4. XANDER
Chapter 4
XANDER
“ M y head is literally about to explode!” I overheard Andrew complaining to Lyca in the office’s pantry.
As I quietly sipped my coffee in one corner, I couldn’t help but observe the easy banter between them.
“Hey, hey, easy…” Lyca said casually, leaning closer to him. “I know you’re under a lot of pressure right now, but you need to take a breather. Try that exercise I taught you before.”
It had been a week since I’d become an official member of the race team. I’ve seen how Lyca seemed to have a good rapport with these guys and how effective she’s been in helping them deal with their issues. It was rather impressive, but I couldn’t help noticing that she was different towards me.
Suddenly, Drake joined them, and the three of them began talking about the various race teams joining the upcoming tournament.
“What do you think, Xander?” Drake called out to me. “You used to be part of that other team. Do you think their racers are more prepared than us?”
A small smile played on my lips. “Definitely not.” I actually appreciated the training that I’ve been getting here so far.
Andrew motioned for me to join them. I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination, but Lyca seemed to stiffen when I sat at their table.
Before the discussion could go further, though, someone called Lyca from the door. It was one of the managers from another department, and he seemed really stressed about something.
“Duty calls, guys,” Lyca told us with a smile and left the table in a hurry. I had certainly noticed that she was always eager to help others and to avoid me at all costs. So, in this particular situation, it was definitely a win-win for her.
“Hey, Xander, I heard you live next door to Lyca?” Andrew asked, lowering his voice after Lyca left.
“Uh, yes.”
“So you guys often see each other?” Drake asked with curiosity.
“Not really.” In my head, I could picture her fuming mad on that very first night I’d moved in and thrown a party. A few days ago, Phil and the other guys had come over for a drinking binge again and were playing loud music. I’d expected Lyca to knock on my door again, and I’d actually been hoping for it, but there was nothing. She was probably avoiding me.
“Oh, man,” Andrew remarked with a grin. “If I was Lyca’s next-door neighbor, I’d most definitely be making up excuses to show up at her doorstep every day.”
Drake chuckled. “I’m sure. You’ve been dying to go out with her since she got here.”
“Still no luck, unfortunately,” Andrew said, shaking his head in comical disbelief. “It’s impossible to get through to that woman when it comes to romance.”
They now had my full attention. Curiosity rose within me. “Really? So who has she dated around here?”
“Nobody!” Andrew exclaimed. “Not that it’s against any policy. It’s not encouraged, but it’s allowed.”
“Many guys here have asked her out,” Drake added. “But she has turned everyone down. What a waste of gorgeous looks!”
“But hey, Xander, have you ever seen her with anyone in your apartment building?”
“Nah,” I answered, thinking about it. “Only her best friend comes to visit. I think I also heard her mom once. But no men.”
“I told you she’d sworn off men forever!” Andrew said to Drake.
“Her ex must have been a huge asshole,” Drake said.
I wanted to ask them more about Lyca because they seemed to know her quite well, and she was truly a mystery to me. But then, I saw the clock. It was time for my meeting with her. Finally.
When I got to her office, I saw the manager coming out, saying thank you by the door before leaving. I knocked on her door then. It was ajar so I poked my head in.
“Xander,” was her formal greeting when she saw me.
“Hey,” I said. “We have an appointment. The one you keep on delaying?”
A hint of annoyance crossed her pretty face. “I’m busy,” was all she said. “But come in. Let’s get this over and done with.”
My heart seemed to beat harder, for some reason. I took a seat in front of her desk, my eyes taking in her smooth, supple skin and the low neckline of her blouse that showed some of her cleavage. Without warning, my mind began to conjure up images of us kissing passionately with our arms around each other. I could picture burying my fingers in her long blonde hair and feeling the surface of her skin under my lips, hearing her moan from my touches, lifting her up on her desk, and —
“How have you been so far, Xander?” she asked, her voice ringing in my ears and breaking up the image I was imagining in my head.
