Adrenaline rush

"So, where to next?" She wondered rolling down her window and sticking her arm out, enjoying the feel of the wind against her skin.

"What's the fun in me telling you?" He returned with a playful chuckle. 

"I literally hate you right now." She declared resting her chin on the window and closing her eyes, smiling to the sensation of the wind on her face.

He stole a glance and smiled, more to himself. He had been indifferent about joining his friends for the concert, but after meeting Celia at that bench, he was more than glad he tagged along. From the minute he had sat next to her, the night had taken a very unexpected turn, a turn for the better. Yes, he had done most of the things they had done and were going to do that night, but having her around and doing them with her made all the difference. Throughout the night, he found himself stealing glances, trying to read her face or a smile that she had. He would hold up his camera and take a photo whenever she wasn't looking, wait for the camera to print out the polaroid and inspect it for any flaws, he never found any. 

"Hey," he called and pressed a button above his head that made the sunroof roll back. "I think this will be much better."

She looked at the opening above their heads then at him with a searching look. As if to confirm if she should really do it.

He gave a slight nod. "Go for it."

She impatiently undid her seat belt, unable to hide her excitement. She got to her feet and slowly poked her head out. "You're gonna be fine." He assured her, then held her hand.

She looked down into the car and met his kind eyes, he had a genuine smile playing at his lips. She turned away and looked around at the buildings speeding past them, blinking rapidly in the fast winds. 

"You were right," she admitted, almost shouting. "This is much fun!"

He pulled back his foot from the gas pedal, after noticing the winds were doing an injustice to her. She noticed what he had done and she found herself smiling foolishly, what a gentle man he was! A minute later, she slowly let go of his hand and spread them out with closed eyes, as if ready to embrace the blowing winds. 

She was first to spot the bright neon lights of a 24-hour-go-cart track getting closer as they drove. She slowly got back into the car and turned to him. "Is that where we're going?"

"Yes, it is," he replied, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

There was some hesitation from her, then she said, "I've never done go-karting before Achilles."

"Not to worry," he smiled reassuringly. 

He parked the car and held her hand as they walked inside the building. The sound of engines raving sent chills through her and did the exact opposite to him. 

"She is a first-timer," he told the gentleman at the reception after exchanging pleasantries. "Is there someone who can give her a quick rundown?"

"Yes, of course!" He pressed a few buttons on the telephone next to his computer and a less than a minute later, another staff member joined them.

"Please follow him, he'll show you the basics."

She listened keenly as the staff explained to her, showing her the various parts of the go-kart that she needed to be aware of. "And lastly, this is the gas pedal and next to it is the brake. It's pretty straightforward."

She gave him a nod and tried her best to hide how tense and nervous she was. Unexpectedly, she felt his warm hands slip in between her fingers, she turned and met him with a smile.

"You'll be fine. I promise, just breathe in and out and everything will be okay."

They suited up in the racing gear and helmets, with the staff making sure they had them on the proper way. They got into their go-karts and lined up and the start of the track. Simultaneously, they turned to each other, he gave her a nod of reassurance before turning and looking at the countdown timer. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, taking a deep breath in and exhaled as the timer counted down to zero.

She started slow, cautiously navigating through the turns. He was kind enough to keep his speed in check, following closely behind. "You're doing awesome!" He shouted over the engine noises. 

She was slowly getting comfortable, getting the hang of it. She smiled, relaxing on her chair. Suddenly, she pressed a little too hard on the gas pedal and the kart lurched forward. She let out a yelp, quickly tightening her grip on the wheel. She heard him laugh from behind and her face turned pink. 

They continued around the track, not going too fast and not too slow. After every lap, she would pick up a little more speed, enjoying the thrill it brought her; the adrenaline rush every time she accidentally pressed too hard on the gas, or the sudden halt of the car when she pressed on the brake suddenly. 

After a few laps, they pulled over at the starting point. He was first to alight from his kart, removed his helmet as he walked over to her and helped her out. He undid her chin strap and removed the helmet to revealed her tousled hair. He threw the helmet inside the kart and turned to her fully, raising his hand to her hair, in an attempt to smooth it down.

She didn't resist, just stood there with a smile as he gently run his fingers through her hair. 

"Thank you for this Achilles," she told him softly. "I had no idea go-karting was this fun!"

"I had a feeling you'd like it." He replied, his fingers still playing with strands of her hair. 

His eyes dropped from her hair and locked with her's for a moment. Adrenaline from the race was still pulsing through her veins but there was something else, a new unfamiliar feeling. A feeling that made her heart beat a little faster in the tension that was quickly building around them. 

She found it hard to speak, but managed to say, "Thanks for convincing me to try."

"I'm glad we did this." He admitted softly, his warm hands still lingering around her hair. They stood in silence for a moment. Each of them deliberately letting the tension build. Suddenly, she found it difficult to breath, but that didn't bother in the slightest, she was lost in the sincerity and warmth of his eyes. His gaze was intense, looking deep into her eyes, searching, as if trying to understand what she was feeling inside.

Her heart pounded even harder against her chest as her cheeks turned red with flush. His touch as he gently set a strand behind her ear sent chills rushing through her entire body. She wasn't sure what was happening, what was she was sure about is that she wanted that moment to last forever. He broke the moment with a playful grin a second later.

"All good," he informed her, taking a step back. "Ready to go?" 

"Yep!"

One of the staff whom Achilles had given his camera to walked and stood in front of them. "Thank you!" Achilles said to the man as he took back the camera and the printed polaroid photos. 

They walked out of the establishment, pleased with the unforgettable experience. She had her hand tucked under the crook of his arm as they walked towards his car, ready for whatever adventure he had planned for next.