Can't Help Falling in Love {Ryan Blaney}✔️

| ten |

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    "How are you doing?" Ryan jogged up to Lara as she made her way into the garage.

    "Scared shitless," She replied, half joking, "I could barely sleep last night."

    Ryan nodded, "I wish I could say after you race your first one that goes away but it doesn't, the nervousness is just replaced with an overwhelming feeling of anticipation."

    "Great," Lara muttered. "I just hope I don't make a fool out of myself."

    Ryan chuckled, "You're a rookie, it's bound to happen."

    "I know, I just--" Ryan stopped her.

    "You put way too much pressure on yourself. Just go out there and have fun." He patted her shoulder reassuringly.

    "Hey." Chase stopped beside Ryan, his eyes darting between the two of them. "What's going on?"

    Ryan shook his head slowly, "Just telling Lara to stop putting so much pressure on herself."

    Chase nodded, looking over at Lara, "He's right. You're a rookie, nobody expects you to do anything."

    She shrugged, "I want to be the best, I'm not going to give myself a free pass." She shifted nervously. "I need to go," Lara turned on her heel, walking away. She knew that both Chase and Ryan meant well but their advice, as well-meaning as it was, did nothing for her. She thought maybe Chase would understand and if he did, he didn't show it.

    Before Lara could react, she was pulled into a supply closet. She opened her mouth to protest but stopped at a familiar voice.

    "It's just me, relax," Chase laughed. "I just wanted a minute with you."

    "We could've arranged that before we got to the garage," She reminded him, feeling a little testy.

    "You're right but I saw how nervous you were and I couldn't help myself." The small hanging light was dim, just bright enough that she could see the softness in Chase's eyes, "You're going to do great." He ran a knuckle along her cheek -- a move that had become almost a habit. "I believe in you. You've earned this and you're ready. I know it feels like the weight of your last name is going to crush you but I promise you, it won't."

    Lara nodded, her heart swelling at Chase's sweet words. "Thank you," She murmured, planting a kiss onto his lips. "But we need to get out of here before we're caught."

Chase smiled, making Lara's heart pound, knees weak. "You're right." He grabbed a roll of paper towel from the shelf. "You go first."

Lara ducked out of the supply closet, making long strides, thankful that everybody was too wrapped up in pre-race adjustments to pay attention. Chase's words had put her at ease and she was ready to conquer the Daytona 500.

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    "Hold your line," Lara's spotter, Maisie buzzed in her ear, "The 77 is at your bumper."

    "10-4," Lara replied, doing as her spotter told her but it felt like something broke inside her car and she hit the wall. She tried to gain control of the car to keep the other cars from getting tangled up in her mess but couldn't, as a car slammed into her.

    The loud noise of metal on metal told her that she had started the big one. Her heart dropped, this was not the way she wanted to start her career. She closed her eyes for a minute, hoping that it was a nightmare, her grandfather's voice startling her.

    "Lara, are you okay?" He came over the radio, a sense of urgency in his voice.

    "Yeah, sorry." She pulled down her window net sheepishly, "I'm sorry."

    "You'll do better next time." He reassured her before she pulled off her helmet, discarding it. She gave a thumbs up to a paramedic who had leaned in to check on her before she unbuckled herself.

    Lara pulled herself out of the car, facing the fans, lifting her hand in the air, signifying that she was okay. She turned, running a hand over the curls that had escaped her ponytail as she surveyed the damage that she had caused. Her heart caught in her throat when she saw Chase walking away from his mangled Chevy.

    Tears welled up in her eyes as a paramedic gently led her to the ambulance. She felt like a failure and in that moment, she was. She had run at Daytona before, she knew this track like the back of her hand and she had been the rookie that had taken half of the field out.

    She rode in the ambulance silently, fighting back tears but grateful that she was the only driver in that ambulance. She wasn't sure how she'd face any of the drivers, especially Chase.

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    It hadn't taken her long to be cleared from the infield care center. She took a couple of deep breaths, preparing herself for the interview that she knew was coming.

    Lara stepped out into the cool Florida air. The reporters were all swarmed around Chase so she inched closer to hear what he had to say.

    "Chase, what did you see from Lara before that crash?" One asked, everybody shifting their microphones towards him.

    Chase shrugged, "Honestly, from what I saw, she drove it up too high and lost control. It was arrogance on her part and for me that makes me question if she is really ready for a Cup ride or not. Can't help but wonder if maybe she took a ride from somebody who was ready and deserving."

    Lara's stomach dropped at Chase's words, instant tears. She wanted to move away, to make it seem like she hadn't heard what he had said, hadn't heard him voice her worst fear, but she remained frozen until a reporter noticed her.

    "Lara," She yelped, seemingly happy that Lara had heard Chase's statement, ready to capture the drama. "Do you have a response to Chase."

    Lara quickly wiped her tears as the reporters rushed over to her. She kept her eyes locked on Chase's eyes -- eyes that had become the size of saucer's as she spoke, "Something in my car broke and I couldn't get control of my car but I tried like hell to not be the person that started the Big One." She laughed bitterly, "See where that got me. That's all I have to say."

Lara was fuming as she walked past Chase, her shock and shame quickly turning. "Lara, wait." He grabbed her arm, obviously oblivious to the mess of reporters observing them.

"Fuck off, Chase." She yanked her arm free, never glancing back.

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