Hiding

Getting to know who you really are.

Sarah POV:

I watch as the boys on the race team I work for hang out waiting to do press. I couldn't help but envy them a bit that they could be so free, and joke around with each other. I'm just in the background unnoticed till I'm needed, but no one is to blame for that but me. When I was in middle school I got picked on like normal, but after I crashed racing and cut the side of my face open I was the biggest target in school. I now have a scar that runs from my eyebrow and straight down to my jaw on my left side. I hide it the best I could now with a bit of make up and my hair. At first it was a pain to work with all my hair in my face but I got use to it. But as I had been on the Geico team before being moved to the HRC team I had known a few of the riders for a long time. Including the only guy I have ever had a crush on, not that he would ever pay me any attention in that way. He was always nice to me but he was just a nice guy overall. I blink myself out of thought when I hear someone calling my name. I turn to where it came from only to freeze when I see one of the girls that use to bully me. I was confused onto why she was here or even how but I see Chase get up and go to greet her, making my blood freeze in my veins. She kisses him and then looks at me with that fake sugary sweet smile and say,

"Sarah omg it's been forever! How have you been?"

I swallow the bile trying to come up from all the emotions I was feeling and manage to get out,

"It has been a long time. I'm doing good, and how have you been?"

Chase was looking confused and asks,

"Wait, you two know each other?"

Before I could respond Halie answers,

"We do! We went to school together when we were kids! Oh, I never got to tell you but I really am sorry about what all happened to you. That was not fair to you at all."

My mouth went dry as all the guys look at me in question and all I wanted to do was run and hide. But I shakily smile back and stutter slightly,

"Thank you, it's all in the past now. And nothing can change what all went down."

I heard Jett speak up to my side and ask,

"Sarah, what happened? I mean if you don't want to share you don't have to but..."

I bite my lip and look down at my feet as I think. Honestly I wasn't scared that they would treat me any differently but I was of letting myself be vulnerable again. Signing I give them the give me a minute sign and go wash my face in the bathroom down the hall. Drying it off I see the pale pink line clear as day against my sun kissed skin. I slowly pull my hair up and walk back to the room we were all in. I pause outside the door to take a deep breath and I walk in, and I could tell they all saw it as their eyes went a bit wide. I shifted to my left foot and quietly said,

"When I was 12 I was racing for Yamaha in the super mini, the girls class, and just started in school boy b when I got taken out and hit a wire fence. It sliced through my helmet and into my face, hints the scar. I didn't think much of it till I went back to school and pretty much every kid bullied me for being the new scarface and a ugly freak. Ever since then I had taken to covering it up with make up as much as I could and using my hair to hide the rest. The only thing that helped me from going insane all throughout school after that was riding and racing. But I was so shy and timid from it all to speak to anyone that I lost my ride. So I settled for working behind the senses on a team. And here we are, that's my story."

The guys looked at me in horror and Halie spoke,

"I had no idea it was that bad. Or it lasted that long or I would have tried to stop it, I'm so sorry."

And before I could say anything Chase spoke up,

"Wait, you knew about this? And you didn't try and help? Weren't you the cheerleading captain or something? You could have help her."

My eyes widen as I hear how upset he was and I step forward and say,

"Chase, it's ok. We both were just kids. It's over and done with, don't be upset over the past ok?"

He looked at me and Halie put a hand on his arm and says,

"See, we can't do anything about it now. And even back then I only heard a bit of it, not even close to what it was. So I didn't think anything of it."

I flinch as I think that wasn't the right thing to say. And he narrows his eyes and mutters,

"Either way, you did know about it and you did know it was wrong. Yet you choose to not to anything about it. She is one of the most sweetest girls out there. She works her butt off for us daily and never asks for anything in return. She has a heart of gold and yet your saying it doesn't matter even though after all this time it's still affecting her every day? No, it's not ok."

My eyes were wide as Halie glared at me and I jumped slightly as a arm comes around my shoulders and Hunter speaks up,

"She really is all those things Chase just said and more. She may be quite but we all notice just how much she does for us on the team. She goes above and beyond what her job entails and she's our family for it."

My jaw drops slightly as they all nod in agreement and Chase says,

"Sarah be completely honest with us, did she bully you about this at all?"

I gulp as her glare intensifies and mutter,

"Yeah, she got me kicked off the cheer team because they couldn't have a ugly face on the team."

Chase closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as Hunter squeezes my shoulders. Halie looked about ready to scream but Chase turns to her and tells her,

"We are done. I can tell by the way your acting now you haven't changed a bit from back then. And I don't need that around me. So if you could, please leave."

The breath catches in my throat as she lunges at me only to be stopped by her now ex as she screams,

"You bitch! You just had to ruin everything didn't you! Even in school you were always better than me in everything! You were the better cheerleader, the better student, the better classmate! I wish that wire would have killed you! Nate didn't do the job right!"

I looked at her terrified, she was the one that was behind everything. I start shaking as tears welled up in my eyes and I didn't even notice when Chase had picked her up and threw her out telling her to never show her face to him again, and never contact any of us ever again. The only thing I did notice was when arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a giant hug. I completely broke down, years of wonder and hurt come up to the surface and I finally let it out. After awhile I calm down and pull back and rub my eyes with a slight laugh and whisper,

"Sorry about that, didn't mean to use your shirt as a rag."

Chase just shook his head with a smile and says,

"You don't have to be sorry. And I think I can say for all of us that you don't have to hide who you are to us anymore. Like he said earlier, your family now."

I look at him in shock as Ken spoke up,

"He's right girl, you've been around long enough. You have been there for us, now let us be there for you."

I was to choked up to say anything so I just nod my head with a smile. Only for Jett to yell,

"GROUP HUG!"

Making all of us laugh.