My name is Shyann McGraw and my boyfriend is the ever so famous dirt bike rider, Itachi Uchiah. We are both about the age of 20 but instead of racing dirt bikes like he does, I race quads. We had both been on the circuit for a couple years but both separately thought it would be fun to go to a small town competition. That is how Itachi and I met.
It was Saint Patty's weekend when this race happened, we were both placed in advanced brackets. I pulled into the competitors parking lots with my driving my 4X4 truck with my quad covered in the back. I parked and headed over to the sign up booth. There was one lady there I assumed was the mom of one of the competitors and there was a younger girl there in her gear. She looked at me and her eyes went wide.
"Y-y-you're, Shyann McGraw!"
Her mom looked at her questioning who exactly "Shyann McGraw was."
The girl started yelling, "She is the most amazing quad racer in the national circuit!" Her mom just "oh'ed."
I looked at them, "So can I sign up to race?"
Her mom looked back at me, "I am not sure how fair that is considering this is just a small town circuit."
"I am not here to receive a trophy, I just want to race for fun," I stated, kind of annoyed.
"Well I suppose, as long as you don't care if you get passed up for a trophy."
"No, I don't," I signed up for advanced quad racers.
Not more than ten minutes later I heard on the loud speaker, "Heppner would like to give a warm welcome to the famous, female quad racer, Shyann McGraw, and also to the famous, dirt biker, Itachi Uchiah. "
My eyebrows shot up towards the sound booth, what was he doing here?! I had all my gear on, which was just purple fox gear, I practiced in because I didn't want to draw to much attention to myself, I wanted to rest. My phone started vibrating; I had 2 new text messages. One from Itachi, (who had my phone number, though I am not sure how,) and my best friend Faith. Both messages asked the same thing, "Where are you?" I replied that I was by my truck and unloaded my quad.
It didn't take long when I saw Itachi's silky black hair and not far behind Faith's long brown hair. Faith saw me and started running. I held my arms open and got a huge hugged her tight. There were a million questions.
"Where have you been? Why don't you text me?" There were a lot more but I just waited for her to calm, but the last question caught my attention, she came up to my ear and whispered, "Who is the hot guy behind me? Are you tapping that?"
My eyes got all big, "WHAT?! No I am not doing what you said. This is Itachi Uchiah he is a pro dirt bike racer I have seen a few times in the national circuit. We just happened to be here at this small race and wanted to say hi."
She looked at me and looked at him, without warning she walked up and looked Itachi in the eye, (well kind of he is 6'3 and she stands at 5'4)
"Why aren't you tapping that? She is amazing, funny, apparently talented, which she didn't tell me. She is funny and very, very cute."
I don't think Itachi's eyes could have gotten bigger. Before he had the chance to answer still in shock, Faith grabbed his arm and dragged him next to me. I looked up at him and back and Faith, I felt like I was back in middle school she made a shape of a heart out of her hands and was trying to capture Itachi's and my face in it. I shook my head.
"See you two would be adorable together, him in his red fox gear and you in your purple. I mean really you are cute at 5'2 and he is so tall. You would make cute kids and amazingly talented on quads and dirt bikes," she giggled evilly all through the speech.
Itachi finally wasn't shocked and leaned down, "She is kind of creepy."
I nodded and without thinking I was blushing, he smelt so good like Phoenix Axe, and his hair tickled my forehead. He was kind of hot and talented and well he had a body of a god, and from what I had seen throughout the years he was really kind too. Like if someone wreck he was always out there with the EMT's making sure everything was okay. Plus at one competition he helped flag the little kids' race.
I apparently spaced out, I came back too when Faith started poking me in the ribs. Itachi looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Sorry, what?" I asked looking at them.
"Someone was spacing off. Well I am going to go back to my seat, let you guys talk, and when you can come join me we have a lot to catch up on," she winked at me and left.
Itachi and I talked for a good half an hour and decided what the hell not like we could have much other chance of a relationship in our career. We walked hand and hand over to Faith's seat. I looked at the guy next to her and raised an eyebrow.
