Morning came and Bradin got up early to get to the track. He got to the kitchen to find his aunt making breakfast.
"Morning, Aunt Ava," he said kissing her cheek.
"Who are you and what have you done with my nephew?" she asked with a laugh.
"I can't kiss my aunt's cheek and say good morning?" he asked.
"I just never have seen you this happy."
"Kaitlin might be moving next door after the race today," he said excitedly, "How can I not be happy?"
"She MIGHT Bradin. It doesn't mean she will," his aunt told him.
"You sure do know how to bring a guy down when he's happy," he said.
Kaitlin just loaded her car out of the truck and was now sitting on the edge of the back of the truck covering her face.
"Why are you doing that? Do you not want me to see you?" she heard.
She uncovered her face and saw Bradin standing in front of her with a smile. "Hey, hon," she said softly.
"Hey baby," he said kissing her. "Are you nervous?"
"Try terrified," she said sighing and running her fingers through her hair.
He smiled and hopped up next to her. He placed his arms around her and moved her head onto his shoulder. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you, too." She looked up at him. "Please don't let go," she said softly.
He smiled and tightened his grip. "That is the farthest thing from my mind right now," he told her kissing her forehead. "What are you thinking?" he asked. Tears began to escape her eyes. Bradin knew what was going through her mind. All he could do was be there for her to comfort her. "Calm down, baby," he said, "It's okay. Calm down."
"I'm so scared that it's going to happen again," she cried pulling away, "I keep seeing it. I still see it happening now."
"Katie Baby, stop," Bradin said hopping down and staying in front of her, "If you keep thinking about it, it will happen. No one wants that. Please stop trying to think about it. It's making you worse. And, I hate it. I don't want you to crash and die and leave me here alone. I can't imagine what I'm going to do without you."
Kaitlin felt him place his hands on her teary cheeks. She looked ahead and saw Bradin looking deep into her eyes.
"I love you," he said, "And, you're going to do great. You're not going to crash."
"I wish I could believe you," she said wiping her eyes.
"I wish you would, too," he said.
"Kaitlin," her father said walking up to her, "it's time to go to the starting line."
Bradin turned to her to find her frightened to do it. He saw her shake and try not to show it. He took her hands into his.
"You can do it," he told her. She hopped off and hugged Bradin tightly. He held her tighter than she was holding him. "I'll see you after your race," he told her. He kissed her hard on the lips and walked off to head off to her cheering section.
Kaitlin, her father, and her racing coach headed to the starting line. She looked around at all of the people that were there watching the race. She felt her father tap her shoulder. She looked at him to find him pointing to a certain section of the audience. It was all of the people that were there for her. They held up signs and yelled her name. She half-smiled and looked at her car. She looked at the helmet that her father was holding in front of her. She slowly moved her hands, took the helmet, and placed it on her head. She buckled it up and got into the car. She looked at her father and coach who were outside the car. They wished her luck and stepped out of the way for the race to begin.
Bradin watched as his girlfriend got into her race car. He could feel how scared she was to be doing this again. He went into his pocket and pulled out the whale that she gave him before she left to race again. He felt someone nudge him in the side. He looked to find Jay there smiling.
"She'll be okay," Jay told him. Bradin nodded and looked at the race track as the cars took off.
Everyone in the audience roared in cheers as the cars took off from the starting line. The cars had to do fifteen laps in order to finish.
Kaitlin drove faster than she thought she would. She could hear everyone in the audience yelling. She could hear her coach and father talking to her through the microphone as raced. She couldn't believe that she was doing this. She glanced at the screen in her car that showed what place she was in. she was in 6th trying to fight with the person in 5th.
The final lap came around and everyone was screaming their lungs out. Bradin watched Kaitlin's car as it fought to stay in 5th. Out of nowhere, the car fighting with Kaitlin's slammed into hers causing a crash. Bradin's heart stopped when he saw the cars crash. He ran out of where he was standing with everyone following him. He ran up to the scene and tried to get through without getting hit by the other cars that were finishing. People were already gathering the two crashed cars. Bradin finally was able to get through and ran up to Kaitlin's. He tried to open the door. It was no use. He looked inside to find Kaitlin moving slightly.
Firefighters ran up to the car moving everyone away from it so that they could get Kaitlin out of it. Bradin and Kaitlin's family and friends watched as the fire fighters did their work. Bradin's aunt stood next to him with her arms around him letting him know that Kaitlin would be okay.
After minutes of trying to take the door off, it happened. The door came off and they took Kaitlin out of the car. They laid her on the ground and she moved to take her helmet off. Paramedics ran up to her and began to check her to make sure that she was okay. Bradin watched his girlfriend get checked.
"Everyone, give her room," a paramedic yelled to everyone that was standing around them.
All of the people stepped back and let Kaitlin breathe. Bradin saw Kaitlin's family move forward to see if she was okay.
"She's fine," he heard a paramedic say; "She just had a shock to what happened. You can take her home as soon as you all want."
He smiled. He made his way through the crowd and up to Kaitlin and her family. They all looked at him. Kaitlin was leaning back on the car resting her head as she breathed deep.
"Are you okay?" he asked kneeling down in front of her.
She nodded and looked at him.
"I know," he said, "I lied. You did crash and I told you that you wouldn't. I'm sorry."
She looked at him confused. "I wasn't thinking that," she told him.
"Then, what are you thinking?" he asked.
"I'm thinking… how can someone like you be in love with 'the racing girl' of New York? No one else would do what you've done for me."
He smiled. "I guess I might be the luckiest guy in the world, then," he said leaning forward and kissing her.