Author's Note: As always, thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you've enjoyed this chapter or if you're enjoying the story so far! You don't have to, but it'd sure be cool if you did. c:
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Chapter 37 - "Best Friends Forever"
With all of their pressing questions finally answered and the moon creeping higher in the sky, the campfire group decided to call it a night. The fire only ran on embers by the time the students turned in the direction of their trailers and made their way back.
Except for Jane, who stayed behind and waited for Mister Springwheel.
Lutum sped ahead, giddily shifting through the dirt while Luke let his wheels do the driving with Murphy following behind. The Impala glanced in his sideview mirrors. Murphy kept his stare stern and narrow, catching his eyes.
"What do you want?" Murphy snarled.
Luke laughed under his breath, "I see you're becoming intimate with that view of yours."
"Nugh," Murphy didn't say a word. He tried to control himself. From the sound of Luke's nasally voice, Murphy's jaw could have been wired shut with how tight his teeth clenched together.
"That's right, junior," Luke bucked his rear up, which rumbled around over the passing lumps of earth, "Get yourself even more comfortable with it."
Friction from the Impala's tires pushed dust up into Murphy's grille, but he still kept quiet.
"But don't stare too long," Luke continued with a gross grin, "Because Jane might feel intimidated. Now she is a car I wouldn't mind being stuck behind for five hundred laps. Am I right? MmMmmMmm."
Hearing her name slip from his crusty lips heated the oil within Murphy. His breathing escalated.
"That kiss. Whew. You know the one, right Friend? The kiss felt around the world. I saw it, by the way. Hell, I heard it too. Listening to her hum and watching her tongue-," he weaved left to right, "-sliiiiding around in your mouth. If you got her to make those little noises, I wonder what I can get her to do for me."
The moisture in Murphy's throat dissipated with every word he wanted to say, but couldn't.
"And rumor has it that was the first time you kissed each other," Luke smirked at himself, "You two must have been holding that kiss in for a looong time. Months, even. With all that passion, how long do you think it'll be before you deflower her rose, Hicks? Heaven knows by now yours is well into its season."
Murphy didn't have to be an intellectual to understand Luke's more advanced metaphors and what the Impala was alluding to.
He couldn't resist replying that time, "What Jane and I do is none of your business," he muttered through molars.
Luke laughed, "I said you wouldn't want her to feel intimidated, but it's good for her to feel intimidated. She should fear me. We wouldn't want her being too fearless," he eased on his brakes and moved over so he could drive alongside Murphy, "Guy to guy, we don't want her to win this race as much as we don't want her to actually believe she can win this race," Luke nudged Murphy's fender.
Murphy jerked his wheel away and pulled ahead, "DON'T touch me."
Luke called after him, "Throw away this facade, Hicks! You'd be doing Jane a favor. We both know the only reason Jane is even here is pity," he finally caught up to Murphy, "She's not here because she's good. She's not here because she knows what she's doing. She's here for the illusion. She's here because her last name is McQueen and she knows how to cry to the right cars who let her in."
Murphy slammed on his brakes, "My Porsche would race circles around yo-"
"Your Porsche?" Luke raised both of his eyelids, "So possessive. You speak of her like she's your trophy. Like you won something."
"Damn right I do," Murphy glared without an attack. He didn't want to earn any penalties before they even arrived in California, "And she's a trophy you'll never have."
"Then we have something in common, Hicks," Luke said, "Because soon I'll also hold a trophy you will never have," Luke took his eyes off of his mirrors and went on the rest of the way to his trailer, "Now stop eyeing me, hillbilly. I'm sure you have a racing history textbook to read before your own school kicks you out. For good."
As much as Murphy tried to hold his feelings back, they bled through his pupils. He could physically lie and hide his anger all he wanted, but his eyes tattled on him. When Murphy reached his trailer, the Grand National grabbed onto his trailer's door chain and yanked it. It clanked against the metal frame and the door inched up one tug at a time.
"Hey! I was wondering why it was so quiet. Turns out I only had seventeen of my wheels because my eighteenth most squeakiest one wasn't around!" said a trucker behind him.
Murphy kept yanking that chain, as if every pull tightened it around Luke's chassis.
"Squeaky wheel. Get it? That's you."
Murphy's breathing puffed out of his grille so hard.
"Squeaker?"
The Grand National's headlight glow trembled along the back wall of the trailer.
"Murphy?"
The racer threw the chain against its frame and turned around fast, "WHAT?"
Hammer stood tall, staring down at the young man, "You? Angry? Whaaat a surprise."
"Piss off," Murphy shifted into reverse and began to back into the trailer.
Hammer narrowed his eyes, "What'd you jus' say to me, boy?"
"I said," Murphy stopped to bring a wheel to the side of his mouth, "PISS OFF," then he continued to back up, "Got that?"
"Boy, you got your headlights. You can drive the rest of the way to California if you wanna give me that attitude."
"Alright, I WILL," he snapped. He shifted back into neutral, letting himself roll back down the ramp.
"Looks like I gotta tighten the lug nuts on this wheel once and for all," Hammer quickly dropped his tire on Murphy's hood and pressed him down into the grass.
"GET OFF OF ME," Murphy struggled underneath him.
"Shut up," said Hammer, "I don't give half of a Prius' trunk how you talk to your father or your friends, but you ain't talking to me like that," he lowered his voice, "Besides, that ugly Impala kid can hear every word you're sayin'. He was listening to Mack and I before. You're making yourself sound weak, so shut your mouth."
Murphy squirmed around until he exhausted himself and gave in.
"Good," Hammer gently removed his tire, so he wouldn't scratch his paint, "You need to grow out of that explosive attitude before it gets you hurt."
"You should have HEARD the crap Luke said to me," when Murphy finished pulling into his trailer, it lifted him enough to see Hammer's eyes better.
