Right On Track

Chapter 70

With a frown,Kiara looked down at Elijah as he giggled.
"What?"She asked.
He just giggled again,pointing up at her.
She narrowed her eyes at him and he just gave her an innocent look,licking his ice-cream.
Carlos chuckled,shaking his head.
"I don't understand what's so funny."Kiara gave them both a flat look.
Carlos grinned,stepping closer to her as they walked along the side-walk."You have a little something on your face."
Kiara's eyes widened and she quickly handed Elijah her ice-cream to hold while she fumbled for her mirror in her purse.
Carlos laughed and just raised a hand to her face,swiping his thumb across her cheek."Relax,just ice-cream."
He pulled his hand away and licked his thumb,leaving Kiara with a blush on her face.Well,that was embarrassing...
She looked down at Elijah again,watching him walk ahead of her and Carlos,proudly wearing his Ferrari hat and jacket that was clearly a little big for him.He was about to have a taste of her ice-cream and she said."Hey!That's mine."
He grinned."You gave it to me."
"For a minute!"She swiped her ice-cream back,leaving him with only his own in one hand.
Elijah shrugged,going back to his own.
Kiara smiled,shaking her head.
They had just taken Elijah to get the ice-cream that he wanted,also going for a walk around the neighbourhood one time.And since they left the house,trying to keep him happy,he grew his usual smile back.
Carlos put a hand around Kiara's waist,both watching Elijah as he walked in front of them,chasing a few pigeons away.He giggled,saying."Alora hates pigeons."
Carlos smiled,then looked down at Kiara.She met his gaze,putting her arm around him as well.
"Mission accomplished."He winked,since they had managed to get Elijah happier again.
"Mostly thanks to you."Kiara admitted,tugging at one if the lapels of his black jacket.
He smiled,pulling her closer."We both handled it well."
"I'm surprised he didn't make you wear matching Ferrari merch with him."Kiara said,looking back at Elijah as he licked at his ice-cream,his little boots thudding against the pavement.
"Better than what you're wearing."Carlos sneakily said.
She frowned,looking down at her Red Bull hoodie."How dare you?"
"It's too boring."He shrugged.
"It is not!"
"It really pains me to look at you in that Red Bull hoodie."He faked a dramatic sigh.
"That's my team!"She said.
He looked at her with a sly grin,quietly saying."It pains me so much that I have to take it off later."
"You little-"She snapped,playfully hitting his arm."What if the kid heard that?!"
"Heard what?"Elijah frowned,looking over his shoulder.
"Nothing."Kiara quickly said.
Carlos just snickered.
Elijah narrowed his eyes."No,seriously.What did Carlos have to take?I heard something like that."
"Uhh-"
"I have to take this and throw it away for Kiara."Carlos quickly came up with and answer,grabbing Kiara's now empty ice-cream cup and tossing it into the trash can nearby.
"Oh."Elijah nodded,then carried on walking.
Kiara immediately shot Carlos a glare as her cousin turned his back to them.
Carlos just seemed to hold back a laugh,saying."But that's not the only thing I'll be throwing away for you."
"Stop that!"Kiara snapped."It's enough,now!"
He lifted an eyebrow."You think I'm lying?"
She frowned up at him."I'm going to slap you."
"We'll,I'm not lying."He told her."Watch me."
"Ugh."She rolled her eyes,causing him to laugh.She could see his gaze brighten,even though he kept his cap low to draw less attention from fans.
Yes,he needed to still keep a cool profile.Kiara didn't exactly need to,though.She was used to the community.It's where she grew up.And most others in the area were already used to noticing her in public too.
She was about to say something,but stopped as she almost bumped into Elijah.
"Woah,why'd you stop?"She asked,steadying herself.
Elijah looked up at her and Carlos,stepping back and against both of them.
Kiara arched a brow,putting a hand on his shoulder.Then,she looked ahead and saw two people standing nearby.Another couple standing nearby,a tall man with tattooed arms and a woman with a smug expression unhidden by her blonde hair.
