A Little Rain and Some Sunshine

Awkward Date?

Lightning decided to check in on Cruz to see how she was doing. She was in her personal gym. She looked as if she was pushing herself harder than ever before. Lightning could see her breathing hard but she used every bit of strength to get her parts moving. Lightning never saw her work out like this before. He decided to interrupt her at the perfect moment. 

"Working out hard even on your off season huh?" He gave a friendly chuckle. Cruz didn't look at him but she stopped what she was doing. She was panting pretty hard. 

"Yes sir! You know me. I only know how to work hard-oh owww!!!!" Cruz winced over in a little bit of pain. 

"Cruz!!!!" Lightning shouted as he got worried about her.

"I'm fine Mr.McQueen!!!! You don't need to worry-OW-about me!!!" Cruz tried to sound as reassuring as possible but Lightning didn't think she was okay.

"Cruz, I love that you're working hard, but you need to give yourself a break once in a while." Her mentor drives around her and then out to her balcony. Her curious eyes follow the red veteran racer and then she proceeds to slowly drive after him. He was staring out at the view. She made her way beside him. Then she finally parked there. 

"I've kinda noticed you haven't been going out as much as you used to..." Lightning said as if he was a little sad. 

"I didn't think you'd care that much." She smiled but it was sort of a forced one.

"Cruz, I know that you're just trying to do your best...but...please don't forget to give yourself time to heal...I know that you've been through-" 

Cruz immediately drove off completely ignoring him now. Lightning gave kind of a offended look at her. She then mounted her treadmill simulator and was hitting her top speeds. 

"Cruz??!! I was talking to you?"

"I know...I just don't need you looking at me like I'm some victim or something."

Lightning knew this wasn't like her at all. She was hurting deep down inside. 

"Cruz...? This is not like you at all."

Cruz then stopped her treadmill and reversed off and turned towards Lightning. 

"So what? I am just supposed to be all rainbows and sunshine every single second of my life?! Why can't I just ever not be happy? Or like you know, feel emotions???" Cruz glared slightly at him. He backed away looking a little afraid. This really wasn't her at all. 

"Cruz...I am not saying that you need to be bubbly all the time. What I am saying is that...you shouldn't lock yourself away from the world. Training like this isn't good on your build either. Please...take it easy..." And with that Lightning once again left her alone.

"He's right..." Cruz said with a bit of a saddened expression. Then she felt a buzz.

Why was she so excited to see who it was from? She knew it wasn't going to be him.

You have a new text from Danny.

Danny and her haven't talked in a while either. Well actually Danny had been trying to contact her for some time but she kept ignoring him. She read this message finally.

Danny: Hey Cruz. Just wondering how things are going for you. I wana hang out when you get a chance. 

She didn't reply right away. In fact she waited a few minutes to reply. Then she got distracted by something. She finally replied to him within an hour. 

Cruz: Hi Danny...I want you to know I'm ok. I'd love to hang out.

Then about twenty minutes later she received a text back from him.