A Little Rain and Some Sunshine

Unwanted Welcome

"Only another hour before we get there." Cruz called out to Jackson who still was keeping his pace behind her. He just nodded his hood. 

"Hey...wanna race there?" 

He looked at her with a baffled expression.

"What? Afraid you're gonna looooose?" She taunted him while also lightly bumping into him.

"Don't touch me." He quickly said.

"Oh sorry heh..." 

Jackson kept ignoring her but it wasn't working apparently because she kept egging him on to race her. Finally he took off and whipped right past her. Her eyes went wide and then a smile crept on her face. She sped up to her rival. They raced to Radiator Springs and Jackson had to admit...he was having a little bit of fun.

"How's the view back there?" Jackson called out trying to make fun of her.

"It's well...it's nice I guess." Cruz then started to laugh. 

Jackson saw the billboard sign for Radiator Springs and slowed down. Cruz passed him up. 

"Hey why are you stopping? Oh we're here!" She then got very excited and kept on speeding up until she got to the little dusty old town. Jackson then wondered if he made the right choice going with her. 

The town seemed isolated. Jackson finally caught up with Cruz and she was driving around in circles. 

"Helllllloooo? Hello! Hello?" She was calling out. Nocar was in sight. That was until the creepiest old black car appeared and scared the living hell out of Jackson. 

"Ooooooh is that you Cruz!!!!??? Oh my!!!! I wasn't expecting you today!!!!! I have some brand new stickers for you!!!!!!" The little old black car slapped one on her rear bumper. It was a bumblebee. Too cutesy for Jackson's taste. 

"Oooooh my goodness thank you so much Lizzie!!! You know how much I love bumblebees!!!Aren't the just the cutest!!!?" Cruz was too busy adoring her new sticker to notice Jackson's look of pure disgust. Lizzie was laughing too. 

"Now, now, now you aren't Lightning!" Lizzie all of a sudden was too close for comfort with Jackson. He cringed at the old car. She had to be what, a 1920s model or something. She was old that was for sure. He backed away from her a bit. 

"Yes that would be correct. I'm not Lightning. The name's Jackson. Jackson Storm." He told her. She then went back next to Cruz. 

"Is this the handsome fella that you keep beating in your races hun?" She asks Cruz. 

Jackson glared at the both of them. 

"Yeah he's the one I keep um...beating...Heh." 

"He sure is quite handsome too isn't he?" Lizzie stared at Jackson who was still glaring at Cruz.

"Um...I don't know if I should answer that."

"Well he's still not as handsome as Lightning that's for sure." Lizzie drove off.

Jackson gave her the most offended look. Lightning more handsome than him? Please. 

"Oh uh hey where is everybody Lizzie?!" Cruz called out to her and drove up to her. 

"Oh they've gone out together. They'll be back in an hour." Lizzie said before going into her shop. Cruz felt that something wasn't quite right. She looked back at Jackson who looked lost. 

"Hold on okay?"

She followed Lizzie inside her shop. 

"Liz, why didn't you go out with the rest of them?" She asked concerned. Lizzie only shook her hood. She looked at Cruz with tired eyes.