Into the Spotlight
She had luxuriant caramel brown hair that tumbled down to her waist, glowing softly in the dim kitchen light. Her right leg was adorned with an intricate black tattoo sleeve depicting a leopard climbing down a tree, its eyes wide and alert. The design began high on her thigh, visible due to her attire, and extended beyond sight, revealing two striking figures: one a demonic woman, the other an angelic beauty.
She wore an oversized grey hoodie that draped down to her thighs, yet her hourglass figure was subtly evident beneath the fabric. Her eyebrows were sharply defined, complementing her naturally pink lotus-colored lips. Her milky skin was as smooth as polished marble. She appeared to be in her late teens, just a bit older than Sawyer.
"You're finally home," she said, quickly turning away from the door.
"Yeah, we had a bit of a… complication on the group ride," Ezekiel replied, glancing back at Sawyer, who was closing the door behind him as he entered.
Aiyana looked at Sawyer quizzically. "Who's this?" she asked casually.
"Aiyana, this is Sawyer. Sawyer, this is Aiyana," Ezekiel introduced them.
"Nice to meet you!" Sawyer said, stepping forward and extending his hand for a handshake. Aiyana eyed him up and down before offering a casual wave in response, her expression remaining neutral.
Sawyer backed away slightly, letting his hand drop as he felt the palpable embarrassment wash over him. "Is my exhaust here?" Ezekiel asked, his tone shifting to excitement.
"Yeah, I put it in your room," Aiyana responded, barely looking up as she flipped through the channels with the remote.
"Come on," Ezekiel said, ushering Sawyer toward his room. Veiled by his glance over at the kitchen, Sawyer couldn't help but steal another look at Aiyana, her beauty capturing his attention once more.
They entered Ezekiel's room, and he closed the door behind them. The room was spacious, dominated by a king-size bed with dark, luxurious bedding that complemented the overall darker color tone of the space. The walls were painted in deep, muted shades, creating a cozy atmosphere. Despite the room's size, it was fairly neat, with minimal clutter and a sleek, mounted TV adding a modern touch. In the middle of the room stood a huge brown box displaying the word "Yamato" in bold letters.
"There it is," Ezekiel said, his excitement palpable as he approached the box.
In the world of motorcycle builds, the Yamato exhaust system stood as a paragon of performance and aesthetic appeal. Its sleek, silver body curved gracefully, gleaming under the light with a polished finish that hinted at both power and precision engineering. Along the side, the brand name was emblazoned in bold, purple letters.
"This thing is… beautiful…" Sawyer said, marveling at its craftsmanship. His own Raider exhaust, merely a carbon muffler, paled in comparison—both in horsepower gains and visual splendor. The original full exhaust system on his bike remained untouched.
"Isn't it? This full exhaust system will not only make my bike sound better but also allow it to perform better," Ezekiel said, his excitement palpable as he gazed at the pristine exhaust system.
"Who are you going to have install it?" Sawyer asked, his curiosity piqued.
Ezekiel chuckled softly, turning to look at Sawyer. "The group's mechanic, of course. He'll do this free of charge," Ezekiel replied with a confident smile.
"We have a group mechanic?!" Sawyer exclaimed, a mix of excitement and surprise in his voice, as if discovering a hidden treasure within their biking community.
"Yeah, they fix up all of the group's bikes and handle any maintenance work that might be needed. I can introduce you to them tomorrow," Ezekiel said.
Sawyer's face lit up with childlike excitement, eyes wide with anticipation. "I should go to sleep now then. Text me when you're leaving!" he exclaimed as he hurried towards the door. Aiyana watched him go, her expression a blend of curiosity and mild confusion.
Sawyer unlocked his door, grabbed his helmet, keys, and gloves, and headed down the apartment complex steps to his bike. He turned the ignition and set off towards "Pulse Fitness." By the time he arrived, it was close to midnight, and the gym was mostly empty except for a few late-night fitness enthusiasts.
