LASTING FRIENDSHIP-E

Astrid's heart jumped to her throat and she clutched Ace's shirt tightly. They went over dirt terrain, jumping over tree roots, momentarily on-air, landing just as fiercely. Her Dr Martens boot was covered in dirt and mud by now.

The powerful Yamaha bike did nothing to shut her fear. Ace went over a shallow stream of river expertly, water splashing all over her sides, catching the afternoon ray of light, giving a rainbow-like colour.

Adrenaline coursed through her veins and she felt exhilarated by experiencing the wind coursing through her hair and face, the constant bend and roar of the exhaust exciting her.

`Having fun?', Ace shouted to her without turning his head.

`Yeah, this is so so so amazing. How did you learn of this trail?', she shouted back. Just how big is their house with all the land around it?

`Trial and error', he answered before going over a terrain of rocks and pebbles. He manoeuvred expertly before lading back on dirt. He sped off when he heard no noise of bike around him.

By the time Ace and Astrid reached the cliff, Abigail and Hadwin were sitting on their bikes admiring the view of the sun setting over the horizon.

`Losers', Hadwin murmured.

`Astrid, come take a look, at the sunset', Hadwin sat on his bike and pointed to the sky.

It was a beautiful sight to behold. The sky painted in hues of deep orange and yellow, contrasting with the pale blue sky. A moon was peeking out from the shadows of the sky. She admired the sky and remembered the times she spends on the tree near her house. Staring up at the sky, just soaking in the view, without a care of the world.

`I know a place where you can get a somewhat similar view. But it's in Mellow Forest', she accidentally blurted out.

`Really?' Ace didn't know the forest well.

`Yeah, but this is beautiful. Nature at its best', she stood and put her hands over her head. Try not to talk about Mellow Forest, she mentally chided herself.

`You are the best-looking one here', Ace managed to whisper into her ears. Astrid ignored his remark choosing to bit her lips instead. Her mind wandered back to Enlil. She needed to speak to him. Sooner the better.

Abigail who was silent spoke` What are your plans for tomorrow? Ace?'

`Astrid hasn't seen our fruit orchard. And our pool.' He wanted to keep the activity light, seeing her in tears today was an unpleasant experience for him. He liked this girl, who saved his life, unpretentious girl.

All of the made small talks, about the splendid view, their times growing up in the huge mansion, how they reconnect in the weekend over activities like this. Astrid knew by now the siblings had a strong bond among themselves. Something a family should. She smiled and laughed at their stories. One name kept popping up in the conversation, the Scott. Who were they? From the way Hadwin spoke about them, they seemed pretty close.

`We better head back. Before It gets dark', Hadwin broke their conversation and gunned the engine up.

All of them reached the garage with relative ease.

Astrid went to her room and pulled her mobile from her bag. She called her pop. He answered after 2 rings.

Astrid: Hello, pop?

Grandpa Jones: Astrid?

Astrid: How are you?

Grandpa Jones: I am with Enlil. We are shopping for some clothes for him. We are doing good, dear.

Astrid: Can I speak to um, Enlil?

Grandpa Jones: What's the matter, Astrid? Are you in trouble?

Astrid: No, not at all. Why would I be? I just need to check on something.

Grandpa Jones: Hold on.

There were some shuffling sounds before Enlil spoke.

Enlil: Hey, kiddo.

Astrid: I need your help.

Enlil: What kind of help?

Astrid: Can we like use our wind power without us knowing it? Like conjuring something subconsciously?

Enlil: Yes, did you do something unwillingly?

Astrid: I might have. When Hadwin was on the bike, I think I may have called on the wind, I don't know if it was out of fear or safety, but it interfered with his landing.

Enlil: Did they find out?

Astrid: No. It was subtle.

Enlil went quiet for a while, lost in thought before he spoke again in a serious tone. `You need to start practising to hold your power, I'm afraid once the can has opened, and you have no way to control it. Try not to use your hands when you are in open fields.'

`Im afraid, Enlil. I don't want to hurt anyone,' she spoke is a low voice.

`The chain, are you wearing it?',

`Yes,' her fingers touched it. The tiny bell gave no sound when she jingles it.

`That is your safety whistle. You use it when you are in danger. Tap it thrice and I will be able to locate you. Otherwise, I will only find out when you are injured or in grave danger.' Enlil parted vital info which Grandpa Jones missed out.

`One more thing, when you are alone, check your back, to see if there are any signs or tattoos appearing on your back, or even legs. For you to summon a wind, you are already much closer than you think in harnessing your powers',

`You mean I will end up having a tattoo like yours?', she sounded alarmed.

`Maybe yes and maybe no. It can be concealed.', Enlil hoped she had the markings. It would make her training easier.

`Okay I will text you when I see one', Astrid wished him goodbye and hung up.

