Cars: Before The King (Strip Weathers x OC)

Chapter 8

Ophelia let out a soft sigh, the two of them had finally driven home. They were heading to Strip's, nervous as to what his parents reaction would be. The only thing they would do is either accept him or disown him even more.

"Strip? What if...what if things don't go the way we think it's going to go? What're we going to do?"

Strip stopped, looking to Ophelia. She was right, but he for one had high hopes for them to accept him for who he was.

"We'll be okay, Lia'. I can promise you that, they'll accept me. I just know it, since I won my first ever race. That's got to change their mind; it just has too."

Strip gestured her to keep moving, she followed willingly. She really did hope that they'd be alright. Sometimes Strip tended to get in over his head with things like this, he always had such high hopes that his parents would be proud of him with his dream for racing, but they never were.

Finally, they got to the house. Strip drove in front of Ophelia, slowly driving into the house. He looked around, heading in the direction of the living room.

"Ma! Pa! I'm home!"

"Strip! My baby! Where on earth have you been?" Sandra blurted out, hurrying over to her son.

Patrick was beside Steve, both male cars looked far from happy.

"Strip Weathers, where'd you disappear to? You and Ophelia were missing for two days! Do you understand how worried your mother and I were?"

Strip cringed a bit, he knew his father would react like this. He tended to react like this whenever his son arrived home late, he got that he was worried but sometimes he overreacted a bit to much.

"Pa, Ma, Steve. We drove all the way to Houston, I entered my first and won it. The guy that sponsors the races offered to sponsor me in the piston cup! The piston cup!"

Silence filled the room, no one said a word. Glances were exchanged, anger grew in Patrick. His son had snuck off to peruse this dream of racing, he didn't even think to tell his parents that he was leaving. He even took Ophelia, which sent Steve over the edge. He only had his daughter, since his wife passed away. The older Plymouth Superbird shook his head, making his way towards his son.

"Strip, we've spoken about this. You are not, I repeat NOT going to become a racer! I forbid it! I refuse to see my son in the hospital, or worse, dead!"

Strip froze in place, his eyes wide as he stayed beside Ophelia. Dead? What was his father meaning by that? It's not like he was stupid enough to try and die.

"Why would you say that?"

Sandra looked at her son, her gaze saddened as she made eye contact with him.

"Strip...we almost lost your brother! He was exactly like you when he was your age! He was so passionate about racing, he was doing so well until one day he over thought a turn and well...he rolled and was in the hospital for months on end. You were too young at the time, so we didn't tell you."

Strip just stared at his mother, eyes widened. He didn't even know what to say to that, what could he say? All this time he'd been lied to by everyone around him, they use to tell him that his older brother Alex hated racing. That his dream was to be a doctor.

"So, all these years you lied to me?"

Patrick let out a heavy sigh. "We lied to you so you wouldn't go off and do anything stupid, but obviously that didn't work."

Strip just didn't know what to say, what could he say to that? They lied to him to protect him which he understood but still...he just shook his head and drove away, in the direction of his room.

"Strip! Honey, come back!" Sandra called after her son, preparing to go after him only to be stopped by Patrick.

"Let him go, San. He'll come around, just give him time."

Ophelia looked at them, she too was speechless. She went to go after Strip, but was stopped by Steve. The firm look in his eyes made her cringe a bit, she knew not to go after her boyfriend.

"We'll be headin' off, now that Lia' is safely back home." The older mustang nodded to his friends, heading towards the front door. "Patrick, Sandra. I'll be seeing you two soon."

The two older cars said goodbye to their friend, watching him leave with his daughter. But, unlike their older son Patrick, Strip was very headstrong. He'd do it even if he had to go behind his folks back, he'd do anything to make his dreams come true. Wether he had his parents support, or permission. He didn't care.