I sat on my balcony, hanging my legs through the railing. I was miserable. It had been two weeks since ‘the incident’ and I have only left my room to scrounge around for food in the kitchen. I watched the track in the backyard where my brother and his friends were practicing. I wished I could be out there, but at this point I’m just lucky I’m allowed to sit on the balcony and watch. As promised, all of my cars are sitting in some storage facility in California. I leaned my face against the railing and closed my eyes. Listening to the engine sounds. I could almost feel my foot on the accelerator and my hand grasping the shifter. When I opened my eyes I was disappointed to find that I was still on the balcony, and still grounded for the rest of my life. I looked down and saw Tanner had just arrived and was walking out towards the track. He glanced up at me. He had a sorrowful expression on his face, he looked tired. ‘I’m sorry’ he mouthed to me. I looked away and got up to go back into my room. I made sure to slam the door. Ultimately me being in trouble wasn’t his fault, but he sure didn’t try to help keep me out of trouble. I frowned and flopped out on my bed. I knew I was acting like a spoiled brat, but I had lost everything that is important to me. I feel like that warrants a little sulking, or a lot. I heard the door open and close. I looked up to see Tanner standing in the middle of my room.
“You’re not allowed to be in here.” I stated, sitting up and crossing my legs. He shrugged.
“I don’t care.” he took a seat on the edge of my bed.
“Well I do! You’re going to get me into more trouble than I already am.” I tried pushing him off the bed. Unfortunately my efforts were in vain, because he is much stronger than I am.
“Look, I didn’t know you would get into so much trouble. I thought I was helping you.” I tried to explain.
“You thought that when I told you to please come get me and whatever you do don’t tell me brother, that telling my brother would help me?” I raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t be serious.
“Look I’m your brother friend. I can’t lie to him like that.” Tanner said.
“And you’re not my friend?” I asked, although from his actions I could already guess the answer.
“No.” he looked down at the ground. “You’re my friends little sister. Whitney, you’re just a kid. Sometimes as an adult there are hard decisions you have to make. This was one I had to make. I’m not happy that your brother wont like you race for Rockstar, but that’s just how it worked out.” He said. Anger boiled inside of me. That’s all I was to him ‘a kid’.
“Get out.” I said firmly.
“Whitney please…” He started.
“No, Tanner. Get out. I never want to see you again.” I said forcefully. I was really trying to hold back tears. Reluctantly he got up and left and I sat there on my bed crying.
Later that night there was a knock at the door. I didn’t respond. I really didn’t care to see anyone. I continued to read car and driver magazine. My door opened anyway and in walked Sicily, holding her miniature yorkie and wearing a tight pink dress.
“Hey girlfriend! How about a littler shopping.” she said with a wink.
“No thanks Malibu Barbie.” I rolled my eyes. And went back to reading my magazine. She looked at me, confused. Oh, if she only had a brain. “I don’t want to go.”
“But you haven’t been out of the house in so long! Plus we should spend some girl time together. Oh! We could get our nails done!” she squealed.
“Not my thing.” I said holding up my hand to show off my boy-short nails. “They would just get grease under them.” If I was still allowed to work on cars. This realization hurt. She walked over to me.
“I’ll let you see Tanner.” she whispered. “I know you two have a thing.” she used air quotes on the word thing.
“I don’t want to see Tanner. We aren’t friends anymore.” I rolled over and went back to reading my magazine. Maybe if I ignore her, she’ll disappear.
“Did something happen?” she walked around to the other side of the bed and sat next to me so that I was now facing her. I was getting irritated that she couldn’t take a hint. Although what could I expect from someone with the same IQ as a gerbil. “Did you sleep with him?” she went back to whispering “he always leaves girls once he’s gotten a lay. Don’t take it personal. It’ll be alright. This has happened to me plenty of times. Someday you’ll find a guy just as good as Andy and it will make you forget about all the crappy guys who used you.”
“I didn’t sleep with him.” I said through gritted teeth.
“Honey, you can tell me anything. I won’t tell your brother.” she winked. I was seriously getting mad.
“Okay, let me put this into terms you will understand. I pinky promise you, that I did not have sex with Tanner.” I said speaking slowly and clearly.
“Well, I would hope not.” I heard my brothers voice. I looked over my shoulder. He had apparently came into the room at some point.
“Oh, sorry Andy. Whit and I were just having some girl talk.” she apologized and giggled as she stood up. She made her way back arou.d the bed to Andy and she clutched onto his arm. He peeled her arm off of his.
“I need to talk to Whitney alone.” he said sternly. He gave him a deer in the headlights look, but then scampered out of the room. “So, I’ve done a lot of thinking. You know that European rally season is about to start up, so I will be traveling a lot and racing. I don’t think that me leaving you here stuck in the house with Sicily is going to teach you anything.”
“I dunno, I could learn a lot about how to properly apply mascara and to get invited to parties at the playboy mansion.” I was being a smart alec. He was not amused. “sorry.” I looked down at the ground.
“I’m going to let you go with me.” I perked up. He was going to let me travel around Europe and watch his races?
“Really?” I smiled.
“There is a catch though.” he said, my heart sank. Maybe he was going to make me stay at the hotel, but then what is the point of even letting me go to Europe.
“What is it?” I asked nervously.
“Tanner’s head mechanic can’t be there for the first six races.” my brother said.
“So?” I said.
“And he asked me if I knew someone that could take the job. Someone I would trust with my own car, and only one person came to mind.”
“Me…” I said softly.
“He told me you too weren’t on the best of terms. I don’t know what went on and I don’t need to. All I need to know is will you be his mechanic. Its just for a few races and then the rest of them you can hide all you want.” Andy offered. “What do you say?”
“I’ll do it.”
