Racer's Heart©

Chapter 1: Need for Racing

Pennsylvania

Thirteen years later

"Dad, please, Please...PLEASE!"

"Maia, I've already answered you,'' Fifty-year old Henry Langston looked up from the engine of the seventy-eight black Ford pickup he was working on. "It's still a no-you are not going to see the playoffs."

Eighteen-year-old Maia-Langston kicked a stone with her black boot. Tucking a strand of hair long auburn hair over her shoulder she scowled. "And why not? All the others are! I'll just be watching; it's not like I'm racing or anything."

"No," Henry turned back to the engine.

"Seriously?" the teenager had enough. "Are you really just not letting me go because of what happened to mom?" she crossed her arms. "It's bad enough you won't even let me race–"

"Maia!" Henry raised his voice as he glared at her. '"I said no! THE ANSWER IS NO!"

Startled by her father's outburst, Maia took a step back in shock.

"Besides; you could not race even if I were to allow it" her father lowered his voice, seeing he had scared her. "You don't even have a car." For the last time he went back to the engine, ending the conversation.

"Fine!" Scowling, Mai turned on her heel and stormed out of the garage. For as long as she could remember her father had spent most of his time there, working on old cars and fixing up old beaters-he said it was a hobby. She knew it was because he was trying to escape the pain of facing another day without his wife, Melissa.

Abruptly there was a loud putting sound. Maia looked up to see a figure riding on a motorcycle up the dirt driveway to her father's ranch house. At once she recognized the driver.

"Jacob!" the eighteen-year old shouted joyfully as she ran up to greet him.

Stopping the bike, the rider who was wearing jeans and leather jacket, climbed off. He took off his helmet revealing dark-brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Hey Maia," he grinned and slid his helmet under his arm. "I was taking the new bike I fixed up for a spin. and I thought I would stop by."

"I'm glad you did," Maia smiled. Seeing her close friend lightened her mood, at least slightly. She examined the gray sports bike with awe-it was used that was true; it had seen many a rough day- a bit worn-but she loved it!

"Where's you dad?" Glancing around, the young man, who was two years older than Maia, asked.

"Eh, you know," Maia shrugged. "Where he always is," she sighed, her frustration clear in her stressed tone of voice. "In his garage tinkering."

"I see," Jacob noticed she seemed vexed. "Well, do you think he'd mind if you went on a ride with me?"

Maia's eyes widened and she practically bounced on her feet. "I can't see why not! Hold on, I'll grab my jacket." Turning she darted for the house and fetched her gray hooded sweatshirt. She then took a side stop at the garage.

She had to raise her to practically yell over the noisy hammering sound as she stood in the doorway. "Dad, I'm going with Jacob for a ride on his new bike!"

The crashing sound halted and Henry looked up. "Fine, but wear a helmet and be back by dinner."

"I will," the girl promised. As she turned away she could not help rolling her eyes. He always treats me like a child-I can take care of myself. For heaven's sake she would be attending college in the fall. With a sigh she ran back to Jacob.

"What did he say?" the young man asked.

Maia shrugged, "He said yes, but I need to wear a..."

"-helmet?" the young man finished. "I had a feeling he'd say that, which is why..." Reaching into the compartment on the back of the bike he pulled out a white helmet and handed it to the girl. "...I got one just for you."

"Thanks," Buckling the helmet on, Maia grinned. Jacob stepped back onto the bike, and she climbed on behind him.

"Make sure you hang on," Jacob instructed. "She goes pretty fast."

"Got it," With a nod, Maia held onto Jacob's shoulders. He started the bike and she gave an exclamation of joy as the bike shot forward and raced down the driveway.

As the wind tossed wisps of Maia's blond hair, she could not help grinning brightly. She loved the speed of the bike and the smoothness of the ride. Watching the farmland fly by was a breathtaking way to take in the countryside.

"How are you doing back there?" Jacob shouted over the roar of the engine.

"Great! I love it!!!" Maia replied excitedly."You know where you're going to college in the fall?" Jacob spoke up.

"No," With a sigh the teenager shook her head. "Dad wants me to go to community college around here and stay local." Her father had homeschooled her after her mother's passing and he had never let her go anywhere far on her own-let alone to another state.

But this proved an issue as Maia wanted out of the country where she lived in New York-she wanted to go somewhere, experience some real freedom-she wanted to go to California where she could train on the track with an internship. She wanted to be a racer like her mother before her-she did not want to spend years at a community college getting a degree she would never use.

"I'm sure he'll let you go out of state," Jacob spoke up optimistically. "He's just adjusting to you being an adult now."

"I hope you're right," Maia said softly, gazing at the passing scenery; the afternoon sun made a picturesque photograph as it nestled just above the nearest mountain top.

Nearby a junkyard came into view and Maia's mind began to spin. Her father had said she could not race as she did not have a car, but what if she did?

"Jacob?" she leaned forward near his ear so that he could hear her. "Can we make a small side trip?"

"Sure," the young man nodded pleasantly. "Where to?"

Maia glanced at a worn wooden sign as they zoomed past. "East, in three miles."

"The junkyard?" Jacob asked, puzzled as he glanced back at her. "You want to go there?"

"Yeah," With a smile, Maia nodded. "I want to look for something."

"Okay, why not?" with a shrug, Jacob grinned. "Maybe I'll find a muffler for this thing." Hitting the gas, he turned down the dirt roadway that led to the junkyard.

Maia felt her heat thump as they grew closer. She saw rows-stacks-of many cars of all different models. Maybe, just maybe she could find a car she could fix up and use to race with. But even if she did find one, that would be the easy part; getting her father's permission to race-that would be the hard part.