Racing for Freedom - By Bec Botefuhr Page 0,12
for her. She doesn’t deserve to have her night ruined because of me. I stand and force a smile.
“You two go back to the party, I’m going to head home.”
“How will you get there?”
“I’ll catch a cab.”
“Are you sure?” Payton asks.
“I’ve been drinking, it’s safest.”
“Ok honey, take care.”
“Thanks for tonight, sorry I couldn’t be more fun.”
“No problems Dash, don’t worry about it.” Dean smiles.
I say goodbye and head up to the road. I dial for a cab and then sit on a nearby bus stop and wait. I see Slade come out of the house just as my cab pulls up. He notices me and calls my name. Oh no, we are not talking about this, or going over anything more. He’s humiliated me enough. I stare at him and I know he can see the pain in my eyes. I get into the cab and direct the driver to my house. I don’t look at Slade as we go past, I just turn my head to the side and stare into the darkness.
Chapter Seven
I don’t go into the house when I get home. Instead I walk down the road to my favorite lookout. My father would have a fit if he saw me climbing over the side of the railing and sitting on the edge of the rocks like I do. It’s on the edge of the beach, and the rocks rise up quite high. I climb over the railing and hold onto it until I find my little flat rock. Then I lower myself and let go. I can hear the waves crashing below me. I know how dangerous it is, if I fell, I’d die. It’s that simple.
I hold onto the pole beside me and close my eyes, just listening to the waves crashing angrily against the rocks. The wind howls and carries the sounds from a party down the street. A set of car lights pull up and I sigh. Great, a couple coming to have sex. It’s not the first time I’ve been sitting here and had to wait an hour while they got it over with. I hear the door slam and roll my eyes, I wonder how long I’ll have to wait tonight?
“You know I don’t like you being down there, Dashy.”
Slade. Fuck. How did he find me here? I guess he remembered I used to hide here when I was upset when we were younger.
“Go away Slade.”
“I don’t like you hangin’ off the edge of that cliff Dasha, get up here.”
I feel my eyes widen, even though he can’t see it. He hasn’t called me Dasha for a long time.
“Haven’t you done enough for one night, Slade? Please, leave me alone. We both know you don’t like me and I don’t like you, so don’t bother.”
“I was out of line back there.”
“No shit.”
“Get up here, or I’ll come down. I’m drunk and I could fall.”
Great, now he’s using that against me. Well played, Slade. I turn and use the pole to pull myself back over the railing. When I’m safely over the other side, Slade sighs. I stare over at him. It’s dark but a small streetlight gives off enough light for me to see him. He’s leaning against the hood of his car, staring at me. The light reflects over half his face, making him look even more dangerous and beautiful.
“Why are you drinking and driving?” I mumble.
“I’m not, I just wanted you to come back over the railing.”
“Well played,” I grumble. “Why are you here?”
“I shouldn’t have done that back there.”
“No, Slade, you shouldn’t have. I don’t know what I did to you, I don’t even know why you hate me, but move on. Get over it and move on. Leave me be, let me live my life.”
He narrows his eyes and stares at me. “You think I hate you?”
Well now he’s making me angry.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Why?” he asks, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.
“That’ll kill you, you know.”
He smirks and takes a drag. “So will racing, eventually.”
I stiffen. “Why would you say that?”
“Answer my question Dashy, why do you think I hate you?”
“I don’t think, Slade, I know.”
“Well I don’t.”
“Really, then why did you treat me so badly the last time I saw you? Why did you make out like I was nothing?”
He looks away a moment. “I don’t how else to be with you.”
“We were friends,” I say quietly.
“I know, but things changed.”
“No, Slade, you changed.”
He looks over at me again. “Maybe I did…and I’m sorry for…”
“Don’t.”