Chapter 18
~Danielle's POV~
The looks on the guys faces when Maddy pulled up in her truck was hilarious. They really thougt she picked up Dustins fourwheeler. Shes strong but not that strong.
I was on the last lap with Jason behind me. I turned right but was passed by Jason. A branch was threw up by his back tire and came for my face. Natural instincts I turned my head even though my helmet and googles would have blocked it.
A stick with thorns got caught in my cheek where my googles didn't cover. I already felt the blood rolling down my face by the time I pulled in the canopy.
Jason was already apologizing while I was climbing off my quad. I told him that it was ok and tried to remove the branch. Jason tried to help but Dustin finished and pulled in.
"Danielle what happened." I removed my googles and dustin tried to get thorns from the sides of the helmet so I could take it off.
"Jason passed me and his back tire kicked up a stick and hit me in the face. I'm fine so don't worry." He said ok and pulled the helemt off my head.
Jason ran to get a first aid kit. When he came back Dustin cleaned my face up and put a bandage over the cut.
If I didn't have my googles on it would have hit my eye. Good thing I was wearing them.
Time flew by and I was packing for my first race. All my gear came in so I was actually wearing my own things. I loved my white and blue helmet it even matched my jersey and pants.
Their was a knock on the door and I yelled for them to come in. Dustin walked in my room with his gear on. He carried his black fox racing hat in his hand. He looked sad and uncertain. Before I got to ask him what was wrong he said it.
"Danielle im scared that you might be messed around with or be told that you can't do what the team has seen. I just want to protect you." Maddy walked in the door behind him. "So we're going to hide your hair and no makeup until your ready." I nodded my head and sat on my computer chair letting Maddy do her work hiding my hair.
She finished it with Dustins fox racing hat. I looked at myself in the mirror. I couldn't tell that it was me but that's the whole point of it.
"Wait what about when I put my helmet on." Dustin thought about it. "And my name and also what about my voice." I was nervous maybe that's why I keep babbling on and on.
"You can take your helmet on and off in the box trailer and just switch with the hat. The guys know about the plan and the easiest name is Danny since its close to Danielle. But just when you talk just talk to us or don't talk. I promise this won't last long." I nodded my head and prepared myself.
We walked out the door and jumped up in Dustins truck. For some reason seeing my quad loaded in the bed of his truck made my stomach drop. I got to say it looks so much better with the teams graphics on the plastic than just plain red.
Dustin must have noticed my condition and squeezed my hand. He shifted gears and pulled out of my driveway.
I was nervous as hell no doubt about that. At least we practiced on this track so I somewhat know how it is.
We pulled into a semi packed field and parked the truck and box trailer next to the teams vehicles.
"We're a little early but theirs going to be a lot more people." My stomach dropped down to the ground again.
I was really nervous about how this plan was going to work out I just hope I don't screw up.
I'm really glad that Dustins just protecting me and I love him for that.
I unloaded my quad from the bed of Dustins truck and pulled it over next to the guys in line with theirs.
Jason walked up to me and smiled. Something flashed through his eyes as he dashed to his truck. He came back holding a pair of Oakley sunglasses. He slipped then on my face and whispered in my ear.
"These will hide your eyes and make you look like you know what your doing. Trust me." I nodded my head and helped Dustin unload the trailer. I topped my gas tank and made my way over to Dustins.
My mom, Aaron, and Jase walked over to me.
"Don't worry about us we know the plan and we know what to say." I released my breath.
"Good luck big brother." I looked over at Arron and rolled my eyes from under the sunglasses. Jase gave me a high five and asked Arron to buy him a corn dog from the concessions. When they walked away my mom looked at me.
"Your dad would be proud of you. Do your best but be careful." I nodded my head and she walked away trying to find my two brothers.
More and more people showed up and my nerves wernt settling. The announcer started naming classes that needed to be ready and the classes that were needed at the starting line.
The guys class was up next and they rode away up to the starting line. My class was after theirs. I grabbed my helmet and slipped in the box trailer. I set Dustins hat on a shelf and grabbed my helmet.
