The Aristocrat

They call it driving me crazy

"No, it's fine," I assured her, feeling a mixture of both relief and disappointment, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have just showed up in the middle of the night. I apologize again if I bothered you."

"Honestly," She shook her head and hands, "It's no problem at all."

Taking a step back I went to say goodbye and head to car. But she stopped me before I could, holding her hand out to me.

"I never got your name," she said, arching her brows gesturing for me to tell her.

"It's Alessandra."

"Alessandra," Sara repeated, testing my name on her tongue with a smile, "That's a lovely name."

"Thank you," I said, a slow crimson blush creeping past the neck line of my top.

"Well Alessandra, Ash is at the dirt track about fifty miles or so from here," She told me, "If you need to see him."

"Oh no," I protested, the reality of actually seeing Ash suddenly dawning on me, "it's not urgent."

Raising her eyebrows Sara studied me as I stood awkwardly in front of her, "Just in case you change your mind, to get there you keep going up this road until you get to a road named Markets Street then turn left. There are signs from there."

With a grateful nod and my mind having processed her directions, I finally started to walk away, "Thank you Ms."

"It's Sara," She reminded me as I slipped away down the path.

Staring over my shoulder at her I nodded and spoke up, "Thank you Sara. Nice to meet you."

"You too."

*

Brad stared at me with a growing concern. I'd been sitting in the limo for a good ten minutes just looking at the buzzing crowd that formed around a huge dirt track. I wasn't quite sure whether he was worried because of the look of the place or because of the conflicted frown I wore.

"Alessandra Miss," Brad said, polite and warm "Have you made up your mind?"

Taking a deep breath I stared from the window to Brad. I exchanged a confident smile with him before gripping the handle and pushing the door open. I slid my legs out of the car and let my feet hit the ground. Before I stood up and left, I spoke to Brad, "I don't know how long I'll be. Go back to the city and I'll call a taxi later on."

"Miss, I'm not sure that's a very sensible idea," Brad said urging me to reconsider. Brad had been driving me for a very long time and he'd become a good confidant. I very rarely asked him to leave and have myself find my own way home, but when I did it always concerned him. Especially now, off to the side of some unfamiliar scene with what looked like a good few hundred drunk strangers.

"Brad I promise I'll be fine," I assured him, "I'll text you when I'm in the taxi on my way home. Thank you for driving me, I'll see you in the morning."

Without giving Brad the time to protest against it I jumped out and closed the door as quick as I could. I checked my pocket to make sure I had my phone and then with a confident puff of air, I raised my head and set off for the crowd.

Reaching the edge of the hoard I started to elbow my way through to the front, there I thought I'd be able to see better. I had no clue how I'd find Ash amongst them all.

Around me everyone was going crazy, shouting wildly at the race I could hear going on. I followed all of their screams right the way through the crowd and down to the front. The track that they stood circled round was huge and two race cars rushed round it like flashes of light. I leaned on the thin railing that separated the track and the people and watched to as the cars attempted desperately to push and overtake the other. The only kind of racing I'd ever seen was the horses and that wasn't nearly as interesting as this was. The energy of the crowd was something else. The crowd screamed until the final lap had ended and the cars had sped past the finishing line. Even then roaring noise still continued from parts around the track as the crowd celebrated the winner.