"Look, I ain't heard anything about that and as far as I'm concerned you got nothing to worry about with that little idiot," the trucker changed the subject and the hardness of his glare, "But I heard what you and Jane did."
Murphy's eyelids lowered, "..yeah?" and his axles loosened up.
"Gee, if I knew bringing her up was the way to tame the beast, I would have sang her name all the way here."
"Please. The harmonica was enough."
Hammer smirked, but still kept his voice down so Luke couldn't hear, "So how was it, Romeo? What'd you do to get her to kiss you?"
Murphy's tires pressed into the floor and turned inward, thinking about it again. Like magic, a small smile appeared.
Hammer chuckled and rested his wheel on the side of the ramp. It weighed one side of the trailer down, "I guess that means yo-"
"I-..h-hey!" Murphy slid down and the gravity pinned him to the wall. A loud bash cracked against the floor. Hammer and Murphy glanced at each other, then down to where the sound came from.
The radio, which Murphy so desperately tried to get rid of the entire ride so far, dropped out of the wall and split in half.
The two boys looked back at each other and started to laugh. Hammer moved his tire off of the ramp and Murphy rocked on his shocks until the trailer stabilized again.
"Thank the Manufacturer! It's gone!" Murphy cheered, "The radio is dead!"
Hammer snickered, "Now how am I supposed to talk to you?"
"You're not!"
"Squirt, you are too much," he rolled his eyes and sighed, "What does that lil' Porsche see in you?"
Murphy shrugged his axles and lowered his voice again, "Ahhh, I don't know…"
"No?" Hammer raised an eyelid, "After a kiss that sudden she didn't profess all of her feelings, Prince Charming?"
"I just know she liked me for a while," he said, "...and I told her I've liked her for a while."
Hammer nodded slowly, "Look at you. You're different when you talk about her."
"But, listen…," he thought about whether or not he should say what he wanted to.
"I am listening," Hammer affirmed.
"This gonna sound insane, but-"
"Everything you say sounds insane. We're past that."
"-but I-...I feel like I've been dating her for a while."
"Doesn't sound weird to me," Hammer pulled his lips in, thinking about it more, "Yeah, no. Not at all. You've known her for a while and you just said you liked her for a long time. Makes perfect sense."
"I didn't feel like this with my ex. When I kissed Gianna for the first time, it was easy," Murphy's attention trailed away as he remembered it, "A car on the racing team and a pretty cheerleader cruising toward him with these plump lips and this sexy stare and he couldn't help himself. It was so simple," his eyes fell to his tires, where he once held Jane's beautiful face, "But then Jane-"
"Different?"
"So different," his smile grew, "...i-it's happening again."
"What is?"
"The same thing I felt before I kissed her."
Hammer covered his mouth with a tire and muffled his voice, "Don't go kissin' me, now."
"Ugh, ew," Murphy shook his hood, "No, but...really," Murphy shifted his weight, "My axles are getting numb again. I never felt like this."
"Uh-oh," Hammer removed his tire to reveal a grin, "Cupid aimed an arrow on you real good this time, huh? I don't wanna jinx anything but you must like her a lot more than ya think," he tapped his bumper, "Hm...there's a word for that, ya know."
"With Jane, she…-," Murphy furrowed his eyelids and groaned in frustration, "It's so hard to talk about her."
"That ain't true," Hammer laughed, "You're doin' a good job so far."
Suddenly Murphy just spoke in one single breath, "We were talking on the ferris wheel and she leaned on me, pressing on me, really pressing on me, because I told her I'm moving and she felt scared," Murphy rolled forward a bit, "Hammer, I felt her fear. I never felt someone afraid of losing me."
"Not even your father when you ran away?" asked Hammer.
"Not in that way. I never felt a girl afraid of losing me. Even when I told Gianna I was finished with her, she just yelled at me more. She didn't beg to stay. She didn't fight for me," he corrected himself, "She fought Jane, but I doubt it was even over me. I think she was just jealous of her. Of something about her."
"Suuure, it couldn't have been over you," he joked.
"Then we drove to the lake and-...and we talked about the moon and the stars...and she took the tape off of my headlights...and when I tell you how scared that made me-"
"Waaait. Murphy? Scared?"
"Y-YEah," Murphy's voice cracked, "Because it freakin' hit me. The entire time I've known Jane, she's been doing it without me even knowing. Hell, I don't even think she knew what she was doing," he took a breath, "She-...always brings something out of me I can't do myself. Like dancing. And driving around to do nothing."
Hammer raised an eyelid, "What do you mean 'nothing'?"
"Hammer. Literally nothing. Just taking a drive with her. That's what she does! Nothing more and nothing less, but all of that nothing felt more fun than...the something. The talking. With her. Under the stars. I felt more attached than anything I felt under the carnival lights," he laughed, "And that's when it hit me...when she physically took that tape off. Even you know when I drove around at night, I never took that tape off no matter how dangerous."
"Your tough guy attitude again."
"But…Jane did," he swallowed hard, "And as scared as I was, I had to kiss her, Hammer. I needed to feel what it felt like to kiss her."
Hammer didn't say a word. He just listened.
"Y-You know? You know what that feels like?"
"Yeah, Squeaks. I know what that feels like," Hammer stretched his front axles out, "And you know what? I'm starting to see what that gal sees in you."
Mister Springwheel was turned toward the dead fire staring at the remaining ash with his rear facing Jane. Jane's wheels were turned and ready to drive back to her trailer, but she couldn't help staying for one more minute.
She noticed how remarkably still he stood. Her teacher would always stand proudly on his axles; parading with an encyclopedic knowledge of the sport. But that time his undercarriage couldn't get any closer to the ground if he tried.
"Mister Springwheel?" Jane said, softly.
The Firebird blinked fast and sniffled away what Jane could only assume were silent tears. He turned his body and looked at her with a faint smile, "Yes, Jane?"
