Chapter 5
FIVE
Playing: “Dangerous Love” by James Laurent
When I drive up to the abandoned track, excitement thrums in my veins, and as I veer closer to the makeshift parking lot, the smell of booze and bonfire meets my nostrils, like a hit of ecstasy on a cozy autumn night.
There’s already a giant crowd forming, groups mingling with beer cans as they march inside.
I find an empty parking spot hidden in the woods behind a bush and claim it, hoping no one will see an unfamiliar vehicle gathered at this secret event.
The wired fence that used to guard the perimeter is now beaten into the dirt, twisted shards poking out of the ground in sharp points.
I wince as I step over it, knowing that one prick would probably send me straight to the hospital.
As I pass the vacant concessions and walk up onto the ramp, I notice how everyone stares.
My pink dress and designer coat make me stand out, but I hold my head up high.
This is my first Oakson Lake race and I’m not going to let anyone ruin it.
The bleachers travel all the way down to the track, which seems a bit dangerous, and I suspect might be why the official races that took place on this track stopped a long time ago.
Everything is doused in darkness except one huge bonfire dancing in the field in the center of the oval track.
I can almost feel the flames from here as it towers high and proud and dangerous.
My skin prickles with the beauty of it before someone runs into my shoulder and sends me to the ground.
My knees scrape the concrete and—despite how embarrassing it is—I let out a yelp of pain.
I turn over onto my ass and look at the new marks forming on my knees, red droplets peeking out between the cracks.
I know it sounds silly, but my immediate thought is that I’ll have to wear leggings under my cheerleading skirt for the next week so no one will ask questions.
I look up at my assailant with a glare, flinching when I see the body standing over me.
“Oh, Stacey. What a surprise.” William Tack looks down at me, a happy gleam in his eye after recognizing exactly which Greenwood resident he sent to the ground.
Three or four other Oakson residents flank both sides, completely blocking the light of the fire from coming our way.
“What are you doing on this side of the bridge? Mommy must be so worried.”
I roll my eyes, disappointed. Will was always an ass, but he looks like he’s taken that role too far these days. His collar is popped up on his shirt and he has a ridiculously large golden ring on his thumb that pulls the whole “I’m a twit” thing together.
After I graduated high school, Will’s family got caught up in some financial scandal.
Something with tax fraud that affected his dad’s job.
They moved to Oakson not long after, like criminals being banned from the inner circle.
It looks like he still hasn’t let it go, like he’s still angry Greenwood tossed his family out like trash.
And it looks like he wants to take it out on me.
“I didn’t peg you as the type of guy to knock a girl down, Will,” I say, getting up from the ground and dusting off the dirt from my coat. “But, things change huh?”
He grits his teeth at my insinuation and takes a step forward.
His methanol scent hits me with full force and I try to hold back a gag as he gets in my face.
“Things do change. But not for Little Miss Perfect, huh? So, why are you here? You’ve never given a shit about anything in Oakson Lake before. ”
I shrug. “I like cars.”
That makes a humorless laugh escape him. “Well, the spoiled ones always do. I have a great ride around the corner, maybe I can show it to you. It’s fast.”
“I bet it is,” I say, sneering at him. “But I’m not interested. Now… I’d like to enjoy my night, so if you don’t mind—”
I try to walk around him but his buddies move closer, caging me against the cold railing that leads up into the bleachers. “I don’t know. Greenwood inhabitants really aren’t allowed in. I’m afraid we’re going to have to escort you off the track.”
“Wow, ‘inhabitants.’ That’s such a big word for you.”
The taunt may be going too far given my predicament, but I can’t help it. This guy has always been a pain in my ass, and now he’s trying to take the joy of the Oakson Racing Extravaganza away from me. I have half the mind to spit right in his face and bear the consequences.
He reaches for me then, his hand almost touching my bicep before I pull it away. “Don’t touch me.”
He laughs, undeterred, as his hand finally grabs hold of my skin. “Come on, blondie. Let me get you home. Or, you can come hang out with us. We’re loads of fun.”
“Get your hand off her.”
When I look up, Axl is there, his eyes focused on where Will’s hand grips my arm. His eyes are dark and his jaw is tense as he takes in the scene.
Will laughs with amusement. “Why am I not surprised? You’re the one who invited her, Ax?”
“You don’t get to call me that.” A tiny growl emits from Axl’s chest as he steps closer, his body trying to form a wall between us. “Let. Go.”
Will looks at him, assessing. There’s a spark of danger lurking in the air and I realize it’s Axl’s scent.
His fury is making it potent, like a bolt of lightning will strike any moment.
That’s when I see Ledger behind Axl with a few of their other friends.
They’re all standing there, waiting for shit to hit the fan, and it sends a wicked chill down my spine.
Will must decide it’s not worth it, because he lets go of my arm a moment later.
“Don’t let her ruin the race, freak.” He spits the world in Axl’s face, but he doesn’t budge one bit.
Will gestures to his friends and they all leave as a unit, drudging away like they didn’t just turn away from a fight with their tails between their legs.
Axl steps in front of me, his hands coming up to my shoulders in a calming caress. “Are you okay, Stacey?”
I nod, although I’m not exactly sure what Will was even trying to do? Obviously, he was trying to force me alone, but the rest of it can only be speculative. A shiver rolls over me in disgust, and then I look back down at my knees where a dribble of blood runs down.
“Oh shit.” Axl gets down on his knees to look closer, and for two seconds, my mind runs wild. Seeing him like that, on his knees on the dirty ground, makes me imagine things I shouldn’t. Like how his hands would feel pressed against my thighs, or how he would look with his head further between my…
“Did you fall?” he asks, examining my scrapped knees.
