Treat You Better

5.

I stepped out of the car, the smell of burnt rubber, gasoline, beer and smoke mixed together and overtook my senses. There were people everywhere. Running, dancing, talking, drinking, smoking and betting on the drivers. The engines of cars revved causing the wheels to squeak, desperately in need to move, yet they remained still, the drivers riling each other up.

"What the fuck are we doing here?" I muttered underneath my breath.

"This is amazing." Ashley said in awe of everything around her, I just sighed- hugging my denim jacket closer towards my body; the late-night air seeming colder than usual. Ashley, giddy from all the excitement, ran off towards someone with many piercings and tattoos, grabbed a few beers and brought them back to us. Tyler and I took the drinks, sipping on them, it was stale and watered down tasting even more awful than usual. It didn't take me long to decide not to drink the rest; I want a real beer.

"You having that?" Tyler asked nodding towards the plastic cup in my hand. I shook my head and handed it towards him, he swallowed it in less than a few seconds and then looked around the field, I assume for Lucas. I spotted him before Tyler, standing with a bunch of older-looking people, sucking on a bottle of beer. He called us over and we walked towards him, we are close to the track now- the concoctions of smells becoming stronger and stronger.

"It's about to start." Lucas said. "I'm next." I looked over at the made-up track to see the cars inching forward, ready to rush off down the tracks. A girl with gorgeous, candy floss-pink hair stood in the gap between the two cars, holding a dirty white flag and waving it around. People started shouted and screaming, so did the people in the cars- yes, multiple people. Music started booming through the speakers and as the bass got louder the cars were suddenly released from their imaginary confines.

There was nothing but dust left, and a blurry image of two cars across the track, the noise rang through my ears and the ground shook with the speed of the cars. Swerving and hitting into each other, yet the crowd just cheered them on, yelling them to knock out the other. They went around a sharp corner and one car knocked into the other, sending it rolling onto its roof making the sea of people roar with excitement...

...until the car caught on fucking fire.

A mass of people ran towards the now burning vehicle with water and fire extinguishers, some pulled the driver and his friends out and the others put the car out.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed.

"Damn." Tyler whispered gazing at the blaze.

"Awesome." Ashley commented.

"My turn." Lucas said standing up straight and taking one last sip of his beer.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You can't do that!" I argued not caring who was watching, this was too dangerous even for an asshole like him.

"It's fine Riley, the driver's fine." He retorted waving towards the crowd of people.

"The driver is on fire!" Lucas looked towards the blur of flames, car and people and saw that the driver was in fact on fire, looking over his car while his friends tried to put him out.

"And?" He laughed walking off towards his ride. I ran after him, tugging on his bicep to grab his attention.

"This is reckless and insane." I lectured but he wasn't listening, Lucas couldn't hear me over his own stubborn mine. "Tyler, tell him."

Nothing. Tyler just stood there looking between the track, Lucas and I for about a second. Then stepped forwards towards his older brother.

"Good luck bro." Then he stepped away, putting his arm around me and dragging me back to where we were stood.