Page 86 of Over & Out

But the girl bolted up to sitting the moment the bike was off her.

“I don’t know,”she said, her voice muffled.

“Move your legs,” I told her.

She duly obeyed. They worked.

“I think I’m okay,” she said after shaking out her arms too.

Relief flooded through me.

Betty was still running, so I reached over and turned her off. “She backfires sometimes,” I said. “It happens when you let off the throttle too fast.”

The girl looked in my direction for the first time. Then she slowly flipped up her visor. Her eyes were wide behind it.

She looks at me with the exact expression people wear around Hopper. Like she was starstruck. I almost look around to see if he was here.

“You’re Chris Maplewood!” the girl said, her tone almost reverent.

I laughed in pure surprise. This used to happen to me at races. I’d only raced at amateur meets, but when I had, little girls would sometimes come up to me and tell me I was awesome. Or ask for my autograph. It was cute. Inspiring, that I could inspire them.

I’d forgotten all about that, even though I’d raced last summer. Before the accident.

“I am,” I said.

She blinked. Then she looks over at Betty. “This is your bike.”

I shook my head. “It’syourbike.”

“But—”

“I don’t ride anymore,” I said.

She swallowed, her throat bobbing. “I—” she trailed off, like she’d lost her nerve.

I bit my cheek, knowing I shouldn’t ask. But curiosity got the better of me. “How did you come to get her?”

“Her?”

“Betty.” I smiled.

Her cheeks blotched with pink, like she’d made a huge faux pas. “I didn’t know she had a name.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “I didn’t really share it with anyone.”

She swallowed again.

“What’s your name?” I asked her.

Her cheeks went even pinker.

“Actually, it’s okay,” I said, realizing that I was an adult and she wasn’t. She’d probably been taught about stranger danger, which was a good thing. I’d just help her get Betty started and leave her alone.

“Shailene,” she said quickly. “But you can call me Shay.”

I smiled. “Hi, Shay.”

“The bike—Betty—” she said. “I…she’s not really mine.”

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