His smile was familiar to her. It was the same one he'd give the class during his lectures, but she never knew the entire time it was only a mask. Springwheel's smile didn't seem so genuine anymore.
"Are you coming to sleep?" she asked.
He hesitated, "I-," his expression froze like a robot computing his next move, "I'll be with the trucks in a few. You should really get your sleep. You and Murphy will be going two hundred miles an hour for the first time, so you need rest."
"I just want you to know," said Jane, blatantly disregarding his advice, "That I bet Emily is really proud of what you're doing. Teaching us history and how to race and telling us about her."
Mister Springwheel's smile faded into neutral lips, "Ah…"
Jane continued, "Something my dad told me when the Hudson Hornet passed away is whenever I'm thinking about him or doing something that would make him smile, I'm keeping him alive," she tilted her body to the side, "So know that everything you're doing is keeping Emily alive too. When you say her name and when you tell us about the music she liked. You're keeping her here with you. With all of us."
The Firebird exhaled a breath he had been keeping in, "Thank you, Jane. I appreciate that so much," he paused, "It's funny. You're a lot like her in many ways," he gestured with his wheels as he spoke, "From your racing interests to the way you know how to make other cars smile. Emily would have loved to meet you...but I guess you can agree she's in great company now."
"Tell me about it," Jane replied, "If that's true, then I'm jealous of her."
Mister Springwheel's eyes brightened up and he chuckled, "I'd bet you anything she's talking off the Hudson Hornet's hood ornament," he pointed to the sky, "All those questions I know she's asking him up there. She adored history."
The thought of it made Jane laugh too, "And he's telling her the only thing he drove on back then was dirt and everything was tougher and-"
Mister Springwheel knew exactly what Jane was going to say. At the same time, both Jane and her history teacher said, "-he used to drive to school up hill in the snow without any chains on his treads!"
It made the two cars laugh even harder.
"Ahh," Mister Springwheel shook his hood, "One day I'm gonna sound like that."
"Nooo, you're not old!" Jane rolled her eyes, "You're experienced!"
"I didn't say I was...old."
Jane's eyes widened, "Oh my gosh I'm SO sorry."
"It's fine. I'm just pulling your axle," he chuckled, "Anyway...thank you, Jane."
"You're welcome," Jane pulled herself out of park, "I'll see you tomorrow! Goodnight!"
She turned to the trailers and drove away.
Springwheel watched her leave, thinking about how far she's come, and whispered, "Sleep tight."
When Jane pulled up to her trailer, her mirrors drooped when she didn't see Mack waiting for her. Her gas tank flipped in knots. She remembered why he probably wasn't there.
She reached her axle to press the door switch, but a voice stole her senses, and her mirrors perked up again.
"You never know," said the man's voice. She recognized it as Hammer's, "This could be your first serious relationship."
Jane scurried away from the back of Mack's trailer and turned off her headlights. She hid around the side.
"It's her first relationship," replied a younger voice, "And you know how that goes. Besides, she wouldn't be my first serious girl. Gianna and I were serious at one point."
Jane gasped and she slowly peeked around the corner to find Hammer speaking to her frien-
Boyfriend.
"How serious were you?" Hammer asked, "A couple of kisses here and there doesn't make it serious."
Murphy raised his eyelids and gave him a silent look.
"Oh-..oh, you mean you two-..you and Gianna were-," he whispered, "-together."
"If you know what I mean."
"Time for the talk," Hammer exhaled, "Didn't think I'd ever have to do this in my life, buuut," he took a deep breath in.
"HAMMER."
The truck laughed, "Apparently you don't need it anyway," he rolled his eyes, "Look, you two are young adults now. You're both at this bizarre age when you're both over one year old, so you're legally adults, but you're still so young. We've all been there. You feel like no one understands you. Want to be independent and make choices, but you still need help whether you wanna admit it or not."
"It's frustrating," Murphy admitted.
"Well, sure. I can hear it in your voice that you're so worried about this, but Jane isn't going to treat you like Gianna did. Gianna - at least the way you talk about her - sounds like one of those cars who stays an idiot forever," he chuckled, "You know the type. In fact-," the truck looked Murphy up and down, "-I'm still trying to figure out if you fall into the same category."
Murphy furrowed his eyelids, "You don't have an off button somewhere, do you?"
Hammer grinned, "No, do you?"
Murphy sighed and got back on subject, "I still remember how weird it felt."
"I ain't ever heard a man describe makin' love to his girlfriend as weird."
"Love? Mm...not so sure if I'd call it that…and that's ex-girlfriend," Murphy corrected. He shrugged, "...I guess I pictured it differently," he thought about how he could put it into words, "I thought we were going to do it after homecoming when it'd be even a little special, since I couldn't go to prom with her," he bit his bottom lip, "Something...more than being pushed onto my bed and just going at it."
Jane frowned, listening to his voice change.
"It felt great...but-...you know, to find out she gave her chassis for me to become a man only to be with another guy at the same time," his left eyelid twitched, "I don't love her anymore but if I EVER find that guy."
Jane brought a tire to her lips. She couldn't help but think about the phone conversation she heard Murphy having with Gianna before they danced the Charleston.
How irresistible Gianna promised she'd be for him. She pulled her lips in, imagining those scratches against her quarter panels which she flaunted before the Genesis and Porsche brawled in the school yard. She could see Gianna sprawled out on the same sheets she slept in during the dust storm, but then she blushed softly, imagining the possibility of Murphy giving her those same marks in her metal.
Her gas tank turned and her wheel dropped back down to the dirt. How would she ever keep up with a frisky goddess like Gianna? Even if Murphy was admitting how Gianna really made him feel.
"Murphy," Hammer stopped him, "You loved her, but she didn't love you. That was the difference. What you got was exactly what Gianna wanted."
