Love in Victory Lane (A Chase Elliott FanFic)

Chapter Seventeen

"What?" Chase cried. "Why?" he demanded.

I felt really bad for upsetting him, but I had no choice. I could not sit in his pit box for the race. "I came here with my parents, and they expect me to watch the race with them. I can't just ignore them," I replied.

"Oh," Chase replied. I could tell he was disappointed, and it killed me.

"Chase, I really wanna watch the race in your pit box with your crew and family, but I need to watch the race with my parents," I said.

"Well then," he said. A smile started forming on his lips, and I knew he was up to something. "I guess you'll just have to watch the race with your parents," he said. I looked down at the ground and tried hard not to cry. I did not want him to be upset with me, and I felt like I had let him down. Although he had stopped talking, it felt like the end of his words was only a pause. I was just about to tell him how sorry I was, when he stopped me by saying, "In my pit box."

"OMG, Chase! You're the best!" I exclaimed. I threw my arms around his neck then backed up. "I don't know if they'll come though."

"Why?"

"They spent good money on those tickets, and they don't like wasting money."

"Oh, it's no problem," he reassured. "I'll take care of it."

"What do you mean?"

"You will see. Just call your parents and have them come to Pit Road," he answered.

I called my parents and asked them to come to Pit Road. I told them to meet me at the entrance to the first set of garages. "What's going on?" my mom asked.

"I'll tell you when you get here," I told her.

I hung up the phone, and Chase and I started walking to the Nascar offices. Emily stayed behind to be with Ryan. We reached the offices, and Chase told me to wait outside for him. A few minutes later, he came out of the building, and we walked to meet my parents. When we got there, I saw Emily and Ryan standing with my parents. They were both talking to Ryan Blaney.

I walked up to my parents, with Chase by my side. "Mom, Dad, meet Chase Elliott," I said, gesturing to Chase. My mom stared in disbelief, and my dad was smiling so big. He reached out his hand for Chase took shake, and Chase shook it. My mom did the same.

"So you're the guy that my daughter has gone on and on about for three years," she said. Chase smiled, embarrassed by what my mom said. "Nice to finally meet you," my mom finished.

"Nice to meet you too, ma'am," he replied.

My mom turned to me and said, "Why are we here?"

Chase spoke up for me. "Um...I want Hunter to watch the race from my pit box, but she said she couldn't because she had to watch the race with y'all. That gave me an idea. I wanted to meet her parents, and I wanted her to watch the race from my pit box, so what better way to do that than to have you two watch the race there too?"

My dad's face lit up. He had always wanted to watch a race from the pit box. "Chase," my mom started. "That's nice of you, but it would be a waste of money for us to not use our tickets."

"Well, ma'am, I was thinking that if you would be willing to sit in my crew box, I will reimburse your ticket cost," he replied.

"I don't know. I would feel really bad if I let you do that."

"No please don't," Chase said. "I want to do this for y'all. Please just let me," Chase pleaded.

My mom looked at my dad, and he shook his head yes. "Okay," my mom said. "I guess we are watching the race from your pit box."

"Thank you so much, ma'am," Chase said.

"This is gonna be awesome," my dad admitted.

"Well, sir," Chase added. "That's the plan." My dad smiled, and Chase handed them the passes that gave them access to Chase's pit box.

"I hate to leave, but we have to go in order to make it to driver intros on time," Chase said.

"That's fine. I'd hate to make you late," my mom said.

"I'll come get you before the race starts, and I'll take you to the box," I said.

"You may not have to do that," Chase said. He pointed, and I looked at the direction he was pointing. His parents were walking towards us. He introduced his parents to mine, and asked Bill to stay with them and show them where they need to go and when they need to be there. Bill gladly told him yes, and Bill and my dad instantly started talking about racing. Cindy and my mom started talking about us, and Chase and I left for driver introductions.

When we got to driver introductions, Chase and I separated so he could walk across the stage. I found Emily standing right by the stairs at the edge of the stage. Ryan came off the stage before Chase, and when he came off the stage, he grabbed Emily's hand. She followed him over to the truck that was waiting to parade Ryan around the track. Thinking she was going to come back to me, she was backing away from the truck as Ryan got in the bed of it. Instead, he grabbed her arm and helped her into the bed with him. The crowd roared at the sight of their beloved (and supposedly single) Ryan Blaney with a girl.

I cheered for her, laughing hysterically at her facial reaction. She was so embarrassed, and all she could do was laugh. Ryan held her hand, and the truck took off. Meanwhile, Chase had come onto the stage, and I clapped wildly for him. He was presented with the pole award, and various other recognitions. He came off the stage, and did the same thing as Ryan; he grabbed my hand. He led me to the truck, while I was thinking there was no way he was going to let me ride in the driver parade with him. However, when we reached the truck, he motioned me to get in, and let me go first.

Once again, the crowd went wild with the sight of their most beloved driver with a girl, except this time, they were even more loud. Chase held my hand while I laughed and wondered if all this was just a dream. He lifted my hand into the air to let the crowd see that he was holding it, then let it back down. He waved to the crowd, and so did I.

When the truck made its lap around the track, Chase and I jumped out of the truck. I asked him, "Did that really just happen?"

He smiled the biggest smile and said, "Yes ma'am. It did."

Emily and I started fangirling when we met back up, and we all walked over to Pit Lane for the prayer and Star Spangled Banner. I stood beside Chase, hand in hand with him during the prayer, and Emily stood beside Ryan doing the same. I could not believe that all this was happening. It was surreal, but I loved it. Not because I was in the spotlight or living my dreams, but because I was with Chase. After the pre-race ceremonies, Chase had to get into his car. I gave him a hug and told him how much I believed in him and that I knew he could win. He got into his car, and before they put the window net up, I formed my hand into the rock and roll sign and said, "Rock and roll, Chase."

He did the same as I did, and winked at me before shutting the visor on his helmet. Next thing I knew, the call to fire the engines was made. "GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES!" The track came alive with the sound of the cars and the crowd. Emily and I climbed over the wall, and I climbed up into Chase's pit box. Emily went to Ryan Blaney's pit box, which just so happened to be right beside Chase's, so I could still see her. I sat down beside my parents, who were next to Bill and Cindy.

The pace car exited Pit Lane and led the forty-two race cars around the track for the pace laps. The green flag dropped, and my heart sped up as the pace car re-entered Pit Lane, starting the race. I jumped out of my seat to have a better view of the start, and everyone else in the box did the same (don't worry my mom was videoing so I could have that moment forever). Chase was out in front of the other cars, and he started picking up speed when the pace car left the track. He had a beautiful start, and by the time he crossed the starting line, he was four car lengths ahead of Ryan Blaney who was in second.