Chasing Champions

The Nightmare

"Chase! I'm fine! I don't want handouts! I want teams to want me for me, and not because they think I am getting help! I don't want other riders thinking I got handed help from everyone because of who my friends and family are! I have to do this on my own, I have to prove it! Why do you care so much about me anyways? I'm just a nobody around here!"

I can see him getting frustrated and a part of me felt bad, but at this moment all I was seeing was him pushing my goals and feelings to the side. I was hurt, scared and doubting myself already and he knew that. And after everything I have been though, everything I have done to get here I wasn't about to let that go. And for him to go right over me and do this was like a slap in the face. Right as I thought he was going to snap back, he stopped and stepped back. He looked at me with no emotion whatsoever and said something that would be left ringing in my head for weeks to come,

"Your right, why would I care about a nobody like you? I was just doing what any good guy would do, but if you want to go get dragged behind a shack and dealt with by that asshole for racing cash then fine! I don't care."

As I stand there in shock and disbelief that he just said that. That he thinks that lowly of me. I feel myself start to go numb as I subconsciously start locking down my emotions. I step back, then another and another till I am out of the tent. I can see everyone looking at Chase in total disbelief that he would ever say something like that. As soon as I clear the tent I open my mouth and say,

"I'm sorry Chase, sorry for ever bothering you. I promise that it won't ever, happen again."

Then I quickly turn around and start walking back to my truck not caring if those guys might still be there or not. A small part of me was hoping I'd hear him running after me but I didn't. And I didn't know what hurt me more, the fact that someone I was opening up to, someone that I was beginning to trust completely, someone I was honestly falling for could ever say something like that to me, or him letting me walk away.

Either way, I wasn't ever going to let someone have that chance ever again, No one. After all, the only one I can count on to never ever hurt me is myself. 

Chase POV:

After I watched her walk away and out of my sight is when I realized what I just told her. What I just said to her. I was too busy being angry that she was being so hard headed and stubborn that she couldn't see I was doing this to keep her safe because I care so damn much for her, to see it from her side. And I know just how hard she has worked to get here and to get ready to make a name for herself. She must of been terrified. But like always as I have come to know, she hides her emotions from everyone and deals with it all herself.

As I turn back around and see the whole crew looking at me, I feel the weight of what I just did hit me. I lean back against the semi and slide down to the ground and put my head in my hands and try and think of a way out of this, because I didn't want to lose out on a girl like her. But I couldn't think of a way. Not one single way to make it up to her. As I'm lost in my head, I don't feel someone sit next to me till a hand is on my shoulder. As I lift my head slightly I see Kenny looking at me with understanding, pitty and disappointment. I look at him for a moment before leaning back and resting my head on the semi and ask,

"What have I done and how can I fix this?"

And the silence I got in return was all I needed to know, I had fucked up. Big time.

Sarah POV:

As I get back to my truck, I see Jett sitting there serious. Which any other time would have made me apprehensive but right now there was nothing. I walked over to my gear bag and start to get all my gear laid out and organized and ready to go. The whole time I was doing this Jett was silent. As I finish I look up and make eye contact with him, and that made him flinch with a sigh,

"He really did fuck up, didn't he? Christian called."

All I did was blink and turn around and go to the drivers door of my truck. After I grab another hair tie I walk back to Jett and crack a unfeeling smile. As I start to braid my hair into a loose top bun I tell him,

"Jett, as much as I love you, stay out of this. He is your friend and teammate. Don't take it out on anyone ok?"

After a minute he sighed and muttered a agreement. I gave a bit more of a real smile and give him a quick hug and pull back and give him a slight shove,

"Now get out of here and go get ready for me to kick your ass little Jetty!"

I start putting on my socks and getting ready. It takes him a total of 2 minutes to snap out of it and grin back,

"Oh, has blonde hit her head again cause Imma kick your ass sweetheart! And stop calling me that!"

As he turns away and starts to leave I give a soundless laugh out under my breath, he stops and looks over his shoulder,

"Either way, good luck and be safe ok?"

I sit up from putting my boots on and give a grin and say,

"You as well, or your mom will kill us!"

With a snort he walked back to his rig to get ready.  After I get all my gear on I sit down and clear my head of any and all thoughts. Complete silence is all around me. Till the warning horn sounds and before I know it I'm sitting on the gate to the opening round of the Pro Motocross Championship. I keep telling myself this is just practice. Treat it like a track day and just ride. I keep chanting that over and over in my head, keeping my eyes on the front straightway and nothing else. After what seems like hours we finally get the signal to take off. And take off I did. I was first into the corner and I didn't take any warm up laps I just went for it. And before I knew it half the day was over, practice and qualifying was done. I was standing there in my helmet scared to look to see if I even made it. I finally get the balls to and see my name, in 10th. I made it, I made it into the show. I'm going to be racing against the best of the best in this sport. I can feel myself laugh slightly in disbelief. I turn around and walk back to where my bike is leaning up against a wall. As I make my way to my truck, I didn't know there was multiple sets of eyes watching me, some in interest, some in disbelief, some in pride, but only one set in pride, happiness but also longing, sadness and regret.

But all I could think of was, maybe this day that I was thinking was going to be the nightmare from hell, wasn't going to be as bad as I though. If only I knew what was to come.