Stories from the Back of His Motorcycle

Delia stood in front of me, squaring her shoulders as if that would make up for her tiny stature and baby blonde hair. She looked ready to fight. She looked ready to charge right at me and take me down.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, forgetting to be cold in my surprise.

She shot me a look, the God-you’re-really-going-to-make-me-explain-myself look. I could do nothing but stare at her. The counter in between us wouldn’t be enough to save me from her arms if she decided to attack me, no matter how little they were.

It was a Saturday and I was at work. Delia had just walked in after the afternoon rush had ended and, if I peered over to my left, I could make out Vaughn half buried behind an open newspaper. He’d barely left my side all week. I didn’t want him to either.

He had the same thing every time. Hot chocolate. Extra whipped cream. Chocolate sprinkles. And when the machine-of-death undoubtedly broke down he was just there to correct it as if he’d been doing that kind of thing for years. Maybe he had, in other coffee shops across America. Maybe he was some kind of saviour for all caffeine addicts.

“You haven’t been returning any of my calls,” Delia said pointedly “and I can barely catch up to you at school. I know you’re avoiding me and everything but the cold shoulder act is getting old Alice.”

“What?” I asked stupidly, my hands fidgeting with each other. I desperately wished a customer would make the bell over the door chime, command my attention, give me an order to process, offer something stable. With Delia there was too much to read between. Her bright eyes didn’t give away anything she was feeling. That was different. I had to keep reminding myself she wasn’t an open book any longer.

“We’ve never gone this long without talking,” she shrugged “I guess I miss you.”

I raised an eyebrow, instantly suspecting there was more to this than she’d said. Delia didn’t just miss people. Delia missed being in control and knowing that things were running smoothly. She missed Josh.

“Don’t give me that look; I’m not the heartless bitch you think I am.”

“I never thought that,” I told her calmly, finally finding how to work my tongue correctly to form words.

“Sure,” she rolled her eyes and stuck a pose overflowing with attitude. Any passer-by from the street would assume we were mother and daughter, our height so dramatically different, her insolence astounding while I had my arms folded as if about to scold her. We weren’t though; we were equals playing the same game. And I didn’t quite know who was losing.

Finally, she flew the white flag.

“I love you like a sister Alice, we’ve been inseparable for going on seven years. It’s been weird without you.”

It had been strange without Delia too. Vaughn was wonderful, he was more than wonderful, but he didn’t replace Delia. She was my girl friend, she was the one I could protect and just chat with and complain to, she was the only girl I had left to trust in since Mom was gone. I craved that interaction more than I had realised. Even fighting with Delia was better than never seeing her.

Because, watching her shift uncomfortably before the counter, was like watching Vaughn slowly drive away on his motorcycle. It made my heart quicken. It made me wonder what was next, when he disappeared round that corner, when she finally spoke the words clearly heavy on her tongue. And it made me long to wrap my arms around them, so tightly that they wouldn’t leave and all would be forgotten. All would be perfect again.

“I know about Josh and you,” she whispered the words and flinched. Even in hushed tones they were too loud for her, still too piercing. I could practically see the pain. It was swirling around my best friend, making me want to pull her close to me even more. The counter was looking less like protection and more like a blockade as her figure slumped into itself.

“I’m so sorry,” I was whispering too.

There were other people around – customers sipped warm drinks, placing them down on tables to leave a rim of brown, Vivi was watching us out of the corner of her eye, ready to pounce at any moment and rip me out of the awkward silence, Vaughn was in the corner still but I felt his careful gaze on me too. I didn’t need their protection, not from Delia. I didn’t need their approval or admiration like I did from her.

All of our friendship I’d worked harder because of her. I’d tried my best at everything just so that my grades might match hers even slightly, even if the gradient was still off. God, she’d been my motivation. And even if she’d never asked if I was alright, never enquired into my home life, she’d been the only stable thing I could rely upon. I loved her like I’d loved my brothers.

“I don’t blame you, he was a jerk. A huge fucking prick. I know you’d never betray me.”

She trusted me. I almost cried, because trust was something I’d put solely in her and Vaughn, and now it was being returned to me.

“So when Josh was listing off all these things you did together and how you were in love with each other, I didn’t believe him. I bumped into him and he just said these evil things. I can’t believe I never saw him for what he was.”

I shook my head, burying the burning fury towards Josh, to shoot Delia a small smirk. “The sex was good, remember?”

