gorgeous appearance, a Rockstar hat was skewed to the left of his head; a pair of Oakley’s on top of it. Lauren smiled.

“Mike, this is Lauren. She’s been my best friend ever since I can remember,” Travis smiled as he introduced the pair.A task he would soon regret.

Lauren smiled in acknowledgement as so did Mike, but he added in a little head nod. There were no words exchanged between the two, but so much could be seen in their eyes.

“Mike and I were just going to just walk around and check a few things out,” Travis remarked, bringing Lauren back to reality.

“Oh,” she replied quickly, snapping her gaze from Mike to Travis.

“Why don’t you come with us?” Mike piped in softly as his eyes slowly made it up to hers.

“That’s a good idea. That way you won’t complain to me how you were cooped up in her all day,” Travis teased as he smirked at her.

“Just give me a few minutes to get changed. I don’t think this is appropriate,” she made reference to her short shorts she had on and a tank top.

Not caring what she really grabbed, she was surprised to see that the shirt and shorts matched and actually looked presentable. With her make up still present from the previous night, she saw no need to apply more.

“I’m pretty sure that’s a record for you getting ready,” Travis smirked as Lauren appeared from the bathroom.

“You’re just the charmer, Trav,” she replied as she noticed Mike eyeing her. A small smile formed on his face once his eyes met hers.

“So is there anything going on?” Lauren asked as all three of them exited the room.

“Yeah…”

She glared at him when he didn’t go on. A toothless grin came over his smooth face.

“God damn it, Travis,” she sighed out in frustration as she smacked him lightly.

“It’s BMX big air practice,” Mike chimed in.

“Thank you… Mike,” she glared at Travis again.

Mike replied with a smile that Lauren quickly returned. As they continued down the hall, she did her best to ignore Travis’s little sly comments. They continued as he disappeared around the corner of the hotel building. She looked at Mike questionably. He just shrugged his shoulders in response. They stayed there for a good five minutes without saying anything or looking at each other. Lauren smiled once she finally did look up at him. He was staring down at his shoes as his left hand slowly made its way to the back of his neck. A shy guy…Lauren liked. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, Mr. Pastrana reappeared… with her bike underneath him.

“Get the hell off my bike, Pastrana,” she yelled as she walked over to him.

“What kind of crap is Mirraco producing now a days?” he smirked as he stepped off and Lauren pulled it away from him.

“What’s it to you? You just stay on your Suzuki,” she remarked, peddling away from Travis… to go back to Mike. “What were you doing with this anyway?” she shouted back at him.

“I may have sat up a little something for you,” he smiled. She just eyed him oddly.

“What is it now?” she asked, remembering the night he had ‘planned’ for the two of them about three weeks ago.

“You’ll see,” he smirked again as he walked past her and Mike. “Make sure you bring that sorry excuse for a bike,” he yelled over his shoulder.

“Please tell me you have nothing to do with this,” Lauren said as she started following Travis from a distance.

Mike just nodded his head no. She wished so much that he would be more vocal. He’s a cute guy, she thought. His personality is probably just as cute. The two eventually caught up with Travis where Mike seemed to be more comfortable. Lauren frowned at him, which he didn’t notice. Finally annoyed that she was being ignored, she decided to remind them that she was still in attendance.

“Travis, I swear to god if you don’t tell me anyth…”

“Don’t worry, LP. It’s not bad. Just something I thought would be good for you,” he replied confidently.

“And you would know what is good for me,” she remarked quietly so that he couldn’t hear.

Since Mike was in the middle of the two, he was able to hear her. A smile came over his face as a small laugh managed to escape him.

“What?” Travis shot a look at Lauren.

“Nothing, Travie,” she smiled as they continued to walk.

They entered Staples Center as music blasted all through the arena. From the entrance, Lauren could see the long drop in to the mega ramp. She gulped as a thought of what Travis had planned came to her mind. She managed to chance a look at him and saw him looking back with his huge grin.

“No,” she said as she let her bike fall. He continued to smile. “Travis, no,” she said this time with a little panic in her voice.

“You’ll be fine. Would I let anything happen to you?” he remarked as he placed his arm around her shoulder.

“Travis, if you really do love me, you wouldn’t make me.”

“I’m doing this because I love you,” he winked as he took her to the bottom of the quarter pipe.

“I can’t ride with these guys.”

She tried to come up with every excuse to get out of it. Travis wouldn’t accept one.

“I am not in riding attire,” she tried again as Mike wheeled her bike over.

“I brought some,” he said referring to the backpack slung over his shoulder.

“I don’t even own a full-face helmet,” she said confidently as she crossed her arms. She knew she had him.

“Sure about that?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

She stared back at him as he dug into the backpack. He pulled out a black full-face helmet that faded to green as it flowed to the back, matching her bike. All of her sponsor’s stickers were already placed in clear-cut spots.

“I hate you,” she said as she pulled the helmet from him.

He had a satisfied smile on his face as she took her bike from Mike.

“You’ll be fine. I promise,” he stated as she slid all the gear he had brought for her on.

“Why am I having a hard time believing you?” she asked as the helmet slipped over her face leaving only her blue eyes visible.

“I wouldn’t have you do this if I didn’t think you weren’t capable,” he replied with a sincere look.

She eyed him and a smile came over her. Travis has always been the one to push her to do things she normally wouldn’t. This being a perfect example.

“Show those guys up, LP,” he smiled as he slapped her helmet lightly.

As she peddled off a smile never left her face. The only time it faded was when she was at the top of the drop in, looking down at Travis… who looked like an ant from that high.

“Travis Pastrana is going to be the death of me,” she said to herself as she prepared to drop in.