Don't Give Up On Me

Chapter 20

Mom said that we would talk about my nightmare today, but I hope she forgets. Nothing really happened in it, but I guess my body felt otherwise. I can tell it scared Tatyana even though she tried to play it off. Whatever these nightmares are they aren't going away until I tell Thea the truth. It amazes me how these last three days of summer I am supposed to be enjoying, but it's been filled with an endless amount of worry and guilt.

"Ready to watch me kick Tatyana's ass at go-karting."

"Dad she's a fifteen-year-old girl."

"Jordan, you said it yourself I shouldn't underestimate her."

"Yeah, but she barely got her license last month." Laine laughs

"You never know." I run upstairs to get ready and an hour later we get in the car and drive to the racetrack; dad is acting like he is going to smoke Tatyana, to be honest I don't know who I am rooting for. When we arrive, we go inside, and dad is so pumped he doesn't realize Tatyana and mom aren't even here yet. Dad pays for all of us, and then we wait for mom and Tatyana to arrive.

"Are you ready to be slain?"

"Big talk from such a little girl." Dad turns around to meet Tatyana.

"Peter, are you sure you want to be talking to me like this right now? Shouldn't you be asking me to spare your soul?"

"Tatyana get your headgear on and go pick your kart." Laine, mom, and I decide we'd be better off sitting this round out. No sense on all of us getting injured considering they would just look at us as obstacles. The three of us stand on the outside of the track behind the bars to watch the race and mom and Laine decide to bet. Laine bets ten dollars Tatyana will win, and mom doubles it and says dad will win. The go kart attendant raises the flag and engines fire with a loud revving sound. Then the attendant blows the whistle and brings down the flag, but before dad could even comprehend Tatyana speeds off and takes the lead. There are four laps on this course, but I can already tell Tatyana was not going to let my dad catch up to her. My dad was going to realize the horror of losing one hundred dollars to a fifteen-year-old girl.

"Who's winning?" I turn around to see Thea standing behind me along with Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell.

"Tatyana obviously."

"Of course, I should've known this is the one thing she beats all the guys in our family at." Thea laughs

"How have you been?" I ask her even though her facial expression says everything.

"My parents are still weird, but my dad has surprisingly started acting like his old self."

"Really? That sounds like a good thing."

"I guess. So um Tatyana text me earlier saying you guys are throwing an end of summer bonfire tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, but you know how wild parties get so if you are going to feel uncomfortable you don't have to go."

"No, it's fine I can do it I'll just stick with you."

"Yeah I'm sure we can have fun without drinking and doing drugs."

"Tatyana manages to do it all the time; I mean you don't even know how many times I've had to give Jake extra money just to fund her apple juice and gummy bear addiction." Thea laughs and it sounds genuine

"Last lap! Jordan come watch me become twenty dollars richer." Laine calls me over. Tatyana and my dad are neck and neck, but obviously my dad has no chance because Tatyana presses on the gas and flies past the finish line laughing as she drives through the winner's circle.