~ Outside The Speedway ~ (Lightning McQueen x OC)

Chapter 24

The ride back was deathly silent.

I wasn't sure if Lightning was even breathing.

Good. He should be scared. I warned him, he didn't listen. His pride and sense of accomplishment got in the way of his safety. He was too involved in himself to see what was happening.

And my uncle? Even more infuriating.

I kept driving. We were a few miles out, and I wasn't in any hurry at the moment.

Suddenly, just out of no where, last night just happened to pop back into my head. The way Lightning looked at me was still fresh in my mind, how almost every part of us was touching; it was like I could still feel it.

The searing memory caught me highly off guard and I lost control at the wheel for a second.

Lightning grabbed onto his seatbelt while pressing a palm to the dashboard. "I know you're mad at me but after what happened I didn't think you'd try and kill me!"

I regained control. "My hand slipped, calm down McQueen." He only mumbled something very audible in response. I stiffened. 

"Say that again and both my hands will slip off the wheel." I threatened. He didn't meet my face and instead looked out the window. I laughed under my breath at his child-like behavior.

I stared out the windshield. Just thinking about yesterday made me blush. And feel all warm. I haven't felt all this in a long while.

I still couldn't shake the feeling off. It'll distract me for a good part of the next year. I tend to hold on to a lot of things for a long time. And I could tell this was going to be one of those very specific things.

"If you're smiling like that because you're planning out my murder I'd like to get out of the car please."

I touched my lips, and I realized I had been smiling. And it was all because of him.

Damn you Lightning.

I smiled again, coyly this time. "I wouldn't plan out your murder while you're in the car."

His face paled even more than it already had, and he gently tugged on the door handles. Obviously, they didn't budge.

And the funniest part?

He tried to hide it; his hand slowly sneaking up to the handle, while still looking at me.

"Again, will you calm down?" I asked, more serious this time. "We need to get your cuts bandaged once we get back to my house."

I turned onto the regular road. We would be back in town in a few minutes.

"I think I can handle a few scratches by myself." Lightning answered. His hand was off the handle and crossed across his chest. He was slouching in the seat, looking off and out his window. He wasn't in the mood anymore; probably annoyed.

I sighed. His stubbornness could be admired as much as it was hated. Only by me of course.

"You helped me with my wound, I'll help you with yours."

He sat up immediately, and I could see his smirk from the corner of my eye. "If it's my ego you want to help with, I have many different ways we could try and fix it."

There he is. Lightning McQueen, back to normal.

In a few minutes, we were back in town. 

I pulled up to the spot in front of my garage. While parking, I noticed a bright red Jeep standing in a parking spot at the diner. What was even weirder was that the driver's side door had a very much visible sticker of the number 95. I turned to Lightning with wide eyes.