As before, Sawyer worked out for the next two hours, methodically tearing his old muscles to pave the way for building new strength.
After his intense session, Sawyer loaded his gear back onto his bike, feeling the satisfying ache of exertion in his limbs. Just as he was about to insert the key into the ignition, the blue status window materialized before his eyes.
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SYSTEM MENU
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[Name: Sawyer Knight]
[Rank: Novice
Physical Stats:
Strength: 12
Health: 5
Agility: 12
Toughness: 27
Dexterity: 7
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'Woah!' Sawyer exclaimed silently in his mind as he stared at the stats displayed across the screen. 'Not only is my strength stat affected by working out, but other physical stats are influenced too,' he thought, marveling at the unexpected bonus. The window dissolved, and he placed his key in the ignition and started his bike.
Without wasting any time, he pulled the key out of the ignition, threw off his helmet and gloves, and headed inside. After a quick shower, he changed into his nighttime clothes and collapsed into bed, exhaustion and satisfaction mingling as he drifted off to sleep.
The sun flared into his eyes, abruptly forcing him to toss to his other side. The blinding sun jolted him from his sleep. As he slowly opened his eyes, he was startled to see Aiyana squatting next to his bed.
"AAAAHHHH!!" he shrieked, leaping back to the headboard in a fit of nervous energy.
"Gosh, you scream like a little girl," she said, standing up straight. Her height was shorter than Sawyer's, putting her somewhere on the petite side of five feet.
"What are you doing here?! How did you get in here?!" Sawyer exclaimed, his voice tinged with lingering terror.
" You left your door unlocked. I was wondering if I could borrow your dryer. Ours broke, and I didn't want to use yours without your permission. Also, I didn't want to wake you up," she explained, pointing to the hamper of freshly washed clothes near the entrance of Sawyer's room.
The nervous blade of Sawyer began to dull. "Sure," he said, letting out a breath.
She clapped excitedly. "Anyways, how long have you been here… and what time is it?" Sawyer asked, squinting at the sun, which kept rising steadily.
"I've been here for almost thirty minutes, and as for the time, it's only 7:47 a.m.," she replied, her voice drifting as she busied herself unloading her clothes into the dryer.
Sawyer laid back down, closing his eyes, not yet ready to start the day. The soft sounds of Aiyana bustling about were a mild annoyance, but he hoped to drift back to sleep.
"So, you're my brother's friend?" Aiyana asked curiously, her voice carrying a gentle lilt.
"… Yeah…" Sawyer responded after a moment, the weight of exhaustion hitting him like a boulder.
"So, how long have you been in the group?" she asked again, her voice still distant as she continued with the laundry.
"About a week…" Sawyer replied, realizing that sleep would elude him as long as she was around. Resigned, he opened his eyes slightly.
"It's fun, right?" Aiyana asked, now walking back into his room. She leaned casually against his dresser, her eyes studying him with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.
"Wait… you're in the brotherhood too?" Sawyer asked, his brows knitting together in confusion.
"Brotherhood… I really hate that word. It sounds almost primitive, as if girls can't be in the group," Aiyana replied with a touch of irritation. She leaned against Sawyer's dresser, her gaze wandering to the outside world through the open blinds, which she had adjusted herself, letting the morning sun spill into the room in soft, golden streams.
"But to answer your question, yes. I am part of the 'brotherhood,'" she said with a mocking tone. "Actually, many other female bikers are in the group. We're as ballsy as you all, so why not?" she added confidently, her eyes flicking back to Sawyer.
"… Why have I never seen your bike? Or even a single female biker at one of the group rides or hangouts?" Sawyer asked, standing up from the side of his bed, stretching to shake off the remnants of sleep. His curiosity was piqued, and he couldn't hide the slight edge of disbelief in his voice.
"At one of the group rides raging with testosterone? No thanks," she snapped, dismissing the idea instantly. "And we're not required to join your dumb hangouts just because you're having them," she added, her voice thick with fury and annoyance. "The reason you haven't seen my bike is that it's still being shipped to the new apartment," she continued, her words dripping with disdain for that aspect of the brotherhood.
