Makenna finished the last of her fries and wiped her fingers with her tissue. She picked her drink and took tiny inaudible sips and she enjoyed the view. Sometimes she forgot just how beautiful Tacoma is. Everyone gets so caught up in their life that they forget to live rather than simply survive.

"Better?"

Makenna looked at Atlas who was relaxed in his seat across from her. His unwavering gaze told her he'd been watching her for a while. Makenna licked her cold lips, folding them and swallowing before she released them. She placed her drink back on the table and mirrored his position.

"Yea," She stared back at him,

A moment later, Atlas cracked a smile and looked away. Makenna hid a smile of her own, curious as to the reason behind his.

"What's funny?"

"I remember the last time I was here," Atlas looked back at her, his smile slowly fading, "You hated me and I hated it."

Makenna blinked. Once. Twice.
"I didn't hate you."

Atlas angled his head, surprised and uncertain.

"A random person walks into my life and decides to mess up the organized chaos, that is my life." Pause, "I didn't know how to fit you in in an already messy life. I didn't know how to feel about you," She looked away, "I hated that."

Atlas did not know what to say to that. He was stunned and did not expect an answer, much less one that sounded very honest.
"A random person, uh."

Makenna's gaze dropped from the spot she'd been looking at, then she shifted her eyes to him. He looked up at her just then and everything inside her screamed.
"Not so random now."

"Do you put all your friends through this same scale?"

Makenna shrugged and Atlas smiled.

"If you can't tell me that, maybe you can tell me how far partner-in-crime is on that scale of yours."

She narrowed her eyes,
"Why?"

"I just want to know how hard I need to work to get there."

Makenna calmed her racing heart,
"It's not on the scale."

She did not expect the smirk that slowly formed on his lips.
"Even better."

"You..." She had no idea what she wanted to say. But not because she had nothing to say, but because she had a lot.

You drive me crazy.

You are insanely attractive and I just now figured it out.

You say things that my heart just can't take.

You make me forget my past and future.

You...

"...have one helmet." She finished, "Why?"

Atlas leaned in on the table,
"You."

Makenna blinked and waited for the rest of the statement.
"Me, what?"

Atlas laughed, looking away and then back at her,
"I have a helmet because of you."

"And you think it's ok that you don't wear one?"

He shook his head once.

"Do you like the gamble?" She asked, "Is the idea of having your life nearly taken exciting for you?"

Atlas had lost all humour as the memories of the accident played in his mind,
"No."

"So, what is it then?"

"I just prefer not to kill anyone that rides with me." He swallowed the again that almost spilled out,

"And yourself?"

Atlas leaned back with a shrug as he looked away from her. Makenna studied him and saw different emotions play in his eyes. Her hands fisted under the table as she longed to console the little boy she saw in his eyes.

"What happened?" It was barely a whisper,

Atlas looked at her,
"What?"

"What happened to make you so reckless with your life?"

Atlas held her gaze for a moment too long,
"What happened to make you shut everyone from yours?"

Makenna waited for a beat before she picked up her drink, took a long sip and placed it back on the table.
"Some questions are better left unanswered."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Why did you come pick me up?" Makenna changed the topic of conversation,

"You didn't have a ride."

"I could've gotten a cab."

"It would've taken longer."

"So you waited for me instead."

"I didn't want to intrude. Again."

"How long did you have to wait?"

"A few hours." He paused, "Give or take a few."

"Which is it; give or take?"

Atlas smiled,
"Am I under investigation?"

"Are you guilty of something?"

"Just of wanting to spend time with you."

Makenna blinked, her next question forgotten. Atlas leaned on the table like he was trying to get close to her.

"We're going to have to get past this eventually."

"Past what?"

"You stalling."

"I'm not stalling."

"You are. You just don't know that you're doing it."

"Why would I be stalling?"

"I don't know, Makenna. You tell me."

"You're the one who says I'm stalling, why don't you tell me?"

"There it is again."

Makenna rolled her eyes and looked away from him.

"You're grasping at everything and ignoring the elephant in the room."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Atlas leaned back in his seat, watching her,
"Alright then. Have it your way."

Makenna finally looked at him.

"The ball's in your court."

Makenna opened her mouth slightly, pausing a moment before she asked,
"What if I don't know how to play?"

Atlas would've cracked a smile if he didn't know how serious she was.
"You learn."

She let the meaning sink in for a moment,
"Are you offering to teach me?"

Atlas' jaw ticked,
"Only if you'd let me."

Makenna calmed her trembling hands that rested on her lap. She sucked in a breath and she looked for the waiter. She caught his attention,
"Bill, please."

"Sorted."

"Ready?" Atlas asked,

She looked at him,
"I can't let you pay,"

"Don't worry, you can get it next time."

"Next time?"

Atlas smiled and scooted out of their table,
"C'mon."

"You can't...ugh," Makenna quickly got out when he left.

Atlas didn't like leaving her alone like that, it was so unlike him. But this was Makenna. He had to let her have her way until she was comfortable with him and ready to trust him.

"Hey,"

She called behind him as he headed towards his motorcycle.

"I'm talking to you,"

Atlas smiled at how cute she sounded when she was furious.

"Atlas!"

Atlas stopped in his tracks, a few feet away from his bike, the smile on his face gone. The sound of his name on her lips was so rare, like hearing his favourite music once every blue moon. The urge to hear it again started an ache in his chest that he could do nothing about.

Makenna walked around him and turned so that she was standing in front of him,
"You can't pay the bill and leave like that." Her brows dipped, "When did you even pay for it?"

He studied her features as she spoke and he saw when realized dawned.

"Ah," Makenna's shoulder fell and her gaze shifted to his face again, "You are something else."

Atlas' heart thumped in his chest as he watched her, unable to look away. He fisted his hands at his sides stopping himself from doing something that she would not appreciate. But looking at her, standing close enough to grab, he couldn't help but wonder what it'd feel like to have her in his arms.

He wasn't sure which he wanted to do more; pull her into his arms and hug her tightly or hold her gently and place a kiss on her forehead ever so lightly. Atlas looked away from her and let out a sigh which she caught.

"Is everything ok?"

Atlas looked at her and a lazy smile formed on his lips,
"Never better."

Makenna wasn't sure what was going on but the way he looked at her made her forget why she was riled up.

"Let's get you back," Atlas walked around her and headed towards his bike and Makenna followed a second after.