The Racing Blood

Trackside

     "Kasey Kenneth Kahne, Junior!" K.J. looked up to see Juliet Speed walking towards him. He raised his eyebrow slightly and looked around pit road.
     "Hey, Jules," he said. "What are you doing here? Scott doesn't race Late Models."
     "Rex makes his first start this weekend," said Juliet, motioning towards her older brother Rex Mathis. K.J. nodded his approval, having known Rex his whole life because Kasey, Scott, Amira, and Amanda were all friends. He had known Juliet all of her life, and K.J. found it really hard to talk to her, although they had grown up to be close friends. "What's this I hear about you quitting?"
     "I'm not," K.J. said. "I took a hiatus after...after the accident."
     "Kasey," Jules whispered, taking his hand and walking down the pit lane with him. "You know that no one blames you for that, right?"
     "I know that now," K.J. said. "I just...It was hard to deal with, Jules. I felt like I had actually murdered Eric."
     "You didn't. Kase, you didn't mean to do that, and everyone knew it. I called you so many times...I wanted to talk to you...to help. Big Kasey told me that you just needed time, but I wanted to be there for you. So did Rex, but I wanted it more."
     "Thanks, Jules," K.J. said, looking into her eyes. "It means a lot to hear you say that." She stared back into his blue eyes, and K.J. felt the urge to kiss her. He had felt the urge before, but this was stronger...much stronger.He leaned down and kissed her lips softly, and he was shocked when she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into the kiss, wanting to kiss him harder.
     K.J. broke the kiss and looked into Juliet's face. She looked shy yet content. He blushed a dark shade of red and looked down at his Farmer's Insurance fire suit. "I... I'm sorry, Jules... I shouldn't-"
     "Kasey Kenneth Kahne, Junior, I've wanted that for a long time. Don't act like it bothered me," she whispered, smiling. She kissed his cheek. "Now go practice a race car for me, okay?"
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     K.J. sat in his car, his heart racing, and it had nothing to do with the roar of the engine. He was happy, no THRILLED, that Jules had always wanted to kiss him. The fifteen-year-old girl had always been his best friend and here she was wanting to make out with him. That was kind of hot to him...
     "EARTH TO K.J." the headset roared.
     "What?!" he asked, jerked out of his own thoughts.
     "Jesus Christ, are you gonna roll off pit road some time today, son?" said Kasey. He leaned over the side of the box and looked at the car. "Otherwise we can save fuel."
     "I'm going, Dad. Damn," K.J. mumbled. He put the car in gear and began the drive down pit road. He was shocked to see all of the pit crews on the wall, cheering for him. He smiled and settled into his seat. 
     The Remembering Eric Roop paint scheme flashed in the sunlight as K.J. drove it around the track, setting lap times that shocked his own crew. He was happy and comfortable in the car, and it felt good to be in it. He practiced the oval for the rest of practice, but he didn't really want any changes to the car.
     "No, I want to qualify it like it is. I like it, Dad," K.J. said. Kasey nodded and looked at the crew. 
     "Let's put her up and keep her clean. He likes it." 
     Jules ran down the pit lane to K.J. and hugged him. "You were blistering fast, Kase! I loved it."
     "Thanks, Jules," he said, smiling at her. "Uh, I'll text you tonight, okay?"
     "I better get a phone call, boy."
     "Whatever you want, Juliet Speed. Whatever you want," said K.J. smiling from ear to ear. Kasey looked at Kale, his eyebrow slightly raised. Kale smiled and shook his head. He didn't want to be a part of his nephew's relationship life. That wasn't his place, but it felt good to see K.J actually being the K.J. that everyone knew and loved. The only question now was how the first race back in the car in a track full of people would go for K.J. That was all that bothered anyone now.