On the other hand, Hadwin was all fresh and dressed up sitting in front of his pc updating his recent vlog. He uploaded the FMX video and towards the end, he was surprised to see it continue up until Astrid came up to him crying. After much deliberation, he decided to blur Astrid's face instead of deleting the video. He felt touched by her gesture and he wanted to share it with his fans.

Within minutes of upload, he received comments praising his stunts and of the mystery girl. Some fans started rumouring the girl to be his latest girlfriend. He got some envious comments as well, but all in all, it was positive. He rewinds the video and looked at it again, pausing and zooming on her face before he sighed heavily and closed his pc. Maybe he needed a date to clear his mind. But he still had 2 weeks more before he can sneak out again. He shook his head and stepped out of his room to head towards the kitchen for dinner.

Astrid looked all over her body in the shower room but could not find any signs or marks. She could not check her back clearly, so she stood naked in front of the sink mirror and turned around, slowly, using her phone camera to see from a different angle. She stopped turning when she saw it.

A faint line, blue in colour running from the small of her back towards the left side of her butt. It was in the shape of a coiled gust of wind, like Enlil's. More like one of those Japanese wind patterns, but it was just a single line, 5 cm in length. She quickly snapped a picture and saved it. She texted Grandpa Jones stating, the pattern was there. Hoping pop will not ask further.

Ace knocked on her room door and Astrid hurried to tie a towel around her before running to the door. Her mind was muddled, and she did not think before opening the door, leaving her partially exposed to Ace.

Ace Wagner was delighted at the sight of her in nothing but a towel. He closed the door and walked closer towards her, his hands in his khaki pocket. She gulped loudly, when his lilac eyes darkened with lust, the corner of his lips slightly turned upwards, he eyed her hungrily, a wolf hunting its rabbit.

She stopped when her legs hit the corner of the bed, she sat abruptly. He leaned down on her, both his hands her sides and draw in her scent silently.

`I...I need to dress up', she put her hands on his chest and lightly tested the water by pushing him away. He did not budge but stared at her, sizing her up. `Please', she breathed to his ears.

Ace Wagner relented and kissed her cheek before moving away. `Next time, ask before opening the door', he looked into her eyes, with mischief. `Otherwise', he licked his lips seductively, and deliberately. Her face flushed red and she dashed to the washroom.

She calmed her racing heart and wore a black tank top with matching black jeans. Ace waited for her before both left for dinner.

This time around Mr Wagner and Mrs Wagner had dinner with them. Mr Wagner was busy talking with Ace about his recent meeting with the board members. Ace requested his father to keep an eye for a mole in their corporation who was feeding false news to the authorities.

Hadwin helped pile vegetables and fruits into Astrid's place and she had to stop him before her plate overspill. Hadwin mentioned how she can eat vegetables on a daily basis when it tastes like grass, earning a giggle from her. Ace glanced at them mid-conversation and Abigail smirked at Ace.

Mr Wagner looked at Astrid and cleared his throat, `Have you been enjoying your stay here, Ms Astrid?'

Astrid spun her head to Mr Wagner's voice and stopped giggling, his stare was intimidating. Mr Wagner studied her face and admitted she had good looks. Both his son seems to have taken a liking to her. He rarely saw Ace communicating with girls, and from the way, Butler Lionel narrated their stories, he wondered if it was more than friendship.

Butler Lionel omitted the drunken or the kissing part, preferring the young vampires to speak for themselves. Mr Wagner was amused when Butler Lionel mentioned the date fixed by his wife running away. He had to credit the girl for her audacity.

`It has been pleasant, sir', she replied after composing herself. Hadwin squeezed her hand to assure her not to worry.

`My sons, have they caused any discomfort'?, Mr Wagner glimpsed at Ace who coughed, embarrassed, knowing well by now that Butler Lionel must have told his father about Jane Dixon.

`Oh no, sir, Mr Ace and Mr Hadwin has been amiable and made my stay comfortable', she replied with confidence.

`Friendly enough to chase a Jane Dixon away?', he spoke with a straight face, waiting to gauge her reaction. Sometimes both his son needed a dose of their own medicine.

`S…sir?', all colour drained from her face and she turned pale. She turned to look at Ace Wagner who scratched his neck, not bothered with his father's question.

Hadwin let out a burst of full-blown laughter and shook Astrid's shoulder, further scarring her.

`I told her to play the part. My mistake', Ace caught his father's stare and held his gaze.

`She was a good choice, from what I heard', Mr Wagner continued.

Hadwin pulled his chair closer to Astrid to comfort her and started feeding her much to her chagrin. She scowled at him and started eating focusing on her meal, keeping her head down.

`She is not. She didn't bother to acknowledge mother on her way out' Abigail told her father.

