The Nerd And The Biker

Chapter 15: Dad's Secrets

"Dad? What are you doing here?" He whips around at the sound of his name and pales.

"Say? Is that really you?" He whimpers.

"Again why are you here?" I ask again.

"I....I um.... I missed you." He whispered.

"What? You missed me? How? You left me here to rot!" I ask outraged.

"I had no choice! I had to leave and I could only take the boys with me." He shouts at me.

"You always have a choice! You were a fucking adult with five children to worry about and you only bothered with four. Don't tell me you didn't have a choice, the only person who didn't have a choice was me! Did you think about that?" He looks down in shame as I yell at him, "No you didn't, because if you did you would've cared enough about your daughter to come back and get me," I finish the last part and feel Axel grab my arm.

"Just listen to him, love," He says.

"What the fuck Axel? Did you know about him being here?" I turn and push at his chest. He looks away and looks back at me and I see the answer on his face. "This is fan-fucking-tastic first dad shows up to my house, then James is an asshole, then I become Jennifer, and then you lie to me. Am I missing anything babe? Do you want to include me in anything else?" I spat.

I hear dad mumble something and whip around to him.

"What did you say?" I snap at him.

"Jennifer lied to you." He says.

"I'm sure she did, so has everyone else in my life. What's new, what did she lie about now?" I ask.

"You aren't my daughter." He whispers.

"Excuse me?" I croak.

"You are not my daughter!" He yells at me.

"You're lying! Why does everyone lie to me?" I scream at him.

"I'm not lying."

"I look exactly like you."

"Jennifer' friend, Amy, slept with my brother at the time that she became pregnant. Most people couldn't tell us apart. They were both drunk and you can guess what happened. Amy gave Jennifer guardianship of you when you were a newborn in case anything happened."

"Where is she now? Where is your brother?"

"They both died in a car accident on the highway going back to their house when you were a month old."

"Great. Well thanks for telling me, I have to go. I... um....," I leave and head back toward my car. Axel grabs my arm. "Let me go." I whisper.

"Prin-," he starts.

"I said let me go Axel." I snarl. He drops my arm. I go to my car and unlock the door and get inside and start the ignition and pull out on the highway. After the bomb dropped on me I don't feel like going home. I hear ringing in the car and see Axel's phone in the passenger seat.

James: How did it go?

I hit the call button and wait.

"Hel-," he starts.

"Did you know?" I interrupt him.

"Sage? Where is Axel?" He responds.

"Did you know?" I ask him on the verge of tears.

"Yes," he whispers.

"I want everyone to leave my house now." After that I hung up the phone and put it on the passenger seat where I found it. I hear it going off over the next hour as I drive to wherever. I glance down and see that I need to get gas so I pull of the highway to fill up. When I reach the gas station, I jump out the car and begin to pump gas, I hear Axel's phone going off again so I bend down through the open window and answer it.

"What?" I ask.

"Sage come home," Landon pleads.

"How long have you known? Please don't lie to me Lan." I whisper.

"Dad told us the day before we left, Say." He whispers, "I'm-."

I hang up the phone and burst into tears. Luckily for me the gas is done and I put the gas cap back on the car and leave, jumping back on the highway and calling the one person who won't disappoint me.

"Hello," Trevor answers.

"Hey its Jay, I want in tonight." I tell him, as I wipe tears from my eyes.

"Are we talking about fighting or racing Jay, unless you feel like doing both." He asks me.

"What's the payout?"

"It looks like race night is coming in at $1,500 and fighting is coming in at $3,000."

"I'm in for both."

"Alright the buy-in is $500 each. Bring your car and the money to the track, it starts at 10pm. The code is: A racer always pays her debts. Got it?" He says.

"Got it." I reply.

"Good, I'll see you later Jay." He says then hangs up.

I drive exit the highway and turn around and head back to Hell. I get to my house and see bikes still in the driveway and on the road. I park the car in the road and walk to the house, I grab Axels phone and bring it with me.

"Why are you here?" I ask as I open the door.

"Sage we want to talk." Dallas says.

"Oh we do, do we? And tell me dear brother what must we talk about? Oh wait I'm sure I can figure it out." I say to him.

"What did dad say to you?" Alex asks.

"I'm sure you guys can figure it out, if not ask Axel. Oh and this is yours." I snap and throw Axels phone toward him. "Now if you'll excuse me I have somewhere to be in a couple hours." I make my way to the stairs when I hear James call my name.

"Sage?" He calls.

"What do you want James?" I answer with my back turned towards the boys.

"Where are you going?"

"Why? I'm no longer your concern. Now leave." I say over my shoulder. I walk up the stairs and head into my room and I shut the door. I head to my closet and reach for the bag I used to pack for fights and races with the money I need in it. I take the bag to the bed and start pulling out the money to count out a thousand dollars. I hear a knock at the door and ignore it.

"Sage?" I turn and see Dallas peek his head my room and eyes what I'm doing.

"Yes?" I turn back to the bed and finish counting the money, and a little extra, and wrap a rubber band around it. I grab the extra cash and put it back into the bag. Granted I just pulled over $2,000 from the bag that I was putting toward The Pit Stop, hopefully I'll win it all back tonight.

"Where are you going?" He asks and shuts the door and walks toward the bed.

"To clear my head. God, just when I think my life couldn't be anymore fucked up. Now what do you really want?" I say as I finish packing my bag. I walk back to my closet and grab clothes to change into, because knowing Trevor I'll fight first and race later.

"What is going through your head Sage?" He asks.

"To many things Dallas. You'll have to be more specific." I walk out the room and go to the bathroom to change into the sports bra, shorts and a baggy t-shirt. I head back into my room and slipped on some sweats and flip flops, I packed tennis shoes in the bag.

"Do you want to talk?" He asks and grabs my hand to stop me from grabbing the bag and leaving.

"No. I'm fine." I whisper. He wraps his arms around me and just holds me. "Goodbye cousin." I step back grab my bags and head downstairs and out the front door, keys clenched in my fist and walk to my car, ignoring the calls coming from my house. I throw the bag into the passenger seat and start the car and drive away. I keep thinking the same things as I pull away.

I hope someday I'll be worth it.

I wish someone won't lie to me.

I pray I won't feel numb someday.

I want to be happy.

I want to be loved.

I deserve to be worth it, to be told the truth, to not feel numb, to be happy and to be loved.