The ride of love.

Anna sauntered along the sun-drenched path leading to the river. She was on her bare feet, and the stones beneath her emitted an intense warmth. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her palm. The sun was blazing, painting the countryside in fiery hues. Anna deliberately chose to feel the heat on her soles. A form of rebellion against the constant ridicule of her father.

Raised without a mother's guidance, the only way Anna knew how to dress was like a man, taught perfectly by her quirky father, a self-acclaimed inventor. Anna was always in baggy trousers and oversized tops that concealed her feminine allure, with her hair always in a ponytail and no make-up. Even as a full-fledged woman, Anna clung to her unconventional style against the judgmental whispers of the village.

As Anna reached the riverside, she found it empty, much to her delight. Grateful for the empty scene, she seized the opportunity to strip away and immerse herself in the invigorating cold waters. Unbeknownst to her, a silent spectator was approaching the river to take his own bath. Clad only in her underwear, Anna embraced the river's cool depths, submerging herself for moments that felt like eternity before emerging back to the surface of the water.

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Jack stood in awe, astonished by the new revelation of Anna's perfectly curved body. Her face was a perfect structure, with a pair of arched eyebrows looking down on wet eyelashes. She scooped water with her hands and splashed it on her face, letting out a gentle laughter that revealed a set of angel-white teeth. She loosened her midnight black hair, and it flowed over her shoulders. Jack marveled at the length. Long hair has always appealed to him, and at that moment, all he desired was to join her in the waters, pull her close, and plant a kiss on her heart-shaped lips. Determined to know the village tomboy better, Jack faced a dilemma: the fear of ridicule from his friends.

Back in the village, Anna's father was putting finishing touches on his latest invention, the soulmate bicycle. The first time the idea came to him, Michael found it a very intriguing idea and ran to his daughter's room to share it with her.

"Dad! Can you do me a favor and stop embarrassing me? You are a failure of an inventor. The villagers will never take you seriously, no matter how hard you try." The room shook with Anna's voice.

"Thomas Edison failed 1,000 times before inventing a bulb, he replied.

Anna clenched her fist. "Argh!You are not Thomas Edison. You will never make a great invention. It's enough punishment that nobody in the village wants to be my friend. Don't make it harder than it already is." She scowled before stumping out of the room.

Michael wasn't deterred. He brimmed with certainty that his latest invention, the soul-mate bicycle, would finally earn him the recognition he deserved. He had put so much hard work into it. After making sure it was ready, Michael stood by the side of his garage and admired it—a bicycle requiring the synchronization of two individuals connected by a soulmate bond. The bicycle had two seats and paddles. The handle bar of the bicycle had a chip infused in it with the ability to read heart rates and decipher soulmates. It was more than just a ride; it was a source of connection.

Anna came back from the river and encountered a bustling crowd near her father's garage. Anticipating the familiar ridicule that followed his inventions, she approached cautiously. To her surprise, pairs of villagers were joyously testing the soulmate bicycle. Stephen and Angel were the next to try, but no matter how hard they paddled, the bicycle wouldn't move, providing amusement for the watching villagers.

"This thing doesn't work. Angel and I are soul-mates; you can't tell me otherwise," Stephen shouted as he got down from the bicycle.

As Anna got closer, John and Charlotte, the village sweethearts, were on it, effortlessly paddling away. Anna saw the undeniable success of her father's invention. Their gazes met each other, and she beamed a smile. It's been so long since he saw that gleam in his daughter's eyes, and it filled his eyes with water. Soon her father's house was like a bustling market square, as villagers of all ages eagerly lined up to experience this extraordinary bond.

John and Charlotte returned and handed the bicycle to Michael.

"I'm next," a confident voice declared from the midst of the crowd. "And I wish to ride with Anna; that's if she doesn't mind." The crowd parted, revealing Jack with an outstretched hand, leaving Anna wide-eyed and speechless.

"Do me this honor and ride me with me," he pleaded, his hand still extended. Anna, still in disbelief, placed her hand in his, and together they mounted the bicycle. The whispers intensified among the villagers as they observed the unexpected pairing. Jack was the most eligible bachelor in the village. With a prestigious background, he could have any woman he wanted, but not the village's unconventional figure. Anticipation filled the air as onlookers speculated whether the mismatched duo could prove the soulmate connection of the bicycle.

Jack's heart was beating very fast. He had acted on impulse without thinking of the consequences. If the bicycle fails to move, it will subject Anna to more ridicule. Despite never being part of those who mocked her, he now risked becoming the reason for prolonged laughter at her expense. Closing his eyes, Jack took a deep breath, silently offering a prayer as he placed his legs on the pedals, hoping the soulmate bicycle would validate the connection he sensed.

"You are crazy! Do you know that?" Anna whispered behind him.

"Ah! She finally speaks. For your sake, let's hope this bicycle doesn't disappoint," he responded.

"For my sake? Are you for real? You are the one who asked me for a ride, and I was too stupid to have accepted. This is going to end badly, I tell you."

"Not if we are soulmates."

Anna burst into loud laughter. "Soulmates indeed!"

Unknown to them, amidst their banter, the bicycle began to move, much to the astonishment of the spectators. Anna observed the puzzled expression on people's faces, and the sudden realization washed over her—Jack was her soulmate. An unforeseen revelation that defied all expectations. They rode along the village in silence but with loud thoughts in their minds.

"You know what this means, right? Jack asked, breaking the silence.

"What?" Anna retorted, her innocence feigned.

"It means you and I will get married." He teased, and Anna, caught off guard, almost lost her grip on the bicycle. "Easy Anna! You and I will get to know each other first. But you should know that I already know you more than you think. Today at the river..."

"You were at the river?" Anna interrupted, a blush tinting her cheeks.

"Yes! I was. I beheld your beauty, and in that moment, I vowed to make you mine. I don't know why you wear hideous clothes, but I have decided to unveil the beauty within. A few bucks, a boutique expedition, and a salon visit—then you'll be my wife."

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Anna playfully smacked him from behind. Everything was happening so fast, but she was excited to see how it would all unfold. She wrapped her hands around Jack's waist as they paddled back to her father's house. For the first time in her life, she was proud to be Michael's daughter.