The Badass Nerd

Fast and Furious and the Badass Nerd

Fifteen minutes later, we were standing outside what looks like a fast and furious track and I was gaping at it.
"For the last time Claire, shut your mouth." He said and looked at him with the same expression.
"Why did you bring me here?" I asked and stood there paralyzed.
"It's a bike race. It's not that dangerous as they say in movies and shit but its fun." He said and went in dragging me inside. He greeted some guys who were definitely above thirty and I just walked with him still trying to register what was happening. Many people looked at me questioningly and I became more and more insecure under their gaze. I kept my cool and quietly followed Carter. He finally stopped in front of a guy who was wearing a leather jacket and lose cargo pants. The fact that he had a typical skull tattoo on his forearm didn't help me at all. He had a huge beard and his hair was gelled to the back. 

"Hey Grayson! Didn't think you are coming today." He said to Carter and he shrugged.
"Yeah, didn't know. Abrupt plans. This is my friend, Olivia Claire." He said and the guy shook his hand with me.
"Grayson never brings any guests so you must be special. I am Marco, I own this place." He said and I nodded quietly.
"What exactly happens here Marco?" I asked and he smirked. 
"Real life Road Rash." He said and looked at Carter. He nodded and looked at Marco.
"We would like to participate today." Carter said and Marco nodded.
"Sure, you usually take a girl from around here behind you but I guess she is the one today?" He said to confirm and Carter shook his head.
"Actually, she will be the one driving. I will sit behind her." He said and looked at me confidently. When I entered here, I was so scared that this might happen but the way he was looking at me gave me immense confidence. I smirked at him and we both looked at a gaping Marco.
"This isn't a go kart dude."
"And she isn't a child." Carter said and motioned for Marco to fill our names in. I had no idea what was happening and I was trying really to just go with the flow not to use my logical brain. I want to let go today and I am do exactly that. We took my bike to the starting point and Carter sat behind me. We waited for the signal when the guy beside me looked at me and laughed at Carter.

"Behind a girl, I see." He said and just as I was about to tell him to shove that remark up his ass, Carter came up with a better and more challenging one.
"Try to beat her and we will see who is the girl." He said and I smirked at the guy.
"You are a child Grayson." He said and Carter smirked.
"Then don't cry like one in the end." He said and a girl wearing a sports bra and skirt came in front of us.

READY!

"Can you do this?" Carter asked me with concern in his voice. Few minutes ago, I might have been thinking the same think but the way Carter has been taking my side all through the evening, I was more than confident.
"Do you trust me?" I asked.

SET!

"No." He said and I smirked.
"Good." I said and ignited my engine.

DIE!

She said and waved the flag. We took off and I realized I was riding in the third position. There was a sharp turn to the right and I took it without lessening my speed.  We almost touched the ground and crashed but I somehow kept the balance. I was in the second when the one ahead of me decided to slow down on the turn.
"You have the guy trying to overtake you. You have the road empty beside you. Keep him engaged." Carter said in my eyes and did as he instructed. Pretty soon, the guy behind me got frustrated and tried to overtake but talk about wrong timings. Just as he did, there was a turn to the left that he didn't noticed and crashed straight on something. I was too focused to see what it was. I smiled a little and sped up. I was in line with the first racer when he tried to hit me sideways. 
"Slow down." Carter said but I sped up to the maximum my bike could take. He drifted and tried to balance his bike thus slowing down while I kept my pace. I saw a U-turn but I was too fast to take it safely so I had to pull back. Just as I did, two bikers overtook me and I cursed.
"Take the left, short cut." He said and although the path looked like an alley, I took it anyway. I trust Carter with this.
I heard a couple of other bikers taking the same path and I sped up.
"Left again. Sharp." He said but I didn't slow down. The speed was enough for me to turn without losing balance. I did but I heard a bike crashing behind me. I didn't have time to look back because I was at a very high speed. I paced and reached beside the second biker. He saw me and he tried to hit me to the side again but this time it was difficult for me to look ahead and at him at the same time because we were driving on the highway and although it was empty at night, it still was very dangerous. 
"I will take care of him. Focus ahead." Carter said reading my thoughts.
"Front truck to right." He said and overtook the truck as he said. I guess the guy wasn't looking ahead because he lost balance when he hit a car in front of him and fell. Now all I had to take care of was the one ahead of me. I paced more and I was again the highest speed my bike could take. 
"High road and sharp turn." He said and I panicked. He must have sensed my tense posture.
"Stay calm and maintain your center of gravity." He said and took a huge breath in. As soon as the turn came, Carter moved my waist to the right and I let him adjust me. Our knees touched the ground and I had to bite my lips to control the pain. I looked ahead and saw the staring line where people cheered when they saw us. I was in line with the first biker and we both crossed at the same time, or so I thought. I abruptly applied brakes and turned the bike around to slow the impact. I took my helmet off and saw Carter looking at me with intense eyes. Adrenaline was rushing through my body and it took all my senses to actually snap out of it.

