Come on, Cruz. You knew this day was going to come sooner or later. Just get it over with and deal with it. It'll be fine. Everything's fine.
She'd been talking to herself all morning, trying to calm her strung out nerves. Nightmares of the worst possible outcomes had been plaguing her for days leading up to this.
It's a simple date. That's all it is. It's just a date. In Mr. McQueen's hometown. With my boyfriend.
Who he doesn't like.
Cruz paced back and forth around the starting line at Willys Butte. Lightning was due to show up at any moment to begin training her, and her mind was everywhere but there. The decision to tell him up front or wait until the after the training was plaguing her. She couldn't decide.
She heard the sound of his engine as he approached and tried to collect herself. There wasn't enough time. The moment he saw her disheveled look he knew something was off.
"You okay today, Cruz?"
"Uh, yeah. I'm great!" she chirped with false enthusiasm.
Lightning eyed her suspiciously, noticing every little twitch in her movements. He shut his engine off and sat in silence for a moment. Cruz felt like she was going to explode.
"If you're not feeling well, we can take the day off." he offered.
"Oh! No, that's not necessary- I'm ready! I'm ready to-"
"Cruz."
She stopped as he cut her off, and slowly sank into her suspension, defeated. He could see straight through her. She looked down at the ground and fiddled with a pebble next to her tire. She'd never been good at hiding things.
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you." she blurted without making eye contact. "I just- I didn't want to disappoint you."
This made Lightning nervous. What could she have possibly done that would disappoint him? Cruz had always been very transparent with him, always open, and even vulnerable. Had she been hiding something? And if so for how long?
"You know you can tell me anything." he said calmly, his voice much more relaxed than he felt.
Cruz took a deep breath. "I, um, I have a date tonight. At Wheel Well."
She shouldn't have paused. Lightning felt a wave of relief wash through him.
"A date? Is that all?" he asked with a little laugh. "Is this your first one? Are you looking for tips or something?"
Cruz cringed. "Uh, no. My boyfriend and I have been together for a couple months now. It's fine, I just should have told you sooner."
Something clicked in Lightning's mind when she said the word 'boyfriend'. The concept of a 'date' seemed innocent enough by itself, like it didn't necessarily involve another party of the opposite gender. She was in a relationship? Someone was with his innocent young racer? And she didn't tell him?
"I mean, it's your relationship, Cruz." he was very hesitant with his wording. "As long as you don't let it affect your career."
Cruz made a noise that sounded like a squeaky toy. Maybe it didn't affect her career at the moment, but in the future…
"Cruz, who is it?" he prompted, watching her eyes dart all around him.
She mumbled something under her breath and looked displeased with herself. Deep down inside she knew that if she really loved this guy she wouldn't be so hesitant about telling others about it. It was just… so complicated.
"Sorry? What was that?"
"Storm!" she shouted.
Lightning jumped back at the sound of her voice. She hadn't meant to yell, and immediately felt guilty. She could feel the tears fighting their way to her eyes. Lightning's expression mostly portrayed confusion, but was that also anger or disappointment she saw? It was just like what she'd seen in her dreams.
He was confused. Storm? Jackson Storm? That same young punk that had done nothing but trash talk them all last season?
"What?" he exclaimed before he could stop himself. "You're dating Jackson Storm? But he tried to wreck you! He told you that you didn't belong, that you weren't a racer! He's using you, Cruz. He's gonna get in your head and break your heart just to ruin you."
He immediately regretted his words. There were tears rolling down Cruz's fenders and she was trembling. That was exactly why she hadn't told him. He knew that she knew he'd react the way he did. He regretted the words, but somehow he still meant every one.
"You don't understand." Cruz choked out. "There's something in him, I can see it. He's not all bad. He's been through a lot that we don't know about, and I want to help. I want to fix him. And he's willing to try."
Lightning continued to stare at her, confused. He could feel his oil pressure rising, but not because of her. He wasn't mad at her, but he was going to set Jackson straight one way or another. He was not going to let that guy ruin his mentee like this.
But then he recalled a memory of his own, and took a moment to reflect. His rookie year, he'd been just like Storm. Arrogant, entitled, falling short only at resorting to violence at races. He knew his own past, all the things he'd never told anyone about why he'd been the way he had. It wasn't out of the question for someone else to have a similar background or worse, even Storm.
Everyone deserves a second chance.
That was the philosophy he'd taken on after Radiator Springs changed him. He'd given Cruz hers. He'd given Doc his in the form of getting back into the sport he'd sworn off. He'd been a significant part of Sally's second chance at a happy life. Why should he derive Jackson of a similar experience? He let out a breath and looked at Cruz with a much softer, more genuine expression.
"Okay, hey." he tried to calm her blubbering, hiccuped shakes as she tried not to cry. "Cruz, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. I just- I was surprised. You know I don't trust Storm. Not after what he's done and said to you. But you know what? Maybe there is some good in him."
Cruz sniffled and looked back up at him, feeling like a disciplined child. She waited patiently for more. Lightning didn't look like he was done.
"Something I learned a long time ago was that everyone deserves a second chance. And you know what? What if you're part of Storm's second chance? Who am I to take that away?"
A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Cruz's mouth. "So you're not angry?"
She couldn't bear the thought of him being angry at her. He'd given her everything, and she didn't want to throw a wrench in their working relationship.
"No, Cruz, I'm not angry." he chuckled a little, but still kept a somewhat serious composure. "I'm not angry at all, I'm just concerned. I don't want to see you get hurt. I'm wary. That's all it is. I don't trust Storm, but if you do, if you see something in him, then give it your best shot. All I'm asking is that you're careful, okay?"
"Of course. Always." she sniffled one final time and thanked him with a grin. "Now are we gonna train or not?"