Race Track of Love

RTOL 23

Chapter 23

After the party, the rest of the week was just a roller coaster ride preparing for the next race. In races, we win but sometimes we lose. It's normal.

But I never lose, I only run out of gas, or time. I stand on that because racing, competing, it's in my blood. It's part of me, it's part of my life; I have been doing it all my life and it stands out above everything else.

Finishing 3rd in the Firekeepers Casino 400 in Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn a week ago wasn't bad at all but it affects me so much. Maybe or just maybe, I was preoccupied at that moment.

But I had only one thing in my mind right now, the man beside me—Marcus, the man who made my heart leap last week at my party because of his knock knock joke. At the corner of my eye, he was busy keeping his eye on the road. He was tapping his fingers on his lap all the way from our house. We were already thirty minutes on our journey. Jodie and Peter planned this trip. I never had a hand on this.

"You've been awfully quiet, Mitch," he said, keeping his eyes on the road, instantly drawing my attention to him. "What is it? Maybe, I can help?"

"Maybe, I'm just tired. I wanted to drive but I can't," I lied, looking out the window. I was well aware of the reason why I was so quite. The man asking me made me confuse last week. I am sure of myself that I like him but I can say that it was more of a like. I don't want to assume but I knew he sang it because he likes me.

Yes. No. Urgh.

"Not just because you're tired, right?" He gave me an 'I'm right' look. I shrugged and shifted my look back to the window. "I don't want my girl driving even if she wanted to. You aren't allowed, because you might stress yourself. Aren't you tired driving your whole life?"

My heart sped up when he said "my girl". What were we now? Still whatever for us I wanted to be? I'm more confused.

I didn't say anything else as my mind wandered off . Marcus said nothing too as Peter drove in silence, but it wasn't an awkward silence which I am very thankful for.

Jodie turned on the local radio, I was hit by an arrow when Stephen Speaks started to croon. That was our song, I mean the song he sang while we're driving to the track where his dad last race took place. Why is always Stephen Speaks barging every time I think of Marc?

As the lyrics hit me hard like a hammer driving a nail in, Peter's hand covered Jodie's which drew my attention to them. I am not bitter, I just wanted to have a safe trip. Bitter gourd is eaten, not an attitude.

"I am more alert when I drive," I rolled my eyes.

Peter shrugged and kept his hand on the wheel. Jodie just smirked, she figured out what I'm thinking. At the corner of my eye, I saw Marcus eyeing me like he was a cop interrogating a suspect. He then slowly released his stare and turned on his side when he noticed me.

I played with my thumbs as I thought of what Vanessa told me last week when she cornered me alone and all the people were already starting to come home. I wasn't expecting it. I don't know why Vanessa told Marc's heartbreaking story.

Yes, he was heartbroken when his ex-girlfriend Pia left him. Pia Walker, now a mother of two adorable girls and happily married to award winning actor, Michael Miller. Who would have thought that Marc and Pia were exes? He must have brought his axe before to hunt her out again.

"She left him exactly the time when we're too down. We're bankrupt and mom was coping to her panic disorder because of dad's sudden death. She was his first love. He was so dependent on her. He placed her on the center of his universe. Pia's his everything but that was before. Marc put up walls that no single girl could break it down, he concentrated on his career and to us, his family. He even swore to himself that he will never fall in love, he was stuck to that decision for numerous years but he broke that promise when..."