His Lucky Charm

Strangers

Race day came.

And Like usual.

Strip was on Pole.

Chick was the runner up.

Chick walked back to pits and threw his helmet on the ground. He was not happy about having to be right behind strip again.

His crew chief tried to talk to him. Chick shoved him away. "I'm tired of this shit!" He yelled.

"Chick-"

"I'm beating his ass today!"

The race started.

Strip led the race really well. He never lost the lead.

Even when he pitted, Strip Never lost the lead. Chick gripped his wheel as he watched that damn Dinoco blue car race in front of him.

"Alright Chick. Data is showing you can catch him, but it'll take some finesse on your part." His chief said.

"I'm going for it."

Chick kept up. He was keeping the game clean. He was playing properly. He was doing everything right. He got close to Strip.

Chick glared as he watched this blue car. Then a thought came into his mind.

One he never... thought of doing to his friend. What if he played a little dirty, in a way that would hurt them but would give him the advantage.

He pressed the gas and bumped the back of Strips car. Oh he made a mistake. The two cars both ended up spinning out.

They collided on the grass in front of the teams.

The Dinoco team and htB team rushed to their cars. Strip was helped out his car. He got out as chick did.

Strip lifted his visor. He couldn't believe it. He looked at Chick. His own friend played dirty against him.

Chick ripped his helmet off. He glared at Strip as the medical team asked him questions.

Strip just shook his head as he walked back to the pits with his team. They were under a red flag, so the race was paused and the cars were being towed.

Strip later learned that he no longer had the lead in the championship.

That's when things got rougher.

Strip went to the htB garage. "Where's Hicks!?" chick looked up.

"I do believe you're in the wrong garage." Chick said as he walked over to him. Strip looked at him.

"I want to talk to you in private." Strip said. Chick just stood in front of him, not moving. "We can talk right here."

Everyone looked at the two. Strip took a deep breath. "Fine."

"What is going on with you? You have been so mad as of late, you've been fighting me, and then bam!  You play dirty, which is out of character for you, and then... it just feels something's wrong." Strip said.

Chick just chuckled and shook his head. "There is a lot wrong. And I'm realizing you're the center of all those problems."

Strip was shocked. "Are you kidding me?"

Chick turned to leave. Strip grabs his arm. "Chick-"

Chick slammed him to the ground and fought him again. "I'm sober this time. Don't worry." He punched him.

Strip winced as chicks team pulled Chick off of him. Strip never fought chick.  He refused to.

He stood up as his nose bled. Chick glared at him. "I hate you."

"Chick..."

"Get. The fuck out."

Strip just stood there. Chick saw tears prick at Strips eyes. He felt the smallest bit of regret. But strip left before he could say anything.

Strip pulled his hat down covering his eyes. He ignored reporters and just rushed to his motorhome. He teared up more as the door closed behind him.

He just didn't understand. Strip just sat on his couch and took care of the blood on his face.

As he sat there, Lynda opened the door and peeked in. "Hun?"

He waved a bit. "Are you okay?" She asked as she walked in. He just held his head. It looked as if he was holding back tears.

Lynda walked over and sat in front of him. She gently held his face. He put his hand over hers and held it a bit. He turned his head and kissed her hand as a tear went down his face.

"What happened..."

He looked at her tiredly. "Chick... doesn't want anything to do with me anymore so..."

"Why do you think that?" She asked calmly.

"He hit me, and well... said he hates me. Oh and I'm The center of all his problems." Strip said feeling his eyesight getting blurry.

Lynda wasn't good with words. She knew he was taking this hard. Chick was really his only true friend. But... she was also his friend before she became his girlfriend.

He needed a friend right now.

She opened her arms. He looked at him. "You got me..." he teared up more and just carefully hugged her. She hugged him tightly. He Cried silently in her shoulder.

She ran her fingers through his hair. "I know... it's hard." He held onto her slightly. "I never thought it would get to this point." He said quietly.

"I know." She sighed and kissed his temple. "Sometimes things change, and we will never truly understand why until later down the road." She knew this well.

When she lost her father, she wished they had ended things on better terms. But... that's how it went.

The couple stayed there for awhile. Eventually strip had to do interviews. He was seated next to Chick during media.

"Chick, what happened when you went to pass Strip? It was rather surprising to see you take him out." Chick just shrugged. "Went to make a move, overcorrected."

The tension in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

"Strip, are you aware that because of this crash, even if you won half of the races this next part of the season, you'd still be short one race win because of today?"

Strip looked down a bit and then lifted his mic. "I was not aware. Shame really. Would've been nice to get a championship..." his knuckles were white as he held the mic.

His eyes were dark. Everyone knew Strip was mad. He got up.

"Mr. Weathers!"'

"Sore loser huh." Chick said with a chuckle. Strip stopped in the middle of his stride.

Team Dinoco was ready to stop a fight. Strip wasn't going to fight. It wasn't his style. He walked over to chick and gripped his shoulder and whispered to him.

"At least I don't play dirty."