Shift OR Drift

Prologue

Amberly

"You know dad, you're going to get fat if all you eat are those hot dogs," I tease my father as he continues to stuff his face, regardless of what I said. He gives me a how dare you look. To add to the dramatics, he places his hand over his heart pretending to be shot.

"I will let you know little Cruiser, all these babies," he raises the hot dog in the air, "have given me a six-pack of steel," I  cringe at the thought.

"No wonder all the single moms around here drool at the sight of you," I tease him, and he gives me a raised eyebrow in return as we laugh in unison.

Where are we? We are at one of the many drag race strips in Los Angeles, California. My home. My father, Cory Shafer, is the racetrack legend and mechanic around these parts. He wins everything. He is the man everyone looks up to. The man I am lucky enough to call my father.

My father eats his hot dog as he continues his light banter with my best friend's parents. His eyes scan the strip for any reasonable opponent. He is a wise man. Never picks a race he knows he cannot win. In a world full of speed, he has the agility and perfected timing to back him up. A real legend. Sometimes he chooses to let me drive.

"Amberly, we're going to check my car. I'll be back," I nod as he walks off with my boyfriend, Blaze Cartel. The young buck of the crowd. With him being under my father's wing, there is no way he will be stopped when he is older. I refuse to admit it out loud or to his face but, he has a bright future ahead of him. If he can keep his head out of his own ass long enough.

My short curly haired blonde boyfriend stalks off with my father in the direction of their cars. Lexy, Miranda, Carson, and I find our seats. My father could pick out his next opponent at any minute.

I watch him walk up to Jason Bardone's father with a briefcase in hand. The intent is to win big as this is the last race of the year as winter is about to hit.

My father and Jason's talk with light banter for a moment as Lexy continues in my ear about what guy she finds cute at the moment. At this rate, I have only ever been with one person, Blaze. There was never a thought in my mind about another guy. Not yet at least. Lexy, on the other hand, likes to browse but never touch. She checks each guy out with the thought of, is he worthy? Her parents will most likely have some sort of say in the man she marries in the far future, or at least, that is how I believe it will go.

My father returns to me like he had promised and wraps me into a tight hug, "alright little Cruiser, what do you remember?" He tests me. He continually tests me. Making sure I remember every little detail he has taught me thus far.

"Don't rev the engine. Shafer's don't show off, and it leaves the element of surprise. Once the flag is raised focus on the goal, not the opponent. Then the flag drops and it is just me and the car. No opponent. No troubles," I beam up at him and roll my eyes, "why do you test me when I'm not the one driving?" Sometimes he treats me like I am ten, even though I turned fourteen mere days ago. This is the last race of the year, he has to win. He needs to focus on himself.

"Good job Am, and because, it helps me," he pulls me into a headlock, and I fight to get away from him. Giggling as we toss each other around. He is going easy on me. I lightly punch him after he lets me go, "hey," he looks at me and grabs my attention as I take my seat, "I love you," he looks at me with sincerity.

"Yeah, I know," I shrug it off believing there will be a million more chances after this race to tell him, "you better go or they'll be missing a driver when the flag drops," I shove off him slightly, "go dad! Before the race starts without you," I chuckle.

"Alright, alright," he smiles at me, his green eyes resembling mine, "see you at the finish line."

"See you at the finish line," I smile as he disappears. Lexy and I excitedly sit in our seats, we watch my father get into his car and roll up to the starting line. The excitement in my bones coating my soul, "there he is! Look! There he is!" I shout with excitement on the edge of my seat. I point at him for Lexy, Miranda, and Carson to see.

One. The flag is raised.

Two. The idiot driver revs.

Three. The flag drops.

They take off.

My father pulls into the lead.

Two seconds into the race, my father loses control of the car. He veers to the side and the car begins to flip. Rolling and tumbling. Crunch noises follow every crash land. Every roll. Shock strikes every nerve in my system. An unruly scream tears from my lungs and out of my throat. Miranda wraps her skinny arms around me and covers my eyes attempting to shield me from the scene before us. My heart races and panic sets in. He's okay. He has to be okay. I rip Miranda's hand from my eyes and race to the edge of the railing after I escape her grasp. My father's car is completely dented, beaten, and upside down.

"Get out!" I scream as if my father could hear me, "come on! Get out of the car!" I yell feeling strong arms wrap around my stomach and hoist me off of the ground. The person tears me away from the rail as the car bursts into flames leaving nothing left of my father. Nothing left of me, "no!" Screams and cries rip from my throat as I fight Carson Brooks, Lexy's father off of me, "let me go!" I cry out, "he has to be okay!" Tears stream down my face as I continue to thrash in Carson's arms. One thought on my mind. Get to him. Carson continues to grip me in his grasp. Never one loosening his tight hold. I do what any fighting child would, my teeth sink into his forearm, and he drops me to the ground. Without a second to think, I race in the direction of the burning car.

My feet pound against the concrete as I race to my father's flaming car. There is no hope of getting him out. Sounds of shattering glass and loud pops of the crumbling car enter the air. The stench of smoke greets my nose as tears continue down my face. There is no hope he will come back to me, "no!" I scream as my world crashes on top of me. As the only person who has ever truly loved me vanishes beneath the flipped-over flame-filled car.

He's gone.

He's dead.

He will never return.

I land on my knees only one hundred feet away from the car. The smoldering hot flames blaze as if they're aiming for my skin. I scream, cry, and beg for some form of help. Large arms swoop around my waist once more and pull me away from the unforgettable sigh.

Forever burned in my mind.

Forever branded in my memory.

This is a day I shall never forget.

This is the day my story, Amberly Shafer's story; begins.