Twisted | Nascar AU

Chapter Four

Daisy was sleeping comfortably, dreaming of the wonderful times she would be having with her suitors when a loud knock on her door awoke her. The guard outside didn't wait for a response from the Princess. He threw the door open and called her name.

"Princess Daisy! There's a commotion outside and your presence is needed!" Daisy sat up on her elbows. She groggily rubbed her eyes. "A disturbance?" The guard nodded. "Your," he coughed, "suitors."

Daisy immediately sprang into action. For a second she had forgotten they were in the palace. "I'm coming right away." She declared. The guard nodded and closed the door. Daisy sighed and ran her fingers through her messy curls. She glanced over at the clock. It was 2 am. What on Earth could cause a commotion at 2 am.

After checking herself in the mirror quickly, Daisy stepped out of her room in her satin pajama set. The room slowly started spinning when she the commotion her guard was referring to.

A guard had his arms wrapped around Bubba's. Bubba was viciously trying to escape the guard's grasp. He looked as if he was ready to pounce. Daisy's eyes shifted to see his victim. Alex Bowman.

Alex stood in the corner of the room, eyes glued to Bubba. He appeared to be intact, aside from a reddening mark on his cheek. Daisy didn't know what to say. She had just met these men but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined they would be the violent sort.

Daisy was suddenly aware of a presence behind her. She turned over her shoulder to see her mother and father. They appeared to be just as surprised as she was. Her father shook off his expression of dismay and replaced it with one of anger. His eyes met Daisy's and she could tell he was allowing her to put a stop to the situation.

In her heart, she knew that violence should not be tolerated. She knew once the press found out about this incident they would have her neck if she didn't get rid of both parties involved.

But Daisy couldn't but think there was an explanation. A rational explanation for a brawl at 2 am. There must have been.

She cleared her throat, stepping forward. "Would someone like to tell me what's going on?" Daisy surprised herself by using her regal Princess voice. She rarely felt the need to use such a tone but it seemed to flow out of her. Maybe she was angry that the men would act so foolish, especially when their future was at stake.

Bubba immediately shrank back and stopped resisting the hold of the guard. His eyes softened and he opened his mouth to speak but Daisy held up her hand. "The rules for this contest clearly state that violence will not be tolerated."

She felt a pang in her heart as she watched both Alex and Bubba's heads drop. Daisy couldn't let herself be the cause of their sadness. "But," she started. "I am sure there is a reasonable explanation for this immature behavior. I look forward to hearing it in the morning. For now, everyone needs to get well-rested."

She could hear her father gruff behind her. Daisy tried to keep her composure. Sure, she knew the rules. All her life she had lived by the rules. She was not going to let the rules for this competition take away someone that she could have a future with.

While Daisy felt her decision was justified, it seemed her father was not the only one to disagree. "Are you kidding me?" A voice called from a door down the hall. In her dismay of the situation, Daisy had forgotten there was a small group of the men who shared this hall.

Joey and Erik witnessed the entire situation. Erik's eyes seemed softer than earlier and he worry seemed to have etched its way onto his face. Worry for her? Daisy wondered. Joey, on the other hand, didn't seem to express the same concern. Daisy set her eyes on him. He seemed to be fuming.

"It took a lot for all of us to come here! We had jobs back home, a life, families. And we put that on pause to be here. For you! And you mean to tell me that you're going to put up with this childish nonsense!" Joey seethed.

He turned towards Bubba and Alex, giving them stares Daisy did not want to feel for herself. Alex shrank back, even more, and his eyes welled as if he was going to cry. Daisy wanted nothing more than to run over and wrap her arms around him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. But she couldn't.

Venom dripped from Joey's words as he continued. "I thought you were serious about finding a husband! But it seems like I'm the only one taking this seriously!" Tears welled in Daisy's eyes. She didn't know what to say. "I- I think you should go," she choked out. She hoped she sounded more demanding than she felt.

"Me? I should go? Great! Just great! You're kicking out the one who cares the most and is actually here to marry you!" Daisy felt one tear slip down her cheek. She had never been spoken to this way before.

"Well luckily for you, I don't want to marry you anymore, anyways," he huffed and slammed his door behind him.

Daisy wanted to fall to the floor and cry. She was just trying to make an educated decision. An informed decision. But Joey didn't like that.

"I'm so sorry, Princess Daisy," Alex started. She turned to him and gave him a half-hearted smile. She could tell his eyes were sad. Bubba tried to speak next but the King interjected. "Back to your quarters! Breakfast is at 9," he declared.

"Get a good night's sleep. I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow," Queen Eleanor called softly before turning around. Daisy took one last look before following them back to the royal hall.

No matter how hard she tried she couldn't forget Alex's sad eyes. He looked so defeated. More than anything Daisy wished she could make his pain go away. Go back and stop Bubba from causing a commotion. She wished she could change the night. She had gone to bed with such high hopes.

"It'll be alright," her mother rubbed her back softly. "Do you think I misjudged the situation?" Daisy looked up at her mother hopefully. Queen Eleanor simply shook her head. "This is your future. Any judgement you make must be supported by your beliefs."

With a kiss on her forehead from her mother and a stern nod from her father Daisy was left alone. She entered her darkened bedroom and fell onto her bed. Not only had she lost a suitor, but she had also left the remaining upset.