"Who might this be?"
"This is my boyfriend Edward, I told we have to catch up on. Shy this is my boyfriend Edward, Edward this is my best friend in the world Shyann."
"Hiya, well Faith, Edward, this is my boyfriend Itachi Uchiah."
"Haha, that was fast," Faith was mocking me with that evil smile.
"Yep well I guess you were always good at match making Faith."
"Wait you guys are pro quad, and dirt bikers? I have seen you on YouTube, you guys are bad ass," Edward piped in.
"Thanks," Itachi curtly nodded.
"What are you guys doing here?" Asked Edward.
"We actually didn't plan on this, I came because I grew up not too far away and had watched this race a couple of times. I always told myself that I would be in it one day and well here I am," I replied.
"I was on vacation around here and heard there was a big Saint Patty's celebration here I decided to check it out and well here I am," Itachi said.
On the loud speaker "Next up advanced quad racers meet at the gate."
"I got to go I will come back when we are through, Itachi are you coming?" I asked as I waved goodbye to Faith and Edward.
Itachi followed me and made sure everything was okay on my quad and the race started. I won with ease but after the race everyone knew who I was and wanted autographs and when Itachi appeared at my side I was sure we were going to be mauled by females and males. Itachi's race was also complete and yes he did win but he also forfeited his trophy due to unfairness. When we finally escaped we met up with Faith and Edward and enjoyed the rest of the night talking laughing and catching up.
14 MONTHS LATER .
It was race day in Seattle, Itachi and I were just hanging out giving each other encouraging words, cuddling on the waiting bench. It was cold and looked like it could rain at any time. I wish I knew the weather could prelude to what was going to happen.
It was the last lap of Itachi's race, right from the start he was doing amazing preforming jumps outdoing all the other competition. He started his 5th and final lap #34 was coming very close to him. I was cheering and screaming for Itachi to win. It was the last jump of the track and it happened.
Itachi had landed the jump and release perfectly, and was on the straight stretch to victory but #34 had did a jump and over shot it landing right on top of Itachi. I stood there in horror my boyfriend was stuck between his bike and #34's bike with him still on it.
I was frozen, a million questions running through my head. Is he injured? Is he okay? Is he broken? Is he dead? My eyes widened at this question I saw the EMT's run over to the crash site everyone in the race at stopped not daring to continue because they were also afraid to cause more damage.
Finally, reality hit me and I ran as fast as I could to the EMT's sides bending down and looking at Itachi. He had blood all over him running from his head, his leg was bent in a weird position under his own bike, and he was unresponsive.
"Itachi! Itachi! Wake up!" I was in tears by this point
"Ma'am you are going to have to get back." One of the EMT's said.
Without thinking, I blurted, "That's my fiancé, I am going nowhere!"
She just nodded and let me stay there. They asked me to support his head since I had my first aid certification I nodded and did what was asked. They then removed the bike off of him. I saw the leg it still was bent wrong and I had no doubt it was broken, with unknown how many other things. The ambulance was finally in the arena. They started moving him to put him on the stretcher, I heard a slight grunt and grabbed his hand.
"Itachi, Itachi! Can you hear me?" He slightly tightened his grip on my hand.
I don't think I had ever been happier, I was happier then when I got my first quad, happier then when I got invited into the circuit, and happier then when I graduated from high school with honors. I was about to climb up into the ambulance when my manager ran out to me.
"You cannot leave you need to race, you have no idea what this will do to your reputation or your career."
"Watch me, and if supporting a person I love is going to ruin my career. Then this is not the career for me."
I nodded and the EMT's closed the doors and the ambulance was pulling away. Heading to the closest hospital, the whole time I was holding Itachi's hand brushing it lightly with my thumb. Somewhere during the trip he looked up at me with his charcoal colored eyes, he tightened his grip on my hand as if saying thanks. I shook my head no, and said, "There is no reason to thank me." He tried to speak and I shushed him and told him to rest and everything would be okay soon.
