A Little Rain and Some Sunshine

Guilt

It had been two weeks and there still was not a word from Jackson Storm on whether he was coming back or not. Cruz was worried about him but hesitated to visit him. She had no doubt that if she did, he wouldn't want to see her. She was concerned that if she did see him...he wouldn't be the same Storm that she knew. She was scared for him. She was pacing back and forth in her room. Glancing at his name in her phone. She had tried calling him for a few days but he never answered. She didn't want to intrude on him at a time like this when he was just probably trying to recover. She looked away from the phone and continued in circles around her room. She was also anxious because she wasn't doing very well at the moment. The new rookie was really good. Too good. She didn't know if she was going to make another win. Her mind was going down a deep rabbit hole. 

Then she felt her phone buzz...

Was it him??!!!!!

She answered it eagerly.

With a shaky voice, she greeted whoever was on the other end of the line.

"Cruz!!!! Eyyy me and the guys...we were wondering if you'd wanna hang out tonight?"

It was Danny.

"Oh! Um yeah of course!"

"Hey, are you okay? You sound...I don't know...worried or something?"

Danny was getting a little too good at reading her emotions, then again he was her closest friend. 

"Yeah I'm okay but thank you for your concern. I'm down to hang out." She made a small giggle. 

"Alright I'll come get you at 7!" He quickly hanged up.

Danny was like an excited little kid sometimes. It was part of his own charm.

An hour later she heard him at her door. When she opened it, she noticed that he looked very nicely polished. What was the occasion???

"So you're looking very nice!" Cruz drove up beside Danny. She didn't notice the slight blushing he had when she said that. He looked away shyly. 

"Thanks you too-I mean you always look nice-I mean that in a friendly way!" He got flustered as he was trying to catch himself from saying anything more that could give himself away. She laughed a hearty laugh. He chuckled with her. 

"So are we doing bowling tonight?" She asked and he told her they were. They arrived at their favorite hangout. They went to the bar with an arcade. It was a cool little location. Everything was neon greens, purples and yellows but once inside there was a very dim purple light but still bright enough to see what was around. This was the place that her and the other racers liked to hang out at. She saw the others at a table and they waved to her and Danny. 

"Danny you're lookin' a little extra nice! Who you trying to impress?" Chase Racelott teased him. Danny rolled his eyes. 

"Pffff. Myself bro." He replied and was trying not to smile out of nervousness.

"Awe come on dude! We all know who you're trying to impress-"

Ryan bumped Cam's tire pretty hard so he'd shut up. Cruz looked confused as ever. 

"Who are you trying to impress?" Cruz asked Danny as he stared at her with his mouth agape and then he looked at the other guys. Their expressions read as if they could facepalm at the moment, they would. 

"Nobody...Maybe you guys cause you all seem pretty impressed...Heh." Danny blushed really hard trying not to look at Cruz. 

"Okay who's going first??!!!" Cruz shouted as her eyes scanned over Chase, Ryan, Bubba and Cam. None of them replied right away so Cruz went first. Her first shot was really good and she got all of the pins.