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Chapter 21
"Hey Anna!"
I screamed and jumped about six feet into the air when I felt a hand clamp on my shoulder. I whipped around and spotted a grinning Elle.
I tried to calm down my racing heart by taking deep breaths. The beat gradually slowed down and I shot Elle a death glare.
"I could have died!" I yelled at her.
"Well it wasn't so bad. I scared Greg all the time, and he doesn't even falter. I don't get why you get so worked up... Doesn't Dakota does that to you?"
"No," I snapped. "Elle, what do you want?"
I did not mean to sound bitchy, but it probably came out that way. That was just one of the side effects when I was scared to death for no apparent reason.
Elle's Cheshire Cat smile came back on, her perfect teeth gleaming at me in full glory. "Aww, Anna. You're too cute."
I sighed. Why does everyone say that? Cute is the equivalent of ugly but adorable.
"Alright, alright. I was just wondering if you are interested in going biking this weekend with Greg and I." She got straight to the point.
Before I could protest, she spoke again. "Oh I need to go to the washroom. Come on." She grabbed my arm and pulled me into the nearest toilet.
"So? Have you made up your mind?"
"Yup. I am going to refuse your invite, sorry Elle."
"Why?" She shrieked while pulling out her makeup kit.
I chewed on my gum, stalling for time. "It'll be awkward."
"Anna Summers! You know Greg and he knows you! There's nothing awkward about it." She clamped her lips together to apply a fresh set of lipstick.
"For example, if you go on a date with Dakota, I'll gladly tag along." She continued.
I gaped at her. How could she -
"Nah, I was just kidding. You should have seen your face Anna. Cute, too cute." And she started to mumble something about cuteness.
"I really don't want to go, Elle."
She gave me a flat look. "You're coming."
"No."
"Yes."
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Why are you being so stubborn?"
"Why are you being so stubborn?" She mimicked.
"I'm not going, Elle. That's final."
Her angry expression suddenly softened and was replaced with a goofy grin.
"Oh, then I'll have to make you."
********
"I can't believe you, Elle Darlington, psycho-ed me into cycling."
I folded my arms across my chest and huffed at her loudly, as if to emphasize my point. I stared at the purple bike on the grass. It was Elle's old bike, but she had gotten a new one since.
"Okay, I think now is the time to come clean." She said, with a regretful look.
"Come clean about what?"
"Greg is not coming. I told him that you would be awkward around him, so -"
I literally burst into laughter then. My spit exploded out of my mouth, onto the dirt. I was laughing so hard that I did not care about embarrassment.
"Elle... You t-thought that I would be a-awkward around Greg?" I managed to get out in between pockets of laughter. "You got it all wrong, woman."
Elle gave me a confused look. "What do you mean?"
I calmed myself down, wiping the tears from my eyes from my hard laughter. "When I said that it would be awkward, I meant that learning how to ride a bike would be. Elle, I am fifteen - coming on sixteen - and still do not know how to ride a bike."
It was her turn to gape. "You serious? Don't lie to me, Summers."
"I wouldn't. I really don't know how to ride a bike."
Her eyes lit up. "Then what are we waiting for? Come, I'll teach you!"
She pointed at the purple bike on the ground. "You take that bike. Let's get rollin'."
She was starting to sound more and more like Greg.
Anyway, I wasn't so psyched about learning how to ride a bike, so I stood there, not even looking at the bike.
Elle sat her bike upright and stared at me as if I did something morally wrong.
"Christmas isn't gonna come so soon while you're doing nothing, Anna."
"I don't want to bike!" I whined.
"Don't make me so this." She warned and pulled out her cell phone.
"Do what?"
I watched as Elle swiped her thumb over her iPhone screen. She finally put the phone to her ear and waited, and I did so too.
I wonder who she was calling. She couldn't complain about me to anyone else, unless it was my mom. Suddenly, it hit me. Maybe she called -
"Dakota! Hi, it's Elle Darlington, Anna's BFF." She paused to listen and I fought the urge to scream. "Yeah... Uh huh. Sorry to bother, but could you come over to my house for awhile? Anna doesn't want to cooperate... Bike riding... It's two blocks away from Anna's house. Alright, see you!"
Elle smiled as she put down the call.
"Was that necessary?" I asked her incredulously.
"Yes. We're gonna get you on the bike and riding. Pronto."
Sometimes, I ask myself why I was even 'BFF' with Elle in the first place.
********
After 10 minutes of debating with Elle about the bike issue, Dakota showed up.
"Woah, how did you get here so fast?" Elle straightaway burst out. No 'hi' or 'thanks for coming'?
"Hey. I live just opposite Anna's house," he explained while hobbling his way towards me. Instead, I walked towards him and gave him a hug. I did not want to do anything more than that now, because 1) we are in public and 2) NOT in front of Elle.
"Oh." Elle busied herself with her bike when I hugged Dakota. Now who was getting awkward?
I pulled away from him and looked at the bag that he was carrying on his back.
"Why do you need a bag when you are just a three minute walk from your house?" I could not help but ask.
Dakota shot me a cheeky grin. "It contains incentives."
He gave Elle a sly grin and she returned it. What, are they in cahoots with each other?
Before I could say anything, Elle cut me off. "Let's get riding!"
That was when Dakota started pulling stuff out of his bag. It took me to realize that the 'stuff' was actually food. I was starting to think that Dakota was using my weak spot of food to his advantage.
He caught me staring at the packet of crisps in his hand. "If you bike, you'll get this. If you don't, then I'll finish it for you."
He tore open the crisps and shoved one into his mouth. Hmph.
"I should start eating healthy foods again, as the competition is coming. So, I'll be the least affected by your incentives," I said, putting air quotes on the word 'incentives'.
"Oh, I've got that covered. Sandwiches." He pulled out two sandwiches from his bag and smiled at me.
I can't believe that this was the same guy who called me Fat Chick some time ago.
As if on cue, my tummy grumbled. Elle and Dakota burst into laughter. I made a mental note to learn how to control my hunger. ASAP.
"Fine. I'll bike." I spat and reached for the purple bike on the grass. "Anyway, how are you gonna teach me to ride a bike?" I asked Dakota. He was injured after all. It'll be entertaining to see him hobbling while teaching me, anyway.
"Who said that I'll be teaching you? I'm giving you moral support." He paused for awhile then continued, "And incentives."
I sighed and stuck my tongue out at him. He chuckled and I pulled my bike on to the pavement.
"Come on, Elle. Show me how to ride this thing."
"Wow, so eager. Not yet, Anna. I'll be teaching you how to get on to the bike first." She answered.
I shot daggers at her. Not literally. I had to have a lesson on getting on a bike?
Deciding that I could prove her wrong by getting on a bike, I stepped on the right pedal first, and swung the other half of my body weight over to the other side.
Unfortunately so, the bicycle ended up crashing on me.
I groaned in pain. Elle rushed to my aid.
"Maybe we should have a safety lesson first," she muttered.
I looked at her helplessly and could not help but nod.
This was going to be one hell of a ride.
_________________________
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Okay, so you all might have noticed that I disappeared from wattpad for two weeks. I'm so sorry. I was so caught with homework and stuff. I have a major exam this year, and I have to study. :( I hope you understand.
That means updates will be infrequent, but I'll try to update on weekends :) there is no guarantee but I promise to update at least once a month. *sorry*
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I know this is a long side note, and thanks for reading, cos its very important.
If you have the time and would like to check out a book, I recommend Staggered Heartbeat by SOStephh! Here's the link: http://www.wattpad.com/story/3845927-staggered-heartbeat
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