Riding on the Edge of Summer | rainni’s

19 Apr, 2025

𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

The metal bar was cold and rough under her fingers, flaking rust that caught beneath her nails as she clung to it, her legs dangling freely above the river of asphalt. The garbage truck lurched and rumbled, a beast of metal and diesel, its engine roaring in her ears, vibrating through her bones. Rinni's heart thrummed with the same wild pulse, a beat made of freedom and rebellion.

The sun was high, a golden giant blazing in a sea of blue, its heat soaking into her skin, baking the road until it shimmered. The wind was cooler, rushing past her in gusts that tangled her hair into a wild, frizzy halo. She felt it whipping against her cheeks, a thousand kisses from the summer breeze. She laughed, the sound bright and reckless, swallowed by the roar of the engine but echoing in her own chest.

She was flying. Not above the clouds, but close enough. The world blurred around her, a streak of colors—emerald lawns, pastel houses with sun-bleached shutters, fences overgrown with ivy. She waved, fingers splayed, to the faces that turned her way. A woman on her porch, frozen mid-sip of lemonade. A man trimming his hedges paused, clippers poised, his mouth an open 'O.' She beamed at them, her smile wide and unabashed.

A group of children chased each other down the sidewalk, their laughter spilling out like marbles. They stopped, eyes wide and mouths open, pointing as Rinni swept past. One boy shouted, "Look! Look at her!"

Another boy, younger and bolder, cupped his hands around his mouth. "You're crazy!"

Rinni grinned, leaning out just enough to feel the swoop in her stomach. She shouted back, "Crazy free!"

They whooped, their little arms flailing in the air. She waved again, her smile wide and unapologetic, basking in their wonder. She felt like a circus performer on a tightrope, an acrobat suspended between earth and the sky, defying gravity and logic.

The truck rattled beneath her, its metal frame clanking and groaning, but Rinni wasn't afraid. Her toes curled against her sandals, her knees scraped and bruised from yesterday's fall. But she wore those bruises proudly, badges of adventure etched on her skin, proof of her wild, reckless joy.

The truck rounded a corner, and she caught her reflection in a store window— a wild girl with sun-bright eyes, her arms spread wide, her silhouette framed against the summer sky. She looked like she belonged to the wind, a creature of freedom and chaos.

But then came the shout. "Hey! You! Get down from there!"

Rinni's head whipped around, her heart stuttering mid-beat. The garbage man had caught her, his face scrunched in anger and disbelief. He leaned out of the driver's window, waving one arm, his voice cutting through the engine's growl. "Are you nuts? You wanna get hurt? Get off my truck!"

Her eyes widened, her mouth forming a silent 'whoops.' She felt a giggle bubbling up, a nervous, mischievous sound that she barely suppressed. Then, she saluted him. Like a soldier. Like a pirate. Like a kid who knew she had been caught but had already won.

And before he could yell again— Rinni leapt.

Letting go of the bar, her body weightless for a heartbeat before her feet hit the ground. Momentum pulled her forward, her sandals slapping the pavement as she stumbled, caught her balance, and took off running.

"Hey! Get back here!" the driver shouted, but his voice was already fading behind her, lost in the road of the truck and the thud of her feet against the concrete.

Rinni sprinted, her legs pumping, her brown hair flying, laughter spilling out of her in wild, breathless bursts. She felt alive, electricity buzzing beneath her skin, her pulse dancing with adrenaline. She veered off the sidewalk, cutting through a neighbor's yard, dodging a sprinkler's spray.

An elderly woman peered over her garden fence, her eyes wide behind thick glasses. "Lord have mercy, that girl's got no sense!" She said, shaking her head.

Rinni flashed her a grin, waving as she ran past. "Just a little fun, Miss Eleanor!"

Eleanor's mouth twitched, a reluctant smile breaking through. "Just don't break your neck, you wild child!"

Rinni's laugh bursted out, the sound ringing like bells, echoing off the houses. "Wild child," she repeated, her voice dancing with delight. The words made her feel infinite, like she was made of sunshine and wind, like she could stay this way forever — Carefree, untamed, impossibly alive.

She ran until her lungs burned, until her legs ached and her heartbeat was a drum pounding in her ears. She slowed, her steps faltering, her breath coming in sharp, joyful gasps.

She turned, glancing back at the road. The garbage truck was long gone, a distant memory in the haze of summer heat. She could still feel the metal bar's coldness on her palms, the wind on her face, the rush of speed beneath her feet.

She grinned, her eyes sparkling. "Wild child," she whispered, the words a promise to herself, a vow to never lose this feeling. Her adventure wasn't over — it was just beginning. Tomorrow was another day, another ride, another chance to fly.