Street Racing- Klance

twenty

"It was so nice seeing you Romelle. We need to start hanging out more again!" Exclaimed Allura as Romelle was leaving to her car.

"We do!" She replied. "I missed seeing you." She said with a smile.

"Bye Romelle." Lance chimed in before Allura shut the door.

"Bye Lance!"

Allura locked up and went back to the lounge, Lance followed silently.

"So, we need to start getting you ready for the event." Allura said while sitting down.

Lance sat down too, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. "What if I don't go."

"What? Why on Earth wouldn't you go?"

He looked around for a second, thinking about what to say. "I don't feel like it."

Allura was stunned. "You don't feel-" She cut herself off, realising she was raising her voice from shock. She sighed, took a deep breath and tried again. "You don't feel like racing?" She questioned, softly but still severely concerned.

"No."

"No what? No you don't feel like racing or no thats not what you meant?"

"No."

"Lance, that isn't answering my question."

"I don't want to go. That's all."

"Yes you do. You love racing. You love people. You love going to these events."

"Not anymore."

"And why's-" Allura got cut off by the sound of both her and Lance's phone suddenly getting bombed by notifications.

Lance reached for his phone from the table, Allura doing the same. They quickly scanned through their phones, looked at eachother in shock, went back to checking their phones and once again looked up at eachother with the same expression.

"Oh my god." Allura said.

The sound of footsteps quickly running down the stairs echoed through the house. Coran suddenly appeared in the lounge.

"You guys are seeing this as well, right?" He asked.

Lance's and Allura's expressions answered his question perfectly. They had all just seen Keith's tweet.

"Well, I guess Blue didn't see that coming." Coran said, laughing, before walking back upstairs again.

Lance turned his phone off and stood up, grabbing his things.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Home."

"Um, no you're not. Sit your ass right back down."

"Fine." Lance said, sitting his ass right back down.

Allura sat closer to him, putting her hands on his. "What are you thinking?"

Lance wanted to move his hands away to not seem weak, but he couldn't. He needed the comfort. "I don't know."

"Come on, yes you do. Talk to me."

"I just-" He paused for a second. "I'm scared."

"What are you scared of?"

"Losing."

"But you're never this scared of losing. You worry about it, sure, but you always tell me that it's part of the fun. What's so different now?"

"This time it's for real. And this time it's with Keith."

"You've raced against Keith so many times before though."

"It's different this time Allura. I challenged him. If I lose, I'm going to be the biggest laughing stock of the century. And this time I actually know Keith."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't know, before when I raced against him I just knew him as the annoying, stuck up, rude, emo criminal with an insane drug and alcohol addiction. But now? I actually got to know him today. Not properly, but more than before. I can see him as more than just a criminal now. Not once today did I see him like that. Not once today was I scared of him or felt threatened. It was weird at first sure, but even then I couldn't see him the same way I did before. Romelle managed to give him a second chance. She believes in him. We managed to have a few normal conversations, I've never had that with anyone else I've raced against. He seemed genuine, and I saw him as an equal. Every race I've ever done during street racing was with someone I saw as below me. With someone I saw as nothing but an addict who reminded me of my family. I don't view them as people, I see them as competition. But now, with Keith? Allura, I can't race against someone I respect."

She was silent for a moment, taking in what Lance had said.

"Then don't."

"What?"

"Don't race him."

"I can't just not race him. I challenged him. Do you know what that would do to my career?"

"Your career isn't in street racing Lance. I think you forget that sometimes."

"But I love street racing. I'm not ready to give that up. Besides, if I quit now, there'll be a national outbreak of disappointment. Do you know how many people would be determined to find out who I really am if Blue suddenly disappeared? It's already difficult as it is."

"You don't have to disappear. Announce your retirement at the event tonight. Say you challenging Keith was a gift to your fans, so they got one last good show before you left. That way it makes sense. Besides, quitting street racing might be good for you you know."

"How would it be good for me? Are you hearing yourself?"

"You could focus more on auto racing and modelling and expand your career in the things that will actually get you somewhere in life. Don't get me wrong Lance, I've always been all for you street racing, but maybe it's time to grow up a little and think about your future. It might also be time for you to look for a relationship. It'll be a lot easier if you don't have a whole second identity you need to keep a secret."

Lance didn't know what to say. He never thought about quitting street racing. He loved it. As hard as it was, it was one of the main things keeping him going. Of course he loved his professional career more than anything, he was so lucky to be where he was, but auto racing never gave him the same satisfaction and happiness.

"I don't know Allura. This is all too much to think about right now."

"Well you'll have to decide soon. The event starts in three and a half hours. We need to go get you ready."

"Alright."

They got up and left, heading towards Lance's apartment to get him ready and prepared for the event.