"Both finished together or did they?" Marco announced in his bike and everyone gathered around the white screen to look at the recording. I was an inch away from the finishing line when the first biker crossed it. I looked at the biker and he was looking at me with admiring eyes. He got off his bike and walked towards me. I got off too and so did Carter.

"And the winner is, Harris Creed!" Marco said and everyone gathered around him cheering his name. Though, he motioned everyone to make way and they obliged. He walked up to me and smiled, like an actual genuine smile not a smirk. I thought he was going to say something sexist.

"You are the most badass bitch I have ever seen." He said and pulled his hand out for me to shake. I smirked and shook his hand eagerly.
"Correction. Badass Nerd." I said and he laughed.
"Even better." He said and went back to the crowd. I and Carter made our way out and rode back to my home in silence. I still had an adrenaline rush in my body and I had to keep taking heavy breaths to calm myself down. When I parked my bike in the garage, Carter got off and took his bike out.

"So?" He asked hopefully and I looked at him confused.
"So what?" 
"Did you like it?"
"Are you kidding !? I loved it. I never felt more happy and more alive. I felt so happy with any outcome of that race only because I was able to let go." He smiled at me and hopped on his bike.
"Glad to know you are happy. Take care of your wound." He said and ignited his engine.
"You too." I said and went back in my room. I wanted to tell mom but she will just get tense and I didn't want to do that. Everything I do is acceptable to mom expect when I put my life in danger. That kind of shit is something my mom will never be okay with. I went to my room and washed the wound. It wasn't deep but it was spread over a large surface and I knew I will be limping for a while. But if someone asks me if it was worth it, I am gonna nod so furiously, my head will fall off. I applied first aid to it and wrapped it with a bandage. I wore a full PJ to hide it from mom and went down. It didn't hurt much so she couldn't figure it out. After I was done, I went back to my room and finished the assignments I had for tomorrow. When I laid down in bed, my mind was still revolving on the way I felt on the track and how much thrilling it was. Even though I was so close to death, I felt most alive and more than anything, I was happy that Carter took me there. Most of the guys would have taken me to some safe places to spend time like restaurants or movies etc but this was something I truly enjoyed. Every second of that track felt amazing and it was the first time I enjoyed every moment of it. I am not saying I will do that again because I have people in my life who wants me alive and safe but I did loved it. When I tucked myself to bed, I heard my phone ping with a message and it was Carter.

Gray: So, I guess, I did good?

Liv: You did awesome!

Gray: You wanna do it again?

Liv: Nah, once is enough.

Gray: Is my head dirty or does this look like an after sex chat to you too? 

Liv: I can safely say that our head is incredibly dirty. 

Gray: Ah! so I am not alone. Good to know.

Liv: By the way, do you go there regularly?

Gray: Remember I told you all the bad and dangerous stuff I went into after the Beck incident? This was one of them. I haven't been there in months.

Liv: That explains how Marco knows you.

Gray: Yeah

Liv: Do you also happen to know the name of the guy who came first?

Gray: Nope. Haven't met him when I used to participate.

Liv: He seemed like a nice guy.

Gray: Nah, you are not allowed to think about any other guy.

Liv: *rolling eyes* I meant for a guy who has many tattoos in his hand and neck.

Gray: Fair 

I waited for him to say something else and thought about what other conversation I can strike but I was falling asleep with every second. I guess the adrenaline was leaving my body and I could its after effects. I was suddenly very tired and I felt my eyelids getting heavy. Just as I was about to sleep, my phone flashed with a message.

Gray: Badass Nerd. I like it.

I smiled and dozed off.

............

Did you guys enjoy it !? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!