Right On Track

Chapter 23

"I think you need to actually hit the ball,Kiara."Alora said,motioning with her paddle racket towards the small ball that bounced away.
"Shut up."Kiara groaned,stepping back and picking up the ball."I literally missed only once."
"If 'once' is the new term for 'several'...sure."
"I'm just tired,Alora."Kiara sighed.
"So...You want to finish up now?"
She shrugged."I mean,if it's okay with you."
Alora nodded."Fine,we'll go home now."
Kiara glanced around the court,seeing that it was,in fact,getting late.The night breeze was light,only slightly blowing her loose hair as she started to make her way out of the court.Alora walked beside her,not saying much too.She had hired the court for about two hours,since she and Kiara had wanted to clear their minds while playing at least some sort of sport that night.Kiara could tell that there was something bothering Alora too,which was why she had decided to come along in the first place.But Alora was good at hiding her emotions,as well as coming up with excuses to avoid questions about any issues.However,Kiara knew that even if she asked Alora about anything,Alora would turn the situation around and become the one asking the questions.Kiara had no interest in letting that happen,as she was trying to spend her time away from thoughts of Carlos.
In the car,there was a lot of silence.There wasn't much of the usual playful banter or laughs like there would normally be.
"What happened,Kiara?"Alora asked,suddenly breaking the silence.
"What?"Kiara frowned.
"With Carlos."She said."What happened after that night?"
Kiara's grip tightened on the steering wheel."Nothing."
Alora sighed."I see how it is."
"What?"
"You don't trust me..."
Kiara rolled her eyes,knowing what her sister's plan was."You know that I trust you,Alora."
"Really?"She said."Because it seems quite the opposite."
"Alora."Kiara scowled.
Alora smiled in return and shrugged,indicating that she wasn't going to give up so easily.
Kiara groaned and finally gave in.She would tell a half-truth...It's not like she could tell Alora about the stunt,which was suppose to convince people in the first place that Kiara and Carlos were on good terms.
"He saw me hesitate."She said after a few moments.
Alora glanced at her,lifting her brows.
Kiara continued."He wasn't convinced that I was comfortable..."
Alora sighed."Atleast he was being considerate,I guess."
"Yeah,but..."
"But what?"Alora frowned.
Kiara sighed."But the truth is,I would have been comfortable if I hadn't doubted myself so much.I didn't know how to react to it."
"Hey,"Alora said."It's surprises me quite enough already that you two did it in the first place.But hearing that you didn't know how to react to the situation...Why couldn't you just tell him that yourself?"
She shrugged."I only worked up the courage to do it right before he left."
"But you hesitated again?"
She shook her head."No."
"Then?"
"He ignored me and left."
Alora swore under her breath in German,pinching the bridge of her nose.
Kiara didn't say anything more.She stayed silent and carried on driving.

Kiara sat on a bench cross-legged in the backyard,her phone in hand as she savored the next morning's atmosphere.
She was texting Daniel,who was clearly curious about her weekend after seeing what was in the media.He didn't really push for answers,but he tried to ask in a way that didn't bother her,which she was grateful for.

Daniel: So,then it's true?

Kiara: Maybe.

D: Oh,my god,Kiara.Why are you so calm about this?!

K: Why are you so jumpy about this?

D: I don't know...

K: Relax.It's all good.

D: I swear if he pulls a Nathan-

K: Daniel!

D: Okay,okay! Just being safe.

K: Come on,it's not like Carlos is some stranger to you or something.

D: Hey,I'm just looking out for you.

K: I appreciate the thought,but you have nothing to worry about.

D: You'll call me of you need anything,alright?

K: 👍

D: Take care.

K: 👋

Kiara looked down at the screen,holding back the urge to chuck the stupid phone across the lawn.It really made her upset that she couldn't even tell Daniel or any other close person about her damn problem.And she couldn't understand why neither Max or Daniel could know about the stunt of they were literally her teammates.Honestly,it wasn't as if they would spill the beans and embarrass their own team.
Kiara muttered a curse and closed her messages.And she soon found herself looking at a post by Carlos.Which,of course,he must have been against posting so quickly without Kiara's permission.It wad probably been done by Caco.

Liked by 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟲𝟴𝟯 𝟮𝟰𝟭 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀
@ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗰 👏
@ 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗼𝗹𝗳𝗳 He says it's all thanks to the racing tips from Carlos.
@ 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘇 Maybe he just gets it from his cousins
@ 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗼𝗹𝗳𝗳 Let's not start an argument about which one.
@ 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘇 What do you say about this @𝗸𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗼𝗹𝗳𝗳 ??

Kiara didn't bother responding.Though,she was a little annoyed with the fact that Carlos even bothered to mention her after their situation.She held back a sigh and scrolled down further.She found a photo from the moment beside the track at Elijah's race.It was a post by a fan-based account.But,of course,it was bound for Kiara to see it at some point.

Liked by 𝗳𝟭𝗴𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮𝟭𝟬 𝟭𝟯𝟭 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀
@𝗳𝟭𝗴𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗽 👀
@𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝟳𝟲𝟱𝟮𝟯𝟰 Well that was not what i was expecting...

"A successful plan,I guess."Kiara scoffed and rolled her eyes to herself.She had the sudden urge to call Lydia and complain,even though she was aware that complaining would get her nowhere.
"Are you talking to yourself,Ki?"Elijah asked as he walked over,climbing up on to sit with her on the bench.
"No."Kiara shook her head.
Elijah giggled."Yes,you are."
She raised her hands in surrender."Fine,you caught me.I was talking to myself."
He smiled,his legs dangling from the bench and not even coming close to the ground as he sat.
"Hey,"Kiara arched a brow."Aren't you supposed to be sorting out your things for the trip?"
He shrugged."It's fine.I'll do it later."
"No,not later,mister."Kiara said."Now!"
"But that's boring."He groaned."I don't want to go pack already."
"You know,if you want to be a driver some day,you're going to be travelling much more than this."She told him."And trust me,there's much more packing.So,I guess you have to get used to it."
Elijah thought about it for a second.Then,he said."Fine,but can I sit here a little bit with you?"
Kiara smiled and nodded.
He leaned back and started to ask her questions about racing and being a driver.And she spent the rest of her time there answering those questions and spending the time with him.