"That's Sam's parents."Elijah quietly said."Can we go a different way?"
"Yeah,"Kiara nodded,about to turn with him."Let's-"
"Hey."The man,who seemed to be the father,said.
"What?"Kiara immediately got defensive when she heard the snippy tone.
"We have to talk."The mother said,her gaze firm on Kiara and Elijah.
"About your son hurting Elijah?"Kiara stepped closer."Go ahead.Admit it."
"Hey."She pointed a finger."Elijah is the one who gave my son a black eye.Now,listen here-"
"Elijah is just a child."Carlos spoke,stepping forward,his jaw set."What do you-"
"Carlos Sainz?"The father arched a brow,seeming to catch on now that Carlos was closer,the cap not providing much anymore."What the-"
"So that's how that brat is still in this sport."The mother rolled her eyes."More advantage with nepotism,right?"
"Don't talk about Elijah like that."Kiara scowled,her temper rising."He's not the one cheating his way through the sport."
"My son doesn't cheat."She snapped."It's that little-"
Kiara clenched her jaw,stepping forward."Finish that sentance and I swear-"
"Kiara."Carlos quietly said,pulling her back before she could do something stupid.
"Speaking of cheating,"The father said,coming closer.He was literally in front of them in seconds."I guess Elijah gets it from you.It runs in the family,from what I've seen."
"Excuse me?"Kiara glared at him.
"Watch your tone."Carlos told him,his glare hard and his arm holding Elijah behind him.
"Get that boy out of this karting league."The man seethed."He hurt my son and cheated his way up the championship.He clearly has no idea what he's doing."
Elijah went still,holding Carlos' arm from behind.He seemed scared.
"Go have a look at Sam's racing before you comment on Elijah."Kiara said,raising her voice a little."If you had known anything about this sport,you'd see how wrong you all are."
"You say that so proudly as if you're such an expert in your sport."The woman muttered.
Before Kiara or Carlos could quip back,the man added."The only thing she would be proud of is how she managed to sleep her way into F1"
Kiara paused,the comment feeling like a punch to the gut as her eyes widened.
"What did you say?"Carlos said,his tone warning and daring.He gave that man a look that would have sent anyone else running in the opposite direction.
"Oh,come on.You know it too."He said."That slut has-"
He didn't finish that sentance.
He couldn't when Carlos had his fist hitting his face.
The man grunted,clutching his jaw as he caught his balance.His wife gasped and moved over to help him.
"You piece of-."He gritted his teeth,looking at Carlos again.
He tried to do something more,maybe hit back,but Carlos grabbed him by the collar of his shirt,saying."The only reason I'm not doing worse to you is because there is a child standing behind me.A child who I care about."
Carlos let him go,letting him shuffle back with his wife at his arm.
"Don't try anything more.Now or later on."Carlos added."Because I can have every lawyer in this town coming for you if you ever try anything after this."
"I'll sue you for this."The man muttered.
"Be my guest."Carlos sneered.
Kiara swallowed,her gaze switching between them.She couldn't help but feel shocked with everything that happened.
But she soon came to her senses when she remembered Elijah.
"Elijah?"She quickly turned around to see her cousin,who hid behind her.
He looked up at her,his eyes wide.
Kiara moved over to him,ignoring whatever few other words were exchanged between the others,her back to them.
"It's okay."She said,pulling him into her arms as she heard footsteps retreating.
He hugged her,not saying a word.
"Kiara."Carlos said,turning to them.
She looked up and at Carlos,noticing that Sam's parents had left,already crossing the street.
Carlos met her gaze and she just pulled him closer,giving him a side-hug.
"I want to go home."Elijah mumbled.
"Okay."Kiara nodded.
Carlos shifted forward and picked Elijah up,who immediately hugged him and leaned his head on his shoulder.
They started to walk back and Kiara came up beside them,Carlos putting his other arm around her as they started to leave.