Chapter 16: Legal to Ride
Date: September 23rd, 2023
Location: Ellington DMV (Dept. Of Motor Vehicles), City of Ellington
Time: 9:15 AM (Local)
Sophomore Year, 1st Semester
It’s Thursday morning and Allen sits in the DMV with Brad. He had approached them the evening prior and assured Brad and Laura that he was ready to take the permit tests. Laura had quizzed Allen with the practice test in the back of the manual and he passed it easily. Brad agreed to drive him to the DMV in the morning and then he could catch the rest of the school day. Allen also didn’t want to miss practice as the first game was scheduled on Friday against North Ellington High School. When they first walked in, Brad and Allen were directed to take a number in the crowded waiting area and now sat side by side as they people watched. Brad held Allen’s paperwork and Allen held a slip of paper with his number on it.
“Number 73, number 73. Counter number 4 please.” Allen glances at his slip to confirm he had the number before he and Brad walked up to the counter. The man took his slip and the paperwork from Brad.
“What can I help you with today?”
“I’m here to get my learner’s permit with motorcycle endorsement.” Allen offers with a smile. The man raises his eyebrows at Brad. Brad only shrugs in response. As the name plate on the counter states, Dennis starts typing on Allen’s information from the folder Brad’s holding on his keyboard. He finishes and turns back to Allen.
“Please follow me to the testing room, the test is conducted on a computer and is multiple choice. You need to pass with 80%. No paperwork allowed inside the testing room. I’m sorry sir, but you will have to wait out here also.”
Brad offers Allen some good luck before walking back over to the waiting area. Allen follows Dennis to the testing room.
“Just come back up to my counter when you finish, take all the time you need. Good luck, young man.”
Allen sits down at the computer. The test is already loaded on the screen.
Awhile later, Allen rejoins Brad in the waiting area. Allen has a handful of papers in his hand and a smug look on his face. Brad sees the look on Allen’s face, and it answered the question on his lips.
“I see that you passed.”
“Yeah, I’m just waiting to be called back up to have my picture taken and then they will have my permit ready. They said that once I feel that I’ve practiced enough, I can come back and road test for my license.”
“That’s good. Laura and I will ensure you get plenty of practice.” Allen nods his head at Brad’s words. Just then, Allen is called back up and he has his picture taken. The man behind the counter hands Allen his permit with motorcycle endorsement on it once the printer finished. Allen thanks the man and walks out with Brad.
“Well, you can still go to school today if you want.” Brad says to Allen as he navigates the midday traffic.
“Yes, please. I promised Kayla and Aiko I would come today after my testing and also, I want to make sure I go to practice. Our first game is Friday.”
“Just don’t forget about your schoolwork. It’s important for your future.” Allen hears the fatherly advice in Brad’s statement, and he gets a warm feeling in his gut that he’s not quite used.
“I understand. I won’t let you guys down.” Brad smiles at Allen’s words. Brad happens to look in the rearview mirror and sees a black sedan. He could swear that it has been following them since they left the DMV. Allen notices Brads focus on the rearview mirror and glances back at the car.
“Heh, I must be paranoid. I could swear that car is following us.”
“Eve, please mark that car.”
“Yes, Allen.”
A woman who appears of Asian descent sits behind the driver’s wheel attempting to look casual as her car matches Brads movements through the streets. As they pull into the school parking lot, the car speeds past and the driver doesn’t pay them any attention.
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“Strange….” Brad mutters.
Ellington Central Highschool Cafeteria - Lunch
“So, I’m sure you passed?” Kayla asks as Allen takes a seat at the table with his tray.
“Yeah, show us!” Millie adds. She had started to eat with Kayla and Allen after he had joined the football team.
Allen smiles and lays his learners permit on the table. Aiko swipes it up before the other girls can.
“You look so serious.” Aiko says as she inspects the stern-faced Allen on the license. Allen shrugs his shoulders as he continues to eat.
“Do they have to stare?” Allen asks after swallowing a mouthful of food. Kayla and the girls glance around and see the surreptitious looks that students are giving him.
“Umm, you’re the starting quarterback as a sophomore. Also, you’re a guy. Get used to it, stud!” Millie says as she gives him a playful swat on his arm. Allen nods after giving her a smile and returns back to his food.
“Wow.” Is Kayla’s response as she stares at the decorations that adorn Allen’s locker. Allen scratches the back of his head as he also has no idea on how to react. Multiple messages of support, hearts, and other friendly encouragements make seeing his actual locker impossible. Aiko slowly raises her cellphone and snaps a pic of Allen looking at his locker dumbfounded.
