Race to the Finish

Race to the Finish chp. 15

Before I hopped on my motorcycle, I went in the shed to retrieve the money I've been saving. I opened the box and took out half the money. I gripped it tightly in my hand. I've been saving this money for extreme emergencies like if we get robbed or we have absolutely no money left and we don't have a choice. Now I have to use it to protect my sister because that bastard sent her to the hospital and I had to pay for it with my goddamn money!

It's not that I didn't want to pay for my sister's hospital bill. It's that first a father shouldn't put their kid in the hospital and second the parents should pay for it, not their eldest daughter. The worst part is that then he beats me because I don't have money.

I snapped out of my thoughts. If I don't leave now I won't make it to the race. I hid the box back were it was and stuffed the rest of my money in my leather jacket. I grabbed my motorcycle, hopped on, and rode away.

The wind caressed my bruised skin. My hair flew against the wind. The engine running beneath me and my palms on gripping the handles. Being on my motorcycle gives me a sense of control. A sense that I don't have in my life. When I'm Reed I have to do what Jerry says. When I'm at the street race I have to do as Titi says because he is my 'pit-crew' basically. When I'm at home is what my father says. When I'm at school it's what the teachers say. Being on my motorcycle no one tell me what to do. I don't have motorcycle races, I have done them but not anymore, and I'm completely free.

All too soon I arrived at the designated place for the street race. I parked my motorcycle and stepped off. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked towards Titi with my head held down so my hair could cascade over my face covering my practically bruised and cut face.

"Alex! You made it! I knew you would come. You can't miss out on a good race!" Titi said happily. I could hear the huge smile on his face. It made a small smile crawl onto my face, not that he could see it.

"You knows it." I gave a small chuckle. "So I better get my car. Here's the money." I said placing the money on the table and then began walking off.

I was almost at the garage where Titi keeps my car when a hand gently grasps my arm stopping me.

"Alex, what's wrong? You haven't looked me in the eye and usually we go together to get your car." Titi said sounding worried.

"It's nothing. I just want to get this race going." I said trying to sound nonchalant, but I doubt Titi bought it.

"Bullshit!" He yelled and spun me around.

With his thumb and pointer finger, he carefully lifted my head by my chin. My hair fell swiftly off my face, exposing its bruises and cuts to Titi. Titi let go off my chin to ball his hands into fists. He looked furious.

"Who?" He simply asked in a deep menacing voice.

It surprised me. He never uses that voice. He's seen me hurt pretty badly before, but never this bad; except for when I met him that was worse.

"No one." I said not really looking at him in the eyes. This seemed to piss him off more.

"It was Gabe wasn't?! I'm going to kill him." Titi all but roared.

"Titi! It wasn't Gabe! I haven't seen him since 'Grounds'. Why do you always assume it's him?" I asked.

Every-time he sees me hurt he instantly assumes it's Gabe and I don't know why. Titi obviously knows something about Gabe that I don't, but he won't tell me. It's driving me insane being in the dark about what's going on with my best friend and boyfriend!

"He's an jackass. I wouldn't be shocked if he hit a girl." Titi said. Now he was the one not looking at me directly in the eyes.

"Bullshit! Tell me what's going on with you two!" I yelled at him.

He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by someone calling my name.

I turn around completely forgetting about my face and see Gabe coming my way. I heard Titi mumble something under his breath but couldn't make out what he said. Gabe came closer to me and I remembered my face. I was about to hide it, but it was too late he was in front of me.

"Babe." Gabe said before he kissed me. Damn that hurt my face! "Do you have some money I could borrow to make a bet?" He asked.

Is he serious?! He's asking his girlfriend for money to make a bet, not even caring that her face is f*cked up?

"Are you f*ucking serious right now?" I asked him in disbelief.

Gabe looked at me weird. Maybe he finally took notice of my face.

"Yes! I want to win some money! I heard there's a new dude who is awesome!" He said.

I stared at him in shock. He's asking his girlfriend for money to bet, not giving a rat's ass about what happened to her, and not only that he isn't even betting on me?!

I opened my mouth to tell him to go f*ck himself, but Titi beat me to it.

"Go f*ck yourself Gabe!" Titi spat out angrily.

"What did you say to me asshole?!" Gabe asked just as angrily.

"You heard me man-whore! Leave Alex alone!" Titi yelled.

Gabe brought his fist back ready to punch him, but I pushed him back with all my might. He's really built so it only causes him to stumble a few steps back, but he did bring his fist down.

"Stop it both of you! I'm not in the mood for a fight!" I yelled looking at both of them before looking directly at Gabe, "Gabe I don't have money. Just leave!" I yelled at him and walked off to the garage where my car is.

"Alex wait I'm sorry!" A deep male voice called out to me sounding genuinely sorry.

You'd think that the voice belonged to my BOYFRIEND, Gabe. But you'd be wrong.

I sighed deeply. "It's ok Titi. It wasn't your fault. I was about to tell him the same thing."

"Alex why are you still with him? He didn't ask what happened to you. He doesn't care about you." Titi asked me.

What he just said hurt me deeply. Gabe used to care once upon a time when we first started dating.

Now mostly all we do is end up in a fight, but I care about him.

"Don't tell me your in love with him!" Titi said horrified.

"No! I don't love him, but I do care about him. I don't know. Can we just stop talking about it?" I asked quietly.

"Sure. Now tell me what happened to you." Titi said seriously.

"I got mugged on my way home. I didn't have money on me so they beat me badly." I said easily.

"What about Jaiden?" He asked worriedly.

"She's alright she was at home."

"But weren't you both in the car?" Titi asked suspiciously.

"Look we got home from your house, I went out to the grocery store to buy some milk, when I was on my way home, I got mugged." I said looking him dead in the eyes to show him I'm not lying, although I am.

I actually feel ashamed of how well I can lie looking at someone in the eyes without even blinking.

"Alex you should be more careful. Stop going out at night." Titi said.

I looked at him like he was crazy. Really don't go out at night? I'm out at night at an illegal street race that he told me to go to.

"Don't say it! I know that was stupid to say, but I worry about you and here you are with me, protected. Except when you are in the car..." Titi trailed off.

I laughed a little and we both went to get my car. When Marcos called all the racers out we headed over to where Marcos is at.

"Hey isn't there a new racer today?" I asked Marcos and Titi.

Titi nodded.

"Yup. Actually, there he is." Marcos said pointing behind me.

I turned around to see the newcomer and saw...