41
Anthony
Make it Up to You – River City High
I t has been a few days since I left Frisco and my talk with Heath. After getting everything off my chest, I feel better and have a clear vision of how to move forward with everything regarding Ashlynn and me.
Before I start my riding for the day, I look over at the few upcoming competitions that are on the books for the other riders on the team. I decide to give Chase a call to let him know that I am coming back and to get me back into those competitions as well. I already called and set up a meeting with 360 energy about the drink collab that they wanted to do with me and have that planned for May. Everything is coming back together. I really do have Heath to thank for this; he gave me that hope, telling me that Ashlynn has asked about me and then seeing the framed picture of us in Seattle just made it even more concrete.
Chase's phone keeps ringing incessantly, and I wonder what he's up to since he's not answering my call. He usually picks up right away. As soon as I hang up, I toss my phone on my hoodie and drop in to start a few new trick variations I have been working on for the Competition in Santa Cruz. I am looking forward to going out to California for this one. It is a whole new event. It is something that really hasn’t been done before. It sounds similar to an extreme tour; the only real difference is the first part is for the pro rookie class to get additional endorsements and the second part is for the pro riders. Along with the split, they also will have a ton of food vendors, apparel, and even a free show once the pro day is done to close it out.
I have been riding for a few hours when my phone starts ringing over the speakers that my Bluetooth is hooked up to. Once back on deck, I lay my bike down and answer Chase’s call. “Hey man, what’s up?”
I haven’t talked to Chase since his quick text message about the team wanting to go up to New York for a cruise, but I haven’t seen anything showing they have done that. “Hey! Sorry I missed your call. I was on the phone with Paul Hendrix, trying to plan when I can get out there and meet face to face. How are things going? Are you coming home yet?”
I take a seat on the deck and let my legs hang over. “Yeah, I am coming home in the next few days. I need you to get me back into the competitions, if that is at all possible. I got my meeting setup with the energy drink company for May.”
I hear Chase let out a long sigh. “Finally! The team doesn’t know what to do with you being gone. You are the glue of the team, man. They even decided against the cruise in New York because they wanted to wait for you to get back. So, to answer your question: yeah, I’ll get to calling for the competitions!”
I don’t know what to say besides, “Thanks man. I appreciate everything you do and for letting me get away to get my shit together.”
We are both quiet for a few minutes when Chase asks, “Are you better? No more drinking? That wasn’t you.”
I nod my head even though he can’t see me. “Yeah, at least no more drinking in the morning.” Chase is quiet when I finally laugh. “I am kidding! I haven’t had anything since New Year’s, and I feel like myself again.”
After that, we each say bye and hang up and I get back to my riding.
I have been riding for a few hours after my call with Chase and I decide, fuck it, I want to ride at the skate park down at Memorial Park and get on the full vert ramp for some air. I don’t care who sees me or if it gets posted anywhere. I throw my bike in the back of my truck and start toward downtown. As I am driving on the interstate, my phone vibrates with a new text. I ignore it until I pull into the parking lot and get out. I look at who text and it’s Heath, along with a picture of the note I left.
I burst out laughing when I read his message and see the picture of the note I left on her table in her writing room, when I get another message from Heath.
That gets my full attention–no wonder why they have stayed all as unread. She has the alerts silenced, but she had to have seen the number bubble next to my name, unless she always leaves her messages to Heath or Neha open, so she doesn’t really see any other ones. I am almost certain that is what she is doing. I type out a message back to Heath before I go and ride some more.
After that, I toss my phone in the glove box and get on my bike toward the bowls. I drop in and flow around before I start doing anything. It is a warm day in Colorado Springs for mid-February. As I am riding around, I notice a few kids taking pictures and pointing at me. Once I stop, they come over and ask for a few selfies with them and I am happy to take some. One of the younger kids asks me if I am going to go on the vert ramp. I let out a sigh and ask him if he thinks I should. He gets an excited look on his face, saying “Hell yeah man!”
