Morning came. Storm sat up in the bed. Covered by only a blanket in his lap. Cruz was in front of the bed doing what he guessed was some kinda yoga stretches or something "What are you doing?" He asked curiously. Cruz answered in an almost robotic voice, "Good morning Jackson. I am meditating." Storm raised a brow and stared. Cruz added, "Sally or the attendant will be here to order breakfast plates soon. Menu is on the bedside table next to you." She took a long deep breath. Storm glanced at it and grabbed it. He made a disgusted face. "It's diner food?" He growled. Cruz stood up and replied walking over to him. "That's what this town is." Storm sighed "I don't know what anyone sees in this town. It's literally faded and old. You and I are the youngest people here!?" Cruz sighed and asked "Just give it a chance. Not like your moving here?" He nodded. For Cruz he would. A knock came to the door. Cruz stood up and threw Storms clothes at him, "You should get dressed!" Storm pulled his shirt over himself. Cruz opened the door. Sally.
"Morning Cruz. Can I get you any breakfast ordered?" Cruz smiled and answered "Usually there's an attendant taking orders I thought when Mr.McQueen was home?" Sally smiled and answered "Yes usually. But I felt this energy I needed to burn this morning. So it's me this morning. Anyways. Anything I can get you?" Cruz thought and answered "Two black coffees and maybe a fruit smoothie if that's alright?" Sally smiled writing it down. "Two? Alright. Anything else?" Storm came over and opened he door further leaning against the frame. Sally's eyes stared at him for a moment. Then at Cruz. Cruz blushed a little. Sally looked down at her notes "I'll be back with your order." She walked off. Cruz shut the door and turned toward Jackson "Did you see her face!? Maybe you shouldn't have done that?..". Jackson rolled his eyes. "She's just jealous." Cruz snorted with a laugh. "What was that?" Jackson asked with a chuckle. Cruz covered her mouth. Jackson took her hand away and spoke, "No it's cute. Don't be shy." Cruz blushed. It wasn't long Sally brought them their drinks. Cruz was about to head out on her morning run. "Wanna come with?" She asked Jackson. He accepted. It'd be nice. They both changed into some running attire.
After getting started Cruz wanted to get to know Jackson better. "So.. Tell me about yourself then. And the truth." They we're going a slower jogging speed. Jackson answered "Like what? You know I'm a racer already." Cruz replied "Yeah but. Where did you come from? Have any siblings? Private school? That sort of thing." Storm thought about it. He answered , "I came from a wealthy family in Santa Monica California. I am an only child by the way. And private school. Very private." Cruz nodded a bit and cut in front of Storm running backwards and facing him. He gave a confused look. Cruz proved more, "So why you get angry so quick? Could use meditation. Like I do?" Storm rolled his eyes and answered , "Uuh no. That's your thing." Cruz rolled her eyes and ran back beside him. She continued "Well what do you do for fun now days anyway? When your off the track?" Storm answered "Parties or video games. Work out. There's not much to me. Well what about you? What made you a trainer?" Cruz stopped taking a break. Storm stood beside her. Watching her. Gazing. She answered "I grew up in a small place in Florida. I shared a room with my siblings. I didn't wanna be a trainer actually." Storm and Cruz started to walk a bit more. "What do you mean?" He asked her. Cruz sighed and continued. "I wanted to be a racer. I trained. I worked all summers and sometimes all year to save money and put together my own car! I finally had it. I practiced. I was good. I mean really good. I sighed up for a race that they had on a track to get new drivers and sponsors." Storm smiled and asked "Well what happened?" Cruz stopped. They both did and she answered. "I didn't believe in myself.. all the other people there had high dollar rides and they were so loud. And then there was me and mine.. I left.. I wasn't gonna beat any of them." Storm noticed her eyes. She was passionate about racing. He asked "You beat me?" He smiled. Cruz looked at him. That wasn't selfish to say at all. She smiled back. "Come on stormyboy!" She hit his shoulder and took off running. Storm took a deep breath. His feelings for her.. he.. he wanted her to be his alone.
The night came. Cruz had been getting ready in her room at that cone. Storm was outside sitting his car. Waiting. Playing on his phone. He was wearing nice jeans and a white dress top. Long sleeve. The top buttons left open. Cruz came out. She was wearing a cute black mini dress. Her hair was down. All wavy and bouncy and curly. Smoky eyes. She got into Jackson's car. He stared. "Wow. Can I just say I have never had a better lookin person in this car." He said with a smile. Cruz blushed a bit and thanked him. He opened his mouth to say something sarcastic. But stopped himself this time.
He sped off up to the wheel well restaurant. Cruz said it was the nicer one of the few. They drove up and parked. As they entered they were greeted and asked indoor or outdoor. Cruz smiled and answered "Outdoor." Storm stared. "Sorry is that okay?" Storm smiled. "Ofcorse. If that's what you want." He answered. They were seated. There were a few couples dancing to the music. It was just simple piano and violin music. Nothing crazy. Storm spoke up, "It's very.. it's actually nice this place. It's not like the diner down town." Cruz smiled and replied "See!? Just gotta give the town a chance." Storm nodded. He noticed and mentioned, "Isn't that Lightning and his wife?" He stared. Cruz glanced over. It was. Lightning wore a suit. Just without the tie. Sally a long red maxi dress with spaghetti straps. Her platinum hair glistened from the dim lights. Cruz gazed and spoke "Aren't they amazing together?" Storm raised a brow and gave Cruz a look before answering. "I guess?" Cruz added in "Don't you want that someday. The loyalty. Stability.. Passion?" Storm rolled his eyes and answered, "More like a sentence. I'm not one to settle down with one.. um.." he stopped and stared at Cruz. She was listening.. "Um.. Well I've never thought about it really." He cleared his throat a bit. Cruz nodded. The waiter came to order drinks. Cruz started to speak but Storm stopped her, "No wait. Let me get this. I'll bet I can get you the right drink?" Cruz let him guess and try. Storm spoke up, "For me an old fashioned cocktail. For the lady a... Appletini?" Cruz shook her head, "Bloody Mary?" Cruz answered "No please no.. um..." "I can get this. Hold on.. a... hurricane?" Cruz stared.. she answered "Please no.. let me get this. Okay?.. water. Just water. With lemon and lime slice on the side..". The waiter gave them a look and went off. Storm smiled awkwardly. Cruz spoke up. "You don't do this much?.. do you?" Storm didn't answer. They got their drinks. "Can I take your orders?" Storm looked at Cruz. Cruz answered "Salad for me please." Storm glanced at the menu and answered "Get me the soup of the day. I'll give it a try." The waiter left. Storm gazed at Cruz who was watching some the other couples dance.
