I Have A Thing For The Hot Nerd

I Have A Thing For The Hot Nerd - 17

18/8/2016
Psycho - Muse

Chapter 17

Paige

I finished early from school, well more like I snuck out after lunch; I needed to find something out, the tampering with the bikes at the races and the newer drivers were unnerving me, I needed to be reassured that I would be okay.

After a short drive I pulled up into a back alley, the sky was thick with oncoming rain which was rare here, the walls were thick with graffiti and grime and people passed silently behind me. Luckily I parked behind the dumpsters, away from the unsavoury folk of downtown Miami and slipped into a door in the side of the building, I shimmied past a few bodies and entered a dark bar, burly biker type men sat around with skimpy clothed girls. On one side was three podiums where some of the women danced, with or without poles and seductive, suggestive music pounded through the speakers in the corners of the room.

Cigar smoke hung in the air heavily and mingled with the lights that hung low above the pool tables at the back, covering the dark blue walls and memorabilia. I approached the bar and leant forward, my arms on the bar as the bartender scrubbed at the counter tops with a wet cloth
"what can I getcha" he said, his baby face was aged ever so slightly by his large blue and green Mohawk and his tattooed yet stringy arms that hung out of his wife beater vest top. "Daniel" I replied quietly and watched closely as his eyes went wide
"I don't know anyone by that name, lot of people come into my bar, Lady" He continued although slightly nervous.
"Come on, do I look like a Narc" I sighed "He knows me, I race with him"
"Hurry up and don't let anyone see you" he whispered after a few seconds and motioned to me a door behind him with the words stockroom.

Luckily everyone was captivated by the lady on the pole so I wasn't caught, walking through the door and down a flight of steps I came to a door, a large man in front of it.
"Daniel, I'm here to see him" I rolled my eyes at how overly dramatic this all was, he looked me up and down and patted me down for a weapon before he let me in. The large concrete space had red leather couches and a coffee table in the middle, a TV hung on the wall and a computer system sat in the corner, the lighting was dim and red Christmas lights were curled around the several concrete pillars that held the building above up. In the corner of the room was another low hanging ceiling light and under it was a big wooden dining table with Daniel and a few of his friends sitting down at it counting money.

His eyes widened as I walked over and slammed my hands on the table
"What's going on" I asked immediately, meeting his eyes
"What with?" He played it off and I knew he didn't want anyone else to know
"The races being sab" I began, stopping as he stood up, scraping the chair across the concrete floor and grabbed my arm, pulling me to the side.
"You can't just come over here and say shit like that in front of other racers because people back out and I lose money" He sighed.
"I want more races but I need to know that I'm going to be okay" I whispered, looking around suspiciously.

He sighed, looking down and shuffling on his feet
"Look, your cousin has been getting about you know, he's figured you race and threatened to call the cops on the whole operation and you need to be reassured" He whisper yelled and my heart stopped.
"Dean?" I asked, panicking slightly
"Yeah 'Dean', He's been doing some races lately free of charge because he is going to uproot everything I've worked hard for, I can't guarantee your safety because I can't guarantee my own, Paige. There's a race tonight and tomorrow, the same guy backed out of both following the tampering last week so you can have those, they're low end- 500 dollars entry for both" He sighed angrily, clenching his jaw "But you need to help me with your cousin because I'm at a loss"

Nodding I turned, My bike didn't leave my sight at this race, not once. I couldn't wait to get out of this place, the air was heavy and murky as I ran up the stairs and through to the bar, a man ordering a drink eyed me up and my heart skipped a beat.
"I've just hooked those kegs up for you" I smiled at the bartender's direction and saw him physically sigh in relief, quick thinking is the key.
"Yeah thanks, I'll call back and tell you if you got the job" He replied as I waved back, pretending I was on a trial of some sort and I left, escaping fast into the fresh air, slight drops of drizzle spat at me and my car.