Ch13

Alanna sat down on the edge of the hay that her team was sitting on. Jay was standing to her left putting on his number, and standing there with his board. Tony nudged her elbow from her right, and she looked at her hands. She stood up, and stood next to him. Her number also over her chest, because Skip fought to let her compete in the men's section as a part of her team. She was going after Jay and was nervous.

"Dude what the fuck are we supposed to do on this fucking tabletop?" Alanna heard Red Dog say which caused a ripple of laughter around her, but she wasn't laughing. She couldn't. She looked over to Jay.

"You nervous?" she asked looking at him.

"Nah, it's just like skating around town, except in front of some people who are giving you a score," Jay said as Skip patted his shoulder. Black Sabbath's 'Iron Man' poured out of the speakers, and Jay patted her shoulder as he took off.

"Kay, here we go with Jay Adams," one of the judges annouced. judge announced. Alanna sighed and sat down, and watched the boy skate. He moved gracefully, and basically glided across the platform. A few power slides, a royal Christie, a couple wheelies, and even fell off the platform. While he was getting back on the platform Alanna noticed two Malibu girls giving Jay the twice over. Alanna looked down to her hands but looked up to continue watching the boy with the number 705 plastered on his chest skate around. He fell of but immediately got up, and continued. He soon finished, flipped his board into his hand, and walked off standing right where he was before. Alanna stood up with the number 706 plastered on her shirt. She cracked her neck, and turned to look at the scores that the judges gave Jay.

Two nines, and an eight.

Well these judges are assholes. Alanna turned when she heard two females voices that weren't hers or Peggy's. It was the two Malibu girls or Tony had dubbed them the Mali-babes even though one of them had buck teeth, and frizzy hair, and the other one was semi-okay. Their tastes in girls shocked the hell out of Alanna.

"Looks like two nines and an eight for Jay Adams riding for Zephyr skateboards," announced the judge. Alanna turned to Jay who just shrugged it off. Alanna saw the blonde Malibu girl walk up to Jay, and stop in front of him.

"Hey, you blew me away," she said hopping that line would make him sweep her away.

"What? You wanna blow me?" Jay retorted back, a line that Alanna shook her head and laughed at when Jay turned to her.

The opening to Joe Walsh's 'Turn To Stone' started playing, and the judge called as she began her routine on the platform.

"Here's Alanna O'Neill for Zephyr skateboards," he said as she made her way around the 'tabletop'.

Hey now the well run dry
Pages of the book on fire
Read the writing ...on the wall...

Did a few sharp turns, and an upside 180 power slide on the corners of the platform that made her team go wild. She made her way across the platform and once she hit the middle she flipped her board in the air, and spun around. The crowd cheered, as Alanna made her way around again.

Hoedown, say showdown
Everywhere you look
they're fighting...Hear the call...

She skated around the sides and through the middle flipping her way around the board the whole time, but when she went for a sharp turn she lost her foot and fell off. Immediately know the judges would be marking her off for how long she was on the ground, she kicked her board ahead of her, ran up to it and hopped on.

And you know its getting stronger,
It can't last very much longer
Turn to stone

Well there's a change in the wind
You know the signs don't lie
Such a strange feeling and I don't know why
Its takin' ... such a long time ...

She skated around some more, doing a few ollies, and throwing a power slide, and manuals around here and there, then kicked her board in her hand and walked off the platform. She stood next to Skip, who shook her shoulders and told her 'good job' over and over. Her team mates got up, and gave her high fives, handshakes, and hugs but all stopped when the judges gave her score. They were all silent for the first time in Alanna's life.

"And it's a two eights, and a nine for Lanna O'Neill riding for Zephyr skates," one of the judges announced. Alanna shrugged she knew they wouldn't take her that seriously but it was a good score. Alanna went to go sit down, where Tony sat in between Jay and Shogo.

"Good job," Jay congratulated hugging her close, and kissing her forehead.

"Thanks man," she said patting his shoulder, and watching Tony start his run to Ted Nugent's 'Motorcity Madhouse'. Alanna couldn't concentrate as she watched Tony skate. He was doing great, and got a score of two tens and a nine. But even as he finished with power slide in front of the team and switched with Shogo sitting next to her, she still wasn't distracted.

What is it with me? Why can't concentrate?

She turned her gaze to Jay who still had his arm around her, Alanna shot her gaze up to the other side to see Stacy competing to the Allman Brother's Band's 'One Way Out'.

