Free Scarlett White by Chloe Smith

years. I can give it again if you need it—" Scarlett was rambling and she knew it. She always started blabbing when she got nervous.
     
    "No, I don't need your number. I have it already," Francis said with a dazzling smile on his lips.
     
    "Then…what's up?" Scarlett asked quizzically again. She turned slightly and started walking to her car, hoping that Francis would give a quick explanation and be done with it.
     
    But Francis had other ideas; he swiftly grabbed her hand before she could leave. Spinning her back around to face him, he said, "I was actually wondering what you are doing tomorrow."
     
    Oh, no. Scarlett caught her breath, "Wait...are you—?"
     
    "—asking you out…again? Yes. And I don't give up easily," Francis warned.
     
    "So I can tell," Scarlett said, trying not to hyperventilating, but she caught herself to ask him. "Why are you so interested?" It didn't come out harshly or anything; she merely asked it in a curious voice.
     
    "I don't know why you haven't noticed yet, but you're hot…especially on laundry days," Francis said, flashing Scarlett his dazzling smile.
     
    Scarlett smiled and did what she always did when she was nervous or flattered: she began playing with her hair. Her eyes slid down to look at his outfit. He wasn't dressed in his usual scrubs like he always was at the hospital. Instead today he was wearing a form-fitting T-shirt with a black, leather jacket. And his long legs were donned in designer jeans that were pre-ripped. Scarlett's eyes snapped back up to his face while blush embarrassingly crept up her cheeks from looking down for so long at his jeans and wondering how what was underneath them looked.
     
    Scarlett mentally began to think over the pros and cons. Pros: Francis was a senior. Francis was hot. Francis had never been mean to her. Francis was almost nineteen years old, and Scarlett knew he was smart because of the certificates he had from his classes, so he showed some sign of intellect. Francis had complimented her plenty of times. Francis was a successful intern at the hospital that she visited every weekend. Cons: ... Scarlett's mind came up blank, and that didn't happen often.
     
    "Well, I have to study—"
     
    "No, you don't," Francis said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
     
    Scarlett smiled and blinked bashfully up at Francis, "Then I'm free anytime."
     
    "All right, tomorrow after school then, do you need a ride home?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at a rather spectacular motorcycle.
     
    "Sure." Scarlett didn't miss a heart beat, "Wait...How will I get to school in the morning, my car is...?" She looked ahead, indicating her hand-me-down car.
     
    "I'll pick you up at seven and drive you back."
     
    Scarlett was amazed by her lucky turn of fortune. She knew that she had freaked on Francis on Friday, but it had been so unexpected, and she hadn't been ready for a relationship on such short notice. But now she was ready to take a chance. She still couldn't believe that this morning she had been completely late for school...again and had to briefly put her hair in a sloppy ponytail—and she hated anything that could be described as 'sloppy'. Now, she was going to ride a motorcycle with a senior honors intern at a hospital.
     
    Francis and Scarlett began walking over to his bike. As they got closer, and the bike got bigger, Scarlett began to rethink things. She was always up for adventure, but she wasn't quite up for a slim mistake and... CRASH!
     
    Francis noticed the falter in her step and the expression of worry she wore.
     
    "Have you ever ridden one of these?" he asked her. She really is cute when she's scared, Francis thought.
     
    Scarlett merely shook her head, still looking at the rather large bike uncertainly.
     
    "Well, don't worry; you're safe with me." Francis handed her his spare helmet and straddled the massive bike. "Well, come on now, hop on."
     
    Scarlett straddled the bike behind Francis and wrapped her arms firmly