"I don't love her anymore," Murphy said again, "In fact I'm pretty sure I hate every bolt in her body...so I don't get why it's still ripping me up."
"You might not be in love with her anymore, but you're angry because it still hurts, and Murphy? That's okay."
"How can someone feel okay with doing that to someone? Making them feel used. Making them feel so one-dimensional."
"Hang on, I can use a lot of words to describe you, kid, but Gianna? I only have to use one. You are not flat. You are not one thing. You said it yourself. All of those little things Jane pulls on out of you. Gianna might have seen one thing. A popular guy who races. But you know what Jane sees?"
Murphy shook his hood.
"Jane sees Murphy."
Murphy's eyes fell shut and he nodded, "I guess you're right."
"All I know," Hammer put himself in reverse, "Is that you and Jane have an entire getaway together."
"So?" Murphy opened his eyes.
"So, make it count," he turned his wheels, "Let yourself enjoy yourself. If Jane is at all as different as you say she is, trust me when I say she ain't going to feel like a job. You won't have to put so much effort into it. You two can last a long, long time."
Murphy thought about what he said and put his tire against the trailer door chain, "I want to."
Hearing those words made heat rise from within Jane's body. She smiled and brought a tire to the side of her face.
"And Murphy," said Hammer, "One more thing."
"What?" he asked.
"Shut up," he winked.
Murphy smiled and laughed softly, "You shut up."
Jane watched Hammer drive to the front of the trailer to sleep for the night and turned her attention back to Murphy.
He idled to himself, staring out in the distance. Expressionless, Jane wasn't sure if she should drive up to him. She stayed behind to decide, but she waited too long and Murphy blinked himself out of it. He pulled the trailer door chains until it shut.
Jane sighed and shifted out of park.
"You got it, boss. I'll talk to you when we get to California."
Jane turned around fast and saw the headlights of a truck rolling toward her.
"If I don't get rest," he laughed, "Well, we remember what happened last time."
Jane tilted her hood, listening to the cheerfulness in Mack's voice. He didn't sound so worried about losing his job anymore. The Porsche stood taller on her axles. It could only mean one thing.
He snitched.
She furrowed her eyelids, going over everything she wanted to scream at him.
"I gotta go," said Mack, finally noticing Jane and the expression painted across her face, "Goodnight…"
With a quiet beep, Jane knew he hung up the phone.
"So, how long do I need to pull Bessie when I get back to Radiator Springs?" she asked, looking away.
Mack didn't entertain her question, "Jane, can we talk?"
She turned her wheels to drive away, but Mack reached an axle over to block her.
She stopped, only to glare at him.
"I want to talk to you," he said, "I'm not your father. I get it, but Jane it's me. We're family. Either way, you and I are family. So don't drive away. We're far enough from home. Don't make it feel even farther away."
Jane's body jerked forward and Mack knew that meant she put herself in park.
"You're embarrassed."
"You think?" Jane replied. She didn't even look at him. She kept her eyes on anything but him.
"You don't think it embarrassed me too?" he asked, leaning his body to try to get her to look at him, "Seeing you get so angry with me? Do you know how small you made me feel?"
Jane responded with his own question, "Do you know how small you made me feel?" she moved her treads against the grass such that every little blade slid between them. She pulled each blade out one at a time, "I'm not a little girl anymore, Mack. I don't understand why everyone in town doesn't understand me," she began to roll in neutral, letting herself wander as she continued to speak, "I'm monitored all of the time. Dad wouldn't even let me race because of Doctor Freudliner. If he never met Murphy, I'd be in Radiator Springs working at Flo's for the Summer."
"Jane, you were stolen from us."
"Mack, I-," she exhaled and thought about it, "I know I was taken away, but that was a long time ago. Everything that started this whole thing was a long time ago. I was a baby. I was stolen. I started school. A psychologist. Doc died. I met Murphy. Everything was a long time ago."
Mack frowned, subtly.
"Thinking about Vermella scares me as much as it scares all of you, but I let her go. If I can let her go, so can the town."
Mack nodded every few words, "I know," letting her speak.
"I can't go after a Piston Cup if I'm too busy focusing on her. I can't live my life either."
"I understand , Jane," he rolled closer, "I said I was sorry. I even gave you more time with...him. Why are you still so mad at me?"
"I'm not so mad anymore...but it was 'cause you looked at me like I'm some sleazy girl."
"Maybe I did," Mack admitted, "I was concerned is all."
"Like you caught me doing drugs or you just saw Murphy-"
"Hey, I thought you did smoke that cigarette with him. It was right next to you, after all."
"But I didn't," she said. She finally turned to face him, "Don't you think y'all raised me better than that?"
His eyes softened, "I know for certain we did," he looked at her, "I'm just happy you're looking at me again."
"Y-...Yeah...well..," she ripped a couple more blades of grass out of the dirt.
"Let's face it, Jane," he shrugged, "Maybe I shouldn't be telling you this, but if you want the truth, it's that you scare us. You definitely scare me."
She stopped playing with the grass and raised an eyelid, "I do?"
"Yeah, you're different. You have your own voice now. Your own feelings. You used to drive around town talking to all of us and now - all of a sudden - you come home from school and lock yourself away in your room. Lightning and Sally -erm- mom and…dad...might be used to it by now, but I'm sure not. Probably most of the town too. We see a familiar grille, but we hear a different car. She looks different too...and she changes everyday."
Jane listened, bringing herself closer to the ground by letting off her guard.
"But...this is the way it is now, huh?" Mack exhaled heavily, "Jane has a boyfriend."
The Porsche swayed back and forth, "Murphy and I...we-"
"-make a great couple. You don't have to say it," he smiled, "I figured you two would be dating now."
The anger dissipated from her eyes and she smiled up at her friend, "You think so…?"
"Of course I do."
