AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And Van der Berg pulls ahead!” Benchley shouts. “Coming in fast!”
Noah sails through the finish line, and I exhale, smiling wide.
“Borrrrring,” my brother groans.
I laugh, handing his binoculars back. Not that he’ll use them.
Jumping back down, I run over to Dad. He stands next to my bike, all the mud from the last time I rode gone.
“Your mom’s still at the hospital,” he tells me, handing me my gear.
I open the bag, bypassing the pants and pulling off Codi’s hoodie as I grab the jacket.
Zipping up, I climb on, taking my helmet from him.
“Now, you haven’t been on a bike in a couple of weeks,” he says.
I flinch. I can tell him that’s not exactly true, but I’ll wait until after I win.
“These guys—”
But I interject. “Athletes, racers…”
There are a ton of other words he can use that include me.
“Athletes,” he corrects himself, “are on their way to Pittsburgh to qualify for the championship.” He pins me with a stern look. “Six laps. It’s a display. That’s it. You ride, you learn, you keep up. Nothing more. Understand?”
I smile, but my knees shake.
My stomach swims, and I feel like my heart is floating in my throat.
I’m scared.
But I remember Aro’s words.Love or fear.
I tip my head to my dad. “I can do it.”
He helps me into my helmet as I fit in an earbud, and I hear the other bikes approach. They move past, one looking at me until he passes so far that he can’t stare anymore. I breathe harder, fasten my strap, and pull on my gloves.
Dad looks at me, and I meet his eyes.
He looks like he’s holding his breath. “I didn’t tell your mother I was letting you do this, so…”
“I won’t die.”
He laughs, kisses my helmet, and hesitates like he wants to change his mind.
He doesn’t, though.
“I love you,” he says.
He moves back, and I start the bike, shouting, “I love you too!”
I move to the starting line, fitting in among the other drivers, all men and all far more experienced, which I kind of blame my dad for, but hey, I’m also younger.
My chin trembles, and I squeeze the handlebars, trying to get my hands to work. Everything is hot with adrenaline, and my limbs feel weak.
Do you love me?
