While I was painting my nails, my phone started ringing. The caller’s ID said it was Austin. I picked it up, trying not to ruin my nails and phone.
‘’Hey girl,’’ said a high faked girly voice, I guess, but it sounded like a gay guy trying to sound not gay. I still recognized it was Austin. He was probably trying to do a girl’s voice. ‘’You ready for a sleep over and talk about boys with me? Today I met a really nice guy, you just have to hear about him. He’s so cute and fun, and he’s really hot and oh my Gosh, his lips are so tasty. They taste like cherry. I think I’m in love with him…’’
‘’Did you finally come out of the closet?’’ For a second I actually thought he was serious. ‘’I’ve always known you were gay.’’
‘’Oh, wait, what? What are you talking about?’’ A couple of seconds he didn’t say anything and then, ‘’No! I was just kidding! I tried to be like you bestie, a girl friend. Not a gay. Oh my God, did I really sound gay? I didn’t even know I can sound gay… Wow. Please, please don’t tell anyone about it? Okay?’’
I started laughing so hard. ‘’You were as gay as a rainbow. Even gayer. I thought it was for real. I’ve always thought you were gay. I’ve just waited for you to come out of the closet.’’
‘’But actually, I was calling to know if you’re free but I guess you are. Anyways, lets go out somewhere. Lets make the city prettier.’’
''Lets. Where should we meet?’’
‘’At the house. I’ll see you in thirty? And take your spray paints with you.’’ ‘
‘’OK.’’ He ended the call.
I took the backpack which had all of my spray paints in it from under my bed. I opened my closet and looked for my graffiti-on-the-field as I liked to call it (black comfy trousers and a black hoodie), put them on and went downstairs with my backpack.
It was the first time on the field together as I called it. I was kind of nervous. I had no idea where we were going. It was a good timing. It was already pretty dark and there wasn’t too many people on the streets, luckily. I didn’t know for sure what we were gonna paint but we had had some visions. Yes, I was nervous, but I also was excited. I really hoped he’d know how to be unnoticed and wouldn’t take too many risks.
‘’Bye mom,’’ I said to me and as usual, she didn’t even notice I was going. She didn’t even hear me say ‘bye’. She never noticed me, never said ‘hello’ nor ‘bye’. Since I was already used to it, I headed to the house.
When I was standing in front of the house, I looked if anyone would see me if I’d go in. I saw no one and so I opened the door. It was unlocked so Austin was already in. I went to the fifth floor. I saw him. He was sitting on the floor.
‘’Hey girl,’’ I said, trying to sound like he did on the phone. ‘’What’s up?’’
‘’Nothing, girl. But seriously, please don’t tell anyone about it. Even Sandra. Please?’’
‘’Yeah, okay. But you have to admit, it was hilarious. Like seriously, I really thought you had come out of the closet and then called me to ask some advice.’’ I started laughing.
‘’Yeah, okay. But seriously, please stop with the laughing. And if you really need some convincing that I’m not gay, I bet I can convince you,’’ he smirked.
‘’Ugh, ew, no. I don’t need convincing.’’
‘’If you think so, okay. But now, lets get to work, shall we?’’ He threw his backpack onto his right shoulder and put his hood on. By the way, we were kind of like twins. We both had a black hoodie and trousers on. And black backpacks.
We went downstairs quietly but when we got down I asked him what we were going to paint. ‘’I don’t know.’’
A couple of hundred meters away there was a big black motorcycle. I almost went crazy. I used to have one but as a punishment my mom sold it pretty much the same time I got it. It seemed like I hadn’t ridden one since forever.
Austin stopped by the motorcycle. ‘’Hop on,’’ he said and sat on it. He took a helmet and gave it to me. He turned on the engine and the beauty roared. I tried to stay calm. I was so happy. I put the helmet on and hopped on. He himself didn’t put a helmet on. ‘’Hold on tight,’’ he said and rode off.
The ride was fun and refreshing. I didn’t hold on too tight, although he drove pretty fast, but I was already used to the speed. I just wanted to let go and stand up on the seat but in that speed, I would have probably fallen down and most likely died.
There was almost no cars and it was really dark.
After a couple of minutes later we were in a car park. I climbed off the motorcycle and took off the helmet. I looked where we were. I had never been there. Around us were apartment houses.
Austin came off the motorcycle too and I gave the helmet to him.
‘’I’m guessing it wasn’t you first time to ride a motorcycle, huh?’’ he asked, smirking and put the helmet to the saddle bag and then again looked at me, with a smirk.
‘’Yes. I even had one,’’ I smiled. ‘’I hadn’t ridden one since forever.’’
‘’You’re welcome.’’
‘’So what are we gonna paint?’’
‘’I think that maybe we should just mark the wall, I’ll show you later which wall, and then next time lets do something more awesome. OK?’’