Jane pulled forward and nuzzled her front end against him, "Thank you, Mack."
"You're welcome," he shook his cab and laughed, "Look at you. Just the thought of him makes you smile like…I remember," he gestured to the trailer, "Now I think you should at least call your parents and say goodnight."
Jane's engine quieted down, "But what about-"
"They don't know anything," Mack promised, "I think a young lady can decide on her own whether or not she wants to tell mom and dad."
Jane breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Did you tell your parents about your first kiss?"
Mack looked up to remember, "Honestly?" he bit his cheek, "...no," his lips curved into a smaller smile as his eyes met Jane's again, "But like I said, you're different."
"I'll go call them right now."
"Night, little star."
Jane grinned, "Night, Macky Boy."
Jane backed away toward her trailer again. The door opened up, creating a ramp for her to drive on, and she pulled into the trailer. When the trailer door shut, Jane dimmed the interior lights down about halfway. She slid her phone out of her wheel well and propped it up against what was then a wall in front of her, instead of a door.
She tapped around her phone, roaming around her contacts, and tapped into her video chatting app. She selected her mother, and within seconds, the phone was ringing.
She took a deep breath and wiggled her wheels against the floor.
The ringing stopped and followed with a rustling sound, "Jane?"
The young Porsche looked down at her phone and saw a sky blue Porsche crooked on her screen.
"Is this good enough?" asked a man's voice behind the camera. Jane could tell it was her father.
She giggled, "Momma, is dad holding the phone for you again?"
"How do you keep your phone so still when you do these things?" Sally asked.
"Magic," Jane smirked.
"Honey, it's so good to see your face again."
"I want to see her too," said McQueen, "Don't hog the screen."
"Hog the screen? This is my phone, Stickers."
The phone swung around and suddenly a red race car was on Jane's screen.
"Hi there, dad!" said Jane.
Suddenly Sally was squeezing herself in close to Lightning, so she could be part of the conversation.
"You feeling okay?" he asked, "Homesick yet?"
"Not really," said Jane, "Not yet at least," she put on a happier face for them, "I miss you two a lot though. I just wanted to say goodnight."
"We missed you the second Mack pulled away," Sally brought her tire to Lightning's.
"It's already startin' to look different outside of town," Jane reported, "There's sooo much grass out here! Well, startin' to get more grass."
"Wait until that grass turns into enormous buildings," Sally said, "Then you'll wonder where all the grass went."
"It's true," Lightning laughed, "But you have your gifts waiting in your hotel room, so don't be nervous. They're gonna help you. I want you to look forward to it, okay?"
"Yes, dad," she nodded, "Can't wait...and...thanks again for letting Mack come along."
"We knew you'd like it," Sally said.
There was a pause as Jane's expression fell.
"Jane?"
"I actually wanted to tell you something," she admitted.
"Oh?" Sally looked over at Lightning, "We...have something to tell you too."
"Is everything okay?" asked Lightning.
"Yeah, I'll-...you know what? I'll tell you some other time. I'm gettin' pretty tired."
"Are you sure, honey?" asked her mother.
"I'm sure, but before I go," she raised an eyelid, "What did you guys wanna tell me?"
Lightning and Sally shared a glance, then looked back at the camera.
"We'll call you tomorrow," said Lightning.
"We wouldn't want to keep you awake," Sally agreed.
"Alrighty," Jane waved her wheel, "Tell the town I said goodnight, okay?"
"We will," said Sally.
"Goodnight," said Lightning, "We love you."
"Love you too! Night night," Jane tapped her screen and ended the call. She pursed her lips and exhaled some anxiety out of her grille.
Lightning took a deep breath and moved Sally's phone off the small box he ended up propping it on. They both stared down at it with wide eyes.
"Should we tell her tomorrow?" Lightning asked.
Sally reached for the box and tipped it over, letting a plastic white stick slide out onto the table. One end of the stick read: Pregnancy Test
Two pink lines revealed themselves in the center screen.
"I think it's only fair we tell her before the rest of the town," said Sally, pushing the test over to two other tests she took.
All three tests exposed two pink lines.
Jane went to put her phone away when suddenly it began to vibrate and light up her face.
Murphy's name blinked on the screen above the words video call.
Jane gasped and immediately looked at her reflection in the trailer windows. She made she sure looked okay before tapping the screen and looking straight into the camera.
On the other end of the video, Murphy smirked at the shocked expression on her face, "Hey, lil' lady."
Jane's engine purred from the warm sound of Murphy's voice. Ever since he sung to her at the carnival, he hasn't been hiding the gentle southern twang in his vocals.
She spoke softly to him, "Howdy, Murphy," and smiled.
"What's goin' on?" he asked.
"Relaxing," she nervously rolled her right front wheel back and forth, "...'cause guess what? Mack didn't tell."
"I tooold you we'd be fine," he said.
She giggled, "You diiid."
The two cars fell silent, then broke camera eye contact. Murphy couldn't help but keep his eyes on another part of her anyway. Something about Jane pulled him in. His wheels instinctively rolled himself forward ever so slightly, but he stopped before bumping into his phone.
Jane brought her eyes back to the camera and rested her chin down onto her wheel.
"You look sleepy," Murphy mimicked her and rested his chin on his wheel too.
Jane shook her hood, "Nope. More at ease than anything else."
"Mm? Yeah?"
"I feel so much calmer. It's got nothing to do with Mack though," she softly laughed at herself, "Having you now made a lot of stuff better...instantly."
Murphy lowered on his axles, "Same here. I was pretty pissed off at that Luke guy before, but...I feel better talking to you," he lowered his voice, "Sounds like something we should be talking about in person…?"
"Murphy, everyone will see us."
"Mack's a hard sleeper right? We can drive to the lake again."
"Murrrrphy."
