By the time a new sun had hung itself in the sky, it was the weekend. I was already dreading the coming school week. The heat waves were dancing on the city streets, distorting the Cepertine aqua of the chain stores. The summer months were busy stroking my mind, and I just wanted to chill on the bay side beaches with Nahlia. Maybe, I could get her to make out with me, but that would never happen. It was better to hit up the bay before the wet season came. At least school would be out for break when the rain started falling.

Nahlia wanted to spend the day together in the city, instead. I convinced her to leave her house and then it was all fun and games. She was teaching me to be a ground dweller. It was lame.

“No, that one's way too fast,” gasps Nahlia.

Nahlia quickly pulls my hand down. A vehicle whooshes passed us. Most of the vehicles were like dune buggies. Bare bones and cheap like Neandeleria. She was teaching me how to free-ride. That's how all the ground dwellers get around. Another dune buggy rushes passed us, beeping its horn at my hesitation. I pull my hand back.

“I don't like this,” I say.

Nahlia gives me that look that told me I was being difficult. She sulks her posture.

“No one cares if you're from the sky here, Tayt....”

“No. I just don't like the idea of grabbing onto a passing buggy!” I yell back.

A rising agitation had already lodged itself on my face. I give Nahlia a quick shove and she shoves me back. There's a ledge on every vehicle in Neandeleria. You can jump on it and hitch a ride, standing on the side of the car.

“It's easy,” returns Nahlia. “You just grab the hand-bar and step on the hitchhiker’s ledge. Just be sure to kick your foot into the grip.”

I give Nahlia another angry shrug and opened my mouth. She wanted to start with the fast movers and work my way down. I wouldn't be so afraid then. The wind hits my face and I hear tires screech. Some of the vehicles sped up as soon as they saw I was a sky dweller. It was just like the ropes, except you could be squashed. I'd rather die by hanging, but I was up for it.

“Ok...” I sigh.

Vehicles pass by me without a care. Soon there is a jam up and traffic begins to slow. A buggy rushes pass me.

My eyes paint my target. I steady my hands and body.

My heartbeat jumps.

I breathe in and leap off the sidewalk, grabbing onto a passing metal hand bar. My arm jerks from the inertia and I swing myself over. My body dangles without balance as the car picks up. The rush of pavement leaves a heavy dose of reality beneath me and I kick my foot in the grips. My hand stumbles, as I reach for another metal bar. The buggy begins to slow at a flashing stop light and I exhale.

I reach for some coins in my pocket and try to drop it into the tip container.

“No takes. Training rides are always free,” says the driver with a grin.

I was kind of surprised. The ground dweller actually was a decent person.

The noise of a loud motor sounds off behind me. Nahlia had joined me, free-riding the buggy next to me. It looked like she wanted to race. Her driver was up for it. Mine had better things to do.

“If it's coming to a stop, you could just wait for it to stop,” Nahlia says from behind her large sunglasses.

“Well thanks for telling me now,” I interject.

I rotate my shoulder. It was still a little sore. The tug had left an annoying ache and my heartbeat hadn't quite calmed down. Suddenly, my body jerks again and I grab onto the handle bar unrelentingly. “Welcome to the jungle gym,” I think sarcastically. I look back at Nahlia. She had a dumb smile on her face.

“Free-dumb!” mocks Nahlia as her buggy smears rubber. It was something so stereotypical of the ground dwellers it wasn't even funny. I try to relax, but my buggy swerves in an out of traffic, right after her.

“Stupid Nahlia….”

When that was over, my legs were trembling. The feeling of relief was slowly moving up my spine. I look over at Nahlia. I try to talk it down.

“Free-riding is still nothing compared to the ropes.”

“Uh-huh. Yeah right.” Nahlia answers. She shoots ahead of me with a smile.

“But, I guess you will never know...” I add. I wanted her to come to the sky for once.

Nahlia gives me a look. She was aware I was teasing her, but being pushy. Nahlia knew the sky platform was the last place she’d be welcome. Besides, if her uncle found out, it would be game over for her. He might even hire a bounty hunter to come pick her up.

We walk past skyscrapers and domed buildings. The aroma of food sails through the air. Signs and ads were everywhere clogging the walkways and ad stands.

Ad stands were a place a Neandelerian girl picked up her petals. I watch Nahlia talk to some guy and he gives her some petals. They were like colorful cloth coupons and she attached them to her Neandelerian corsage. The corsage was a wrap that held a metal link to her arm. If the girl was lucky a passerby would rip one off and use it. The companies would give the girl a percentage of the sales. Nahlia signs her name and address on the new petals. We were on our way again.

It wasn't long before another flashing neon sign captivated Nahlia. She found the building that we were looking for. It was on a map. Probably an advertisement in some book she read. The lights reflect off her sunglasses and she walks inside. She runs out, right after.

“Don't just stand there,” she laughs. Nahlia pulls me inside with her.

Two heavy glass doors close and the air conditioning hits me in the face.

“Cold air! Relief.”

A small bell rings and I find myself in a cluttered shop with buzzing in the distance. The front area looked messier than the back. I hear water running as Nahlia walks up to the counter.

“What is this place?”

“I'm getting a tattoo, Tayt.”

It wasn't a real tattoo. Like everything in Neandeleria it was fake and would rub off in a few months. I plop down in a cheap plastic chair. Nahlia hands the man behind the cash register some money and clear coins with electronic numbers on them. A sash voucher is also handed in. It was petal she had worn for a long time on her arm. Nahlia runs back to me and shows me some picture. It was some crest of Neandeleria I didn't care much for.

“I'm getting it on my leg,”

“Which leg? Make sure you choose the right one,” I joke.

Nahlia gives me a dirty look.

The glass door opens abruptly and I instinctively looks over at the sound of the entrance bell. The newcomer's face wasn't threatening and I slinks deeper into his chair. Being on the ground made me insecure. It was full of trendy ground companies that brought the worst of the ground dwellers. As long as I didn't run into my classmates I was golden.

Time passes.

After a restless two hours, Nahlia's voice catches my attention, preventing me from dozing off. She walks out from behind the back room and a man gives her a receipt. She crumples it and tosses it at me. The shop keeper tries to tell her not to litter. I didn't care either. I had to wait forever.

An expression of remorse spreads over Nahlia's face when she realizes how long it had been.

“Sorry,” she says.

I shrug. My irritation vanishes when I take a look at her leg.

Below Nahlia's denim skirt and upon her thigh was a finished tattoo of a flower. In the center of the luscious petals was a pair of glossy lips. Across the whole picture was a target focused in on the mouth with the words Dew-Lit. It was the over-commercialized crest of Neandeleria - visually appealing, simple, and instantly gratifying.

“Does it hurt?” I ask. I look at the finished tattoo that would soon fade out with a few scabs.

“No, you get used to it,” replies Nahlia with a smile.