Itachi was finally in the emergency room as I had to stay in the waiting room not knowing what was going on and trust me this annoyed me severely.
After about 3 hours the doctor came out, "Itachi is out of surgery, he had a broken leg, 4 broken ribs, a broken collar bone, a dislocated shoulder, and a concussion."
I nodded, "When can I see him?"
"He isn't awake yet but I suppose you can go sit in his room."
I walked into his room, I always hated hospitals the smelled of death and chemicals. The blinds where closed and there he laid in the bed covered with a blanket looking fragile and broken. Bandages seemed to cover everywhere.
A few hours later I had apparently fallen asleep my head on his hand I was holding on the side of the bed. I felt it move and my eyes shoot open and up and there looking straight at me where those charcoal eyes I loved so much.
"Itachi, you are awake," I said in surprise, since I expected him out a lot longer.
"That I am," he replied smugly.
"Oh, if you weren't broken I would smack you so hard," I chuckled and so did he.
"Shy, thank you. You didn't have to forfeit your race to come with me to the hospital."
I glared at him, "How dare you think I would continue racing when you could have been dead! Do you have any idea how scared I was, seeing you there mispositioned and bloody? I would rather be no other place but here! I hate hospitals but I would have hated myself even more if I didn't and I what I would hate more is if I lost you!" I was in tears by the end of this, instead of words Itachi used his good hand and wiped the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs.
He finally spoke, "I am sorry I worried you, love."
I looked at him shocked he had never apologized even when we fought we never apologized we just ignored it happened after talking it out.
"It is okay, but never doubt I would put my career before you." He nodded.
A few hours later I looked at Itachi, he felt me staring at him and turned his head so he was looking at me.
"Yes, love?"
"Itachi, I think you should retire," I whispered. He looked at me dumbfounded.
"How could you say such a thing?" He replied sounding kind of angry.
"How could I ask such a thing? Look where we are! Think how you feel and how close you could have been to dying!"
"That is our profession Shy, things like this happen every day and we still compete. Think about it you could end up here like I am. Yes I would be worried and by your side but I would never ask you to retire." He was trying to reason with me.
"Why! Wouldn't you be afraid I would end up here again or even worse I wouldn't be here I would be in the morgue."
"That is a risk I am willing to take to keep you happy because you love your career risks and all."
I looked at him shocked, I could just as easy end up here like him. I do love my career though. I just looked at him. Not speaking for what could have been ten to fifteen minutes. He finally spoke.
"This is going to have to be a give and take, Shy. I don't wish to quit my career I still love the rush I get when I do the jumps and flips. I love the way I inspire little kids to become just like me." I understood what he was saying, I knew all those feelings and agreed they were amazing.
"Are they worth your life?" I asked very quietly.
"I am not sure if it is worth my life, but it is what I want to continue doing with my life. I love you Shy and I know you were scared. I was scared to while I was conscious so many things ran through my mind, but I still love it, I would never want to leave you because of it but I love it." I looked at him.
"I guess this is something that will have to be a give and take." I looked straight at him.
"What do you mean?"
"You love it and I would never want to take away something you love, but you better be damn well sure not to scare me like that again!" He chuckled.
"I will certainly try, I would never purposely by put in the hospital or jeopardize your career."
"Shit! I probably should call my manager to make sure I have a career" He gave me this "what did you do" look. Like reading his mind I replied, "I came to the stupid hospital with you instead of racing."
"Oh."
"Yeah, well I'm tired I'm going back to sleep," I laid my head on the side of the bed.
"Come on, you aren't sleeping like that." He scooted over and I heard a slight grunt.
"You expect me to sleep next to a broken you?"
"Yep"
"What if I hurt you more?"
"It'll be fine I have plenty of morphine in my system."
I laughed and slowly and as gently as possible climbed into bed next to him. He put his good arm around me and I laid my head on his shoulder. The last words I heard before I fell to sleep were, "You are amazing Shy," and "Give in take it shall be."