"I'm joking," he laughed, "But I do wanna say goodnight. At least. Hammer and Mack know about us, so…"
"I don't see why not then," she blushed.
"I'll be right over."
The last thing Jane saw was Murphy's wheel tapping out of the call. His last words made her fall on her suspension.
She knew it wouldn't be long before Murphy could never say those words again. She looked up at the ceiling and exhaled, so she wouldn't get visually upset. Everything would be so different without him in Carburetor County.
A knock on the door shook her out of it. She immediately pressed a switch, which lowered the ramp onto the grass. Murphy stood below and smiled up at her.
Jane pulled forward and playfully put her wheel out, "Aren't you gonna help me dooown?"
"Why? You have wheels."
Jane narrowed her eyes, "Rude."
Murphy laughed and put his wheel out for her. Jane gently placed hers on top. She rolled down the ramp and it shut behind her.
Mack heard the trailer door and turned his attention to her, "Jane."
Murphy paused and both teenagers looked over.
"Don't be too long," he said, then simply turned away. He shut his eyes and Jane raised an eyelid with a smile.
He really did listen to her.
Murphy and Jane turned on their headlights and drove off the lot together. They turned onto the road - opposite the direction of California.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Away from everyone," Murphy said.
They were the only two cars on that part of Route 66.
Murphy pulled them over beside a lone streetlight and turned to her, "You were sayin' something before about having me."
"Yeah," she nodded and her engine purred softly, "Being your girlfriend now. It feels the same, but it kind of feels a little new too."
"We can still be friends and be together," Murphy assured, "In fact Caleb and his girl best friend aren't together, but they regularly-"
Jane glanced over at him.
Murphy watched his words, "-regularly...chill with each other. Friends with benefits," he cleared his throat, "But-I-uh...we're not friends with benefits. We're more than that. We're better," he leaned against her, "We're together."
Jane's mirrors perked up again and she looked much more alert, "That reminds me. When we get back to Carburetor County, I have to make sure I throw out Gianna's body wash and keep some of my body wash at your place."
Murphy laughed, "I'd love to burn Gianna's body wash when I get back and pack my stuff," he rolled closer, "Although I gotta say you smelled super handsome with my body wash on."
Jane rolled her eyes and leaned into him more, "If you keeping talking your hood won't fit in your Los Angeles garage."
Murphy laughed, "There's the Jane I like."
"Witty?" she batted her eyelids.
"No, honest and annoying."
Jane gasped and nudged him playfully, "And here's the country boy I like."
Murphy grabbed her tire, "Quiet or I'll plant my lips on yours and shut you up myself."
His aggressive courtship reminded her of the love scratches on Gianna's body. Jane bit her bottom lip and...decided to try something.
She replied, "Then I'll keep pushing you away just to watch you get all riled up," she yanked her tire away from his and smirked.
Murphy revved his engine, "Then the next time you sleep over at my place, I won't let you steal the blankets."
Jane reached for his wheel again, "Fiiine come back."
Murphy happily leaned himself against her and held her tire. Jane pressed almost all of her body weight into him and let her engine purr softly. Murphy's eyelids fell halfway down his windshield, listening to her engine quiet down with his. They rumbled in rhythm with the crickets.
"You're warm," he cooed.
Jane smiled, "And you're comfy," she shut her eyes, "I could fall asleep."
Murphy caressed her treads, "I promise in California I'll let you do that, but Mack will kill me this time if I keep you out here."
She opened her eyes and looked up at him, "R-...Really?"
Murphy nodded slowly, so he didn't disturb her body, "Yeah, we are gonna have the whole ocean to relax in front of," he gestured ahead of them, "Instead of your magic road here."
"Oh! Oh, I-...I thought you meant in your hotel room."
Murphy raised an eyelid, "...you wanna?"
"Want to? I-...m-," her voice softened to a mumble, "-maybe...for a couple of minutes."
Murphy chuckled, "We'll see how long a couple of minutes is."
Jane blushed softly, "I-...hm…"
"What's the matter?" he asked, "You're quiet all of a sudden."
She scuffed her other wheel, "I think it's just that I wanna kiss you again..."
Murphy smiled, "Babe, you don't have to ask," he moved off of Jane and turned himself to face her.
"Then how do you know if I want to kiss you?" she asked.
"Jane, you just...kind of…," he rolled forward and shut his eyes.
Jane saw his lips part and she slowly shut her eyes. Her lips perfectly rested onto his and she felt her motor oil pulse through her engine. She could feel Murphy's lips curving, so she knew he was smiling.
She kept her lips against his until she felt his smile fading and he removed his lips.
By the time she opened her eyes she found that his were already open.
Jane swayed left to right, "H-Heh…," she brought a wheel to his chin and whispered, "...can you kiss me the way you kissed me by the lake?"
"Mhmmm," Murphy smirked and shut his eyes. Jane closed her eyes again and without a second to think, Murphy's lips were over hers. Her lips pulled into his as he sucked them softly. He rolled forward, forcing Jane into reverse, and pressed her up against the streetlight.
Jane giggled. She enjoyed the feeling of him being a bit rough, and let her lips fall over his now. She tilted her body, so their lips formed a perfect union, and Murphy guided her. Their lips pulled and pecked in rhythm, making soft noises.
Murphy opened his lips a little more and slid his tongue against her bottom lip, but this time Jane didn't jump away. Her tongue was already resting on her bottom lip waiting for his.
Murphy ran his tongue around hers, rolling forward even more. Their tongues entwined deep in each other's mouths.
Jane pulled away just enough to breathe, but she didn't realize some their saliva fell against their chins. Murphy chuckled and he pulled her back against him. The messiness made Jane's front axles melt into her joints. She couldn't stop. Her lips traced around his tongue, capturing it, and without even knowing why, she gently sucked on it.
Murphy's engine rumbled, showing Jane how much he liked it. The light suction of her lips made the young man's thoughts race, but he brought his tongue back and finished their kiss with a light peck.