She laughed in recognition, hearing her words being played back to her. Then her arms were reaching out to me, as I knew they would, searching for my lean body to coil themselves round. Delia was beautiful when she was like this – open and smiling and trusting. The old Delia who’d been so cold and self absorbed for such a long time melted away. And I stepped forward to meet her hug over the counter because she was still my best friend.

Nothing was forgotten but all was forgiven. She knew more now about what I’d had to deal with, even if it was only a short flash of my life, even if she could never understand. Cradling her carefully in my arms felt better than having that understanding though. I didn’t need her or want her to have to experience anything I had, she was here and that was what I cherished.

“God, I’ve missed you,” she giggled.

We pulled apart from each other, my eyes trailing over the small line that had accumulated behind Delia. They looked peeved but I didn’t care. I smiled, feeling one less rock pressing down in my stomach, one less burden to have to worry about. The customers fidgeted as if uncomfortable and I almost hoped they would just turn around and leave. I was too happy to care about profit and income and sales at that minute. Delia flashed a look behind her and chuckled too.

“Just give me a black coffee and come see me when you get off.”

I had her order already pressing in my palm before she’d finished speaking. Vivi took it from me, carefully searching my eyes for some unspoken request to chuck Delia out of here – I got the definite feeling the older woman didn’t like my blonde best friend much.

“You okay Sweetie?”

“Fine,” I beamed “just fine.”

She nodded with a small smile of her own, eyes cast at something behind me. I knew that smile. That conspirator smile. And I knew exactly who she usually shared it with. I didn’t even need to turn around as I felt his body suddenly behind me.

However, when his hands slipped around my waist I spun around so quick my hair almost spilled from its clip.

“Vaughn,” I scolded quietly “I’m at work.” I tilted my head over to the line of customers who were burning angry holes into us with their eyes. The boy before me just smirked, carefully hooking his arms even further around me.

I couldn’t work out how he’d managed to sneak around the counter. Maybe he’d just leaped, like he did whenever the machine-of-death broke, without a care, with grace he’d practised when gliding along on his motorcycle. I could see the old customers’ reactions now. Shocked at this young man’s nerve. Worried they’d never get their coffee if this airhead waitress didn’t pull herself together.

“Delia’s sitting over there by herself,” Vaughn’s smirk didn’t lessen any, setting my heart pounding, “and I’m pretty sure you two want to catch up. Tell her all of our dark sexual secrets, how you can’t keep your hands off me, and I’m the best boyfriend in the whole world.”

I rolled my eyes up to the ceiling and wore a smirk of my very own. “Someone’s a little too big for their boots. And,” I unhooked myself from him “that same someone needs to go sit back down so I can get to work.”

“Sweetheart you’ve only just made up with Delia. I know how much your argument was bothering you,” and I was back in his grip, him spinning me around. “So,” he leant down to whisper in my ear, his breathe tickling my cheek. “I’ll cover the last few hours here for you.”

It was only as I felt his body detach itself from me that I noticed my apron was gone too. He’d sneakily untied it while his hot whispering had me distracted, while his soft arms had me trapped. I barely had time to register what had happened before Vaughn’s voice, smooth and calm, washed back over me. Only it wasn’t to me.

“What can I get you today Ma’am?”

I turned to watch the lady’s expression become frozen, her eyes wide with admiration. Vaughn made an easy-on-the-eyes server, he pulled off the ugly blue apron better than I thought was possible. In fact I could see every single woman in the increasing line flush as my boyfriend shot everyone an easy smile.

My boyfriend?

I shook away the thought almost as soon as it had emerged. Titles were things I had no patience for. I didn’t need or want a boyfriend; to me Vaughn was more than just that label. More than just a boy I could flirt with and steal kisses from and write pretty notes to. Vaughn Hart was so much more.

And he was ploughing through the orders, passing them to Vivi far more efficiently than I ever had. He was a natural at everything, sweeping dark hair away from his forehead and shooting me a small smirk to tell me he’d caught my gawping. It was hard not to gawp though. Heck, every woman in the line would agree with me there.

“You’ve got yourself one hell of a man there Sweetie,” Vivi bumped me with her hip. “If you don’t seal the deal soon I’ll have him locked away in the trunk of my car.” She laughed and took the orders outstretched to her, leaving me to hover, unsure.

I caught one more glance from Vaughn who was jotting down a business man’s coffee order. He was a regular. Always had a cappuccino, maximum froth. The look Vaughn cast me told of how, if I didn’t get myself over to Delia’s table in the next few seconds, he would personally take me there. And enjoy every moment of it.

“I know Viv,” I told her quickly as I walked past, spotting Delia sipping her warm drink at a table by the window. “But I won’t be letting him go anytime soon.”