Page 4 of Rivals

“You’re right. There is a more formal way to go about this but most of them don’t have half the talent that I saw from you the other night. You’ve got something that most of them don’t have. The majority of those racers were born with a trust fund and haven’t had to work very hard for what they have. When push comes to shove, I’d bet on you, not them,” he tells me. His eyes hold mine. They seem kind and caring, two things I’m not used to in this world. This man, who is a complete stranger, seems to have faith in me. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around that and it makes me uncomfortable.

I shake my head, dismissing the idea. “I’m not the girl you bet on.”

I turn to walk away when I hear him say, “I don’t believe that. The girl I saw last night in that car was worth betting on.”

I turn around and study the older man with graying hair. “Why are you trying so hard right now?”

“Look, I get that this may seem odd but a couple of years ago I followed my gut. I found a kid not too different from yourself in the sense that he thought he was just a street racer. Turns out he was a hell of an Indy racer. One of the best Revv-It has ever had. All I’m asking is for you to give me a chance to show you what you could do on the track.” Silence falls between us as the war of what to do wages within me. This all seems too good to be true. “What do you say Sutton?” Well, if that isn’t a million-dollar question.

Three

Rathe

I sit in my car, taking a deep breath to fight off the growing panic I feel eating its way through the core of my body. I close my eyes like I was instructed but all I see is the wall of smoke taking away all of my visibility. My next deep breath and I smell burned rubber and leaked gasoline. My chest tightens and heart beating against my rib cage. My eyes spring open. I blink rapidly trying to bring the actual view that is in front of me back into focus. I take a deep breath through my mouth and try to calm myself, but the panic runs rampant through my veins like the fuel through the engine of a car.

There’s a knock on the window and I jump at the sound. Panic is a bitch. It completely locks the rest of the world away and you forget that anything else exists beyond you and that tiny little demon who makes you feel like you are drowning. I forgot I was sitting in the parking lot of Revv-It Racing Team. The parking lot of my job and just beyond is a track that should be my home. I should own it, yet I don't. I’m scared shitless of it. The knock on the glass of the window comes again and I look up to see Maxton, my best friend and now head mechanic. The worry lurking in his eyes snaps me out of it. “Are you okay?”

I nod and pull the keys from the ignition of my car. As I open the door Maxton steps away and I climb out. My legs feel like Jell-O and my entire body is caked in a layer of sweat. “Yeah, I’m great,” I tell Maxton. It’s a lie and I think we both know it, but it’s the one thing I keep telling everyone when they ask that question. Maxton studies me, brief moments feel like an eternity before he finally nods his head.

“Well, then we should get to the track. Tucker found a new recruit and from what I’ve gathered from his texts they were going to get here early to do a test run and see how he feels about the situation,” Maxton explains.

My heart falters. A new recruit. Another slap in my face. Another memory I can’t escape. The day of the wreck Revv-It lost their top two drivers. Chris Ziglar and myself. I’m not the same racer I was before, and Chris lost his life. Last season Revv-It raced a man short in honor of Chris’ memory. They all held their breaths hoping I’d get back into the groove of things, but I didn’t. I just couldn’t. Now, this season they need a winning driver and that should be me, but you can’t bet on me, so a new recruit seems to be the way to go. I nod my head, acknowledging that I did hear Maxton, but I don’t trust myself enough to speak.

We make our way through the parking lot in a comfortable silence. We only speak when we stop at security and scan our badges. Before we even make it through the building, I hear the rumble of the engine and my blood pumps a little faster. We exit out of the fluorescent lighting, back into the morning sunlight. I follow behind Maxton as he leads us halfway down the stands before turning down a row and taking a seat. We watch as the driver drives at a high speed, a speed I used to crave not cower from. He takes the turns easily and it’s obvious he knows how to handle a car. My mind is a jumbled mess because watching this guy drive...well, he just became my biggest rival. If he becomes part of Revv-It Racing, then he’s definitely going to take my spot if I don’t get my shit together.

On the last lap, Maxton and I stand and start to head down to the pit where Tucker and the crew are waiting. “Why didn’t you come in early if the rest of the crew is here?”

