Raj was riding his bike in the middle of the group, feeling the strong wind on his face. Around him, the engines roared loudly, and any car passing by them slowed down, respecting the group. Or maybe it was fear.
After a while, the group stopped under an abandoned bridge. Jake got off his bike first, signaling everyone to stop. He opened a backpack and pulled out some cans of spray paint.
"Alright, guys, time to mark our territory," Jake said, tossing one of the cans to Raj. "You do the eagle, man."
Raj looked at the can and then at Jake, raising an eyebrow. "An eagle? Man, I'm not exactly the best artist, you know? My drawing skills are… limited."
Jake chuckled. "Doesn't matter, just do it however you can. This is more about attitude than perfection. Let's go."
Raj sighed but walked over to the bridge wall with the spray can. He looked at the old concrete, trying to imagine how he would make an eagle. He started painting, carefully sketching the lines. The final result wasn't very detailed, but it still had a shape that resembled an eagle, albeit in a very simplistic way.
Mike and Tommy laughed when they saw the drawing. "Man, that looks more like a pigeon than an eagle," Tommy said, giving Raj a light elbow.
Raj shrugged. "Hey, I didn't say I was an artist, but the message is there, right?"
Jake gave an approving nod. "Alright, partner. It's marked. Now, the road calls."
Soon after, the group decided to stop in an empty lot surrounded by trees, a place away from the main road. Jake started an improvised campfire while the others spread out around, relaxing after a few hours on the road. The sound of the bikes finally quieted down, and the atmosphere seemed lighter. Raj sat near Tommy and Mike, who were relaxed, each with a beer in hand.
Mike exhaled smoke from a cigarette. "So, Raj. Enjoying the biker life?"
Raj smiled. "Ah, it's been different, you know? I just wanted a change, to get out of the routine, do something more… free."
Mike laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, man, the road has that. Gives you a sense of freedom you can't find anywhere else."
"And you guys, how did you end up in this biker life? Doesn't seem like something you plan for early on, right?"
Tommy chuckled, tossing the cigarette butt on the ground and stamping it out with his boot. "Nah, definitely not the kind of thing you write in a career plan." He took a sip of his beer before continuing. "In my case, I was kind of lost, you know? Did some odd jobs here and there, but I could never stay in one place for long. Then one day I met Jake on the road. We talked, I took some hits in the first week, but after that… I don't know, it made sense. The road kind of gives you a purpose."
Raj nodded, absorbing that. "I get it. I guess, in a way, I was also looking for something different. Never imagined myself being part of a group like this."
Mike, who had been observing, gave a crooked smile and said, "Man, nobody gets into this thinking they're gonna become a family, but the truth is, after a while, these guys are the only ones you can count on. I grew up in a neighborhood where you either got into trouble or disappeared. I chose the first option, and the gang kind of found me in the process."
"And now?" Raj asked, curious. "Do you see it as something permanent?"
Mike shrugged, looking at the fire. "We live one day at a time, partner. The road is all that matters. As long as I can keep moving, I don't need anything else."
Raj fell silent for a moment, reflecting on what Tommy and Mike had said. Since he had gained David's memories, a part of him had come to admire this idea of freedom, of throwing himself into the unknown without looking back. But he wondered: was that really him? Because, in truth, the old Raj was never like that. He was never very athletic, and to be honest, he was quite fearful.
All this trying to prove himself… It was a drive he didn't quite understand. It was the same thing in the fight with Kurt. The old Raj would have hidden under a table and prayed no one would find him.
But was that a bad thing? If he stopped to think, it definitely wasn't. After all, only he knew how much he had suffered for being a fearful personality. Damn, even in school, he remembered when the bullies locked him in the janitor's closet and he stayed there, shouting for help… only to find out the closet wasn't even locked! He could have left all along, but fear paralyzed him so much that he didn't even try to turn the doorknob.
Tommy looked at Raj, noticing he was lost in his own thoughts.
"Man, you know what I've learned in this life? It's no use beating yourself up over this shit. Thinking about what you did or didn't do, who you were or whatever. That doesn't change anything, you know? You do what you gotta do and that's it. Getting fucked over is part of the game. Just can't be a scaredy-cat your whole life. The road is there, man. Either you ride with it or you get left behind. Simple as that."
