Broken Hill Hurt (Broken Hill High 3)

“Got it,” I tell Aaron, not even sure if he had said anything that requires a ‘got it’.

I grab Brooke’s hand and start hauling her away. “What the hell?” she demands, yanking her arm back away from me. “What’s going on?”

“Nate’s down there,” I tell her. “He was about to come over.”

“Where?” she grunts looking back over her shoulder.

I can’t help but do the same and my eyes instantly lock on his. There’s a longing behind his eyes which has me desperate to go to him and fall into his arms, but I can’t. Not anymore. He watches me as I drag Brooke back up to my car and I can’t help but notice his relief. He doesn’t like me here and I can tell by his relief, he thinks we’re leaving. If only he knew.

This is going to be an interesting night.

We drop down into my R8 and I look back to him, only, he’s now lost in the crowd. I start up the engine and we wait a few minutes. Brooke starts getting fidgety and I look over at her. “What’s wrong?” I question with a groan, hating that I sound so bitchy.

“Don’t do this,” she begs. “I… I just. I can’t. Please don’t make me.”

“Brooke,” I grunt. “I’m doing this. With or without you. It’s your choice.”

Her eyes flash towards the track before looking back at me. “Tora,” she sighs. “This is stupid. You’re going to get us hurt. Let’s just go.”

“No,” I yell out, surprising myself. “I’m doing this. There’s no way in hell I’m backing out now. Especially with him here.”

“Well, I’m not going to let you kill me over some stupid bullshit with Nate,” she yells back at me.

“Good. Then go. I don’t need you here.”

“Are you serious, right now?” she grunts in disbelief.

“Dead serious, Brooke. I don’t want you here if you’re going to try and talk me out of this. I’m doing it and you have all of three seconds to decide if you’re with me.”

“Then no,” she says, hastily unclipping her seatbelt and pushing the door open. “You’re on your own. I’m not letting you risk my life for this stupid bullshit.”

She climbs out the door and turns around just so she can slam it, making me jump with the noise. I watch as she stalks off and I can’t help but narrow my eyes on her. I don’t need her anyway. She pulls her phone out of her pocket and starts dialing, probably to get a lift out of here.

I ignore her and push my foot down on the gas. After all, I have a race to win.

I start creeping down to the track and just like they do for Nate, people start clearing the way for me, probably terrified that if they don’t move, I’ll probably run their asses over. Though, with my mood right now, that’s a very real possibility.

I pull up on the track and my nerves start to seep in.

Brooke’s right, this is ridiculous but the adrenaline starts pulsing through my veins and I have to admit, I absolutely love it. There’s no way in hell I’m backing out now.

I bring my car to a stop on the line and wait as some loud white car with a dude driver pulls up beside me. He grins across at me and I swallow back fear. What have I got myself into? This isn’t going to go well.

I look up at the crowds, all cheering and chanting as the newbie race is announced.

I see a familiar back and the second the word ‘newbie’ is said, Nate spins around with wide eyes. I watch him look on in fear as a woman walks in between our two cars, preparing to get this race started.

Nate starts running as my heart threatens to beat right out of my chest.

The woman looks to me. “You ready?”

I nod, eagerly. She looks to the other guy. “You?”

He nods and revs his engine just to be a douche, wasting precious time that I need to get this thing started before Nate busts his way out here.

She raises her arm with a white handkerchief between her fingers.

Too late.

Nate breaks out onto the track. “Stop,” he yells, racing forward to stand before my car.

The woman turns around in shock as I rev my own engine, the universal sign to get the hell out of my way. “Move, Nate,” I tell him.

“Get the fuck out of the car,” he demands, slamming his hand down on the hood of my R8.

“Or what?” I demand.

“What the hell is going on?” the woman says while eye-fucking my boyf… my ex.

“She’s not fucking racing, that’s what,” Nate says, still refusing to move as the crowd starts getting louder, wondering what the hell is going on down here.

“Get out of my way or I’m going to bowl you the fuck over,” I tell him.