`I can look for another one, preferably with mutual consent from Ace', Mrs Roselle spoke with caution, not wanting a repeat of what happened. There was no saying it could happen again.

Ace did not answer his mother, instead changed the topic of the conversation entirely to business matters.

Hadwin and Astrid finished their meal and excused themselves, she found the atmosphere veering towards business matters which she had no interest in knowing.

`Please mother, I don't want any dates. I can take care of myself well', Ace put his foot down, after her mother brought it up again.

`Take care of yourself or you have one whom you are taking care off, as we speak?' Mr Wagner spoke in riddles testing Ace Wagner.

Ace did not reply but continued eating silently. He knew his father, too sly for his own good.

Meanwhile, Hadwin brought Astrid to their kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He showed her a box of chocolates his father purchased from the UK.

`This one has all sorts of liquor inside. Do you want to try?' Hadwin opened a few and showed them to Astrid.

`They are big, can we share them?', she took a bite and passed to Hadwin, who ate the remaining. She tried a few but found them bitter.

`Do you want to play some games in the basement?', he asked. She nodded her head in agreement and both made themselves comfortable on the bean bag before Hadwin selected a Zombie Apocalypse.

`Astrid, how is your work at McPhearsons?', Hadwin questioned in between shooting the zombies.

`Tiring. I have to stand long hours, but the daily wages help', she was focused on the game by now.

`If you don't mind me asking, are you financially tight?',

`You mean, poor. No. Middle class. We get by', she lost her game, unable to get hold of the game. Maybe she should practise more.

`You can work with us. Ace can help you get a job with Wagner Corp. I mean you are still at school, right?', he was concerned for her.

`Yep, but I will be graduating like in 3 months' time', Astrid faces him.

`Can I ask you something?', Astrid had a burning question to ask.

`Yeah, sure',

`Why do you do these dangerous stunts and drink excessively?', she pulled her legs nearer and rested her chin on her knees.

`Huh?', he took a moment answer. `I like the thrill, the joy when I complete each move, each jump. It pushes me to go higher. The feeling of freedom, without any burden or strings. I get that from FMX'.

`But you drink a lot as well, how are you going to explain that? Thrilling?', she raised an eyebrow.

`No, that is a nasty habit, maybe borderline addiction'. He ran his hand through his hair.

`Ever heard of AA?',

` Yes, but I don't want to try that for now', he shook his head.

`But you drink too much, too fast', Astrid thought he needed help. He almost lost his life to it. That alone should be reason enough for him to join AA.

`I know. I know. I don't even know what I want in life sometimes. I mean I have the FMX to compete, but other than that I date girls, go clubbing, and basically hang out.'

`Why don't you help Ace?',

`Well, I don't want to commit to work', he shrugged his shoulder.

`But he could use help from you. Imagine if both of you were in the business, I think it would expand further. Besides, I kept hearing of this mole in Wagner Corp. Maybe its high time for you to shine, no?

`Let me think about it', he closed his eyes to rest. If she thinks he should work at the office, maybe he could give it a try.

`Why don't you promise me?', she nudged his chest.

`Promise what?', he opened an eye lazily.

`That you will work with Ace?', she eyes him hopefully.

`You won't let this go, eh?'

`Not intending to', she replied cheekily.

`You are persistent. What will I get in return?'

`Well, what are you looking at in return?'

`How about we meet up, once a week and discuss my work-life balance?', he figured it was killing 2 birds with a stone.

`You mean date?',

`Well you can put it that way', he was smiling by now.

Astrid knew Ace would baulk at the idea of dating Hadwin, so she came up with a compromising idea. `How about we meet once in a fortnight. With Ace as well? I have to cram work and night classes.'

`Are you afraid to be alone with me?', he mused.

`I can meet you both here. I mean your mansion is like a huge playhouse', she snickered.

`Alright, deal. Pass me your phone, I will save my number'.

Hadwin scroll down to contacts and did a double-take at Astrid. `You have 15 contacts? Wow, that is world record',

`Why are you snooping inside my phone?' she grabbed her mobile and saved his number herself.

After chatting further about their preference in games, movies and general things, both decided to call it a night. Ace was kept busy by his father in their home office, so Astrid decided to sleep early.

By the time Ace Wagner finished his office paperwork, the clock ticked 1.00 am. He gingerly made his way to Astrid's room and locked the door behind him. He knew she slept early, probably tired. He crept up to her and slid under the blanket. The moonlight reflected perfectly on her face. Her eyelashes, straight nose and slightly parted lips looked eternal. Ace used his thumbs and traced her soft plump lips. He was tempted to wake her up and kiss her into submission, but he cared for her wellbeing.

Astrid moved slightly and Ace spooned her, holding her close to him. He could hear her rhythmic heartbeat, deep in sleep and his eyes fluttered shut, sleep taking over.