With that easy answer, I make my way up the stairs for the drop in. I don’t usually ride vert, but it’s nice to have the option at the park. After a few runs on the ramp, I am done for the day.
As I am loading up my bike in the bed of my truck, I take a seat on the tailgate and just stare at the mountains that are the backdrop to Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak in particular, America’s mountain they call it, and it looks good, fully snowcapped from the winter and spring storms. I get why Ashlynn loves it here so much; the state has the Rocky Mountains for a nice backdrop. It’s then I notice a lifted 4Runner pull into the parking lot of the skatepark and my heart nearly stops because it looks exactly like Ashlynn’s 4Runner. I am staring, waiting for the driver to get out, but when they do, it is not Ashlynn. How could it be when Heath told me just a few nights ago that she is in Vancouver with Neha and Cora? My mind is playing tricks on me, making me think that could have been her. Talking to myself, I say, “Great, now I am starting to see her when she isn’t even here.”
After I see the 4Runner, I get on Instagram and pull up Ashlynn’s page and noticed that she uploaded a reel. I click on it and see that it is of her snowboarding and taking on a jump, sticking it, and face planting–all in the span of a few minutes. Whoever was recording her caught the big smile on Ashlynn’s face after she rolls onto her back. It makes me smile, knowing she is having fun out in Vancouver. Maybe someday I can meet her friend Cora. She wasn’t in high school with us, so I really don’t even know how her, and Ashlynn became friends or how long they have been friends. Leaving the skatepark to head back to the house, I see another 4Runner and say to myself, “How many freaking lifted 4Runners can there be in Colorado Springs?”
I am back at Jason’s dad’s house and getting all my things packed up to head out first thing tomorrow morning. I know I told Chase in a few days, but I am anxious to get home and see the guys and ride with them again.
I wake up bright and early, get my bikes secured in the bed, and toss my bag in the back and get onto the interstate to head back home–back to Greenville–where it all started. It’s a 26-hour drive from Colorado Springs back to Greenville, which will essentially be two days because I cannot drive that myself. I drive for 15 hours the first day and end up stopping to get a hotel room. While sitting in my hotel room, I check my messages to Ashlynn, just hoping they are marked as read now after what Heath told me, but they all still reflect unread. I need to give it some time; I am sure once Heath tells her I was at her house, they will be read. I am up bright and early to finish up my last 11 hours of driving. I have a feeling of excitement, heading back home and seeing the team.
I pull into my driveway around 4 in the afternoon and notice the team is out back building dirt jumps–of all things to be building at a house that doesn’t even belong to them. I just sit in the truck for a few and get out since no one has noticed that I pulled up yet. They are all busy smoothing out a big jump; Nash is just standing, watching with his back to me as I walk toward them. I stop a little behind him. “What the hell do you all think you are doing?”
That makes Nash jump a bit, and he swings around. “Holy shit! You’re alive and back. Where have you been, dude? You know my mom and dad were ready to send a search party for your ass!”
I laugh at what Nash said; I guess me leaving without telling anyone had a kind of ripple effect. Mateo and Noah are the next to notice me. Dropping their shovels, they are heading toward me, too. I owe them a giant apology for leaving them while they were so new to the team. “Hey guys, how’s it going?” I ask them.
Neither of them has anger, and just smack me on the shoulder telling me it is about damn time I got back. I visit with the rest of the team and head inside to talk with Chase.
I go through the backdoor, and both Nick and Chase are sitting at the island in the kitchen. “What the fuck?! Are you seriously home and back now?” Nick asks me.
“Yeah, man. I am back. For now, at least.”
Chase turns in his chair. “I got you back in the competitions; there were a couple I couldn’t swing, though. Welcome back.”