“It wasn’t necessary. I’m your head mechanic, not his even if he does sign with Revv-It. Besides, that car has been ready to race for a long time now.” Maxton gives me a look and I know he’s thinking back to the day of the wreck.

I nod my head. We cross the track just as the car comes into the pits. I hate to admit it, but I’m impressed by this guy’s driving ability. I envy him at this moment because I used to be him. I was that driver until it was all ripped away from me. Tucker looks our way and approaches us, extending his hand for a shake. “So, what do you think?” he asks, tossing his thumb over his shoulder, back towards the driver who is now slipping out of the car.

“Good, real good,” I tell him. “Where’d you find him?” I ask.

“Same place I found you,” Tucker tells me.

I chuckle and scratch at the stubble coating my jaw. “Wow, you never learn, do you?”

Tucker shrugs. “What’s to learn? Last time I took a chance on a street racer I got exactly what I expected. He was able to transfer everything from the street to the track.”

I nod and look away. This last season with my losing streak was hard. It wasn’t because I don’t like to lose, which I don’t but the hardest part was letting Tucker down. Disappointing him was my biggest fear and it’s a fear I’ve had to face every single race. Tucker took a chance on me. He fought for me to be a driver despite the fact that I had no track experience. He took me under his wing and taught me everything I know. Letting my fear control me and my driving has been the worst because of him. I could quit and move on, but I think in some ways that giving up would disappoint him more than my losing, so I stay.

We turn to the driver and follow behind Tucker as he leads us over. He yanks his helmet off and shock consumes me. Two long chocolate brown French braids fall down the back of the driver, hitting at the small of the back. When the driver turns around another wave of shock filters through me. He is a she. A devastatingly beautiful woman.

Tucker looks between us. “Rathe McCall meet Sutton Pierce, hopefully she’ll be the newest member of the Revv-It Racing Team.”

I’m rooted in place but thankfully Maxton remembers his manners. He steps forward and introduces himself. I watch everything unfold like I’m watching a movie, almost as if my body is here, but I’m actually somewhere else. Sutton approaches me, an easy confidence in her movements. When she reaches me, her blue gray eyes light up and she smirks. “Well, Rathe it looks like I’m your new rival.”

Four

Sutton

When I woke up this morning, I wasn’t sure if I should actually show up at the address that Tucker Armstrong had given me. A part of me was certain it had all been a very elaborate dream but then Evanna came barreling into my bedroom and helping me find clothes and braiding my hair. It wasn’t until I was heading out the door and to my car that it finally sunk in that this was really happening.

When I pulled into the parking lot of the Revv-It Racing Team track unknown nerves settled in my stomach. I was never nervous when it came to cars. They were part of my soul, but suddenly, this felt like unfamiliar territory and it was terrifying. Somehow, I managed to get myself out of the car and into the building. When I found Tucker the nerves calmed some. “How are you this morning? I hope the directions I gave were easy enough to follow.”

I nod. “Yeah, they were great. I didn’t have any trouble.”

“Well, if you want to follow me, we can get right to it.” Tucker leads the way through the building. I try to take it all in but in all honestly, it’s overwhelming. This place is fancy compared to what I’m used to. The building smells clean and it’s quiet at the moment. We make our way through a well-lit tunnel like hallway. There are some other hallways that break off from this one and even a few doors. Finally, the sunlight can be seen up ahead. As we step out, I notice the stands are on either side of me. From here, they look as if they reach up to the sky and the bright turquoise seats stand out in the morning sunlight. We cross over the track to the main area. There are some people there but not a lot, which I’m thankful for. I’m already nervous. “Okay, first we need to get you in the proper gear.” He leads me to a trailer and opens the door. There are some things lying on the couch. Tucker explains each one and why they are necessary then leaves me to slip them on. I take a few moments to take a few deep breaths before heading back outside. Tucker is waiting for me and instantly leads me over to the car. It’s definitely not the type of car I’m used to. Tucker and one of the mechanics, who’s name I’ve already forgotten, tell me all the important things I might need to know. “Look, don’t worry too much about it. Once you have the helmet on, we’ll be able to communicate so if anything comes up just ask. I’ll be with you the whole time and if for some reason the car doesn’t feel right just come back into the pit.”

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