Bishop

Kyle and I are hard at work on the Vert when the last person I ever expected to see walks in.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Thought I’d come over for some fush and chups,” Jax says, trying and failing to put on a Kiwi accent.

“Well you know we do do it better,” I reply.

“Fuck off.”

“No seriously, what are you doing here, Jax?” I ask.

“I’m a superfamous, well-sought-after team owner/director/all-round god who flies all over the world to scout talent. Why wouldn’t I be here?”

“For me?” I ask. You could seriously knock me down with a feather right now.

“Fuck no, for the kid.” He tips his chin in Kyle’s direction. “And some Caramilk. Shit’s harder to find back home than a Bitcoin.”

I nod. “That sounds about right.”

“What the fuck?” Kyle asks.

“You’re being scouted, mate,” Jax tells him.

“Why?”

“Apparently this one,” Jax jerks his thumb at Bennington, “believes you have some serious talent and it would be a crying shame if I didn’t come over and take a look, or some shit like that.”

“Really?” Kyle’s eyes are wide, there’s a massive smile on his face, and if I’m not mistaken, the blush on his cheeks is from the compliments being thrown at him and not from the exertion of his last run.

“You going to show me what you’ve got or what?” Jax asks.

“You want to see me ride?” Kyle asks.

“No, I want to sit down and have tea and crumpets. Yes, I want to see you ride. I flew all this way didn’t I?”

“And here I thought you were here to get your Extreme Games medals back,” I say.

“I’ll take those too. Not that I need to, got them and my best trick, and Park medals back so I’m good.”

“I knew it wouldn’t take you long to get back to where you were,” I say as we watch Kyle go through his run. From the corner of my eye, I see Jax stare at me. “Seriously, the amount of talent you have, and all those crazy ideas in that fucked-up brain of yours, there was no chance you weren’t going to get back and go straight back to the top.”

“Are you fucking with me?”

“Trust me, if I were fucking with you, you’d know. Truth be told, you’re not really my type. I mean, the lost puppy look is cute, and it works for you, but I’m more into the rugged and manly sort.”

“Wha…?” Jax asks.

I turn to him. “I’m gay, dude.”

“Really?”

I nod.

“So all that with the hostie on our way to Vegas, with Bentley in Vegas….”

“Was a ruse. I was never into your girl, Jax.”

Bam! Without warning, Jax slams his fist into my jaw.

On the Vert Kyle stops, dumping his bike and rushing to me. “What the fuck, bro?” he asks Jax.

“You used my fiancée as a ruse?” he asks.

“I’m sorry, I was an arse,” I say, rubbing my jaw.

“Was?” he asks. “Try ‘still am.’” He crosses his arms and glares at me.

I nod, accepting that not everyone is going to believe I’ve changed, or that I could change.

“Nah, man,” Kyle says, “he’s different.”

Jax scoffs.

“I’m serious. Those moves you just saw me pull? They were because of him. He’s been helping me, training with me for weeks. I never could’ve done all of this without him.”

“Doesn’t prove shit,” Jax says.

“Look, I know it was weak going after your girl, but my dad… he has expectations and me going after Bentley was my way of trying to live up to them,” I explain.

Jax tries to come at me again, but Kyle holds him back. “You’re not making this any better,” Jax says through gritted teeth.

“There’s nothing I can say to express how sorry I am for using her in that way. Just like there’s nothing I can say to prove to you that I really have changed,” I say, “but when I was on the tour, when I was with the DeanStars I was a different person, a horrible person. I’ve been through a lot of shit since then. My dad’s an arse, but he’s all I had, all I thought I had—”

“Surely you understand having a difficult relationship with a parent,” Bennington says to Jax.

I see him relax slightly.

“I really am so, so sorry for what I did, Jax. If you could pass that on to Bentley, I’d really appreciate it.”

“Why not tell her yourself?” Bennington asks.

“How would I do that? Is she here?” I ask.

“By joining Jax Tracks.”

“Er, excuse me, Mr. Bennington dude, but last time I checked, and I check pretty regularly, Jax Tracks is my team,” Jax says.

Bennington waves him off. “You didn’t fly all this way to not sign somebody.”

“Yeah, but somebody could be the kid,” he argues.

“I’m not going without Bishop,” Kyle says. “That is, you know, if you wanted to sign me.”

“Kyle…,” I say.

He looks to me. “I’m not going without you. You’ve helped me so much. Plus, you deserve a second chance. You’re a great rider, Bishop, don’t let that talent go to waste.”

“Er, in case you lot have forgotten, there is no second chance, no talent going to waste because there. Is. No. Offer,” Jax reiterates.

“Quit playing like you don’t want me,” Kyle says.

“Look, kid, you’ve got some decent skills, but your attachment to old Royal here is a serious drawback for me.”

“Forget about me,” I tell him. “Kyle is good, you can see the promise he has.”

Jax nods. “Fine. There’s a spot for you if you want it,” he says to Kyle.

Kyle looks to me. “Take it,” I tell him. “BMX Park has been included in the list of sports for the 2020 Olympics. If you train hard and listen to everything Jax teaches you, I have no doubt you could give him some stiff competition.”

Kyle turns abruptly to Jax. “Do you know Bishop has been working on his own tricks? Original tricks?”

“I don’t—” Jax starts.

“And someone who gets tricks down so fast could really be an asset to the team. Just think of all the time you wouldn’t have to spend figuring something out if you had someone who could already do it?”

“I can work out tricks just fine on my own,” Jax says.

“Please,” Kyle pleads.

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Bennington says.

Jax blows out a breath and runs a hand through his hair, tugging on it lightly.

“You know what, guys, I appreciate the support,” I say to Bennington and Kyle, “but it’s all good. I had a great career. Everything has to come to an end at some stage, right?”

“Do you still want to ride?” Jax asks me.

I nod.

“Do you still love riding?”

“More than ever,” I answer. “When I was riding before, I didn’t put any heart into it. My father took all my victories as his own, and I resented him, and riding, for that.”

“But that’s gone now, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“And if I let you near my fiancée again you won’t touch her?”

I smile. “I’ll shake her hand and that’s it.”

“You’re really gay?”

“Yep.”

“And I’m not your type?”

I burst out laughing. “You definitely are not my type.”

“He has a boyfriend,” Kyle pipes up.

Jax looks to me and raises an eyebrow.

“Sorta. It’s long and complicated,” I say.

Jax smiles. “I’ve got time. It’s a long flight.”