Page 52 of Pedal to the Metal

I shake my head in disgust and walk to the door. “You’re disgusting.” Once I’m back in my car I pull out the tape recorder I had on me. Maybe Ace didn’t want me to do anything and maybe it would cost me my relationship, but I couldn’t let Ryce and his friends get away with this. They got away with so much all the time because of their name or money or connections but this was serious. Ace could have died. They had to pay for this. I didn’t want to lose Jagger, but I knew that Ace was right. I would lose him. He would lay all the blame on himself for what had happened.

Checking the time, I see I still have time before I’ll need to meet Jagger for lunch. I drive back to North Hills and straight to the police station. I ask for the detective, but he was out, so I left the recording with a police officer at the front. As I pull back up to my condo I feel exhausted. I walk in on Farrah doing some yoga in the living room, when I walk in she pausesthe instructor on TV and turns to tell me, “That’s all your mail, there’s something from ABA.”

I gather the large stack of mail and make my way to my room. I couldn’t imagine why I’d have mail from ABA but I quickly search for that particular piece. Once I find it I rip it open to see that I have been offered a spot within the association. I’ve been removed from the waitlist. I can actually become a professional ballerina. It’s funny because for so long that’s all I dreamed about but so much has changed over the past year. I’ve changed, I’m not the same Londynn so I don’t have the same dreams.

My dreams now have to do with Jagger and I, as a couple but who knows I may not have that option anymore. I place the mail on my nightstand. I’ll talk to Jagger first and see what happens. If it turns out that Ace is right, then I’ll come back and call ABA. I quickly text Jagger and ask him to meet me at the beach near the same place we had breakfast yesterday morning. I don’t know why I choose there but I do.

****

Jagger

“A couple of days ago I heard about this building going up for sale. “I explained to my oldest brother Axell. He’s looking around the crumbling building like I’ve lost my mind, but he doesn’t understand what the building could mean to Londynn. I mean yes right now it’s in bad shape. It’s been abandoned for years but after we fix it up it could be exactly what she dreamed of. “Look, I know this seems crazy and this building doesn’t look like much right now, but you have to admit it has potential. Londynn’s dream was to become a professional ballerina then open her own dance studio. I can’t make the first happen, but I can the second.”

Axell shakes his head, “How did you even afford this?”

“I’ve won a lot of races and I’ve saved most of the money over the years.”

Axell studies me for what seems like forever. “So, let me get this straight. You’ve been racing since you were sixteen and during that time you’ve won almost all of your races. Plus, you’ve always had a day job to pay your bills and what not. So, after your car was fixed, you saved most of your winnings which you decide to use on a crumbling building to convert into a dance studio for a girl who has more money that both of us combined, is that correct?”

I shrug, “Yeah. I know that Londynn could have done this herself, but I wanted to do something special for her. I want her to see that being with me doesn’t mean she has to give up everything or pay for everything. I love her, and I just want to show her that.”

“I can see that. On my days off I’d be happy to help you fix this place up.”

“Thanks man," I tell my brother as we exit the building. I hadn’t planned on the sale to go through so quickly but now that the place is officially ours, I have an idea. I quickly text Londynn the address to the building so I can surprise her with lunch here and tell her about my plan. I know she’s going to be excited.

I hadn’t heard back from Londynn and I was just about to pick up the phone to call her when she finally texted me back and told me she’d be here within the hour. I quickly ran and got food. I was standing in the middle of the building when I heard a car pull into the gravel parking lot. I was standing in the middle of the building when Londynn opened the door. “Jagger?” She called out into the darkness.

“In here!” I hollered back.

She finally spots me and heads in my direction. “What are you doing here?”

When she’s close enough I grab her, pulling her into my arms, I pick her up and swing her around in a circle. I’m so excited that I can barely contain myself. Once she’s back on her feet I ask her, “What do you think?” while motioning towards the rest of the building.

She hesitates, “Is that a trick question?”

I laugh, “No, I know it doesn’t seem like much now, but you have to use your imagination. The studios can be set up in those rooms over there and over here we knock out these walls and create a performance area.”

“Are you talking about a dance studio?” Londynn asks in shock.

I nod, “Of course! I just signed the papers this morning. I wanted to surprise you.” Tears spring into her eyes and she turns away from me. I reach out and grab her elbow forcing her to look back my way. “I’m sorry Londynn, I thought this would be good.”

She shakes her head, “No, it’s perfect but it makes what I have to tell you worse.”

“What do you have to tell me?” I ask trying to run over every possible issue, but nothing comes to mind. We seem to have gotten to a better place.

“I didn’t have to work today," she tells me first off and simply I answer okay very slowly. “I don’t think you or anyone else noticed how Ace looked at me while the detectives were questioning him, but I did, and I knew it meant something. So, I came up with the work excuse, so I could go ask him about it. He remembers who attacked him, but he didn’t want to say because he was afraid it would hurt us, but I finally got him to tell me. After he told me I went to confront one of the guys and I saw that dog tag that Kynlee got for Ace laying in his room. He admitted to doing it and named his friends. I had this recorder that I had bought for my college prep class in high school and I used it. Igot everything he said on tape. I know Ace wanted to let it slide but this was too big to let him get away with. I mean Ace could have died so I turned in the tape.”

I’m standing there trying to absorb everything she’s telling me, but it seems so unreal. How had I missed Ace looking at Londynn? Why had he lied to us when we asked about the attackers? Why had Londynn lied about work instead of just telling me about this? What good did it do for Ace to keep this a secret? Then it dawned on me, he was trying to keep from hurting one of us. Londynn had mentioned that. I was scared to ask but I had to. “Who attacked Ace?”

Londynn closes her eyes like that will keep the tears from falling. “Ryce.”

That one word, that one name turns my world upside down, Ace having been attacked and almost killed. I was seeing red, but I had to know why. I understood that Ryce had an issue with me because Londynn had chosen me but what had Ace done. “Why Ace?” I ask through clenched teeth.

“Apparently the night of the charity ball when Ryce left me on the side of the road, he was coming back to pick me up and try to fix things between us, but when he pulled back up he saw Ace’s car pulling back onto the road. He blames him for us," she whispers.

I start pacing back and forth. My brother being jumped and almost killed was all because I had fallen for a girl from Santa Monica. If he had died it would have been my fault. Ace was right we were doomed. Londynn and I didn’t belong with one another. She’d always belong in Santa Monica with guys like Ryce and I’d always be North Hills. Maybe she had chosen me but look at the price we were paying for that decision. If I had just stayed away from her to begin with then my brother wouldn’t be in ICU right now. As if the guilt of ruining the memory of Harlyn didn’t eatat me on a daily basis now I had to deal with the guilt of almost getting my brother killed because of the girl I chose to be with.

I was so disgusted with myself, so angry that I punched the wall as hard as I could. My hand went right through the wall, leaving a hole. I heard a yelp of shock come from Londynn. As I pull my hand from the wall I do the only thing I can now. “You need to go Londynn.”

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