~ Outside The Speedway ~ (Lightning McQueen x OC)

Chapter 11

After an agonizing half an hour of Lightning complaining about the mob of girls at his car, all was well and peaceful in the car. Sally was on her phone once again, scrolling and scrolling for minutes on end. I was reading my book since I hadn't had the chance to back at the beach. Lightning was driving, but we were sort of stuck in traffic, which he hadn't exactly accounted for earlier. Our best guess was that everyone was headed to the race to take their spots.

After about ten minutes, I wasn't really reading anymore. I was too caught up in my own thoughts to process the words on the page. A million thoughts buzzed around in my head; the race, those two boys, Sally and Lightning's friendship and what they talked about, Silvers and his whole cheating fiasco.

But... at least after the race, one thing will be lifted from my shoulders. 

Then again, how many things would be lifted, or added onto the weight already, would determine how the race ends.

I shake my head a little and close my book. When I turned to face Sally to ask for her to put my book back in my bag, she was looking at me worriedly. She looked over at Lightning, who was glancing at me while keeping his eyes on the highway. He looked worried too.

"Are you ok?" Sally asked me. She noticed the book in my hand and took it, putting it back in my bag. She took my hand a rubbed it soothingly.

I shot her a funny look. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I mean, truthfully, no, I wasn't exactly ok, just really stressed, but other than that I was fine. The way she and Lightning looked at me was concerning; as if there was something extremely wrong.

"Why are you guys looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face or...?" I wiped my face with my hoodie sleeve.

(The three of us had put on our hoodies before we got into the car because Lightning was being an ass about 'getting sand into his precious baby'. Sally brought her own sweater just in case, which she was grateful for when McQueen was stupidly yelling at us.)

"No, it's just that your hands were shaking and your breathing was unsteady as hell." Lightning's voice was hard. This time, he didn't glance back at me at all.

I hadn't realized I was shaking until now.

"Oh, sorry, I'm fine! I guess I'm just cold from the water, but I promise I'm ok," I lied, flashing an apologetic smile. Sally still looked slightly worried but nodded her head, sitting back and putting her earbuds in to listen to something on her phone. I turned back to face the front of the car.

I wrapped my hands around my body, holding myself by the upper arms, and took a couple of deep breaths to make it seem like I was trying to keep warm. The window next to me rolled down, filling my side of the car with warm air and sunshine. I looked over at Lightning, and he took his hand off of the buttons that controlled the windows, without looking at me. But I could see the hint of a smirk on his face.

I smiled secretly at the thought of the sweet gesture.

x x x x x x x x x x

The rest of the car ride went by in a blur.

Mostly because I slept the rest of the way.

After the warm air hit my face, I was basically out cold.

Now, it was a little past 4:30 PM, and I was just entering my room after dropping Sally off in the hotel across the street next to the speedway. Lightning said his 'goodbye for now' to us and left after we stepped out of his car.

I drop my bag on the floor, careful to not get sand everywhere. I took my hoodie off and place it on the bag as well.

I'll clean everything up later.