Alanna watched Stacy's surfer like routine, and watched him prove to everyone that he should be here. That was the day that Stacy surprised everyone. Alanna smiled widely when Stacy finished and she ran up to hug him.

"Two tens and a nine for Stacy Peralta," announced the judge.

"You did it man," Alanna said but was soon put in her place when a bald man in a red shirt, came up to them trying to be all authorial, and taps Stacy's shoulder.

"You're disqualified, you touched the floor with your hands," he said, and Alanna immediately stood next to Stacy.

"Everyone touched the floor with their hands," Stacy retorted, and then Tony popped in between Stacy and Alanna.

"Hey man, hey man, look the dude tied me," Tony said getting in the man's face.

"Can your dirty ass even read?" he said smacking Tony's chest with his clip board. Alanna watched as the fire in Tony's eyes ignited, and he punched the man to the ground. Alanna immediately stepped back a bit as Skip jumped in as another official came up to Tony.

Alanna heard the official say something to Skip, and he ripped his belt off, and slapping on the ground causing everyone to step back.

"Step up to the plate man!" he yelled wrapping it around his knuckles. The rest of the officials stood back but one. Skip unraveled the belt from his grasp realizing that it was time to nagotiate, "These kids are at a tender age...give 'em a break man."

The official sighed, "Fine...but your boy who punched my official is out," he said pointing his gaze to Tony. Who immediately got pissed off and pushed everyone out of the way and walked off.

Well that was eventful...

"And first place goes to Stacy Peralta, an independent skater with a great surf style," said the announcer as Stacy went up and accepted his first place trophy.

Alanna looked over to Tony who was sitting next to Blanca who came with Kathy Alva, who seemed to be supporting Stacy. At the thought Alanna raised an eyebrow.

"And our second place trophy goes to Jay Adams," the announcer said again, but when Jay went up to accept the trophy he grabbed the blonde lady who was giving out the trophies and kissed her smack on the lips. And at this sight Alanna's insides tore.

Does he want me or not?

Jay made his was back down and sat down next to Biniak.

"And third place goes to Alanna O'Neill for Zephyr Skateboards," the announcer called to Alanna as she went up to get her award. She walked back down, and passed everyone and to Skips car. She just wanted to go home.

But what's waiting for me there?

Alanna slept in the backseat of Skips darkened car. Her head was leaning on the door, and breathed peacefully. Jay looked across the moonlit car to her. They were even close to his house yet, so Jay laid his head down on Alanna's stomach, but looked up at her face. At the moment he was so tempted, and his arm crept around her stomach and rested on her back. He sat up closer to her face, looked at it in the darkness. On the section of the highway they were on, there were no streetlights, and Skip was in a daze of driving in the front seat.

I can kiss her now. She'd wake up though.

Millions of thoughts ran through Jay's head, and he sighed frustratedly. He leaned his head down close to her lips to the point where he could feel her breath on his skin, sending shivers up and down his spine. He leaned down on her, and she stirred a bit. Leaning his head down a little, his lips brushed hers, and opened his green eyes to see if she had noticed, but was still sound asleep. A bump on the highway gave Jay the push he needed as his lips crushed down to hers. He sat there for a minute.

It all worked out. He was kissing her. One problem.

She was asleep, or so he thought. He was about to pull back when he felt a hand on his stomach, and Alanna's lips moving against his. He was surprised for a moment until he noticed the taste of alcohol.

When had she been able to drink?

The diner immediately shot into Jay's head when he noticed her drinking out of a bottle but didn't know what was in it. After the competition they had all went to the diner to eat, and where Stacy was made part of the Zephyr team. He should've been watching after her.

He couldn't do this to her when she was drunk, so he pulled back only to be pulled back down by his neck, and have his lips crushed into hers. He shook his head in the kiss, and pulled away harder than she can pull him back. She let go and he looked at her brown eyes in the dark with the dimmest of moonlight on her. Jay scooted over back to his side of the car, and left her laying there.

Alanna sighed.

I thought he wanted this? She thought to herself, and sat up.

For the next half an hour the car was silent neither one knowing what to say or what not to say.

And so it goes.

A/N : Yeah, I need to get a little out in the end. You know we all needed it. With all this suspense and serious issues we needed a little romance there. Even if they were a little unsure about what they were doing. Love isn't always certain you know? So yeah since it's after Del Mar the story will be getting more serious and this is where the fame comes in and starts everything. Keep the reviews coming, I love you guys. Glad you like it!

Nat