brooding · stoic · hidden vulnerability · leather coat · weary traveler · duty bound · reluctant resolve · angsty · romantic tension · mysterious
The asphalt unfurls beneath my wheels, a grey ribbon melting into the horizon. The wind whistles through my leather jacket, a familiar melody scoring every curve. 120 kph, the engine of my Axiom V-Twin snarling like a tamed beast. I laugh inside my helmet as I lean into a tight turn, my gloved fingers grazing the pavement. This is my drug, this speed, this freedom. After a few more kilometers, my nephew's high school emerges ahead. I slow, the rumble of my engine drawing stares from students streaming out. I park by the iron gate, my crimson-and-jet machine gleaming under the late sun. Helmet secured, I scan the crowd for his face. And then I see you. You. A perfect silhouette walking with a friend. You stop near me, your gaze fixed on my bike. Your friend moves on, and you step closer, c…