Abigail Raines [Raines - Alpha Dragon’s Second Chance

T he world blurred by like it was all just air as I gripped the steering wheel. I was being careful. At least I was being more careful than usual. Id only reached a speed of about one hundred and fifty miles per hour. Driving race cars had always felt to me as freeing as flying. It was close anyway. Except with racing, you got to drive some gorgeous cars. The smell of a Ferrari turned me on almost as much as the smell of a beautiful woman. The world was a narrowed tunnel within my helmet and on my third lap I finally slowed to a stop as the pit crew ran out to help me out of the car.

I took off my helmet as I stepped out onto the smooth asphalt, and waved to the observing kids who were whooping and hollering as I was handed a bottle of water. I splashed some on my head. I was used to heat, being a dragon who was always walking around with the heat of my fire inside me. But the world did get damn hot inside my helmet. I handed the helmet off to a crewman and zipped down my tracksuit as I walked out to the stands where the kids were watching.

That was awesome! A little tow-headed boy yelled as he put up his hand for me to slap.

I high fived all the kids, still catching my breath. I have a bad problem with holding my breath sometimes when I race. Ive improved though. Its not exactly the safest way to drive a car at potentially two hundred miles an hour. Larry, one of the crew guys, cast me a suspicious raised eyebrow when he saw that I was winded and I rolled my eyes. Larry was always on my case about that.

Its the sun, I said to Larry, before leaning over the gate between the track and stands. The sun was blazing down. It was June in New York and it was starting to heat up. That made it particularly hot out here on the race track.

There were about a dozen kids all clustered with some chaperones and crew. They were all sick kids from St. Josephs Hospital where the underprivileged kids tended to end up. My family had donated a boat load of money to the place over the years but a little while back I started to wonder if it wouldnt be nice to do something for the kids to whom we were donating. Taking them out to the track for a couple hours with the permission of parents and doctors had seemed like a nice option. My dad kept telling me it was a waste of time. Id branched out beyond the track too. Id had kid-friendly celebrities over to the hospital to hang out with the children and provided other entertainment. It wasnt an official non-profit or anything. But it was something to do that I liked.

Jude! A little girl with the telltale bald head of chemotherapy grinned up at me, looking far too pale even under the sun.

Hey, Theresa, I said softly, leaning over to talk to her. She was the sickest kid in the group and Id paid her a lot of attention, even though it made my heart ache a little just to talk to her. Her prognosis was not great. Howre you doing?

I chatted with Theresa and the other kids for a few minutes before they had to leave with their chaperones. Theresa wanted to know if I raced cars professionally. Apparently, since the first time shed visited the track, shed started following races. I hated to break it to her that I was only an amateur. I left out the part where I didnt have a real job and my dad thought I was a huge disappointment. I tend to prefer it when the kids actually think Im cool.

Now I unzipped my track suit and drank some more ice cold water as the kids were carted away back to their shuttle from the hospital. I tipped my head back and grinned at the sensation of the too hot sun on my face. Dragons like me can never get enough sun. We drink it up like blooming flowers.

Gotta work on your breathing, Larry said, eyeing me warily as he walked out to park the car back in its garage. Cant breathe, cant drive. Ill tell your dad if you dont get better at it. He was kidding about the last part. Larry hated my dad almost as much as I did.

My dad owns the track and he owns most of the cars that race on it. Hes the CEO of Fairchild, a luxury brand car company that makes the kind of cars only millionaires and billionaires buy...and a few that are just slightly less ostentatious. The company has its hands in other industries too, but it was most famous for its cars. About half the time when I drove around on my dads track, I was driving a Fairchild. But I do branch out from time to time. Who doesnt love a Ferrari?

I told you! I said, throwing up my hands. Its the sun!

The sun, huh? The voice was low and throaty and it made me feel like I was on fire suddenly. My heart started racing almost as fast as the Ferrari. I had not heard that voice in two long years. I licked my lips, and squinted at Sierra as she came walking toward me from down the track.

Id heard that Sierra was returning from her long fellowship in London, but she had sworn to me that she was flying in later that week. Yet here she was, grinning at me and squinting into the sun. She was wearing a light skirt and a t-shirt. She was also wearing the same thin silver necklace with the little dragon head charm that Id given her when I was twelve-years-old. Her hair was lighter now; a pretty strawberry blonde, the wavy locks blowing around in the warm breeze.

She was beautiful, and I suddenly felt like a flustered teenager again.

Sierra Lowell was somehow the one who got away but still was close to my heart..

Would I lie? I said, shrugging my shoulders as I met her out on the track. I tried to sound casual but I couldnt stop the wide grin that took over my face and then I was running up to Sierra and sweeping her into my arms.

Sierra Lowell was my best friend and the love of my life...not that she knew about that second part.

Of course, you would, she said, laughing and throwing her arms around my neck. Especially if it keeps you racing cars.

Why didnt you tell me you were coming in? I said, swinging her around.

Id been losing my mind for the last few weeks, knowing Sierra was coming back to New York. Id visited her in London a time or two but that had been a year ago with one thing and another. The more we were apart, the more I didnt want to seem like I needed to visit her. But I was honest with myself, nothing in my life felt quite right without Sierra around.

I wanted to surprise you! Sierra said, shrieking as I swung her in the air. She was still light as a feather. Id always been able to throw her right over my shoulder since back in eighth grade. The two of us had been inseparable since even before that. Id met Sierra in sixth grade at a prestigious private school where Id been dutifully flunking. From that first day on, we were the best of friends.

Consider me surprised, you lunatic, I said, chuckling. Oh my God, Im so hot. Cmon, lets get something to drink, yeah?

Something to drink. Sierra threw her arm around my shoulder as I walked her to the entrance to the locker rooms under the stands. That means were gonna be three sheets to the wind in Brooklyn, right?

Hopefully, I said, wagging my eyebrows.

I changed into my dark jeans and some designer t-shirt that had probably caused a stupid amount of money. Sierra waited for me by some vending machines outside the locker room and I fussed with my hair , pretending I wasnt nervous just seeing Sierra again. I never used to be nervous around her. I hadnt even been nervous once Id realized I was in love with her and that had been about a decade ago. But I hadnt seen her in so long. I worried I would forget how to be around her, and give myself away. Now I took a deep breath and stared at myself in the mirror.