Chapter 11 Slade
Chapter eleven
Slade
Detroit, MI
We were racing at Ford Field where the Detroit Lions played, and I was in awe.
I was getting to see the best venues across the country, and actually doing well at the races made it even sweeter.
I won my heat, beating out Finley and the few other guys challenging for points.
I stood in front of a camera that was broadcasting to millions, well, maybe not millions, but it had to be at least half a million and growing.
The sport was becoming popular, especially since it was streaming on a major service every week now.
After thanking sponsors and talking about my first heat win, I headed back to my dinky pit. Surprisingly, I was asked to sign a few autographs, my popularity already increasing. That helped my confidence, but we would have to see how I did in the Main Event.
“You look worried.” Dad put his arm around my shoulder.
“Nah. Just thinking about things.” I didn’t mention that Clay was one of those things.
“You looked comfortable on the bike.”
“Hmpf. I was. It feels good. These new shocks are so much better.”
“We tightened them a little bit too.” He droned on about the technical stuff that I knew I should care about, but in the moment, I didn’t.
Dad finally shut up with a chuckle. “Hey, be happy where you are and enjoy it.”
“I am but I’m also hungry. I want to race. To win. To do everything.” I threw my hands in the air. Doing everything meant getting closer to Clay as well.
“It’ll come, you’re young.” He ruffled my hair. “Needs cut.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He was right though, but some things you had to grab while you were young—like moto wins.
Dirt bike racing was a young man’s sport.
There were a few older riders still winning in the 450s, but it wasn’t the norm.
Most of them had dirt in their diaper. Like Clay. He’d started younger than I did.
And we were both getting older by the race. Why were we playing around with this thing between us? We both put more effort into racing than anything, but surely, we could carve out some time together.
“I have to do something before the main.” I grabbed the baseball cap with the Zahr Parts logo and shoved it on my head.
“Do not be late, young man.”
“Yes, sir.”
Dad was gruff but always loving. He’d been a wonderful coach and mechanic, but it was time to reach for something more. Professionally and privately.
I made a beeline for the BikeMax pit. Everyone greeted me with smiles and congratulations on the heat win.
Clay gave me his typical chin lift. That was not enough anymore. I got right up in his face, taking me back to that time when I didn’t know if he was going to punch me. “Can we talk?”
“Aren’t we talking?”
“Stop playing. I mean privately and you know it.”
Clay visually relaxed, shoulders dropped. “Come on.” He nodded to the trailers behind us. Craige was there, playing a video game in the back. Clay huffed. “You know they’re waiting for you…”
“Wait, what?” Craige looked at his phone. “Oh shit. Sidetracked myself.” He jumped up and skipped to the front where he started grabbing gear.
When he left, Clay locked the door behind him. “What a goob.”
“Fast goob.” He was actually number two in points, behind Cole. They had a fast team all around. Ryker was third, and they were all within twenty or thirty points of the lead.
“That’s not what we came here to talk about is it?”
“No.”
“Is this the whole where is this going talk?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Sort of. I mean…I know what you said but there are things you just have to do before you get too old.”
“Relationships are for grown-ups, and I don’t feel anywhere near grown.” Clay huffed, “I’m not even twenty-one yet.”
“Except we are adults, Clay.”
“Are we?”
“Do you ever talk to people our age outside of racing?” I leaned against the sink and grabbed the counter, hoping it would keep me together.
“No. I guess not. My life is the dirt.”
“Exactly.”
“So what are you saying?”
How did I explain what I was feeling and thinking? I took a breath and started, just like racing. “I know people outside of dirt bikes. My sister is in college, she’s older than me, twenty-two, and no, she and her friends aren’t as mature and committed as we are. No where near us.”
“So what then, you want to be boyfriends?”
Of course he threw it on the table like that. “I don’t know. Maybe. What do you think?”
“I don’t know what I think, honestly.” He uncrossed his arms finally looking more relaxed. “I like you.”
“Is that a yes?”
“It’s too soon for a total yes. Maybe we can like be in the qualifying rounds…trying it out or whatever.”
“I like that.” We needed to move it forward, but neither of us were willing to go too fast.
“Good. Want to try some of it out now?” Clay stepped closer, leaning toward my face.
I moved in and we kissed, but we both had too much gear on to do much more than that, and we would be missed. I cupped the sides of his face as we pulled away from each other. “We have to go, but this isn’t over.”
“Not by a long shot, Rookie.”
We went back out to the pit area where yes, Tweed was there looking for me.