Racing for Freedom

chapter Two





“What’s the matter, baby girl?” Dad asks, as soon as I step through the door.

“I saw Slade.”

His face falls. “Is everything ok? Did he upset you?”

“Yes, but I dealt with it.”

“Dash, we have been over this. You need to control your temper to win.”

I glare at him. “Yes dad, I know that. Okay? You remind me every damn day.”

“I know that, but I also know how much Slade affects you. Stay away from him Dash, he’s no good for you. I won’t have him ruining this.”

I glare at my father, truly horrified. This coming from the man who doesn’t leave the couch. “Maybe if you came down once in a while, you would be able to keep an eye on me!”

He reels back and stares at me shocked. “I’m sorry Dasha, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I sigh, there’s no point in going over this with him now. “It wasn’t you who upset me, just give me a minute, ok?”

I toss the bottle of bourbon on the couch and walk up the narrow stair case to my room. When I get in, I close the door behind me and sigh. I could deal with anyone racing against me, but Slade? He’s good and he knows it. He also knows how to wind me up. Slade knows how to get into my heart and find all the hurts I’ve locked so carefully away. He knows how to get to me and dammit, I hate him for that. I close my eyes and push the memory of those beautiful aqua eyes from my head. My phone begins buzzing nosily beside me, with a sigh, I pick it up.

“Hello?”

“Hey beautiful girl.”

“Hey Lucas, how are you?”

Lucas and I are great friends. Ok, at one point, we were more than friends, but we’ve not taken it further, because, I’m really not sure I feel about him the way he does about me. We had one night of romance, and it was nice, but I am still hesitant. It’s not that Lucas isn’t beautiful, because oh, he is. He’s the perfect man in every way, he’s handsome, he’s sweet, he’s charming, and he adores me, but I don’t want to hurt him by giving my heart, if it’s not ready to be given.

“I’m good, I was wondering if you needed a ride to the race this afternoon?”

“That would be great, I don’t want to take my car.”

“I’ll pick you up in an hour then, maybe we can go to dinner after?”

“Sure, that would be great.”

“I’ve missed you Dash, I haven’t seen you in a week.”

“Sorry, I’ve been trying really hard to get those applications out.”

His voice softens. “How’s that going?”

“It’s confusing,” I admit, lying back on my bed.

“I know, but it’ll be worth it. You can’t race forever, it will be good to have a backup.”

“Yeah, I think so too.”

“Alright, well I’m going to be swing by in an hour, ok?”

“Ok Luke, thank you.”

“Anytime, baby girl, see you.”

“Bye.”

I hang the phone up and drop down onto my bed with a sigh. I love racing, I love everything about it, but I hate that my competition is the one person, I can’t deal with. Life would be so much easier if we just got along. I know we should have tried, we should have talked after that night, but when he left without a goodbye, I just couldn’t move past it. The damage was done.

I roll off my bed with a grumble and dig through my closet to find my jeans and my red racing shirt. “Flash Racers” is what the club is called. They’re a well-known racing club and have travelled all over the world to compete. This year we’re racing for the big guns, ten laps, best speed, state champion. That state champion then moves on to the world qualifiers, racing for a place in the world championships. I want that championship. I want to be the first girl to win it. I want all my hard work and my father’s hard work to pay off.

I shake the thoughts from my head and focus back on the moment. I walk into the bathroom and peer into the mirror. My eyes look a little bloodshot, maybe from Slade and my awful encounter earlier. I take my hair in my hands and I tie it up. I have tack, straight blonde hair. My eyes are a dark chocolate brown, which is quite odd considering how fair my hair is. I stare at myself in the mirror and feel my eyes well up. I look more and more like my mother, as the years go by.

My mother was the kind of beautiful that stopped people in their tracks. Not only that, but she had this personality to go with it. Her laugh was infectious, her voice like a song. She was beautiful inside and out. She had the same blonde hair as me, only her eyes were blue. I got my brown eyes from my dad, it’s about all I got from him. The rest of me is all her, and there are days, I’m sure, it pains my father to look at me.

I wash my face with some cool water, and then I turn and head out of my room. When I’m down the stairs, my father is standing in the kitchen, pulling a packet of potato crisps out of the pantry. Oh dad. I wish he would take better care of himself. I wish he would just pick himself up and move on. I know it’s hard, it’s always hard to move on and pick yourself back up again, but eventually you have to do it. My father doesn’t want to do it. He doesn’t even want to try. He lets guilt swallow him and lead him further and further into darkness.

“Dad, that’s not healthy.” I chastise, gripping my keys off the counter top.

He looks up at me, his mouth is moving slowly as he crunches away. He swallows and then smiles. “You don’t worry about me Dash, go and have fun.”

“Dad, you know I do worry about you. I don’t want you eating foods that will make you…sick.”

“Or fat.” He points out with a smile.

“Dad…”

“Sorry Dash, I’ll go easy. How are you feeling about the race this afternoon?”

I shrug. “As good as can be expected.”

“You just remember what I taught you and don’t let Slade taunt you, he is doing it to hit you where it hurts.”

“I know dad.”

I hear a car pull up out the front and I’m grateful Lucas is here already. I quickly kiss dad on the cheek and then rush out before he can say anymore. I leap down the front steps two at a time and grin when Lucas slides out of the car. He’s gorgeous really, with blonde hair, blue eyes and that light olive skin. Today he’s dressed in a tight fitting white shirt and blue jeans, a pair of sun glasses cover his eyes. I smile and rush over, tucking my arms around his waist.

“Hey Dash, I’ve missed you.”

I pull back and peer up at him with a smile. Part of me wants so much to love Lucas the way he loves me, but the other part of me is stuck in the past and I don’t want to be the girl that plays with a man’s heart. Until I can give my entire heart to him, then I won’t give him any at all. Well, to a point anyway, he knows I love him to death, in the friendship way. Lucas has been with me for two years now and he’s been my rock during many hard times.

“I’ve missed you too Luke, thanks for taking me today.”

“Always, how are you feeling about racing Slade again?”

Lucas knows about Slade and me, he’s probably the only person who does. I frown and rest my cheek against his chest.

“I’m ok with it, I have to be, I guess.”

“Just keep your head in the game and forget he’s even there.”

“He makes that kind of hard.”

Lucas snorts. “Yeah, well, I’ll be there. Just focus on me.”

I beam up at him. “Thanks Lucas, you’re the best.”

He kisses my forehead. “Always.”