My heart was wildly thumping now, and I could feel my body heating up. She was goddamn gorgeous, and I couldn’t help fantasizing about her even if she got on my nerves a lot.
“Okay,” I answered. “Getting along well with the other racers. I like the training here better too.”
“That’s good to know. Any concerns?”
“None so far.” I couldn’t help noticing that she wasn’t looking straight into my eyes but was pretending to be writing down my answers or something like that. But before I could say anything else, she took out a form for me to fill out.
“Just leave it there when you’re done,” she told me, standing up from her table and going to the door. “I have to be somewhere.”
I was definitely bothered. She wasn’t giving me the same attention as the others did. Something was up.
Maybe she actually likes me. The thought just came out of nowhere, but it made me grin. That must be it. Otherwise, why is she treating me differently?
She did not come back. Her absence left me restless, clueless about her whereabouts. I hastily completed the form, feeling frustrated and greatly pissed. And when I felt this way, there was only one way to fix it — racing.
Without hesitation, I went straight for the racetrack. I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost crashed into someone.
“Xander!” I knew that voice.
“Hey, Dad,” I greeted, looking up. It was as if I was looking into a mirror reflecting my future self. But he donned a business suit while I was wearing my usual racing attire. “What’s up?”
“I’m good, just busy dealing with new business partners,” he explained. “How are you? I hope you’re adjusting well.”
“Yeah, all good.”
“Well, I’m hoping we can catch up soon over dinner?”
It felt awkward, but I knew that it was something I had been wanting to do with him for a long time. Even though he’d made me this offer months ago, we never had a chance to really talk or bond. He was always busy, but I was accustomed to that.
“Sure,” was my simple answer.
“Great.” He patted my shoulder and went on.
Now my emotions were even more chaotic. Tension gripped me, but it was nothing that the roar of the engines and the rush of speed wouldn’t fix.
As I slipped into the familiar confines of a race car, the leather seat molding to the contours of my body, a surge of anticipation coursed through my veins. The engine roared to life, drowning out all other sounds, and the world outside blurred into a high-speed frenzy.
The wind whipped through the open cockpit, carrying away the weight of the negative feelings that had clung to me. The speedometer climbed, and with each passing second, the track became my sanctuary, a place where the only thing that mattered was the road stretching out ahead.
The corners soon approached and the tires gripped the asphalt, making all the chaotic thoughts fade away. The rhythmic dance between man and machine took over, demanding my full attention. With every twist and turn, I felt a great release. The adrenaline took over and I found myself immersed in the present moment.
By the time I pulled back into the pit, I felt amazing. Stepping out of the race car, I felt a surge of exhilaration. I just love racing.
As I surveyed the pit, I noticed Lyca standing at a distance, her gaze fixed on me. Our eyes locked for a fleeting moment. But before I could decipher the emotions reflected in her eyes, she turned away, a cascade of blonde hair falling over her shoulder. The distance between us felt like an unspoken chasm, and as she began to walk away, it seemed as though that brief connection we shared had evaporated.
“Xander! I was looking all over for you!” It was a high-pitched female voice who sounded excited. I turned to see Phoebe, one of the assistants who’d been flirting with me nonstop since I came here.
“Hey, Phoebe,” I said without enthusiasm. She didn’t seem to mind or notice. She threw her arms around my waist as if we’d been dating each other for a long time. I wanted to peel off her limbs and walk away. I just wasn’t in the mood, and I was certainly not interested in her.
“I saw you racing. You were so amazing!” she gushed. “I mean, I’ve only seen you before on TV! Now, up close, it’s just so much more… Wow!”
I was definitely flattered, and she was actually quite attractive. But I did not want to be branded as a playboy anymore. That image was never really accurate. It was just something that my old manager and coach had painted me to be, and my buddy, Phil, had been more than happy to provide all the women for the both of us.
“Thank you, Phoebe. Sorry, but I have to go now.”
She frowned and pouted, but I had already begun walking back to the office.