Jane lowered her front end, grinning, and discreetly wiped her mouth with her wheel.
Murphy smirked, "You'll get used to it," he winked, "But now, I need to get you back to Mack."
She nuzzled her grille against his, "Just a little longer?"
"A little longer and we'll both be in trouble."
"Alright...I'll head back myself then. My mind is spinning."
"You sure?" he asked, "I can drive you."
"I'm sure, baby."
He pressed his lips on her Porsche emblem and whispered, "Goodnight."
Jane purred, "Goodniiight."
Murphy slid a pack of cigarettes out from his wheel well, "I'm gonna head back after I have a smoke."
Jane shook her hood, "You're like a chimney."
He picked out a cigarette with his lips and let the filter stick to his bottom lip, "Shoo before I chase you."
"I'm so threatened," she smirked, "As if you could catch me."
Murphy's body jerked, putting himself into drive, "Oh?"
"Eek!" Jane squeaked and quickly scurried away.
Not once did Murphy take his eyes off of her. He stayed on her until she made a turn back into the field and he couldn't see her taillights anymore.
He slid out a pack of "strike anywhere" matches and brushed it against the asphalt. It formed an ember and suddenly the entire tip of the match roared with fire. He lifted the match to the end of the cigarette and shut his eyes, taking in a gentle pull. He shook the match and threw it on the ground, but in a flash his eyes shot open again. He looked left and right.
He didn't understand why, but something spooked him. He exhaled a breath of smoke and stood taller on his axles. Rustling noises scattered behind him and he quickly snapped his body around and shined his headlights at the spot.
The light revealed a rolling tumbleweed making its way into the desert. It ran away from the greenery forming more and more the closer they got to California.
"Hm," he took another drag of his cigarette and turned back to the road. He wagged his right front tire against its roughness and spoke to it, "You tryin' to break my heart again or something?"
The road, of course, did not reply.
He scoffed and exhaled another blackened breath, "If Jane thinks you're so great how come you led me to Gianna in the first place? Or how come you let me follow my father's legacy blindly? Without ever knowing the truth?" he paused, "...and how come I'm talking to you? Ugh," he spat the cigarette out and it continued to burn into the night air, "Guess it was partly my fault anyway. Or all my fault. I can't tell anymore," he lifted his wheel, "I tend to drive away from things people tell me to drive toward anyway," he lowered his wheel over the cigarette and smushed it until it was nothing more than tobacco littered on the road's surface, "But maybe I should follow you this time," he turned his wheels inward, "You're leading me to stars."
"Cute monologue, Shakespeare-," said another young man's voice.
Murphy jumped and turned to the voice in a panic.
"-but your time is up. You reached your finish line."
In Murphy's line of sight stood a red Kia Sorento with his eyelids furrowed with fury. His wheels were planted on the ground with only the streetlight between the two cars.
Murphy blinked twice to make sure he was actually seeing what was in front of him, "...Caleb?"
The Sorento corrected him, "It's Videl," and his wheels began to roll him to the right, "Now it is, anyway," Videl slowly drove around Murphy.
"That doesn't make any sense," said Murphy, "What are you doing here in the middle of-"
"I've been trying to track you down all night. How could I pass up the chance to watch my best friend cross that finish line?" he continued to drive, "But, oh, was it a wonderfully sweet thing of you to give Jane Taylor a kiss goodbye. Something to remember you by."
"Kiss goodbye? What? Are you insane?" Murphy's eyes shifted to one side whenever he could find the car, "If you wanted to watch the race you could have just shown up."
"You don't get it, Murphy," Videl stopped behind him.
"You're right 'cause you're being weird," Murphy glanced in his mirrors, "What the hell are you doing now?"
Videl repeated the Grand National, "What the hell am I doing now?" he laughed, "Not Gianna," he graciously rolled up to Murphy's side and whispered, "Not this time."
"What?" Murphy shook his hood and stomped his front wheel, "Caleb, what the fuck is this?"
The Sorento stopped when he arrived in front of Murphy again. He looked the Grand National dead in the eye, "I said my name is Videl, but when we're talking about doingGianna, you can call me Zach."
Murphy's expression dropped and heat rose from his oil lines until they constricted his pupils and he grit his teeth, "You SON of a BITCH," Murphy accelerated toward him.
"Nuh-uh-uh," Videl flipped a switch blade out from his rim.
Murphy slammed on his brakes just before reaching him. He eyed the edge of the knife just under his grille and froze, "Wh-wh…"
"Your temper is going to kill you one day, you know," Videl saw his friend had his eyes on his knife, so he opened his mouth and turned the knife on himself. He flattened his tongue out and brought the blade's point against the middle of it. Slowly, he moved the knife down to the tip of his tongue.
Murphy's frozen axles hardened even more with a burst of adrenaline, "Kn-Kn-"
"Knife," Videl snickered. He pointed the knife back to Murphy, "The word is knife."
"M-Mi-.."
"School wasn't your strong point. I'm the one graduating, after all. So I'll cut you some slack," he grinned, "Get it? Cut you some slack?" and he wiggled the knife around.
"M-Mi-," Murphy threw himself into reverse, "MISTER SPRINGWHEEL!" he called out.
"No, no, no," Videl said, rolling after Murphy, "No, you're not going anywhere until your RPMs are nothing but a MURMUR and you're last breaths are an APOLOGY."
Murphy hit his brakes, "What did I even DO?"
"You turned me into this," Videl snarled, "A monster. From the beginning. From the smoke gate, to stealing Austin's lunch every day," he exhaled a hard breath, "And teasing him before the holiday show. And making him eat the sludge in the dumpers behind the school. And. Everything Else."
"Th-They were pranks," Murphy's eyes jumped from the blade to Videl, "And half of them were YOUR idea."
