Driven To The Edge

Chapter 3

When you get to your motel room, you quickly go through your bag to see what you can find for the after-party. You pull out a small black dress you bought second hand a few years ago. It doesn't seem quite fancy enough for a fancy race car party, but it's the best you have.

You meet Cruz and Mater outside and go together back to the stadium. In the centre, instead of all the tents and trailers and press, there's a huge marquee decorated with golden string lights. Small waiter scooters carry trays of food and fuel, ferrying them between the roaming guests. Everyone, there is dressed splendidly, in designer gowns, or with fresh coats of paint and wax. You definitely feel underdressed for such an event, how are you even supposed to complete with all these beautiful models surrounding the racers.

Cruz and Mater are able to go about mingling easily, but you are too nervous to introduce yourself to such important people. After all why would they want to talk to you, what could you possibly have to offer? And anyway, what if you interrupt their conversation and embarrass yourself or worse make them angry at you. You decide the best course of action is to sit at the bar and watch the party from a distance, it's the safest and most comfortable option you can think of.

You look over at Lightning, he's over by the dance floor. He shoots you a wink, then turns to continue his conversation with the group of girls gathered around him. You roll your eyes as you look away. Maybe you were wrong about that look he gave you before. Maybe it really did mean nothing, it seems he thinks little of his relationships with other women, why would you be different.

Everyone at the party is 21 and over, so no one bothers to ask your id. Not that many people ever have, you've always looked mature for your age. Although you've never used this to drink alcohol before, you have always been too scared of getting caught, and besides, laws are there for a reason aren't they? But today you don't care anymore, after all it's legal in Europe, and they seem to have things figured out over there with their free healthcare and environmental policies. And anyway, you're already lying to your mom about being at Cruz's place, why shouldn't you bend a few more rules. Most teenagers do, in fact you're the only one at school who doesn't, and people often point this out to you. Come to think of it, why don't you break more rules-what are you so afraid of? Suddenly your train of thought is interrupted by Jackson Storm, the bookie's favourite to win the Piston Cup this year.

"Mind if I join you?" he asks. You smile and gesture to the stool next to you. "It just doesn't seem right that a beautiful girl like you is sitting here all alone. Tell me about yourself." This takes you very much by surprise, but he seems genuine like he's genuinely interested in what you have to say. You realise your face feels hot and you've probably just turned bright red. "Oh, um, I'm just here with a few friends. I just don't know anyone, and I get nervous at parties where i don't know anyone. It's all just a little out of my comfort zone." you pause for a moment realising this is his social world you've just insulted. "No offence or anything, I'm sure everyone here is great, and it's a great party," you add quickly.

A beautiful girl drives up to us and turns to Storm. "Hey handsome, I'm a big fan, wanna come party with me and my friends, we brought along some of the good stuff." she smiles and winks, gesturing to her trunk, presumably filled with cocaine. Storm simply smiles and shakes his head, "Thanks sweetheart, but I don't really roll that way. Can't let that stuff interfere with my driving, you know?" The girl looks shocked and downtrodden, but lifts her head up and smiles as she drives off, refusing to look defeated in front of so many famous cars.

Storm leans in towards you, "To be honest I can't stand parties like this either. I don't really know anyone here either, but they all think they know me, it's infuriating. What do you say we step outside for a bit of fresh air?" You pause for a moment, thinking of Lightning. But you remember the way he blew you off for all those groupies earlier tonight, while Storm actually took the time to talk to you. Afterall you hardly know Lightning, you don't owe him anything, and he sure seems to think he doesn't owe you even basic manners. So you smile and nod in response to Storm.

As you walk out of the tent to have one last look behind you. Lightning is on the other side of the room, but you make direct eye contact as you walk out hand in tire with Storm. What does this look mean? Is he angry, jealous, or just unbothered? You can't quite tell from this distance, but you reassure yourself you shouldn't care what he thinks.

You drive out onto the race track, the throbbing music of the party now a distant hum. You look up at all those rows upon rows of seats.

"Wow!" you gasp before you even realise the sound was leaving your lips.

"Amazing isn't it" he responds gazing up at it with the same awe as you.

"I would have thought the sight would get old for a pro racer like you," you reply.

"Never" he responds. "The sight of the crowd and the echos of their cheers is never lost on me. It's just as terrifying every time I line up on the starting line as when I first became a racer."

"I guess I just figured that when you're as famous as you are, all that stuff would go to your head and just become normal life," you say

"It does for many racers. But I made a promise to myself when I started racing, that I would never let that happen to me. I've seen how fame can warp people into monstrous shells of their former selves. I have to fight to remain who I am, to appreciate my fans as individuals with souls and personalities, not just props for my own personal gain."

Storm turns to you, his layer of confidence falling, as he starts to open up about his fame- "I have wanted to be a racer since I was a kid. I loved when I started to gain popularity in my small town when I used to compete against Imagine, people starting to know your name and cheer you on! It was like a dream come true! But...", you see his lit-up face fall as he sighs, "...when I got signed and started to race competitively, you know race against the famous race cars, the pressure of it all started to get a bit much. Like I gradually started pushing myself more and pressuring myself to be the best. It all gets on top of you suddenly, and you feel like you can't breathe." He exhales sharply, almost like he suddenly felt all of those tiring emotions all over again. You reach out and stroke the smooth metal of his bonnet, not saying a thing, yet showing your emotions through that single touch

Storm reaches out and looks at you, his eyes speaking more than his voice, as he cautions you- "Look, I saw the way you and Mcqueen looked at each other before the race earlier-hell I bet you could feel the chemistry from a mile away! But I just gotta remind you that Mcqueen has been known to be a player in the past, having a woman left, right and centre-mostly at the same time." He pauses, clearly trying to pick the best words "Look, Y/N. I know we haven't known each other for that long, but I can tell you are a good and honest person, and you have a kind soul. I just don't want to see you get hurt." You feel touched that he cares about you that much-something you are not very used to, and you reply "Jackson, i know. I am stronger than you think." you reach out touch him "-I won't get hurt, i promise you." You reassure him, and you see his face relax, but not before Lightning appears from behind Storm, looking angrier than ever. "Y/N!" He growls. "Follow me now". You are shocked-Lightning ignores you the whole bloody night, and suddenly he is acting like he has control over you? It didn't make sense, but before you could even open your mouth, you hear Jackson's voice- "Who put you in charge of Y/N? Go back to the party loverboy, before you wear out your precious tires. Aren't there a string of women waiting for you?"

The two begin to raise their voices, and you become incredibly nervous and uncomfortable. So you quietly slink back to the party to grab your coat and Cruz and Mater to make a quick exit.