Without You

Chapter 74

Blake pov

I only throw up occasionally I don't know what he's so worried about it's been happening for weeks I got it under control I feel a buzz of a phone notification in my pocket I take it out to look at *next period in 4 days* in four days im still waiting for the last one I don't think it ever came oh shit did it ever come no blake you can't be but it can't hurt to check I grab my new keys and head out the door

Ashton's pov

I knock on Blakes bedroom door with no response I slowly open it she's not there I see the bathroom light on I knock on the door with no response once again I open the door I find her standing in there

"baby" I start but notice tears forming in her eyes concern and panic on her face "are you okay?" I ask her she wipes the tear starting to stream down her face

"uh yeah im just thinking about graduation"

"uh okay well we're about to start leaving" I tell her not completely believing her

"Okay, I'll be down in just a minute love" she tells me closing the door on me not so much with me. In the car I can't help but look at her. She's thoroughly distracted looking scared she engages in no conversation. I can't help but think maybe something happened that I don't know about, maybe it was something I did. when we get to the track before I leave I pull her to the side

"Hey, are you okay?"

"yeah, I love you"

I kiss her long and hard "I love you too" I say I let her go and I leave to the shed where all the racers are

"name?" the guy at the gate asks me

"Baylor Ashton Baylor" I tell him

"stall 4" he tells me I walk down the line and find mine I check on my bike making sure everything is alright until I hear a voice come up next to me

"you must be the famous Ashton Baylor I've heard so much about you" I look up and see a scrawny young-looking guy dressed in a red jacket and pants

"hi uh"

"Amri Combs"

"oh," I say looking him up and down again "I've heard so much about you too" I tell him

"Really?" he says shaking my hand "I mean of course you have"

"yeah rookie of the year of course" he gives a breathe chuckle

"yeah apparently I'm supposed to be the future you"

"well see about that" I say

"yeah well it was nice to meet you" he says walking away

"5 minutes till warm ups" a man says aloud. We all start to line up for our first warm-up lap. I look into the crowd finding my family then finding MY girl

"hey, Baylor is that the girl you're with on the covers"

"yes, Combs"

"wow she's hot like a real hotty how did you score that?" he asks me I don't respond trying to get into the zone "why is she with you no offense but damn I might just need to steal her from you she looks like she's a freak in bed is she?" he relentlessly questions

"shut up combs"

"oh come on just tell me she doesn't have to know besides she's not like your actual girlfriend is she?"

"No, she's my fiance now shut up"

"oh that's" he keeps talking as the countdown starts but it drowns him out luckily when I hear the horn I take off slowly conserving my momentum but Combs is doing the same right in front of me I hit the gas and lose him. We go back to the shed after warm-ups to relax before the real race begins I sit listening to loud bass blaring music in my earbuds with my eyes closed trying to drown out everything I feel one of the buds getting taken out of my ear so I open my eyes look at whos doing it

"you have an admirer" Combs says I look over and see MY girl standing there in front of me "he looks so cute like that doesn't he" he says putting his arm around Blake she glares at him and he lets go

"go away Combs" I say and he walks away "hi baby" I say I hear her giggle a little making me smile

"hi love" she says I hug her squeezing tight

"what are you doing here?" I ask her letting go

"I came to tell you good luck in private." she says

"Thanks darling but are you sure that's all?" I ask still seeing the sacredness on her face

"for now yeah" she says

"okay" I say she hugs me again

"10 minutes ladies and gentlemen 10 minutes" the announcer says "I guess that's my cue to leave, listen after you win I have to tell you something"

"Okay baby" I kiss her before she leaves feeling her body leaning into me "I love you" she says "I love you" I say to her.

We line up as the man announces each one of our names "returning champion number 42 Ashton Baylor followed by rookie of the year number 24 Amri Combs" as the countdown starts I hyperfocus only hearing the countdown of beep one beep two then the blaring horn I take off being middle of the crowd becoming further and further as we turn and others lose momentum making nearly flawless jumps and rounding turns smoothly making first by a long shot crossing the finish on my first lap starting my second I make a sharp first turn and a wide second as I come upon the jumps I decide to add style to them since everyone is far behind me on my first jump I do a whip perfectly landing it I start my second a little rocky not getting the speed I would have wanted I do a NAC-NAC landing I feel my front wheel skid a little and swerve but then everything went black.