Nic felt a little uncomfortable.

Yes, definitely uncomfortable.

After all, what man wouldn’t be if he was ever caught in a somewhat embarrassing situation like Nic right now?

To be riding behind a girl on a motorcycle and having to hold her waist as she sped with so much ease through the city was definitely something Nic wasn’t really used to.

Joyce, however, didn’t seem to see where the problem was at all. Holding her waist, he could feel no tension existing in her muscles. She felt calm, comfortable and relaxed under his arms.

Each time, Joyce stepped on the accelerator; their bodies would be crushing against each other. Though, this might have been a little uncomfortable at first, Nic had quickly came to enjoy this closeness and the weird sensations that it brought along.

Because of his less than clean background and all the pain that had accompanied his childhood, Nic has made it a rule to distance himself from people. The wall that he had chosen to build around himself was his only defense mechanism.

But somehow, in ways that Nic couldn’t quite explain and comprehend, Joyce seemed to have broken through his icy wall of indifference without any difficulty.

There was just this something about her that would make him feel very at ease whenever she was around and as more and more time passed, he found himself missing and longing for her presence whenever she wasn’t around.

The other day when Joyce had asked him if he was free on Saturday because there was this special place she wanted to go, Nic didn’t know why but he had accepted to accompany her.

This morning she had called him and asked him to meet with her at Hung Sam. When he came there by car, she was already waiting for him right in front of the company on her motorcycle. She had insisted that he joined her on her bike rather than them riding together in his car. Not given much of a choice, Nic had to resign to sitting behind her. And since then, they have been on the road.

Nic didn’t have a clue as to where they were heading and he didn’t feel the need to know either. He will know when they will get there.

15 minutes later

Joyce slowly stopped her bike when they finally arrived at the top of the hill. They both got off the bike and sat down beside each other on the green grass.

For a while, they just both sat there, their faces looking ahead, observing the view from the top of the hill in silence, both locked in deep thoughts of their own.

And then suddenly, Joyce spoke.

Joyce (turning to look at Nic): Do you know why I asked you to come here with me?

At Joyce’s question, Nic turned to look at her, his soulful eyes meeting with hers.

He shook his head.

Joyce (her eyes gently gazing into his, her voice soft): Because I know you would have enjoyed this just as much I do.

Nic smiled at that but he said nothing.

Instead, as his smiled slowly faded, he just continued to gaze into her eyes, as if hypnotized by an unspeakable something in those chocolate brown eyes.

It felt like forever until Joyce finally broke the uncomfortable gaze as she shifted her gaze back to the view ahead of them.

And then, just a little later, she spoke again.

Joyce: Do you know why I like to come here so much?

Nic: You like the view from here?

Joyce (she smiles and then suddenly stands up as she looks ahead): I like to come here a lot especially when I am unhappy or lost. This is one of the highest hills in Hong Kong and its view overlooks the whole city. Standing up here gives me the feeling that I have my life within my control. (turning to look at Nic) And sitting here on the green grass, observing the beautiful view in the gentle breeze…just to be amidst nature’s elements, relaxes me and keeps me at peace with myself whenever I feel that my life is running out of control.

Nic said nothing as Joyce spoke. Instead, he just gazed at her in fascination.

The more he saw of Joyce, the less he felt he knew her. It was as if she was this mystery you thought you had all figured out until you reached the last stage and find out that all you have believed in from the beginning was all a lie.

To Nic, Joyce was as mysterious as the moon and as attractive as the sun and for that reason, Nic couldn’t help but be drawn to her.

Joyce observed Nic observing her. Nic might not know this but to her, he was every bit the mystery he thought of her to be. And just like he wanted to know more about her, she wanted to know more about him.

Joyce (she walks back to where Nic is sitting and sits down beside him): Tell me about you.

Nic (seeming puzzled): About me?

Joyce turned to look at him as she nodded, seeming a little surprised by his reaction.

Nic (getting suddenly very uncomfortable, he restlessly shifts his sitting position): There’s nothing really worth telling.

Joyce (she stays silent for a little while, her eyes looking into his as she observes him, and then): Every single person should have at least one story worth telling.

Nic didn’t know what to say and neither did he want to say anything so he just shrugged his shoulders.

Joyce (insisting): What about your parents?

Nic (sounding suddenly harsh and defensive): What about them?

Joyce (seeming unperturbed by the change in Nic’s tone): Are they still alive?

Nic (in a very hostile and annoyed tone): How is that supposed to be your business?

Joyce (she pauses a little and then shrugging her shoulders, she looks down and smiles sadly): It’s not. (she again stays silent for a while, seeming suddenly lost in her own thoughts, and then she looks back up and at him) I was just wondering how it must feel to have parents because mine died before I even got to see them.

Nic (his eyes reflecting melancholy as he seems to thoughtfully reminisce about his own fate, looking down): You may not believe me, but in some cases, it might be better not knowing them at all (looking up and at her with eyes that seem to bear so much agony in them).

Joyce observed Nic as he said those words.

Bitterness was evident in Nic’s voice as he spoke. In fact, he sounded so bitter that it was almost agonizingly painful to just hear him speak. Hearing Nic say what he just said didn’t give Joyce the courage to go further in her questioning because she could feel that whatever that he was keeping to himself, must have hurt him so much that just talking about it, brought back the pain.

With Nic’s answer, Joyce just nodded. Turning her face back ahead, she just resumed observing the scenery without saying anything else.

Joyce always knew when to not cross the line.