I don't know why but I just sat their and looked at my helmet. I looked at the racing number on the side. My stomach seamed to calm down until I pulled my helmet over my head and ran the strap through the lock.
I climbed on and made my way through the people and to the starting line. Two other people where their when I pulled up into my position. My nerves really settled in. My hands were shaking trying to pull my googles over my helmet.
I looked over my right shoulder to see two more people pull into their positions. One guy was staring at me and I quickly looked down at my gas tank. I slipped my gloves over my hands still feeling his gaze on me.
I finally looked up at the track in front of me. I noticed a pit board swinging around to my left. I looked over to see Maddy waving the board that said good luck on it and my team standing around her. Dustin sent me a wink and the rest gave me thumbs up.
Maddy erased the board and wrote something else. 'Just like practice' I gave everybody a thumbs up. My hands stopped shaking knowing the people who mattered most to me was here supporting me.
"No way." I turned my head to the sound of the voice. I found out that it was the guy that was looking at me earlier. "Your on the Backwoods Racers team." I shook my head up and down not wanting to talk. "I heard that Dustin dude quit and wasn't racing again." I shook my head no. "You don't talk much do you." He said chuckling. I shook my head no again.
The race was about to start and I got my self ready. I focused on the track in front of me.
The gates were dropped and I hit the throttle. I was doing good until the first corner. My back end slid to much and I lost control.
I noticed that this wasn't practice and I got my self focused. By the time I gained control I couldn't see the other racers. I zoomed in and out of trees. Toward the end of the third lap I managed to pass two people but didn't pass the third one in time.
I passed the finish line with the two guys right behind me. I made my way back to the canopy through the crowd. Everybody was standing their with big smiles on their faces.
I jumped off my quad and walked in the box trailer. I slid my helmet off carefully and switched it with Dustins hat. I heard somebody walk in. I grabbed Jason's sunglasses and turned around.
Dustin wrapped me in a hug and kissed my fourhead.
"I know what your feeling and its ok you got another race coming up so you can show them what you got." Hearing this made me smile. I leaned up and kissed him on the lips. "I love you." I smiled again and felt my cheeks heat up yea it's been a week but I still wasn't used to it.
"I love you to dustin." He smiled and smacked my ass.
"Good luck out their." He went to walk out but I grabbed his jersey and pulled him back to me.
"Good luck kiss for both of us." He smiled and cupped my cheeks and pulled me toward him. Our lips touched again and again.
"Yo Dustin were up." Jason pounded on the side of the box trailer and dustin gave me one last kiss and grabbed his helmet.
The guys rode off to be ready and I sat at the canopy all alone. I had Jason's sunglasses over my eyes. My head was leaned back in the chair with my eyes closed. I listened to the PA System for when I had to get ready.
"Hey." My eyes opened and my heart racing from being startled. I struggled to see who was talking to me. My eyes finally adjusted and I found the person in front of me. He was the one who I raced with and shared a short conversation with at the gates.
I held my finger up and ran to the box trailer. I grabbed the extra pit board and a marker. I was scared to talk to reveal the plan. I wrote 'hi sorry I have no voice.' I showed him and he head nodded.
"So that's why you wouldn't talk at the gate." I nodded my head. "Well I just wanted to come and say good luck. Oh and my names Alex." He held his hand out and I shook it. I grabbed the pit board and scribbled. 'My names Danny.' He smiled and walked back over to some people.
I released the breath that I was holding and walked in the box trailer. I grabbed my helmet and slid it over my head. I didn't run the strap through and I grabbed my googles and gloves.
I jumped on my quad and pushed the electric start. I shifted from neutral and drove to the gate.
People were settling down waiting for the next race to start. Alex was on my right just like last time. One person was on my left and the other two people were on the right of Alex.
Maddy held up the pit board again and I read it. 'You got this' I gave her a thumbs up and strapped my helmet and set my googles in place. My hands weren't shaking as bad when I pulled my gloves over them.
