Hot Lap! (Pause Spin-Off, Completed)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Four years ago...

Xavier's POV:

I've always been told that a smooth race never makes a skillful racer. I remember the comment as I cross the finish line first. The race was only smooth because my strongest competitor isn't here today. Still, I relish in the cheers and grin, satisfied. I love what I do. Racing is life, anything before or after is just waiting.

The only thing that manages to knock me down from the high of winning is seeing Emma. I can't help it. I can't help but fix my gaze on the redhead after spending some time looking for her in the crowds. She's beautiful, always has been, but don't get me wrong, she can go from make-up to mud in three seconds flat. 

I'll never forget the first time I met Em. She put me in my place quickly and I was fired up from day one:

I had just finished a minor race at the time and there was some girl I'd been flirting with when I heard a car come in. I turned to look and my gaze immediately settled on the driver. She got out and removed her helmet and her striking, red hair fell down her shoulders in soft waves. She happened to look up and our eyes locked for a brief moment. 

That's when I knew.

I simply left the girl beside me and I walked over to the female racer that had just come in. I had to talk to her.

"I'd offer you a cigarette but you're already smoking," I said and winked suggestively at her, skipping the introductions.

"Not interested," came her raspy voice in a two-worded reply.

I jumped back from the rejection quickly. "It's not often I see a female racer," I told her.

"It's often I see idiots," she remarked in a careless attitude, not bothered by my presence. 

I held back a smile at discovering her spunky side. "You were good out there," I motioned to the tracks. "I'm impressed."

She raised a brow at me, intrigued, "You race?"

I gaped at her question. People know me well around here so it was a shot to my ego. In all honesty, I prefer it when my ego is stroked and that day, Emma butchered it. 

"Do you have to ask?" I turned the question back on her.

"You drag?" she asked me.

I nodded at her in pride. I'm one of the few who can drag race. Drag racing means no turns, no brakes, no pit stops, and no second chances.

"Then drag yourself away and leave me the hell alone," she replied flatly.

A frowned masked my face at hearing her harsh words. I was just trying to make conversation. "No," I answered her calmly, "you've caught my interest."

"Do you do donuts?" she questioned out of the blue, obviously testing my racing abilities. 

A donut is an amateur skill that most are capable of. It can't even be classified as a skill. It's just messing about when you have nothing better to do.

A grin found its way onto my face. "All the time," I answered her suavely.

"Cool," she nodded, "I'll go get you one; I'm hungry." 

Confused, I found myself staring at her back as she walked away from me. I watched her make her way to the concession stand where she bought an actual donut. It's as if she sensed me looking because she turned in her stance to face me and waved the donut through the air teasingly. 

She smirked and bit into the donut before she flipped me off and walked away.

I knew then that I wasn't going to get much from her, least of all a donut. I also knew then that I was in trouble because I was already hooked: line and sinker included.

*~*

Hey guys :)

So heads up, this is a short story on Xavier and Emma. However, most chapters will be longer than this one :) Ch 1 was just an introduction into Xavier's head.

This is not the sequel to Pause. This is merely a spin-off. I'm hoping to write a spin-off for Grey at a later stage too ;)

Also, this story has been entered into the #Wattys2015 for the #JustWriteIt award, please support through voting, etc. Thanks a lot! :D

Thanks for checking it out! I appreciate it! :D

Take care Xx

~CJ