a flash, we either talk about nothing much or sit in silence. But not awkward silence, it’s easy and enjoyable. As we get closer to the venue the traffic becomes heavier and it takes an age to go just a few miles. Eventually we park the car and begin to walk across the fields to the track.
“Wow,” I shout to Ryan as we get close to where some trucks are already revving up for one of the races and exhaust fumes are billowing everywhere. “This is awesome.”
He says something in reply but I can’t hear him and shrug. He grabs my hand and leads me toward a place just behind the starting post. I’m not even thinking about the beating of my heart because I know it’s excitement from the race that’s causing it to hammer against my ribcage so erratically.
From our excellent vantage point we can see these huge trucks vying for position as they start. The speed they fly around the track is nothing short of breathtaking. All I can say is it’s a good job they don’t drive like that when they’re on the road. Ooops, sorry. Mom sneaking out here again.
We watch three races, the third of which has my heart in my mouth as two trucks come charging around the bend and one accidentally (well, I hope it was) catches the wheel of the other one on the side bit of its bumper (no idea what the technical term is) and huge sparks shoot out of them.
“Lunch?” Ryan yells after the first four trucks finish.
I nod my head in agreement. It’s seems ages since breakfast and I’m starving.
I follow him away from the track to where the food vans are parked and we both get burger and fries.
“Thanks for bringing me,” I say once we’ve found a patch of grass to sit on that’s far enough away from the action to hear each other. “I just love it.” I unwrap my burger and take a huge bite. Yum. Mustard and ketchup mixed together oozes out and I manage to stop it from dripping with my tongue. Crap. What must he think of my manners?
“I hoped you might. I knew old Suzy would. But wasn’t sure about new one.” I wish he’d stop going on about old and new Suzy. It makes me feel so superficial.
“What’s not to like?”
“Not all girls share your passion for truck racing. It’s hardly glamorous.”
“I suppose. Maddie does. But Rosie definitely didn’t. When Maddie and I went last time Rosie thought it so funny. Called us Truckies. She should have tried it though, I think she’d have enjoyed it.” I put my burger in the wrapper and sit back on the grass, leaning on my elbows. I watch as Ryan takes two fries from his box and eats them.
“So, tell me how come you ended up around here then?” I ask before he could ask me anything about Rosie. Not that I know for sure he was planning to, but I just have this funny feeling he might and it’s not the time.
“Dad lost his job and his family come from here so he decided we’d move.” A frown crosses his face. “It would’ve been nice to have been consulted though.” He strums his fingers on his thigh. Not the best of places for my eyes to be drawn.
“You didn’t want to move?’ Takes me back to when Mom and Dad said we were moving. Although Dad’s secondment is only for a year. And it’s not like he had a choice if he wanted to hang onto his job. And they did ask what I thought. But I suspect it was a fait accompli, they’d already decided. Not that I minded. I was glad to get away. Apart from leaving Maddie.
Ryan stops strumming and leans forward wrapping his arms around his long legs. He fixes me with a bewildered stare.
“Are you kidding? Why would I want to leave my friends and school and job to come to here?”
“Do you keep in touch with any of your old friends?” What I really want to know is did he leave behind a girlfriend. Not for any reason other than general nosiness, of course, plus it’s the first thing Maddie will ask when we speak.
“Some of them. But I’m going back as soon as school’s over to enroll in a design course at college.”
“That’s cool. I remember the things you made at camp. I’ve still got that wooden box with shells on you gave