The Baddest Biker Bar In Town: Hidden By The Night (6 page)

As the sun starts to creep through the blinds in their dorm room, Katie stirs awake. Shila moved back to her bed during the night and they wake up with a lot of energy. They make their morning coffee and joke about their late night rendezvous. “Do you think you’re gay?” Shila asks. Katie responds, “I think I’m just open minded you know? I know I’d like to marry a guy one day.” Shila responds, “me too.” As they sip their coffee they start to talk about their camping trip which they have to pack for.

They decide to do a detox weekend after two heavy drinking days. They go to the local grocery store and stock up on healthy snacks, oatmeal and vegetarian chili. They stop by the hardware store and buy some firewood. As they drive towards the state park with their car full of blankets, a bongo and food they feel excited about being in nature and away from the dorm. Katie asks, “Do you think this is going to be a bunch of people doing drugs?” Shila shakes her head, “I doubt it.” People at this school drink but I don’t think there are a lot of drugs here.

Katie takes a deep breath. “Hey listen, I’m sorry about last night. I mean, I was wasted and we live together and I feel like an idiot.” Shila shakes her head, “it was both of us. Don’t feel guilty. I don’t know about you but I’m feeling like this whole alcohol thing opens me up to making some pretty funky decisions, not to mention how it makes my body feel.” Katie pulls the car over and looks intently at Shila.

“Shila look what we’ve been through already and it hasn’t even been a week. Our sexual boundaries are practically non-existent. How can we expect to hold onto any sense of self esteem if we constantly give in to physical loneliness? Doesn’t alcohol just make us weak? If we want to be women of courage, leading an example for other women, change makers, do we want to give in to societal pressures?” Shila has fire in her eyes and sits up straight. “Do you think all of this happened to make us realize that we are not supposed to be drinking?” Shila says with a look of astonishment on her face.

Katie puts out her hand, “Shila Rowen, will you make a pact with me that in order to lead woman away from insecurity, that we will live a radically healthy lifestyle? We will be an example and support system for these girls that are easily influenced? We will not judge them but we will be studious and use our time to actually learn how to solve problems in society?” “Fuck yes Katie,” Shila says as she slams her hand on Katie’s and they grasp each other’s hands tightly.

“I also think it’s very brave of you to not avoid your feelings. We can’t beat ourselves up about our learning lessons but we’d better learn from them right?” Shila lets out a big sigh of relief. “I feel like a huge pressure was just taken off my shoulders.” Katie says in bewilderment, “me too.” Their car is pulling up to the entrance of the state park and the woman at the booth sticks her head out with a big grin. “Hey yall,” she says. Her name tag reads, “Nicole.” Shila sees it and leans over, “Hi there, did you know your name means people’s victory?” Nicole smiles, “no honey, I didn’t, but thanks for the tid bit. Now yall be safe.”

Katie hands her fifteen dollars and they put a sticker in their window. The tall pines create a canopy over them and the fresh air intoxicates their senses. They navigate the map until they arrive at campsite 307B. As they pull up they see four guys and two girls sitting around a fire with a guitar heating up some pans over the fire. They are dressed in weather appropriate jeans and flannels. They look right at home with their thermoses and hiking backpacks leaned up against the trees.

As the girls pull up everyone gets up to greet them. The girls go up and offer to help them unload and introduce themselves. The guys set the tent up for them and carry the firewood to the pit. Katie says, “we had no idea if this was going to be a big group or what.” Alfred smiles and says, “we like to keep it mellow.” He introduces all the other guys and Katie recognizes them as the guys he was sitting with at the cafeteria the first day she saw him.

One of the guys pulls out a carving kit and some blocks of wood. “Would anyone like to learn carving?” Shila’s ears perk up. “No way! That sounds awesome.” He starts to carefully show her the different tools and techniques. The girls are hanging white sheets over the table and setting out candles to make it look like a little dinner party. Katie sits by the fire and opens up a protein bar.

Alfred sits down next to her. “So how have your first few days been?” He looks her right in the eye intently. Katie considers brushing over the messy parts of her first few days but then takes a breath and decides to just be real and honest. “I guess I’ve been adjusting and quickly learning what is not for me. We are….very easily influenced by our environment you know? And none of us are used to this much freedom. But just because we have freedom doesn’t mean we need to be irresponsible. On the way here Shila and I made a pact to live a healthy lifestyle and try to be a good example for the other girls at school.”

Alfred takes her hand. “I knew there was a deep honesty and compassion in you the moment I saw you. I knew you thought differently. I was compelled to talk to you and invite you into my circle of friends. It sounds like you just made a decision that will change the entire course of your life.” He smiles and squeezes her hands with both of his. “I decided not to drink a few years ago after I saw how people were behaving and how much trouble it was causing in everyone’s lives. People were becoming dishonest, spending money foolishly and being just entirely unsafe.” Katie nods her head. “I’m so glad I met you. You have such a calm energy,” she says with a smile.

