The Tale of Love & Racing: Sarina's Story

Chapter 39: Friendly Wager

After a busy day that had sent them both to opposite ends of the property unfortunately - between Chase having practice and Sarina having appearances, it wasn't a surprise to anybody they were fully taking advantage of any time at all they could get together.

"Care to make a wager?" She questions, catching his attention as he looks on curiously. This wasn't something that he was expecting as normally they just had light conversation and moved on. "I bet that I'll qualify better than you will." He chuckles as he wasn't surprised by the idea.

"You were better in practice, and it's clear that the KBM trucks are where to be, compared to where I would like to be myself," he answers as she crosses her arms. That wasn't the confidence she was hoping to hear in response. 

"Are you saying that you don't think you can qualify better? Are you giving on yourself?" He knew that she wasn't going to let this go easily - even if he knew he was in a losing situation based on how practice played out. 

"What's the stakes?" She thinks it over, a smirk easily forming on her face. She wasn't going to make things difficult, knowing it'd be something they'd both enjoy either way. 

"The loser has to spoil the winner tonight after the truck race." He knew no matter what, they both won in this scenario as it was clear where that'd lead to.

"It's a deal." They then share a kiss before she heads up pit road to meet up with Rudy and the team. Chase just crossed his fingers that Alan got the car tuned up as good as he thought they could.

It was no surprise when he saw her make it to the second round of qualifying, and he knew it'd be no surprise if she got the pole. As much as he wanted to win the bet, he'd have no issues in watching her lead the field to green later on that night.

As the session went on, she wasn't going to have the liberty of leading the field to green, having slid down the board to fifth.

"Got my work cut out for me," he comments, catching a glance from Bubba and Ryan. Just like any other week, the trio had found each other on pit road to hang out and share conversation. "Sarina and I made a bet, and whoever qualifies worse has to spoil the other." The pair smirk back in return as Chase shakes his head. "I know, it'll probably me spoiling her."

"I don't think you'll be complaining," Ryan offers as Chase resisted the urge to smack him as Darrell laughed. "Oh, do you recall the text message I sent? Are you coming with us tonig-"

"I'm not missing Sarina's rac-"

"It's after the race is over. Come on...." Chase lets out a sigh as he flat out wanted to say no, but hated to let down his friends. It wasn't ever nice to bail out on doing something together. 

"You know that I'm not into the same sty-"

"Come be nice and give it a try, for your best buddies." Chase lets out another sigh, finally nodding his head in agreement to go as Darrell lets out a big cheer. "Now, go get yourself a good qualifying spot. You can start in second – right behind me."

"Hey, what about me?" Darrell questions as the boys head off, leading to a simple shrug back in return from Ryan. "I see how this goes...."

While he was able to lay down a better lap than he originally believed in, he ended up sixth – which certainly marked a good way to start off the weekend, but not as strong as Sarina.

"I beat you!" She lets out as she walks over to him after the session. He wasn't complaining, though, the smirk already on his face as he thought about what was possible that night. 

"Guess I have to spoil you," he offers, wrapping his arms around her. "Hopefully I'm spoiling a winner." He then kisses her lips lightly, hating the next set of words he was ready to say. Perhaps he should've found a way to bail on them after all. "It just won't be tonight after the truck race."

"Why not?" She felt an immediate wave of confusion as Chase glances down pit road, before turning back to her. This wasn't certainly what she expected at all. 

"We're going out after the race." She looks on now surprised. "Ryan and Darrell welcomed us to go see Saving Alexandra." She was now back confused. She knew Chase's full music rotation. There was no sight of them or any band like them in his playlist. 

"When did you start to like screamo-rock?" He shakes his head, as that should become very obvious.

"I haven't, okay? Look, they've been bugging me for weeks about this and I couldn't say no. They want me to give it a chance and come have some fun since we don't hang out as muc-"

"I'm sorr-"

"I don't regret a single moment that we've spent together, as I'd rather spend as much time as possible with you." She smiles back in return, glad the guilt wasn't on her shoulders. His feelings absolutely matched her own in fact. "They're also friends with the band, too. I hope you don't mind."

"Absolutely not. If spending my night watching a group totally rock out and hang with those two means that I get to spend hundreds of nights with you, I'd do it in a heartbeat." He smiles back in return, kissing her lips. He was glad it had not been more difficult to get into agreement. "I just hope they don't mind us being a little later than anticipated."

"I'll accept any yelling that they tell us in response, while sending Lindsay after Ryan." Sarina just chuckles back in response as they head back to the garage area. 

A quick snack, and they knew it'd be time for the truck race.