Tommy got up, stretching his arms. "Go get some sleep, man. Tomorrow we're waking up early. The road doesn't wait."
Raj, still a bit lost, looked at him. "How long are we gonna be on this trip, anyway? I need to get back to work."
Tommy put his hand on his chin, as if actually thinking. "I don't know… maybe 3 or 4 days? Who knows?"
Raj's eyes widened. "Damn, 4 days? I'll lose my job like this!" He asked, with a hint of desperation. "Can't we come back sooner?"
Tommy repeated the question with a fake surprised expression, looking at Mike next to him. The two burst into laughter.
"You heard that, Mike? He asked if we can come back sooner!" Tommy kept laughing. "This guy is funny, I love him!"
Mike, still laughing, shook his head. "Raj, brother, you've got a lot to learn from the road."
When Tommy and Mike walked away, Raj was left alone, feeling the panic rise. "What the hell was I thinking coming here?" He rubbed his face. "Freedom? If I lose my job, I'll have all the freedom in the world… freedom living under a damn bridge!"
Raj started pacing, thinking about his parents. "Oh God, what are they gonna say?"
He imagined his mother's voice with the accent: "Rajesh! How dare you lose that job? Now you'll go back to India and live in the basement again!"
And then, his father's voice, serious but sarcastic: "Oh, very well, Rajesh. Now you're an official bum. Finally, someone will make our family proud!"
Raj huffed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, sure, that'll be great. Total freedom! What a brilliant idea…"
In pure desperation, Raj pulled out his phone and called Howard. He waited through a few rings until Howard finally answered.
"Hello? Raj? What's up?" Howard said, his voice full of sleep.
"Howard! I need your help, it's urgent!" Raj whispered, looking around as if someone might overhear him.
"Urgent? What happened? Are you in jail?" Howard asked, half laughing.
"No, not yet! But it might happen! Howard, listen… I need you to come up with an excuse, anything, but it has to be good. Otherwise, I'm gonna lose my job!" Raj spoke quickly, trying to stay calm.
"Okay, okay… Calm down. What kind of excuse do you want? And what did you do this time?" Howard asked.
"I can't tell you right now. But think of something that will get me out for 3 or 4 days. You know, something he wouldn't question!"
Howard was silent for a few seconds. "Alright… okay, how about you're participating in a secret quantum physics research on… Mars? With Elon Musk?"
Raj rolled his eyes. "That's ridiculous, Howard! Try something else!"
"Alright, then you… were summoned by an international ghost-hunting organization. They're sending you to Europe to investigate a haunted castle."
Raj sighed but couldn't help but laugh. "Howard, this is getting more and more bizarre!"
"Okay, then listen: you had to go last minute because… you were called to take care of a baby penguin colony in the Arctic! No one questions baby penguins."
"Baby penguins? Howard, please, try to be serious!"
Howard laughed on the other end. "Dude, seriously? You're asking me to come up with a crazy excuse and can't even say why! Are you gonna tell me you were abducted by aliens and now you're trying to get back to Earth?"
Raj sighed again, nervous. "I'll explain when I get back! Just come up with something convincing."
"Alright, alright… I'll tell the director that you were called to handle a medical emergency in India. Something rare, like… a giant snake infestation at your parents' house!"
Raj shook his head but realized it was the best he was going to get at the moment. "Okay, go with that! I trust you!"
Howard laughed. "Man, you're really desperate. But alright, I'll help you. Good luck with… whatever you're doing!"
After ending the call with Howard, Raj lay down in a corner of the camp, looking around and noticing he didn't even have a sleeping bag. Everyone else was prepared for a three-day trip, with backpacks and gear, while he seemed to have shown up with nothing.
"It's gonna be great joining a biker gang… Enjoyed the freedom, the road calls, what a damn…"
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A/N: It might not seem like it, but this is an important part of the story. I wanted to show the transition in Raj's personality, where one part of him wants freedom, is confident, and likes risks, while the other is still the old Rajesh with his insecurities.