Storm noticed. "You wanna dance?" Cruz's eyes got big and open as she stared at Storm. "I.. I don't dance well. Remember?" Storm rolled his eyes and stood up and held out his hand. "Follow me?" Cruz took his hand slowly. Storm lead her out and put his hands on her hips. Cruz rested her on his shoudkers. He swayed her. In slow fielded. Gazing into her eyes. People realized. And noticed. They stared. Lighting and Sally did to. Sally noticed first. And patted Lightning's arm and nodded their direction. He looked. Cruz seemed happy. Dancing with Storm. They danced for a few minutes. They sat back down. As they did Storm bumped the table. The drinks spilt over all over Cruz! "Oh my god!.. I am so sorry! Here!" He grabbed he napkins and patted her dress down.. Cruz smiled awkwardly.. "Jackson?.." he stopped and looked in her eyes. Cruz continued. "Get up... people are staring?.." Storm swollowed and got up. Sitting back down in his seat. He smiled awkwardly. Food came out and new drinks... "I am so sorry again.. I'm not usually clumsy." Cruz giggled a bit. It made Storm a little angry. But he took a deep breath and held it inside. They ate some. Storm more less picked at his. Cruz spoke "Its chiller out isn't it?" Storm rolled his eyes. He spoke up "Again I am sorry. It's my fault." Cruz smiled. Storm was sweating. His hands felt clammy. He didn't understand what was wrong with him. His sleeve caught onto the table cloth. He tried to untangle it. As Cruz talked, "So Tell
Me about what got you into racing Jackson?" Jackson Storm still messing with the button and sleeve of his shirt as he answered, "Actually when I was a kid I got to do this nascar experience thing where I got to ride around with an actual racer". He struggled with his sleeve but continued. "I was like wow! This is amazing. And I got into it. My parents got me whatever I wanted or needed to start racing. I went to a side school kinda thing. Then.." he paused. Cruz waited.. "Then.. I needed to get out of my home. I left to a sponsorship race..". His voice started to sound harsher, "And I got a contract and started small but made my way up within a year or so!" He jerked his sleeve and the entire table spilt over. Everyone stared. But at least the cloth was not stuck anymore.. Cruz pulled the table up easily. Storm stood up and helped. The waiter came over to help clean up. Another waiter came by and slipped in the soup on the floor dropping spaghetti all over Storm's hair, face, and shirt!..
Everyone gasped. Storm wiped his face with his hands and grabbed the noodles off his hair.. Cruz stood facing him and asked "You Okay?..". He was furious. He was embarrassed.. he wanted to impress Cruz so much.. for the first time he felt his heart brake a bit.. this date couldn't get worse!.. he took a step toward Cruz and opened his mouth to speak, but he himself slipped in the soup now and fell into Cruz. He fell right on top of her knocking her down. "AAH!" He yelled a bit. He used his arms to lifer himself above Cruz. She layed there under him.. now covered in a bit of marinara sauce herself..
Storm was hurt. He couldn't believe this date! Nothing could be worse!.. he heard a few cameras take photos. This was gonna be aweful!.. Lightning came over and stood above them. He reached his hand down. "Need a hand?" He said softly. Storm stared at him.. he was mad.. he looked mad.. he got up without Lightning's help. He stood up. Lightning helped Cruz up. Then gave her his jacket to cover herself up and keep the chill off. Storm was embarrassed. And now Lightning was saving the day he thought to himself. Storm spoke up, "All I can do right is race Cruz!? That's why I got into racing!" Cruz and Lightning stared at him. Cruz frowned a bit. He was upset. She didn't know what to say.. she walked over to Storm and swiped some sauce off his shirt with her finger and licked her finger and moaned of delight and joked, "Mmmm this is really good. Think I'll take mine to go?" She winked. Jackson couldn't help but smile a bit. She did lift his broken spirit a little there. They headed back to the car. Cruz ran up to Lightning, "I got this. You two go." He said. She thanked him And handed his jacket back. Then ran back to leave with Storm.
Wow. That was a horrible date!?
So Storm and Cruz are gonna share a deep emotional conversation. Cruz has a way of bringing that outa people. You guys choose storms past!!!?!!
Does Storm have a guilty past?
He was young and dumb. Got a girl pregnant and abandoned them. Choosing himself and his career over them!? He's felt guilty for so long and bottled up his hatred for his own actions!? (May lead up to Storm having to face his kid one day)
Or...
Does Storm have an abused past?
He did grow up rich and high maintenanced. But his mother was abusive. She beat him most his life. Until he ran away. His get away was pouring his heart and bottled up anger into racing. (It would give Cruz a side of him she never knew and lead her to trust him more)