Road Trip

I wait for her outside of the school gates with leather pants, a open let her jacket and a helmet under my arm, sitting on my bike. I have my stuff already on my bike. I look at my phone and then look up as someone stops in front of me, "Hey Cassandra, you seem ready."

"This is, this is yours?"

"Rich uncle and aunt, and careless ones," I laugh as I put her small bag on the bike, "You ready?"

"Can't say no, can I?"

"Well, get on, we have a long trip today," She gets on behind me and the motor roars to life, "We are going to be stopping once or twice, for lunch, and a little later to make sure I don't get too tired."

"Okay, you just drive, I can't wait," She said as I start the bike, 'She seems to like this, now to get to Wyoming and to meet her parents.'

We stop halfway to our first stop, in some town to stop and eat. I park my bike and Cassandra gets off and pulls off her helmet. I remove mine and unzip my jacket, and flip on my sunglasses. I lock my bike and we walk into the small restaurant. We take a set and I place my helmet next to me.

"That, was, so, fun," She is smiling ear to ear, "I loved it."

"I like my bike, it's feels nice to ride," I say looking at the menu, "Take whatever, I'll pay."

"You don't have to."

"I insist."

"If you say so," She smiles at me, "Do I look good?"

"Of course."

"Okay, not useful, be honest."

"Very honest," I smile at her and she blushes, "What do you want?"

"Maybe some steak or something of that sort, um, I think I'll take the classic burger actually."

"Okay," I lift my arm to call over the waiter, who walks over to us, "Good afternoon, I would like a classic burger, and a XXL burger, what do you want to drink?"

"I'll have a coke."

"I'll have a powerade."

"So, classic burger, XXL burger, a coke and a powerade."

"Exactly, thank you," I hand him the menu and then look at Cassandra, "You really are pretty, I can't stop thinking of it."

"I tried to look good this morning, so I put on a little make up and tried to make myself look good," She flicked her hair back, it was tied with a hair tie and it hung behind her, "I hope my parents like you."

"You are making me worried now, what do your parents do?"

"My mom was an olympic level runner jumper, and my dad's job is a secret."

"Well, that is fine with me, we still have a few hours before we stop, in colorado, the halfway point, I booked a room, so we can take our time."

"Did you book two beds or one bed?"

"Two, um, why?" I look at her weirdly, "What were you hoping for?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Okay then."

A few minutes later, the waiter places our plates on the table along with our drinks, "Thank you," The food looks surprisingly good, I eat one of my french fries.

"Random thing, I've always wondered if these were french, but never looked it up, do you know?" She said looking at one of her french fries.

"Canadian or Belgian, not sure, one of those two, but not France french, I don't even know why I know that," I shrug before taking a bite from my burger, 'This is pretty good, I was expecting worse.'

"This is pretty good, wow."

"I know, right?" As she finishes the food in her mouth her phone begins to ring. She picks it up and places the phone down on the table and turns on speaker mode.

"Hi mom!"

"Hello Cassandra, how are you? Where are you right now?"

"I am at a restaurant with Aristide, in New Mexico, I think, we are going to stop in Colorado for the night, so we'll be in Wyoming tomorrow around dinner or a little before I think, something like that."

"Who is this, Aristide?"

"Oh, he is my friend I told you about, you know, the one that has the bike and that is bringing me home? Remember, right?"

"Oh, yeah, him, how is he doing?"

"I am doing fine, Mrs. Miller."

"Are you on speaker, Cassandra?"

"Yep, so he can hear, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"How is dad?"

"Lifting his atlas stones again."

"Atlas stones?" I look up at Cassandra, "Your father is a former strongman or something?"

"I tried to keep it a secret but you know, yeah, he is, he had the world record of atlas stones and the block press."

"He was part of the US powerlifting team," Her mom added, "He has three or four gold medals in snatch and deadlift, and he has three US strongest man titles and a World Strongest Man title."

"And you hid this from me? You hid that your father was the Mark Miller?" I shake my head as I look at Cassandra. She shrugs, "Where exactly do you live?"

"I'll tell you when we are there, I know the way, but how are you doing mom?"

"I am good, I am good, how is Michael?"

"I broke up with him."

"Oh, okay then, wasn't aware of that, I prepared your room, when are you arriving again?"

"Something like 5 or 6:30 tomorrow or a little later."

"Do you want me to make your favorite food?"

"Well, it will be my birthday, so I hope so."

"Cassandra, you know that it is mine too."

"Oops, I forgot that, well, yeah, it is also Aristide's."

"What an interesting name, where is he from?"

"I am French."

"Where from?"

"Martigues."

"Ah, that town is beautiful."

"You know it?!"

"Yes, Cassandra's father had a competition in France and so I went on a little trip of my own and found that town charming."

"Wow, never knew I would find someone in the US aware of that town's existence," I laugh, "Are you really fine with me coming over?"

"Of course, of course, you bringing up Cassandra saves me the trouble of going to get her, I mean, us coming to get her."

"Aristide is the best, he is such a good friend."

"I am just doing the gentlemanly thing to do."

"Well, I'll leave you two to eat, see you tomorrow! Love you Cassandra."

"Love you Mom, say hi to Dad for me."

"Of course, bye," The call ended, she sighed.

"Your father is a strongman, that is amazing, like really amazing, and you haven't told them who I was, like actually?" She shook her head as she continued to eat, "Well, when are you going to tell them?" She shrugged, "Well, let's eat and get back on the road, we still have a while until we get to the hotel."

"Is there breakfast in the hotel?"

"Duh, room service or buffet? Which ever you want."

"I don't know, you are really spoiling me."

"Of course," I said finishing my burger, "Do they know what size I am?"

"Nope, it is kind of a surprise, like you are a surprise in general."

"Remember how we met?"

"Yeah, weird," She made a disgusted face, "I wish it would've been different."

"I don't, we might not be here today, I might be spending my summer on campus, boring myself at the gym and solo practicing on the football field, so I like this so far."

"I actually like how it turned out too."