I smiled at him and then we walked to our right. We stopped in front of a big wall of a apartment building. It was huge. It was the perfect wall to do graffiti on, and everybody would see it although I’m not so sure that they all would like it. Some people think that graffiti isn’t art. That it’s ugly, irresponsible and childsh. And that it shouldn’t be everywhere. I agree, I really shouldn’t be everywhere but walls like that one there was, are just boring. Walls shouldn’t be boring. It’s boring if they’re boring. When a wall has graffiti on it, you can see it from far away. It’s not boring and it can be really beautiful and it definitely isn’t childish.
I took my backpack off my back and opened the zipper. I once more looked at the wall to decide where should I mark it and how big should I mark it. I then looked whether or not anyone would see and then took the black spray paint out of my backpack.
‘’Shall we?’’ asked Austin, raising his eyebrow. He had a black paint in his hand, too. I nodded and smiling, I did the first line. I made it pretty thick because I wanted it to be seen. I painted one more line, and one more. I did more and more lines until I had made my logo, as I call it, with black. I didn’t look at what Austin had painted.
I took red and painted the blackbird’s eyes red, like I always did when I was painting my logo. I then took the orange and painted the letters B I R D orange and also I used red and yellow painting them. So it would look like the letters were on fire. It really did look like it. As usual. I then took the dark blue and painted the letters B L A C K from inside.
I stepped back and looked how it had turned out. It looked awesome. It was big and clear. All the colours were dark, except the fire and the eyes. The dark blue letters were like ocean, before the fire. The black bird was sitting on the letter D and it was staring right into my eyes. I tried to do them like they were watching you, wherever you were but I’m not sure it’s even possible. I smiled, being proud of my work.
‘’You’re the blackbird?’’ asked Austin. He was staring at me, his mouth open. I guess he didn’t believe me although the logo should make him believe.
‘’Yes,’’ I answered proudly, smiling. I guess he was a bit surprised. He still was staring at me, his mouth still open. It started to get creepy. Just a little bit creepy. Just a tiny bit. ‘’Um, it’s getting a bit creepy, so if you’d be so nice and wouldn’t stare at me like that… It would be great. Thanks.’’
‘’Oh, yeah, sorry.’’ He closed his mouth but his eyes were still big as hell from the surprise. ‘’Sorry, I’m just a really big fan of yours. I’ve admired you work for long, actually. I’ve always wondered who you were in real life. I never thought it would be you…’’
‘’Um, thanks.’’ I didn’t know what else to say. I had never met a fan. I even didn’t know I had any fans. It was kind of nice actually, to know that someone likes your work.
I looked at his work. I guess it was his logo. Shark. The shark. I had seen it before and I had liked it. ‘’Nice,’’ I said. ‘’I’ve admired your work as well,’’ although only a couple of times and I’ve just thought that it was great art. Nothing else. He hasn’t done much on the streets, but at the house…
‘’Thanks.’’
Austin finished his logo and we packed our paints into our backpacks. Then we headed our way to the motorcycle.
‘’Do you trust me?’’ I asked Austin.
‘’I guess…’’
‘’Do you trust me enough to let me drive your motorcycle? Please? Pretty please?’’ I really hoped he’d let me. I really wanted to drive the thing.
‘’I don’t know…’’ I did my best puppy eyes, hoping it would work. I guess it worked. ‘’Do you promise you can drive the thing?’’ I nodded. ‘’Do you promise not to kill her?’’ I nodded. ‘’Do you promise to not to kill me?’’ I nodded. ‘’Do you promise not to kill you?’’ I nodded. ‘’Do you promise not to hurt her?’’ I nodded. He thought for a second and then he threw me the keys. I was so happy. ‘’If something happens to her, I don’t know what I’m gonna do.’’ I nodded and hopped on. He followed me. He gave me the helmet. I don’t know why. I guess his head was made of rock although even if it was, he still would be the one to need it. I was sure I wasn’t going to ride on the first wheel, but I couldn’t promise I wasn’t going do ride on the second wheel. And if something would happen, then he would be the one to fall. But okay, if he really didn’t want the helmet, then there’s nothing I can do about it.
I put the helmet on and started the engine. The engine roared so nicely and before driving off, I once more looked at our graffiti and then…
I felt the adrenaline in my veins. I felt the cold wind on my skin. I felt my hair in Austin’s face. I his hands on my waist, holding on tightly and then somehow I was so awake. I was enjoying the adrenaline that the ride was giving me. I felt like I could do anything in the world if I wanted to. I twisted the right hand grip more toward me and then we were riding on the second wheel. It was awesome. Austin’s hand tightened around my waist and it hurt, so I let a little bit go of the right hand grip so we would be back on two wheels. Slowly his hands let them a bit loose.
Soon we were in front of my house. I stopped and after Austin I hopped off happily. It was the best ride I had ever had, I think.
‘’Don’t you ever do that again,’’ said Austin.