Right On Track

Chapter 66

"Alright,here we go..."Kiara mumbled,taking off her seatbelt and getting out of her Mustang.
She looked at Carlos and he got out of the car too,saying."I'll get the bags later.Let's go in."
Kiara nodded,then started off with him to the entrance of her mother's house.
Carlos followed behind,a hand reassuringly on her back as they approached the door.
She had to admit,she really appreciated the fact that he was willing to come with her to Austria.
Kiara pulled out her own set of keys and opened the door,calling out to her mother in German.
A few moments after they entered,her mother walked out of the kitchen.
"Hi."Kiara smiled a little as they hugged.
"Took you long enough."Her mother said.
She pulled back from the hug and glanced at Carlos."Thanks for coming,Carlos."
"No need to thank me,Ms-"
"Oh,for the last time."She smiled."Call me Lina."
Kiara glanced around,then asked."Where's Elijah?"
"In his room."She replied."I was just about to call him down for dinner."
"Is it a good time for me to...?"
"Go,Kiara."Lina nodded."And maybe get him to finally come downstairs."
Kiara glanced at Carlos."Want to come?"
Carlos nodded,then followed her up the stairs.
They walked over to Elijah's bedroom down the hall,stopping at the closed door.
Kiara knocked and she heard Elijah  say."Not hungry,Aunty Lina."
"It's me."Kiara said.
He was silent for a few seconds,then quietly said."Okay."
Kiara opened the door and walked in.
Elijah,who had been sitting on the edge of his bed,looked up at her with crossed arms and a plain look.
Seeing him like that...She Just knew that he definitely wasn't his usual self.He seemed really miserable.
Kiara moved over to sit down next to him on the bed,saying."Well?"
He didn't spare her another glance,saying."Nice win."
"Thanks,"She said,shifting closer to his side."But I'm not here to talk about my win."
"Then you're wasting your time because I don't have any this month either."
She paused for a moment,surprised with the snappy tone.When he was mad,he never usually snapped at anyone.So,this was a little surprising.
"Tell me the whole story."Kiara said,putting an arm around his shoulders."Tell me what happened the first time."
"No."He said.
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to."He snapped again,raising his voice a little and shoving her arm off his shoulders.
He shifted away and Kiara just sat there instead of moving closer,thinking of what to do next.
"I think you should."
Elijah immediately looked over to where he heard the voice,seeing Carlos standing at the doorway of his room.
"Carlos?"His eyes widened a little bit as he hopped off the bed.
"Hola,niño."Carlos smiled as Elijah ran over to him,immediately running into his arms.
Their hug lasted a few moments,then they pulled apart and Carlos looked around Elijah's room."A lot of Ferrari."
"The best."Elijah mumbled,almost smiling as he glanced around at the posters and items all around his room.
"Not fair."Kiara said.
Carlos chuckled.And then Elijah finally smiled a little bit for a moment.
"Come on."Carlos said to him,bringing him back towards the bed.He picked Elijah up and put him back next to Kiara.
Elijah sighed."So,you're here to ask me too?"
Carlos sat down to his other side."I'm here to help another amazing racer."
Elijah's eyes lightened up as he was called a good racer by his favourite driver.He didn't object after that,looking between Carlos and Kiara.
"Tell us."Carlos said,putting an arm on Elijah's shoulders.
Elijah was quiet for a few moments.
He lowered his gaze,seeming to think for a second.Then,he sighed with a nod.
"He pushed me off the track again.But we both ended up hitting the barriers."Elijah said."And everyone made it seem like it was my fault.And I believed them.So,I went to Sam after the race to apologise since he got hurt more than me."
Kiara already felt sorry for the poor boy.He had went to apologise for something that wasn't even his fault?
"He started yelling at me and that's when we started to fight."Elijah added.
"Fight?"Carlos arched a brow."Like,physical?"
He nodded,saying."That was the first one."
"And the second?"Kiara asked.
"Sam hit me again at the next race and we both crashed."Elijah muttered,almost rolling his eyes. "When we were fighting again-"He stopped there,not saying more.
Carlos shared a look with Kiara.
She shrugged then looked back at her little cousin."And?"
Elijah looked down,fidgeting with his fingers as his expression saddened again.
"Elijah?"Carlos said."Tell us,niño."
Listening to Carlos as always,he hesitated,then said."He made a joke about me,Mom and Dad."
"Oh,god."Kiara swallowed.
"So,that's why I hit him."Elijah said."Please,don't be mad at me."
"No,I'm not mad at you."Kiara told him,shaking her head."I'm mad at Sam for what he did."
"Totally wasn't your fault,Elijah."Carlos said."Don't even think of it to be like that."
Elijah swallowed,his bottom lips sticking out as he seemed to hold back his tears.
"We'll sort this out,okay?"Kiara said."Please,don't let it get to you."
Elijah just stayed quiet.
"Be confident."Carlos said."They'll know not to mess around with you."
When he didn't say anything more,Kiara said."Come on,let's go down for dinner."
"Not hungry."He muttered.
Carlos shared another look with Kiara.A look that told her to go down so long,that he would handle it.
Kiara nodded and stood up from the bed,about to leave.
"How about you show me all of your trophies and everything around your room?Then,we go down for dinner."Carlos told him.
It took a few moments,but Elijah eventually agreed and gave a nod.
As Kiara was about to leave the two of them alone,she paused at the doorway and said."And we can go for ice-cream after dinner.You can choose wherever you want to go."
Elijah looked at her,his gaze brightening again.
Kiara smiled at her cousin and winked,then left the bedroom.