Night Rider

Everything is going according to plan. Mike from next door picks me up and takes me to Youth Club. When we arrive he disappears and I know I am free to do what I want for the next few hours.

Nomi has promised to lend me a leather jacket. I see her standing at the back of the hall. She knows my plan and she smiles and wags a finger in my direction.

I can’t believe I am going on a night ride with Biker Mike. This is probably the wildest thing I have ever done, apart from screaming all the way down a roller coaster ride.

“Nomi, thanks my friend!” I gasp as I walk up to her. The two of us give each other a big hug.

“Have fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” shouts Nomi.

I have just enough time to look back and smile before I run out of the door with my leather jacket and my heart beating loudly.

Mike and the other bikers are outside in the car park. Don’t let me trip, I think, as I try to stay cool.

“Hi Zoe, so glad you could make it,” says Mike.

I just nod. I don’t know what to say. The other bikers start revving their bikes. Mike gives me a helmet. I put it on and hope I look like a biker chick!

There is no more time for second thoughts. Mike climbs onto his bike and I climb on nervously behind him. I put my arms around his waist and feel myself shiver inside.

The other bikers wait for Mike to leave the car park. They speed down the road and I cling on, hardly daring to breathe.

We are heading out towards the old drive-in, overlooking the town. They don’t play movies any longer, but the old speaker sets still hang in their places. The bikers have fun weaving in and out of the speaker stands and ramping up and down the humps. I just keep hanging on. Finally, we stop. I am quite breathless. A mixture of fear and excitement overcomes me.

Mike lifts me off the back of the bike and puts an arm around my waist to show me the view. Twinkling lights below and stars above us. But even a rubbish dump would have looked beautiful to me with Mike by my side.

We stand there together for a while. Then suddenly, some sort of alarm buzzes on Mike’s phone.

“Gotta go, guys,” he says.

“Sorry Zoe, I’ll have to take you back now,” he says, as we make our way back to the bikes. “But I want to see you again. Will you come on another date?”

“Yes, definitely,” I say.

He smiles and gives me a gentle kiss on the cheek. “Lots more where those come from,” he says, with a twinkle in his eye.

We race off back to the Youth Club hall. I’m weak at the knees.

I walk into the hall to find that the evening is about to end. I’m just in time to catch a ride home with Mike from next door, in his uncle’s car.

***

Tell us what you think: Do you think Zoe will regret misleading her granny and going on an exciting night ride with a motorbike gang?