Chapter 7 (Sienna)


    10 Years ago


    He rode like the bike was glued to him, and the only way to free himself from it was to go faster, to push


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    harder. I was certain as I put my arms around his leather jacket and felt the hard ripples under his


    clothes he trained just as hard. He was honorable, unlike me, a liar with no honorable reason. He


    chose lies to make his family happy and pretend he was like them. I lied because I was selfish.


    We take the 2nd left and two rights before we are on the back road. Locking my arms tighter around


    him, he bends as we take the sharp turn and straightens just in time as we hit the bridge, passing the


    river.


    The mountains in this region were a thing of beauty. I have always loved Liston Hills. I spent most of


    my younger years in different parts of Texas. When I got older, I stayed with my mom in Miami.


    My mother was fantastic, in every way I could describe her.


    She neverined, she was always smiling and full of life. Every holiday she’d bring me to Liston


    Hills, and we’d spend Christmas morning riding up these mountains. She loved her bikes, and fast


    cars.


    She loved these mountains too.


    We ride up the mountain road at a fast but steady pace. Kevin makes the ride feel easy. The wind


    blows my hair as the impact of the wind seeps through my jeans.


    The ride is long and freeing, I could never get used to it.


    There is something said about the one willing to put their life on the edge and surrender to the throttle


    of a machine. Which is why we ovee the fear of falling to have this moment.


    Only it will be better if I were the one riding it. But I have to admit Kevin is an expert rider.


    It’ster, orter than it already was by the time we make it to the top. I remove my helmet as Kylie


    grabs the nkets from her saddle.


    “You’re a natural,” Kevinpliments as a small grin touches his face like a shadow. I want to believe it


    is natural, but something tells me I am missing something.


    The little I knew about Kevin Stone, he didn’t smile unless it was for a reason, and I was certain the


    reason did not revolve around praising someone. But, as I inhale the air, I choose to give him a little


    benefit of the doubt. People change all the time.


    “Thanks, you were a little rusty around the corners. But not too bad.” Kylieughs at myment and


    Kevin just shrugs as he turns and walks to the nkets Kylie set up on the floor.


    This was the best spot to watch the sunrise in Liston Hills. It seemed like a majestic site when you saw


    it from up here.


    I lie on the floor next to Kylie. She takes my hand, which we have done since we were kids, and we


    peer into the night sky, waiting.


    “Do you think my momma is watching me?” I ask the same question I always do.


    “Yeah, your momma is probably turning in the clothes after watching her soon to be 16-year-old


    daughter at the back of my bike,” Kevin is the one who answers and Kylie squeezes my hand at that


    one.


    “True story, Momma never liked you,” I tell him.


    “Didn’t me her either, she had reasons not.”


    “Like screwing Ginger Cray in the barn,” Kylie adds with a chuckle.


    “Beating up Craig Sawyer after he forgot to make their dinner date,” I continue with a smile as a tear


    travels down my cheek. I had forgotten about that time until now.


    Kevin was staying with Uncle Marcus the weekend we arrived and my momma burst into a fit of tears.


    He didn’t take long to find Craig Sawyer and show him the error of his ways.


    “I forgot about that until now,” My voice is low at my confession and I am d Kylie is holding my hand.


    “You wanna know what I remember?” Kylie questions.


    “Momma chasing you around the Estate?”


    “Yeah, you momma could run, I knew if I didn’t start running she’d eventually catch me, and true to


    word she always did.” Kylie’s memories cause a pain in my heart. The thought of her makes it hurt


    more, because she was my momma, even if the life I lived was mostly a lie.


    “You gonna be 16 soon Sienna, you ready for whates next?” Kevin asks, and the question makes


    my saliva lodge thick in my throat. There is a whole new meaning to that question and an answer I


    couldn’t mention to either of them. Was I ready? The answer was no. In actual fact, I wasn’t even 16.


    Kevin knew that.


    “I’m sure I’ll get there.”


    “You know what I just realized?” Kylie interrupts and I am d for it.


    “What?” I say, genuinely curious.


    “Diamond is exactly 12 months younger than you,” She says in awe.


    “I haven’t seen her this week, is she alright?” I keep my voice low and casual but hoping I get a


    genuine answer.


    “She’s fine. Michael and her are working on a study. She’s agreed to take the Professorship at WU next


    year. I’m grounded until doomsday,” Kylie answers and relief washes over me that her best friend is


    fine.


    “That’s a p on the wristpared to jail time. You lucky he didn’t press charges.” Kevin is right. Kylie


    could have found herself in juvie.


    “I’m rich, luck has nothing to do with it. Papa is coughing out 10 mill to keep Dexter in check,” Kylie


    says but her words say she doesn’t believe them.


    “Do you really think Marcus needs to cough out anything?” Kevin’s question makes my suspicions


    about Kylies’ feelings for Dexter run deeper.


    “He already did. But no, I think Dexter would rather lose his leg and hate me than send me to Juvie.”


    “It is sad you couldn’t take your pride and leave, and had to knock the guy, because he pissed you off. I


    stopped over at the hospital to see how’s he doing. His football career is over,” Kevin says, and his


    wordse out blunt and harsh. And I flinch as Kylie sucks in a breath.


    “Well, he was going to work for the Delroys anyway, not like he was going to go pro,” She snipes and I


    know she is feeling like shit.


    “Now we’ll never know. You should have called me,” Kevin tells her.


    “Should have, but didn’t. No use talking about the past. Let’s just enjoy the sunrise.” Her words mute


    Kevin and I as we lie under the star filled night. We watch the sunrise without a word. All lost in our


    minds.


    By the time we get back home it’s closing on 6 o’clock.


    “Sienna, can I talk to you?” Diamond asks, standing in the middle of the foyer. I don’t look at Kylie’s


    quizzical look, or Kevin’s keen eyes.


    “Sure.”


    I walk closer toward her, my jacket half off my mind rambling with reasons as to why she’d want to talk


    me.


    “What’s up?” I ask, tugging off the rest of my jacket.


    “You’ve been acting strange around me recently, is everything alright?” Well, that is a loaded question.


    The thing is, everything would never be alright because she didn’t know who I was. Sometimes I wish I


    could tell her, but with 3 surgical procedures done to my face and hair, she’d never believe me.


    So I smile and shrug, “All is good, I’m a bit tense with mid-terming up.”


    Her blue eyes stare directly into my brown ones. My once ck hair, now golden blonde, doesn’t even


    give me a way. Sometimes I wonder if I ever told her, would she believe me? Was she already too far


    gone?


    “Okay, I have to get home. My dad is cooking his famous shepherd’s pie.”


    “Cool, bye.”


    She doesn’t smile as she walks away and I stand there, with my jacket dangling on the ground, and my


    jaw locked tight. Kevin walks in after Diamond leaves, and he gives me an expression I know all too


    well.