Page 20 of Crash into me
“We’re here!”Kate sings, pulling up to park on a dark, abandoned road. In order for bike night to go smoothly, no one knows the location until it happens, and unless you’re going to race, you park away and walk so the cops don’t catch on.
I love this feeling, the adrenaline you get from it all. The roaring engines, the dark roads, the freedom it all entails. “You okay?” Kate surveys me.
I nod, sending her a smile. “Absolutely. I promise I’ll tell you if you need to worry about me, but tonight’s not the night.”
She grabs my hand as we sneak through alleyways until we hit the GPS coordinates. People line the streets, waiting for the race to start. We stay back a little, though. Kate’s trying to protect me from sensory overload, and seeing a boyfriend I don’t remember won’t help my recovery.
But she doesn’t know the urge I feel to jump in his arms as I see him pulling up to the starting line. She doesn’t understand the pit in my stomach as I wait for Envy to round a corner, how I can’t even fathom that entire situation.
So instead of wallowing in my own sorrow, I breathe. I allow myself the comfort of being where I shouldn’t be and doing things I shouldn’t do.
The flag girl waves down, and the racers take off, their twisted metal and roaring bikes flying away from everyone. I miss that.
“Let’s go over here!” Kate gestures to a taco truck, the one her and Ryder always eat at. He’s racing or otherwise he’d be here with us. Unless she’s worried about me seeing him too.
I order, but my shoulders slump when I go to hand him the card. If my parents are watching the charges, they’ll know exactly where I am. “Never mind, sorry—”
“I’ve got it!” Kate reaches around me, handing him cash.
We get comfortable on the bench, knowing the guys will be coming around any minute as we dig into our food. It’s so good; I’m scarfing it down.
“You ready to go soon?” she wonders, wiping a little hot sauce from her lip.
“Go?” I laugh. “We just got here.”
“I know but …” Her eyes roam around. “I feel guilty now. They’ll be done with the race soon and then …” She trails off.
“I know I don’t remember him, but you’re dating his friend.” I look to her for confirmation as if I don’t remember the name of the man who makes my friend so happy.
“Ryder.” She smiles.
“Yeah, Ryder! Listen, I’m good, Kate. We can chill,” I lie, knowing how dangerous of a line this could cross, but I can’t help myself. The life I lived with him is too comforting, too freeing. I need just a little speck of that life tonight.
“The racers are coming around!” the young bet keeper announces, wads of cash in his hand and a clipboard full of names. The motorcycles zoom to the finish line. Coming in first is, of course, Foster. “There he is, ladies and gentlemen. Ghost wins.”
The crowd cheers, presumably all having placed their bets on him.
He races through the finish line, waving his gloved hand at a few people. Then, he heads our way.
Foster’s face is stuck in a straight line, all anger and grit as he lifts his visor.
Until his eyes pan to me. He stops, pulling off his helmet. His sharp jaw softens for a moment as he drinks me in. “Hey.”
I give him a little wave and a half smile, hoping he can’t see the way my heart is jumping.
He nods casually, but I can see his chest rising. “Looks like they haven’t figured out we’re here.” He’s referring to the cops as he puts down his foot peg and steps off his bike.
Just one night of freedom, but don’t do anything crazy, Skyler.
Not long after he sits down near us do Callum and Ryder show up. Ryder can’t get off his bike fast enough to kiss Kate. I do have to admit that jealousy flows through me, that beautiful moment where you can’t decide if they were racing to win or just racing to get back to you.
She looks at me, checking on me, and I have to let her have a good time so when Callum rushes over to me, I try to engage in conversation. “Hey, Blue!” He sounds so happy.
“Umm,” I nervously laugh. “Hey.”
Foster stands up, walking beside me and shaking his head at Callum. He’s trying to protect me, and it’s so cute.
We catch up a little. Pretty much introducing myself to people again.