MPH (hs)

Chapter Six

The cars line up in the pit like they did in the previous race. Jake and Harry's cars are aligned next to each other and both drivers look up in the direction where Stacy and I are standing. Jake smiles and Harry looks somewhere else quickly. Following his eyes I see that he is looking up at the man that was presenting on the stage moments prior; also the man that I had made eye contact with when his truck drove past me. He diverts his gaze back to the road in front of him, but the man then turns to me in a sort of disapproving way. I can't help but turn away quickly, his gaze extremely intimidating to anyone targeted.

"Aw look, Jake is blowing me kisses," Stacy says beside me as she begins to blow kisses in his direction. I laugh at the cheesiness and the tension as well, because of the fact that I can still feel the eyes of the man, burning holes in my skull.

The engines begin to roar as the woman that holds the flag appears in front of the line of vehicles. She lifts her hands and waits about thirty seconds before dropping the flag and the cars speed past her. The dust left behind begins to clear up and all one can see is headlights making their way through the turns of the dirt track.

The race continues for about ten minutes and the competitors begin to cross the finish point. Jake is first, another competitor is second, and Harry takes third.

By looking at the other competitors, many of them show angry expressions, while others laugh at their loss. Harry, however, shows an indifferent expression, not concerned at all.

Jake and Stacy begin to walk off, and I quickly follow. When we get to Stacy's car, I sit inside for a few more minutes while Stacy and Jake talk outside. The driver door opens and my friend sits down in her seat.

"So where's Mr. Tall and Mysterious at?" she says laughing a bit while placing her keys in the ignition.

I shake my head and can't help but stifle a short laugh. "I don't know who you're talk-" I get cut off as there are knocks on my window. I turn and find a hand with rings on it that then disappears. I look out and find Harry standing there as if on cue, warming his hands with his breath and looking around. Stacy then raises her eyebrows and smirks.

As I step out of the car and begin to worry as to why he came here. Is it regarding the man? Should I be worried? I can admit I tend to worry a lot, and sometimes my fears get in the way of how I live my life, a sort of personal boundary.

"I came to apologize for leaving so abruptly," he says with a small smile. "These events are just so hectic sometimes it's crazy."

"It's alright, I understand" I say, returning the smile.

"I also came to ask you something" he says while looking around.

My mind goes straight to the negative, wondering what he would bring up, and I'm on edge, waiting for the question.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to have lunch or something. I don't know, maybe something else? It's totally up to you, if you don't, or if you want to, I don't know," he says somewhat nervously, his voice quieter.

I laugh a bit and nod, mentally releasing a sigh of relief as well. "I'd love to, " I finally come up with the words to say.

"Really? I mean nice," he says.

We stand there for a few seconds, and then he reaches in his pocket for what seems to be his phone. I unlock mine and we both type our contacts into each other's devices.

"Alright, well, I'll text or call you," he says smiling widely, and I do the same.

"Alright," I say.

The next thing he does takes me by surprise, but then it doesn't. He pulls me in for a hug.

We say our goodbyes and then he walks in the direction of where the stage is placed.

Once I get back in the car, Stacy goes at it and begins to tease me. She continues to do so the entire car ride back to our apartment.

"See, I knew he liked you," she says while unlocking our front door, while I smile and shake my head.

We get inside and she begins to prepare the coffee machine. We settle and we end up in the kitchen once again, both of us pouring our own mugs.

" So Jake told me something quite interesting," she says a bit confused. "Apparently, Harry was supposed to get first place, but he did something as if trying to prevent it on purpose again."

My phone then vibrates and I see that I have a text message.

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please feel free to continue reading, like, and comment to let me know how you feel, thank you once again. - cyn