"And so was slamming Gianna when you weren't around," Videl said proudly.
Her name made Murphy narrow his eyes, "F-Fuck you," he mumbled through trembling lips.
"That's what you say to someone wielding a knife at you? You really are an idiot," Videl twisted the knife such that its angle was just right.
"FUCK YOU," Murphy lunged forward.
Videl gasped and lifted the knife in defense, but Murphy slammed his front end against his, and the two boys locked grilles. They pushed against each other, tires spinning and squealing, kicking up their own burning rubber until Videl swung a front wheel around. He punched Murphy right in the jaw, knocking him to his left. Videl hit his brakes to stabilize himself. Murphy didn't even think about the pain radiating through his front bumper and into his teeth. He ignored the oily blood rising through a crack in his upper lip. He could taste the tangy metallic notes when he ran his tongue over it, but he didn't care. He straightened out and went after Videl again.
Videl went to pound the knife down again, but Murphy shot the other way, and the knife stabbed into the tar. The Sorento growled, "Stop MOVING."
Murphy pulled around Videl and grabbed his rear bumper, "I'm right here, mother fucker," he yanked him back and flung the Kia to the edge of the road. Videl's wheels hissed from the friction, but he pawed the ground and turned back to Murphy.
Murphy readied his axle and pulled it back. The second Videl got too close, Murphy threw his wheel forward and gave him an uppercut. Videl brought his wheel to his own chin and held it. Meanwhile, Murphy took his other tire and bashed the wheel Videl was holding the knife in. It flew out of Videl's treads and spun onto the road.
While holding himself, Videl limped after the knife on three wheels. Flashbacks of going after Gianna's phone distorted his attention and Murphy giddied up. Videl grabbed the knife, not before Murphy slapped his tire over his. Videl swung his body and tried to slam him, but Murphy instinctively lifted a back wheel and kicked Videl before he could touch him.
As Videl managed to lift the knife off the ground, he yelled, "GIVE IT UP, JUNIOR."
Murphy focused on pushing all of the weight he could down on Videl's axle. Again, the knife lowered to the road, but this time Murphy's push caused it to bend into an angle - rendering it useless.
Murphy pulled his tire away and licked his lips, "Now," he said, with heaving breaths, "Fight me like a man."
Videl blinked nervously, pulling in his bottom lip, but he shook his body and turned back to Murphy. He revved his engine, "C- Come on."
"Sure about that?" Murphy rose on his axles and revved his engine back at him. His much stronger horsepower rumbled through the asphalt and up Videl's shocks.
For a moment, Videl's nerves took over again. Murphy could see him swallow hard. He knew he physically intimidated him, so he hit his acceleration and launched forward. Videl turned to the right at the last second, exposing his door to the Grand National. Murphy didn't hesitate to dig his nose into his side and push him up against the same streetlight he pushed Jane against. This time, he kept even pressure.
Videl groaned through clenched teeth and shut his eyes.
Murphy grunted, "G-Give me one good reason I shouldn't put you in the junkyard right now."
Videl muttered what sounded like language, but it wasn't clear.
Murphy reversed and slammed Videl again, "ONE good reason."
"H-Her name-" Caleb gurgled, after Murphy crushed the Videl out of him, "H-Her name is P-Priscilla."
"HUH?" Murphy narrowed his eyes, "SPEAK UP."
"HER NAME IS P-PRISCILLA."
"WHAT are you TALKING about?"
"A-And I'm not Zach, I swear" he huffed, "M-Murphy, I swear. I-It was an act. I DID IT ALL FOR-"
"Sure, you little BITCH," he kept him pinned to the streetlight, "You can TALK like a man, but you can't FIGHT like one."
"MURPHY, I-I DIDN'T."
Murphy pushed his nose such that it lifted one side of Caleb off the ground at an angle, then he reached his tire underneath him.
"MURPHY," Caleb squeaked.
"How'd it feel, h-huh?" Murphy lunged his tire into his undercarriage, "Did you do it like THAT?" he pulled his wheel back then struck his gut over and over again, "Like THIS?"
With every blow, Caleb's eyes cringed closed. He yelped loudly. The more tender his body became, the louder his yelps escaped.
Murphy punched his underside until he ran out of strength and reversed away from the Sorento. He wiped his mouth and gasped for air, "I should get the Sheriff on your trunk for tryin'a kill me."
Caleb attempted to explain, "Th-The Mu-Musta-"
"You can come near me all you want. I don't care how close you get to Gianna, but you STAY AWAY from Jane, ya hear?" Murphy pointed, "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER."
Caleb collapsed onto the road shoulder with his tires splayed out, coughing violently.
Murphy turned around and hit his gas pedal at the same time he locked his brakes so his tires spun and kicked pebbles and dirt into the Kia's face.
When Caleb tried to get more air, Murphy's tornado of dust choked his grille. He coughed even harder - until he gagged.
Murphy didn't bother saying anything more. He released his brakes and raced down the street all the way back to the rest stop.
"Th-The Mustang," Caleb's eyes opened to slits and he watched Murphy go.
Murphy slowed down when he pulled into the rest stop field and scurried past Mack and Jane's trailer. He drove all the way to his and yanked the door chains before Hammer could comment on his behavior.
Out from the trees and heading for Caleb's fallen body came a Mustang rolling in from darkness.
Caleb heard her behind him and he started to pant, but he didn't have the strength to open his eyes, "V-Vermella, I-"
"Now you call me by my name," she pulled up to the teenager, "After you tried to expose me. The only one lucky here is me."
"I-I didn't mean to do that it just c-came out."
"You were right. You knew how to distract him, alright. You made him see red. So much so, he didn't even think about me."
"I D-DIDN'T MEAN TO S-SAY IT."
"Then, Videl," the Mustang whispered where Murphy let him have it, "You failed twice."