Dustin ran over to Maddy and the rest followed before the gates dropped. I hit the throttle and bolted forward. I was in first place until I was passed by somebody.
I knew I could do better and I pushed myself. I hit a jump and stood up getting ready to hit the ground again. Once I did I sat back down and turned around trees. I passed the guy on the next lap when I had the chance and jumped the jump before him.
I stayed in first the rest of the lap and made it pass the finish line with nobody in front of me. I felt really good after that. I made my way over to the canopy and I got cheers and hi-fives from the guys. Maddy gave me a hug and my two brothers came over and gave me hi-fives.
Everybody finished their races so we sat in the stands waiting for all the classes to be done to get the results from each class. I think I did good one race I got 3rd place on my first race and 1st on my second. I think my second race really helped me out.
Dustin got 2nd, and 4th. And I don't know what the guys got. When all the results were announced over the PA everybody was holding their breath.
My class came up and I listened for my name. I placed 2nd and I think Alex placed 3rd. I saw him walking over to us.
"Good job out their Danny." I smiled and shook my head. I grabbed the pit board from Maddy and wrote 'you 2' on it.
Dustin sent me a question look and I whispered in his ear.
"I'll tell you later." He shook his head yes and waited for his class. Dustin scored 2nd all together.
We walked back to the canopy and started packing up. It was around 6:30 when we packed it all up and we were heading out to get something to eat. I was in the passenger seat of Dustins truck and Maddy was riding with jack.
"Ok so before my race Alex started talking to me. Just a short conversation and then afterwards when you guys rode out for your next race he stopped by the trailer. He said good luck and said his name was Alex. I talked through the pit board and I just told him that I had no voice. I also said that my name was Danny.
He nodded my head and we pulled into Applebee's. The guys, Maddy and I shared a corner booth and our family's sat together and chatted amongst them selfs.
The waiter noticed our racing gear and smiled.
"How was the race guys. And what do you want to drink." Dustin smiled and talked to the waiter.
"Jack got 4th, Tyler got 3rd, Jason got 1st then Danny and I got 2nd." He smiled and pointed to each one of us when he said our standings.
We ordered our drinks and he walked away getting our order.
We talked about the track and how our races went. Maddy really helped me with the pit board telling me to loosen up on my first race. I was nervous as hell on that first race.
"Thanks guys for every thing that you done to make this happen for me I really appreciate it." The guys smiled and we held our drinks up for a toast.
"To another awesome season." Maddy and I started laughing at the guys.
We ate our food and decided to meet up at Dustins house since his parents left to help out his uncle after Dustins last race. Dustin and Jack dropped Maddy and I off at my house to get showers and anything else. While they got the bonfire started.
We sat their and got ready listening to music blasting through my speakers. We were ready walking out the door to my jeep.
"Hey Danielle is the car charger in here." She motioned to the glove box and I nodded my head.
"Um Danielle. What's this for." She held up the condom that Aaron gave me.
"Arron." Is all I said and she nodded and put it back inside.
"So how many times have you guys done it." I held two fingers up. "Damn." I looked back at Maddy.
"How about you." She leaned back in her seat.
"None. I think it's going to be awhile. But we have nothing to be worried about because of the pill." I nodded my head and forgot about that. We were both placed on that little pull so I was never worried about getting pregnant.
We pulled into Dustins driveway and we could see the light on the tress from the bonfire up on the field.
I heard something start and get closer to us. Two razors drove by and stopped next to us. I jumped in the one with dustin and Maddy with jack and we drive through the woods into a clearing.
The fire was a good sized so I thought we would be here for awhile. Dustin pulled a chair over next to his and I sat down. He leaned over and whispered in my ear.
"Will you go on a date with me next Friday." I smiled and kissed him on the lips.
He pulled away and grabbed supplies for smores. We made some and I ate two. Jason threw everybody a beer and Tyler started screwing around which made us all laugh but hey we're one crazy group.
The last thing I remember was listening to dustin and jason playing guitar and falling asleep on Dustins shoulders.