This time, Heather smiles. “Girls’ night sounds amazing. But wait a second. Did you say you’re racing? I thought the whole reason why you went into this deal with Enzo Morelli was to get out from Mason’s blackmail.”
“I’ve always wanted to race, like my dad. I’ve told you before. Now that the motorcycle ban has been lifted, there’s no reason why I can’t do it openly. My dad is moving to Star Cove and starting a team that he hopes to qualify for MotoGP one day. He offered me a spot, and I need to get racing experience.”
I’m glad that Zara doesn’t tell Heather about our plans to draw out the dirt bike and catch Atlas’s killer. If she knew, Heather would want to help us, since that person took so much from her. We are already taking too many risks, and if Heather got hurt helping us, we could never forgive ourselves.
Heather pulls Zara into a hug. “I’m glad your dreams are coming true, but would you be mad if I didn’t come to watch you race?”
“No, of course not.” Zara reassures her.
“After coming to those races on campus, I realized watching you guys race is triggering for me.”
Zara nods. “I understand.”
“Just be careful out there.” Heather’s voice trembles. “I don’t want to lose anymore loved ones to motorcycles. That’s why I wasn’t too mad about the ban.”
“I promise I’ll be careful. Now, let’s order some food, please. I was promised some pizza.”
Heather’s sad expression fades away. “Pizza is my happy place. Can you order one with ham and pineapple for me?”
“No way.” Zara gasps. “How can you be my friend and want pineapple on your pizza?”
“Duh,” Heather giggles. “Because it’s delicious.”
Zara doesn’t back down. “No, it’s not. It’s just plain wrong.”
I open the pizza place app on my phone. “Aside from Heather’s pineapple, any other special requests? If we wait until the girls settle this argument, we’ll all starve.”
Chapter 26
Say That You Love Me
ZARA
Tomorrow is the big day.
The day of the race. Everything is organized for our plan to come to fruition. Or at least every detail that we can control. There are still a few wild cards, a few things that are out of our hands. Like the weather—even if the forecast says it’s going to be overcast but there’s a very low chance of rain—or if that dirt bike is going to show up or not.
I’ve been putting on a front of calm confidence, but deep down I’m a mess.
It isn’t me I’m afraid for. Lev and Ares are going to be on that racetrack, determined to protect me. What if I dodge that bike but one of them gets hit? I’ve had nightmares all week where that happens.
In my dreams, the reality of the past mixes with the uncertainty of the future, and I’ve been experiencing different versions of the same basic nightmare.
The dreams all start the same way; it’s the outcome that’s different every time.
In one version, the dirt bike shows up, and it hits me. I tried every trick Dad had taught me in the past few weeks, but Ican’t avoid the mysterious dirt bike. There’s one version where I actually avoid it once, but more identical dirt bikes sprout out of nowhere and come for me from every direction.
Those horrible dreams always have me waking up drenched in sweat and trigger full-blown panic attacks.
But those aren’t the worst nightmares I’ve had. The ones where I die are the easiest ones to deal with.
It’s the versions where Lev or Ares get hurt that terrify me the most.
“They’re just dreams, Zara.” I keep repeating to myself. “The reality will be completely different.”
After our last training session this morning, both Dad and Scott reminded me that I still have a choice. I can still bow out of this and choose not to race.
I’d be lying if I said that there isn’t a part of me that’s tempted to call off the entire plan, but I don’t let that part win.