“I guess that means they are excited to see you play. This’ll make the pep rally interesting.” Millie offers.
“Pep-what?” Allen asks as he turns to her. “Pep rally. Instead of our last period, we will go to the gym and the school will cheer us on before our game. Coach will introduce the players and we will basically show off for the school.” Kayla says after looking at a heart on Allen’s locker which features a girl’s name and number. While Allen is distracted by the conversation, she rips it off and crumbles the heart into a ball before sticking it in her pocket. Kayla wanted Allen to date Aiko and was going to “wing man” for her. Millie continues to field questions for Allen about pep rallies as they head off to classes. Later that afternoon at practice, Coach had them do a light practice and sent them home to get plenty of rest.
Summerton Residence – Evening
“Okay, Eve. Bring up the list of parts needed for the bike.” Allen is sitting in his room, in front of his school laptop. When Allen arrived at home earlier, he had asked Brad to grab him a laptop next time he was near a store that sold them. For now, the school laptop would have to do.
“Here you go, Allen. Now, sit back and watch me work my magic after I integrate this laptop into my network. I guess I should have to keep a closer eye on you, you should have asked me as soon as this was issued to you. You know I can’t execute commands autonomously unless it is directly related to your safety!”
“Okay, okay. I get it. Eve, please integrate the laptop to your network.”
“Better. Now, please stand by…”
Allen idly fiddles with a loose sliver of wood on his desk as he waits for Eve to finish connecting. He looks out the window and sees a shadow in Aiko’s window although her lights are off. The angle of the moon allows for her shadow to be noticeable to Allen’s eyes. Suddenly, he sees the shadow stiffen when his eyes pass over it and it melts back into the dark in Aiko’s room.
“Hmm, I don’t know how to handle her. I know I’m the body of a 16-year-old, but my mind is that of an adult. Somehow it feels wrong. I’ll have to talk to Eve about this. A girlfriend would definitely help buffer the attentions of the other girls in my life.” Allen ponders to himself as he continues his wait.
“Laptop now fully integrated into my network. Creating account on “Cloudmall”. Account created. Payment and shipping information updated. Good thing you remembered to grab your debit card from Brad this afternoon. Now searching for optimal match on available parts. Hmm, most parts are available, but you may need to consult Laura or that leather clad tart on the bike on where to obtain the rest.”
Did, did Eve just throw some sass over a girl? This was new. Maybe Allen’s program was evolving on it’s own. As Allen thinks about this, Eve clear’s her digital throat to interrupt his musings.
“Ah, erm. Yes. You’re right Eve. Laura will probably be hurt if I excluded her from helping buy the parts anyway. I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow.” Allen had purposely left out the leather clad tart in his answer.
“And the leather clad tart?” Allen winces at Eve’s response.
“No need, I’m sure Laura’s help will be enough.”
“Okay, sounds good. I’ll update the list and text it to your phone for reference.”
Allen decides to bounce some ideas off of Eve and get her outlook on the idea of a girlfriend.
“So, Eve. I um, need some counsel on a matter.”
“Oh?” Allen could swear he can hear Eve raise an eyebrow in her voice.
“What’s my age in your view?”
“Hormonally and physically, you are 16. Mentally, you are 28. Why do you ask?”
Allen sighs. “Aiko, Millie, Kyra, Kayla’s friends….”
“Okay, I get your point. You are asking about the morality of courtship between your mental age and the females close to your physical age. Well, in the eyes of the law, 16 is the age of consent here so you are clear of those hurdles. I understand your dilemma and cannot offer a succinct response.”
“Well, it’s a tough question for sure. We’ll play it by ear, I guess. I’m not looking for entanglements right now anyhow, but I don’t want to draw attention by not dating.”
“I agree with that assessment.”
“As always Eve. Thanks for the help. I rely on you a lot and I just want you to know I appreciate that.”
Allen walks over to his bed and collapses. He soon drifts off to sleep.
“I’ll always be there for you Allen.” Eve pledges to the sleeping form. Across the way, dark eyes watch Allen’s window in the shadows. Tonight, the owner of those eyes hopes that Allen haunts her dreams.
A bright light flashes in the northeast horizon. It continues to streak on a northerly tract towards Allen’s landing site. Alarms go off in an underground bunker as the radar picks up the object. An officer picks up a red phone and dials a number.
“Yes?”
“Colonel, we have another track. It’s heading towards the first’s site. Orders, ma’am?”