I give Chase a small head nod and head to my room. I close my bedroom door, sit on my bed, and look out the window that overlooks the dirt jumps. I got to say, the team has done a good job building them. I splash some water on my face, change, and head out back to help them. We are out for a few hours, all just talking about the competitions coming up and the ones I missed. After a few, Chase yells from the back deck that pizza was delivered. We all load up our plates and for some unknown reason, we all have the same thought to head back out and sit on the ramps and eat.
While we all eat, I let the team know what I have been up to. I tell them I went home to Colorado Springs, and that’s where I have been. I tell them I haven’t had anything to drink since New Year’s Eve, and I feel like myself again. Everyone is quiet after I finish when Nash asks the question that I am sure is on everyone’s mind. “Did you go see Ashlynn?”
I take a giant drink of my water because suddenly, my throat is very dry. “Yeah, I did go to see her. She wasn’t home. She’s in Vancouver with Neha and their friend Cora. She is coming home at the end of this week, but I needed to get back here.”
I let out a long-held breath and tell everyone what happened between Ashlynn and me. I told Heath who I have only met a few times; these guys are my team and closest friends. They need to know the disaster I made of things. After I finish, I get nothing but silence for a long while.
“Ashlynn needed you, man, and you just pushed her away? I hope you have some sort of grand gesture to get her back.” Nash tells me.
“I am working on something, but I don’t know really know where she is at on everything regarding us.”
Mateo looks me dead in the eyes, “She’ll take you back, I know it. Just don’t ever be an asshole to her again.”
I’ve got to say, I am grateful that my team is so protective of Ashlynn.
After eating, we try to finish up some more of the dirt jumps, but it is getting dark, and I am starting to lose energy after my day of driving. I head inside for a shower before I crash. As the scalding water hits my chest in the shower, all I can think about is how showers are no longer enjoyable without my girl by my side. It’s funny how a normal, everyday thing can make you think of someone. I get out of the shower and crash almost as soon as my head hits the pillow. I reach out and pull Ashlynn into my body, smelling her hair and telling her how much I missed her and that I love her. Then, I wake up, and it is just my pillow I am holding on to. I throw the pillow to the floor, get up, throw some clothes on, and head out to my ramps. I have outdoor lighting. It’s 2 AM and I am out riding, trying to again clear my head. I stop after a few tricks and pull my phone out of my pocket to look at one of the last pictures I took of Ashlynn. It was in Seattle; her head is laying on the bed and the sun is shining just enough on her face to show how much green she has in her hazel eyes. Her hair is in a messy bun and her smile is all I need to see to keep pushing forward, and it’s also all I need to make a big decision.
After an hour, I notice a car pull into my driveway and quickly see that Nick is walking down to the ramps with his board. I think to myself, what is he doing here? Then again, Nick only lives a few houses down and has never been a good sleeper, so chances are he saw me out here and came to keep me company. “You want some company?” he asks me.
“Yeah, sure. We haven’t hit the ramps just us in a while.”
We ride until almost 5 AM. After we stop, we sit on the deck, catching up with each other. “So, what are you planning on doing? Are you going back to Colorado once you know she is home?” I grab my phone and look at a different picture, one from when we were in Frisco before everything happened. Both of us are happy and smiling at each other–another candid one Neha took and sent to me.
I finally answer Nick. “I want it to happen naturally, I don’t want to force it if she isn’t ready. I was really an asshole to her, Nick, and I don’t expect for her to forgive me for that and for what I said, but I just want us back.” I show him the picture. “I want this again. She was happy and only gave me that big smile!”
Nick nods his head. “Well, looks like you are back to the Anthony she wants, so that’s a start.”
I look over at him, puzzled that he said the exact words Neha told me on this very ramp 2 months ago. “You didn’t think Neha would tell me what you all talked about? That girl can’t keep shit to herself.”
Nick leaves after our short talk and I go inside to see what we have to eat for breakfast. To my surprise, my fridge is stocked with food. I make some breakfast for everyone, and we all head back out to finish working on the jumps, so we can all start riding them. I have a few new tricks to show them that I want to do in Santa Cruz.