My obsession with Rafe Vega : Teen Fiction

Chapter 14

'I'm nervous,' I whispered to Jeff, as I slipped on my gloves.

In the beautiful sport loving city of Melbourne, the sun was scorching, the air dry and humid in Albert Park home to Formula One Grand Prix racing. My racing suit clung to my body. It felt like I was baking in the inside of an oven, the crowd of spectators rowdy, clapping, wanting the races to commence.

'You've done fantastic in our training babe,' Jeff hugged me consolingly. 'Unofficially you've even matched the existing record, so don't worry about a thing,' he smiled.

I looked around the stadium, it was packed to capacity. I could not see a single vacant seat. The crowds were waving, applauding their favourite riders.

This was the finals of the national championships. I had qualified, coming first in my previous three races.  There was a lot of hype about the new kid on the block. I was feeling the pressure. I wanted to maintain my position at the top. If I won in this race, I would be crowned Australia's national champion.

There were two top riders competing against me today. Ally who was six points behind me in second place. If Ally won today, she would usurp me at the top. The other was Cassie Richmond, a local from Melbourne. She knew the track well. She had won every race here to date. I'd met her earlier, she'd given me the up and down as if I was an alien, her eyes cold and unfriendly. She was two years older than me, and had been riding a little longer than I was. She liked Ally though, and I noticed she liked Rafe a lot too, the way she smiled, and fluttered her eyelids for him.

Sick cow!

But I just have to win today. I don't want second place. I'm not interested in those famous last words that says, "it's good to have participated and that everyone is a winner!"

'Babe!'

'Yeah?' I murmured.

'Don't look so distraught,' he grinned, 'we're gonna nail this championship.'

'I don't know,' I replied nervously, 'Ally and Cassie are like breathing down my neck.'

'They don't know the times we clocked in practice,' Jeff winked.'I've got their best practice times, it's nowhere close to yours babe.'

'How__how did you get that?'

'There's ways and means,' he smiled conspirationally.

'Then they could have got my lap times just the same way!'

'They practiced here, we did not,' Jeff reminded me.

'So that's why you had us training on that farm!'

Jeff just grinned, and hoisted me in the air, 'just do me proud hmm.'

'No pressure right,' I laughed, crossing my arms around his neck, feeling the pressure increasing as the time for our race drew closer.

'You're a good man Jeff Anthony,' I whispered, as I watched Jeff gaze at me proudly.

One I don't deserve.

'I wanted to wish you well.'

'R_Rafe!'

How long had he been standing there?

I slid out of Jeff's embrace, breathless as I studied Rafe's face. His eyes were masked, I could not tell anything from the expression on his face, but it was not angry, just polite.

'Good luck,' Rafe finally smiled, drawing me into his arms and offering me an impersonal hug.

'Thank you,' I replied politely, dismantling my arms as quickly as he let go of me.