I nod. “He pushed me to the ground.”
Axl gets back to his feet, his eyes dark once more. “He did what?”
“Yes, but it’s fine,” I say, shrugging. “I just want to enjoy the race.”
He must see how much I mean that because he nods. “Let me clean it at least. Lou should have some disinfectant in his car.”
“Looks like we’re hanging out with Barbie,” Ledger says.
Axl smirks. “Sure are. Come on, S. Our spot is a bit more comfortable, it’s off to the side in the woods.”
We head off, and I finally get to see the group Axl is with without all the distraction.
There’s a girl with short, dirty blonde hair and dark green eyes.
Her white ribbed tank is cut into a crop top, and she has a red tie around her neck.
Then there’s Ledger, who immediately pulls a joint from behind his ear and lights it, giving me a wink when he catches me looking his way.
His black hair is pulled up into a bun, the red streaks shining under the moonlight.
And there’s someone with a shaved head, his scalp completely bare as he pushes his hands into his pockets and leads the group away.
I don’t really know how to say “thank you.” I’ve never been in a position where I’ve had to use those words before, so looking at this group of individuals who happily went to bat for me makes something foreign pinch in my chest.
“Thanks,” I finally say, my voice small.
The blonde waves me off. “Will has been a nuisance since he got here. I kind of wish you Greenwood punks had kept him. He makes Oakson look awful.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “He should just move out of the state entirely.”
“Now, that’s an idea. Maybe we can make that happen.” She reaches her hand out, her short white nails chipped on the thumbs. “I’m Tini.”
I return the handshake. “Stacey.”
“That’s a pretty name,” she squeaks. “And you’re from Greenwood?”
“My whole life,” I say regrettably.
“Stacey is a pillar of Greenwood. Cheerleading captain. Her parents throw all the galas,” Ledger cuts in. “I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”
“I—” I’m suddenly nervous and I don’t know why.
In Greenwood, I’m popular. People want to know about me and my life, but here, I feel small.
Like anything I talk about will reveal just how insignificant of a world I live in.
“I’ve always wanted to come to the racing extravaganza, but it’s hard to get an invite. ”
“For good reason,” the one with a shaved head says. “I’m Magnus.”
I send a tiny wave his way, swallowing roughly. “I completely understand why it’s hard to get invited. But I really wanted to come. I didn’t mean to start anything.”
“Ignore them,” Axl says, coming to my side. One of his drumsticks is back in his hand, whirling like there wasn’t an incident moments ago.
There’s a tiny opening into the woods off to the side of the track where foldout chairs sit beside the back of a truck. The tailgate is pulled down with an older guy sitting in the bed. He takes a sip from his flask, eyeing me suspiciously as we come upon what must be Axl and his friends’ spot.
“Hey, Lou, you still have that disinfectant?” His friend only grunts something that must mean “yes” because Axl goes searching for it.
I look back at Lou and narrow my eyes. Something about him is vaguely familiar. His hair is short, and his skin is covered in grime like he’s been under the hood of a car all day. He turns to me and squints, obviously recognizing me too.
“You’ve worked on her car before,” Axl says to Lou as he returns with the cleaning solution. “Remember, a few years back?”
My eyes widen, remembering when I drove to Oakson Lake to repair my car because it was brand new and I didn’t want my parents to know. Axl had been there. He’d been the reason why I hadn’t been shunned out of the building to begin with.
The memory feels so vivid now. I can still see Axl’s hair, spikey and much shorter than it is now, the way he was going through a baggy jeans phase because that’s how they wore them in Oakson.
Energy sparked between us. I thought Axl’s stormy scent was messing with me, but now I’m not so sure. He’s always exuded this confidence, this charm, and I’ve always been mesmerized by it. But that day, it felt like something more… something I needed to run away from with all my might.
I’m jolted out of the memory by soft hands guiding me to one of the lawn chairs.
I sit down, letting Axl inspect my bloody knees.
His lips purse at the sight of the scrapes, but he doesn’t say a word as he cleans them.
I hold my breath, freaking out every time one of his fingers accidentally touches my bare skin.
Lou looks back at me and nods his head. “Right. The Mazda.” I grin, happy he remembers, but then he mutters stupid fucking car.
I rear back, confused, before Axl stands and hits him on the back of the head. “Come on, dude. Manners. You can’t grunt your way through a conversation with everyone.” Axl looks at me and huffs out a laugh. “He means the model. Our Lou here has very strong opinions about cars.”
“Oh.” I nod. “So, what’s wrong with a Mazda?”
“Too small,” Lou grumbles. “If it flips or hits a small boulder, it’s done for.”
“Oh, well. Good thing I drive a Scion now,” I announce.
“Also a stupid car.”
This time, a laugh escapes me. “Let me guess, you’re a truck guy.”
“I’d prefer a truck over something crushable.”
Fair point, I guess.
“There’s one thing for sure, neither a Mazda nor a Scion can do what these guys are about to,” Ledger comments, pointing out to the track.
I realize he’s right. The cars begin to line up, their lights signaling the start of the race as they flash.
The crowd erupts obnoxiously, and the sound is music to my ears.
I feel light on my feet, my stomach full of flutters, and then a dose of stormy goodness travels up my nostrils. Axl is there, his mouth curved in a delicious and dangerous smirk.
“You ready to party, Little Reckoning?”
I’ve never heard prettier words in my life.