“Old souls usually do,” Alfred says as he gets up to put more wood on the fire. They spend the rest of their day playing frisbee, reading poetry, doing some yoga in the nearby field and making wooden necklace pendants. They sit down just as the sun is starting to drop behind the mountains and the guy who had been teaching Shila wood carving clears his throat. He smiles at everyone and acts like he’s about to say something but doesn’t. Again he acts like he’s going to say something really important making big movements with his hands like a politician but no words come out. The others begin to laugh.

He begins to move his lips as if he’s trying to talk but no words are coming out. He acts totally surprised. Holding his throat he crawls to a stump, climbs up and sits cross legged on it. “Phew there we go!” He says. “For a moment there I thought I’d lost it.” As if the stump is giving him the ability to speak, he begins, “sometimes we don’t see what’s going on in our lives. We go through the motions, we eat the food, we play the game but we are entirely unconscious of what is going on. But sometimes when you’re lucky enough, you get around a group of people, of souls, that just make you want to be a better person. He looks everyone directly in the eye. And suddenly you’re conscious of everything. What you’re eating, who you’re fucking, why you’re doing things and what’s influencing you to do things. If we can be conscious in how we speak, who we hang out with and how we spend our time, well then we are truly going to have a worthwhile experience in this life. I love you guys. Love Samuel.” With that he pops off the stump and acts like he’s trying to talk again.

Shila walks up to the stump and sits down, “thank you Samuel, I couldn’t agree more.” And with that she sits back down. The group starts to sing parts of songs they can remember and it seems like the equal number of boys and girls makes coupling up rather easy. They sit in a circle and decide to share what they think they are least good at and then what they are good at. No one mentions drinking and it really doesn’t cross anyone’s minds. They feel comfortable and safe within the forest, within the company of nice people.

Shila is leaning on Samuel’s shoulder watching the fire and Alfred and Katie are holding hands listening to the music. One at a time each couple begins to make their way to a tent. It happens naturally and organically. Alfred whispers in Katie’s ear, “I keep wondering how you look naked.” Katie looks at him, “would you like to find out?” She responds. He nods and they get up and head to one of the empty tents.

Katie gets in and Alfred gently takes the strap of her tanktop off her shoulder. “I’m not going to try to sleep with you, don’t worry.” He says with a kind softness. Katie smiles as she sits in her lace bra in front of Alfred. He takes off his shirt to reveal a ripped six pack and perfectly toned arms. His hair falls below his shoulders and he has a strong natural beauty. “You are so beautiful without makeup Katie.” He says and after a pause, he continues. “I think this could go somewhere so I want us to take it slow.”

Katie reaches for his hands and they hold hands looking into each other’s eyes. Their hands gently wrap around each other and they just hold each other for a while without talking. They breathe deeply as they get used to being in each other’s space and try to process the feelings they are having. Alfred kisses her lips softly and slowly. Katie thinks about how aggressive and fast everything happened with Drew and how it wasn’t special. She thinks to herself,
this is going to be special.

Slowly their fingers find their way below the waist as their bodies move closer and closer. “I just want to make you feel good,” Alfred says. He runs his hands over the outside of her pants between her legs. “I’m all about you, I would really enjoy making you feel good.” Katie starts to get shivers down her spine as he kisses her softly and he starts to move his fingers in her pants. “I’m not just trying to get in your pants. I’m looking for a real relationship.” He says warmly.

Katie feels safe and comfortable. She feels beautiful and confident. He starts to move his finger inside of her as he kisses her. He holds the back of her head softly and moves so he is laying on top of her, gently moving his fingers in and out of her. He slowly starts to move down and gently kisses her breasts. He moves his lips onto her stomach and down between her legs. He puts her legs on his shoulders and presses into her with his tongue.

Katie is totally relaxed and begins to feel like she’s going to climax. She let’s herself go completely and enjoys the experience of receiving. She can tell Alfred is enjoying himself as he smiles and looks at her. He slides his fingers inside of her as he continues to lick her clit. She is completely enraptured in the moment, unaware of her surroundings. She starts to climax and grabs his hair. He presses his mouth harder onto her, merging with her. As she orgasms, she can tell Alfred is really turned on by all of it. While she orgasms she looks at his beautiful shoulders and strong arms holding her. They are nothing but wild, they are free and between them is nothing but love. Katie knows, this freedom, this depth and raw emotion is the real fun part of college.

