hey folks,
here's my first attempt at writing. i'd love constructive criticism if you'd be willing to give me comments.

chapter one

"how could this get any worse", i thought to myself as i inched along in rush hour traffic. the august sun, the endless line of cars stretched in front of mine, and the car in front of mine blasting music that i hated, too loud for me to ignore it.

almost made me eager to get home, if it weren't for the treatment i knew i'd get once i got there. the treatment i'd gotten for years now from the woman who once loved me.

i felt quite grateful when their radio went silent. but then i heard noise of another kind. one of the passengers had taken off his shirt and wrapped it around his head. he was babbling his imitation of hindi as loud and fast as he could and shaking his finger out the window. i looked to the side and saw an indian woman on a bike, waiting to turn onto the street. the driver was guffawing loudly, taking breaks to shout "go back where you came from!" and "rings are for fingers, bitch!" another passenger chimed in "careful tommy, she might crash her bike into your house tomorrow".

when they finally drove on i looked at her and smiled, and gestured for her to pull in front of me. she looked back, with a look of sadness, anger and determination. a look that i saw often as i was shaving, but never with such beauty behind it. she said thank you and pulled in front of me. as we crept along she kept glancing back at me, sometimes smiling. as we neared the next side road she extended her right arm as though to signal a right turn, but then she looked back at me again, gesturing to the right repeatedly.

i followed her around the corner, assuming she was lost and needed directions. instead of riding up beside my car she got off her bike and leaned it against a beautiful bmw parked in front of me. i hoped for her sake the owners didn't look out from their house and see that she'd done that.

she walked up to my window and said "thank you so much". i was too busy noticing how
beautiful she was to answer just yet. she looked to be in her 30's. her brightly colored sari hung loosely over her slim but well-developed body. her shoulder-length hair was pulled back to reveal her oval face with flawless amber skin and deep brown, almond-shaped eyes. i finally stammered "you're welcome" and "are you okay now?"

"fine" she replied but didn't move. never good at conversation, i did my best to keep this dream a reality. "sorry about those jerks back there" ... "just forget about them"... "what happens on main street stays on main street". she didn't laugh at my lame attempt at humor but aimed her amazing eyes right at mine. now i was completely flustered so i said the first thing i thought of: "i think toe rings are beautiful".

she closed her eyes, lay one hand on my car and leaned straight down. i thought she was feeling sick but she came right back up with her sandal in her hand. eyes open again, she stepped back a bit, still holding the car, and rested her ring-bearing foot through the window opening, right by my shoulder. "very nice" i said, expecting that to be the end of it. but she stayed put, putting her left hand on her hip and her right hand on her raised knee to keep her balance, and trapping me in those beautiful eyes again.

i raised my hand and touched it to her foot in case she needed help getting it back down. her eyes shut again and she took a deep breath so i decided to explore. i slid it to her ankle and slowly up her shin, marveling at how soft and smooth her skin was. i rounded her knee and started down her thigh, moving ever slower but never stopping. now under her sari, i needed to let my fingers be my guide. i inched further and further down. when the skin got very soft indeed and i reached a sharp right turn i knew just where i was. my heart pounding, i stopped my journey briefly but kept my thumb sliding back and forth, both dreading and living for my next step. i dared take that step and breathed even harder as my fingers met a thatch of coarse, wiry hair.

i let my fingers explore that forest, back and forth, occasionally peeking into the clearing beyond, so it knew it would get it's share of the attention in good time. when i couldn't wait any longer i reached for that beautiful meadow but felt a pain in my shoulder that meant i couldn't stretch any further. i desperately reached and grazed soft, damp flesh with my fingertips, but couldn't keep them there. i tried again and again before giving up. i grabbed her foot with both hands and gently lifted it from my car door.

she stepped back and turned to get her bike. as fast as i could i opened my car door, climbed out and slammed it behind me. she had to know i didn't want that to be the end.

she turned and walked back toward me. i threw my arms around her and hugged her, laying my chin against her shoulder and then my head against hers. hugging me back, her grip softened slightly and she started rubbing my back. i rubbed hers with one hand while i slid my other to her head and stroked her hair. the scent and warmth of her body against mine made me forget the heat of the day and everything else. as i turned my head to kiss her neck a sound startled me. she froze too, collapsing against me and then squeezing my arms hard with her hands.

she walked quickly to her bike, searched in her bag for her cell phone, and answered it.

the man's voice sounded angry. she conversed with him in hindi for a few minutes, then hung up. she thanked me again for my help and said she had to go. i got back in my car and drove off. i glanced in my mirror before rounding the corner and saw her loading the bike into the bmw. as i watched, frozen, she climbed in and sped off in the other direction.