The Concept |r. blaney|

six: race day

In theory, it should have been awkward.

She should have been searching to find something in common to swap stories over. She should have been nervously wringing her hands at awkward silence.

In theory, she shouldn't have been so comfortable.

She and Ryan were perched on the pit wall, watching one of his team members teach Quincy and Julia how to change the lug nuts in a practice set up they had. It was amusing in and of itself, disregarding the playful comments Ryan made that she'd just laugh and laugh at.

The sun had begun to dip below the horizon causing an orange cast over the track. After their initial tour, everyone seemed to disappear to prepare for tomorrow's events. The track at dusk was impossibly different than during the day when it practically pulsated with life. Now, however, the orange hues and soft breeze elicited an overwhelmingly calm atmosphere that was incredibly serene.

Ryan was grasping the edge of pit wall, explaining to her that he was on the pole. He claimed it was simply because she'd become his good luck charm. "Or maybe it's this thing called talent?" She feigned a gasp as Ryan grinned.

"You've never seen me race so you have literally no idea." He laughed, the brunette shrugging as she watched her best friend get hit with a flying lug nut. She giggled, rolling her eyes to look back to Ryan.

"I have an idea. Your statistics are the internet." 

"That's just nerve racking." He joked, tongue darting out to wet his lips as the brunette turned her full attention on him. 

"I guess the pressure's on, then." She teased and he smiled wider, eyes moving over her face to take in every flaw as a perfection. Usually, she'd slouch away from someone whenever they appeared to be studying her, but for the first time in a long time, she felt... confident? Ryan hadn't judged her. At all, and in fact-- he seemed to embrace her every trait.

From her dorky giggle and nervous smile to her sarcastic yet kind humor. He'd complimented her without directly saying it, like asking where she'd gotten her necklace and saying it was cute paired with her white top. Little forms of flattery were going a long way.

After Julia used her longtime boyfriend as a human shield, the pair on pit wall laughing had broken the distance barrier when he nearly toppled off amidst his fit of laughter.

She'd grabbed his arm out of instinct; mindlessly.

Then their hands were entwined, laughs seemingly echoing despite the surplus amount of space around them. Secured on the wall by nothing but each other.

Promising not to let the other go, promising not to let them teeter off the edge and get hurt.

Yeah-- actually, her mind had begun to wander once again. 

Wandering to her late fiance, Gus, and how he'd died so quickly. Leaving her with nothing but a clouded memory of their last, rushed encounter. Engaged for 8 months after dating for nearly eight years, losing him just after Christmas. Nearly to the spring wedding date they'd set. When he'd left her with no opportunity of preparation, allowing her to fall and scar without warning. Without him to help aid her to her feet, calm her with a kiss, and sweep her hair back as if to clear her mind of the troubles that came with loss.

Only now was she picking herself back up, alone, by herself.

Well, to be truthful, not alone. 

With a friend.

Just a friend.

It helped her sleep at night, alright?