"Ezekiel's bike got here faster than mine because we left on different days. Mine comes in the next few days," Aiyana said, her tone tinged with irritation. She turned on her heel and walked out, the door clicking shut behind her. Sawyer sighed heavily, collapsing back onto his bed and running his hands over his face, chastising himself for his stupidity and ignorance.
Sawyer got back up and continued his morning routine. He threw on some black short that ended high above his knees, a crisp white T-shirt, white snake-designed gloves, white socks, and his beat-up white shoes. He glanced at his keys sitting on the table, hesitating for a moment. Then, with renewed resolve, he grabbed them along with his motorcycle helmet and gloves from the closet.
'My biggest worries have now been taken care of. There's no longer a reason to hide my passion,' he thought to himself as he walked over to Ezekiel's door and knocked. Ezekiel answered the front door, his expression transforming into a smirk when he saw Sawyer. "Want to ride to school with me?" Sawyer asked. "Sure," Ezekiel replied, leaving the door open for Sawyer to walk in as he got ready.
Inside, Aiyana sat on the couch with her knees drawn to her chest, engrossed in a reality show. The morning light streaming through the windows gave the room a warm, inviting glow, contrasting with the tension that had lingered in the air earlier.
"Hey… look about earlier… I'm sorry for being such a jerk," Sawyer said, his voice filled with genuine remorse. Aiyana smiled, picking up the remote and pausing her show. "It's okay, I also could've been kinder," she replied.
"What? No way, I was being a jackass," Sawyer insisted. Aiyana chuckled softly just as Ezekiel emerged from his room, clad in yet another all-black outfit.
"You ready?" Ezekiel asked, grabbing his helmet and gloves.
"Yeah," Sawyer replied, turning around and opening the door. As he walked away, Aiyana watched him, a smile dancing across her lips as she unpaused her show.
Sawyer and Ezekiel simultaneously mounted their bikes. They inserted their keys into the ignitions, the engines roaring to life in unison. With their visors flipped down, they exchanged a brief, knowing glance before Ezekiel led the way out of the apartment complex.
The ride to school was swift, the cool breeze whipping past them as they navigated the streets. As they neared the school, heads began to turn. Students, previously accustomed to seeing Ezekiel ride solo, were now met with the sight of a new, unfamiliar companion. The sight of two motorcycles pulling into the parking lot was enough to spark a wave of curiosity.
As they parked, Sawyer removed his helmet, his hair slightly tousled from the ride. The murmurs began almost instantly, whispers spreading like wildfire through the crowd of students.
"They bothering you?" Ezekiel asked, his tone casual yet protective.
"This much attention… Nah'," Sawyer replied, his voice laced with a hint of streetwise slang. He thought to himself, 'I better get used to it.'
As the pair made their way inside the building, students instinctively parted, creating a clear path for them. It was almost impossible to ignore the ripple of whispers and glances that followed them. Among the onlookers was Ethan and his gang of bullies, who could only watch in annoyance as Sawyer seemed to thrive.
"We're gonna get that son of a bitch sooner or later," one of Ethan's goons muttered, crushing his soda can and tossing it aggressively into a nearby trash can.
Ethan, his arm possessively draped around a girl—the same one who had tripped Sawyer previously—glared daggers at Sawyer from a distance, his eyes seething with barely contained rage.
"Hey, also, I'm running to the group's mechanic if you wanna come with me," Ezekiel announced as they walked through the bustling main entrance of the school, surrounded by chattering high school students.
"Sure," Sawyer replied nonchalantly, adjusting his backpack as they navigated through the crowd.
"I'll see you at lunch," Ezekiel said, giving a nod as they veered off into opposite directions. The school corridors echoed with the sounds of lockers slamming shut and the murmur of voices as Sawyer made his way to his first class.