Lila couldn’t be having a worse day. She just shook her head at everything that was going on, trying to keep her eyes averted to the ground. The rain poured down around her, and she was starting to get chilled. Standing under the ledge to keep from getting soaked wasn’t going to work much longer. It had been a long, stressful day at work, and she just wanted to go grab a cup of coffee and get home.

Sadly, it didn’t seem like her plans were going to happen.
Why me?
She groaned inwardly. That’s when she darted out, running a little ways with her heels skidding across the slippery sidewalk. Luckily, there wasn’t that many people out as she moved this way and that. She dodged one woman, who yelled after her angrily. Shouting an apology she kept going as the rain picked up and she was stuck under another ledge, groaning out loud this time.

“You don’t have an umbrella, do you?” Came a cool, level voice.

Lila jumped as she looked up at him. He was standing in front of her with his polished black leather shoes, perfectly fitting slacks, and a deep blood red button up. He smiled at her kindly, but there was something about his eyes that just seemed dangerous. Lila was caught in his gaze. She couldn’t seem to look away.

“No.” She finally managed to say, and he just chuckled. It was deep and rich.

“Then get under mine, and we’ll walk to the coffee shop. We can wait out the rain.” He said kindly, and for a moment Lila hesitated.

“I don’t bite.” He laughed, and she looked sheepish.

“Sure.” She said, and he made sure to tilt the umbrella over to her so she wouldn’t have to walk too close. She was surprised by the amount of heat that he was putting out, but she shrugged it off. Looking down at the ground, they walked the next two blocks in silence.

“Are you going to tell me your name?” He asked, and she looked up at him, nearly startled.

“You haven’t introduced yourself either.” She said, shaking her head. “Lila.” She continued.

“That’s a beautiful name. My name is Adam, and I think we’re here.” He said, opening the door as he did.

“I don’t get you.” She said.

“Don’t get what?” He answered, and they walked up to the counter.

“Why you’re being nice to a total stranger.” She said, looking at him bewildered.

“Does it count that you’re pretty?” He asked, waggling an eyebrow at her, causing her to laugh.

“I suppose if that’s your reason.” She said, giggling with a slight blush to her cheeks.

“Just one of. Now what would you like?” He asked, as the person behind them patiently waited for them to order.

“French vanilla latte.” She answered, going to pull out her money, but he shook his head.

“I got it.” He said, swiping a credit card before they waited.

“So only one of?” She asked, and he laughed.

“You’re not going to let that go, are you?” Adam asked, causing Lila’s smile to widen just a little.

“Nope.” She said as they were handed their coffee. He ushered her to a seat, pulling the chair out for her.

“Well the other was so that I could get this date.” He said, and she quirked a brow.

“Date?” She asked before taking stock of everything that was going on around her. She couldn’t help but to giggle, tilting her head back to laugh.

“You did sucker me into a date.” She exclaimed, and he looked at her coolly. A flash of something was seen in his eyes that made her unable to look away, and yet she couldn’t figure out why.

“I think you’re a willing party.” He said with a wink before taking a sip of his own coffee.

“Yeah, sure.” She said, and he took her hand. She was once again surprised by the warmth of his hand as he looked at her intently.

“You can take my umbrella and leave if you aren’t. I will not hold you here, Lila.” He said, and his words struck her.

So many people today had tried to force her to do what they wanted. Her family. Her friends. Her workplace, and yet here was this total stranger that wasn’t trying to force anything on her.
Just enjoying my company.
She thought. It made her happy, and she shook her head before taking another sip.

“I’m fine here. Thanks.” She said, and they started to talk. She talked with him more than she had expected.

He even bought another cup of coffee as she learned all the normal things. His favorite food, his favorite color, what he did in his spare time. He listened intently to whatever she had to say, and there was a few things that he avoided talking about. He didn’t seem to want to talk about his job or anything like that, but he had no problem talking about himself.

He seemed to love hearing Lila speak of her own troubles and her own hopes. She hadn’t shared this much with someone in a long time.
I’m not one to make friends.
She thought, but quickly she pushed the thought away. She looked at the time before sighing.

“I think I need to leave.” She said.

“Oh, I suppose it is getting late.” He agreed, and that’s when he clicked a pen out of his pocket and grabbed a napkin.

“Here. Call me if you ever get stuck in the rain again.” He said.

“I have somewhere to be too. Would you like me to drop you off wherever you’re going? My car will be here soon.” He asked, but Lila shook her head.

“No. I’ll be fine.” Thank you, and sure enough only a phone call and a few minutes later, a car came to pick him up. Lila was left with a phone number and an umbrella. It was a short walk home, and surprisingly it was still sprinkling. With his umbrella, she made it home dry, but the night seemed a little colder without him by her side. Lila tried to shake off those feelings.