Only the Lonely {Chase Elliott} ✔️

xii.

kathryn claire and chase sat in a comfortable silence for a moment. she was glad for it, she needed a moment to catch her breath and figure out if this was real or if this was some crazy dream.

she had been mad when he had looked up and she had realized who he was. she wanted to run away until he reminded her of her promise — the vulnerability in his voice reminding her that he was the man she had been talking to, the one that she had grown to care for.

so she turned back around, she heard him out, she understood but she had no idea where this left them.

she glanced at the clock on her phone, "the xfinity race is starting soon," she pointed out. "shouldn't we get to our seats."

"about that," chase shifted in his seat nervously, "we're actually going to be watching from a suite if that's okay?"

kathryn claire frowned for a moment, she had been looking forward to being up close to the track, "okay," she mumbled.

"people will just bother us..." chase started to explain but kathryn claire held out her hand to stop him mid-sentence.

"i get it. comes with the territory of being your friend, right?" she slid off the seat, forcing a smile. "just something i'll have to get used to." she frowned a little at that thought. everything had changed in a moment's time and she wasn't sure how she was going to begin to handle it.

"i'm sorry—" she cut him off again.

"you can't change who you are." she reminded him, mustering up a reassuring smile, "but let's get a move on, i really don't want to miss the race."

chase gave her a wavering smile as he led her out of his motorhome towards the suites. instinctively she hung back as different people greeted him until he turned around to face her.

"why are you walking behind me?" he paused, waiting for her as she closed the gap between them.

she shrugged, "i don't want to get in the way, i guess." her heart started to pound in her ears as she was suddenly aware of how close he was to her.

chase shook his head, "nothing has changed here, kathryn claire. looks like you're about to meet bubba though."

"who do we have here?" bubba asked, his signature grin plastered on my face as he stopped in front of chase and kathryn claire.

"kc," she answered before chase could say anything.

"kc," he repeated, his eyes flicking to chase with a million unasked questions. "where are y'all headed to?"

"we're headed up to a suite to watch the race," chase answered. "we'll see you around."

"fortnite tonight chase," he called after them as they walked away.

"so that's bubba," chase laughed nervously.

"did he know about me?" kathryn claire asked as they took an elevator up to the suite, standing as far away from chase as she could manage so she could think. she wasn't sure what it was -- but standing close to him made her head spin just enough that she struggled to form a coherent thought.

chase shook his head, "no. our conversations usually begin and end with fortnite. not tonight though. tonight i'm getting the third degree." kathryn claire couldn't help but laugh at his statement, his georgian accent especially strong.

they stepped inside the small suite, perched above the grandstand. the view was breathtaking, most of the track visible. "wow," she breathed.

"i know it's not what you had in mind but it's not bad, huh?" chase asked, pulling open a glass door, "we can even sit outside in the hard bleacher seats."

kathryn claire bounded out, just in time for the National Anthem to start. "perfect timing," she whispered as they turned toward the flag.

once the song was over, the sat down, "why did you introduce yourself as kc to bubba?" chase wondered aloud.

she turned to chase, "only the people close to me get to call me kathryn claire. that's what my parents called me, they never shortened my name."

"well, i'm honored." chase smiled at her, a real smile, the one that he was famous for. after a moment his smile dimmed and he looked like he was lost in thought.

kathryn claire wanted to ask him what was on his mind but the rumbling of the cars passing by distracted them both and they settled in to watch the start of the race.