A Taste of Everyday -- Chapter 7

Disclaimer: The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Zane, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me. No money is being made off of this fic. I only own the original characters (Rena/X5-120, etc.).

“Do you get the answer to number five yet?” Vanessa asked me. We were sitting at her kitchen table doing our math homework. “I can’t figure it out.”

“Yeah, sure,” I said. “You’ve got to multiply the number by ten before…”

“Oh yeah,” Vanessa said. We worked quietly for a few more minutes. Well, Vanessa worked and I pretended to do work. “I can’t believe that eighth grade is almost over. Just one more week to go.”

“Yeah, and in September we’ll be high school freshman,” I pointed out. “It’s going to be so much fun starting at the bottom of the barrel again.”

“Has anybody ever told you that you have a special talent for sarcasm?” Vanessa teased.

Actually, Zack told me that on more than one occasion when he’s stopped in to check up on me. He still really gets on my nerves. You’d think that I wouldn’t be as annoyed with him now, but apparently I’ve also got a special talent for holding grudges. “Yeah, some of my old friends from back in Omaha have told me that before.”

“I bet,” Vanessa said. “Seriously, Janie, are you looking forward to high school?”

“You bet I am,” I said eagerly. I really was. “It’s going to be cool.”

Vanessa grinned. “Yeah, there’s going to be so many more cute guys. I heard that the guys from the other middle schools are way cuter than the guys that go to our school.”

“That’s not too hard,” I remarked. “There are a few that are cute at our school. I think I’ve dated all three of them by now, though.”

“So have I,” Vanessa said. We turned back to our homework but we were interrupted by the sound of an engine revving. “Oh, I bet that’s Gillian’s brother back with his new bike.”

I listened to the engine for a moment before I heard it being shut off. Yep, that sounded like a motorcycle engine and from what I’ve read of the capabilities of one, that was a powerful one. It sounded almost as powerful as the one that I know that Zack has. He won’t let me see his. Jerk. “Do you want to check it out?”

“And check out Gillian’s brother while we’re at it?” Vanessa asked. We both giggled. “You don’t even have to ask, Janie.”

We got up and walked outside and over to the house next door where Gillian, a friend of ours from school, and her older brother Mike were standing outside talking. My jaw dropped and not because of Mike, who’s good-looking enough to be an X-series. Next to Mike was the most perfect piece of machinery that I believe has ever been conceived of. It had to have been the sleekest, most awesome motorcycle ever. I kept my voice as casual as a thirteen-year-old whose friend has a very cute older brother’s voice is supposed to be. “Hi, Gillian. Hi, Mike. What’s up?”

“Not a whole lot,” Gillian replied. “Check out Mike’s new bike.”

“It’s cool,” Vanessa said. “What kind is it?”

“Model,” I automatically corrected her. Vanessa and Gillian and Mike looked at me and I shrugged. “I’m practically dying to be old enough to get one of these things. So I read a lot of magazines, so sue me.”

Mike grinned. “Hell, I’m just happy that at least one of my sister’s friends will be able to understand me when I tell y’all just how wonderful this baby is.”

“He won’t shut up about it,” Gillian complained.

“This sweet piece of metal is a Yamaha YZF-R1,” Mike said proudly. “This baby’s got a 998cc…” I tuned Mike out. I knew the specs of the bike by heart, I’d read enough magazines and books. All I knew was that I wanted to get a motorcycle that was like it, or at least ride one. “…it’s got a lot to spare.”

“Yeah, cool,” Vanessa said distantly. Everything that Mike had said had obviously gone way over her head.

“It is cool,” I said. “Can you teach me how to ride it?”

“Um, Janie, you’re only thirteen,” Mike pointed.

“So?” I said. “We learn to ride bicycles when we’re little and we’re going to start learning how to drive a car in less than two years. Motorcycles kind of fall in between the two and I’m in between learning how to ride a bike and learning how to drive so I think I can learn how to ride a motorcycle.” That is the kind of weird logic that either drives ordinary people nuts or they’ll accept. I know I’m right about learning how to ride a motorcycle. I’ve seen people ride them and from the stuff that I’ve read and the movies that I’d seen where characters have gotten on and rode motorcycles, I bet that I can have it down in a snap. Besides, they taught Zack, Tinga, Kenny, and Zane to ride motorcycles back in mechanics class in Manticore about six months before we escaped.

“That actually makes sense in a way,” Mike conceded, shaking his head. “You’re definitely tall enough to ride a motorcycle, Janie, but do you think that you can handle the power?”

If I can bench press that bike a whole bunch of times without breaking a sweat, then you’re damn right that I can handle the power. “Yeah, I can handle it.”

“Give her a shot and show her the basics, Mike,” Gillian said. “She won’t stop bugging us if you don’t at least do that. Besides, Mom and Dad aren’t home and I won’t tell them and Vanessa’s parents aren’t home and she won’t tell and Janie won’t tell her foster parents.”

Mike sighed. “Okay, okay.” He started to explain to me how the motorcycle worked and what I had to do, etc. I really did pay attention to him. “Now, step onto it.”

“Sure,” I said. I swung onto the bike and sat down, gripping the handlebars excitedly.

“Don’t forget this,” Mike teased. He held out his helmet and I took it from him and put it on. “Great. Now, turn on the ignition.”

I turned it on and I don’t know how I managed not to jump and scream out loud for joy when I heard that engine come to life. I have never heard a sweeter sound. “Done.”

“Okay, now slowly to the end of the block and back,” Mike instructed.

“Okay,” I said. I did just as he said, though I wished so bad that I could blast off at 100 plus around the neighborhood. I should start out slow, though, since regardless of my DNA, this was the first time that I ever rode a motorcycle. I grinned when I pulled up to Mike and Vanessa and Gillian. “What do you think?”

“You look like a natural on that bike,” Mike confessed. “You’re doing better than I did when I first started taking actual lessons.”

“It’s in the blood,” I said. Watch it there, Rena. “Before he died, my dad had two bikes. One was a bike like this one that he would take out by himself sometimes and he also had one of those big Harley-Davidsons and before we moved here from Nebraska, he started to take me on short little rides on that thing and it was so much fun.” That was a nice save. “He had to sell both of the bikes before we moved.”

“I can’t believe that you didn’t fall off,” Gillian said. “You are way more coordinated than I am. It took me so long just to ride a regular bicycle and you’ve seen me in gym class. I have a hard time not tripping over my own two feet.”

“If you promise that any of you won’t say a word to anybody, I’ll teach you more on how to ride the bike this summer until I have to go back to college,” Mike promised.

I grinned. “You’ve got a deal.”

“Riding a motorcycle at thirteen,” Vanessa teased. “I didn’t know you were this wild, Janie.”

Wild. Yeah, I am wild. I was as wild as I could have been back at Manticore. Me and Max and Jondy were definitely what the outside world would call hell raisers. Jondy was the calmest of the three of us, but she would also do the most insane things between us. I bet she’s going to learn how to ride a motorcycle as soon as she’s tall enough to, if she hasn’t already and knowing Jondy, I bet she’s found a way. I know Max will, too. I looked down at the bike once more. I could be a hell raiser again. Within reason because I didn’t want to blow my cover, but I could let certain parts of my personality loose again. I was more comfortable in the outside world than I was when I escaped. I could be more me.

“Oh yeah,” I said. My grinned widened as I got off of the motorcycle. “Welcome to the real me.” We all laughed.

TBC