Lightning unlocked the door and walked into the home. He closed the door and leaned on it. Letting out a sigh of relief. Just happy to be home. Sally heard the door and rushed over to greet her boyfriend. Before even a chance to happily greet him, she could tell something was very wring. "Lightning?.." She called. Lightning looked up at her and smiled a bit. "What's wrong?" She asked in a worried tone of voice.
Lightning sighed and let the smile fade. Sally really worried. "Oh gosh.. Is Cal okay?" She asked as she approached closer. Lightning nodded answering "Yea, yes. Cal will be fine. Minor injuries." sally was glad to hear it, but something was wrong. "Okay.. So? What is it?" Lightning looked away, but Sally forced him to look back at her. "Lightning. Talk to me." She ordered softly. Lightning sighed once more before getting to the point. "I agreed to loose. I'm not even going to try to win anymore. There is no point.. People will just keep getting hurt.. I have to let.. This car of tomorrow have it's time. Means I'll be getting a new race car to deal with.. Should be.. Fun.." He lied and tried seeing the good in this.
Sally hated seeing her love so down. "Hey.. Why don't I make dinner tonight instead of going out? Might be good to stay in a little." Lightning rolled his eyes saying "Wish I could, but Doc wants be down at the dirt track pretty soon here.." "But you just got back.." Sally whined. Lightning nodded. "I know! But.. Doc is the boss I guess." He growled a little angry and frustrated. Sally hated it.
Lightning then saw her own disappointment and put on a smile, grabbed her hips and pulled her close. "Hey, sorry I cam home all grumpy and layin it out on you. Enough about me and my horrible week. How was your's? Did you miss me?" He teased. Sally giggled answering "Yes! I always miss you." Lightning snickered then kissed his girl sweetly. He pulled away smiling, but then Sally pressed him against the door and kissed him back. Their tongues in a needy fashion tangled together. Lips smacking apart. Lightning gazed into her eyes. "Wow... I could get use to coming home to that." He teased. Sally rolled her eyes then took his bag and asked "Want a drink?" Lightning cleared his throat admitting "Need a cold shower after that.." Sally snickered and shook her head as she walked off. "I'll get you some water." Lightning sighed. Glad to be home, but dreading training with Doc already. He really just wanted to relax and sit down and not be in a race car right now...
Lightning drove the Bolt out to meet Doc at Willy's butte. Doc stood there, waiting. Leaning on his old blue race car. Lightning pulled up and stopped, got out and quickly began whining. "Why do I need to train Doc?... You've taught me just about everything and I told you.. I agreed to loose.. There is no reason to train.." Doc's brows lowered. "You are pathetic." The old man growled. Lightning stared in confusion. "What?.." He asked.
Doc shook his head and continued. "You stink at racing, gave up because of one dam car and look at you. You're nothing but a blue eyed pretty boy looking to get his name in the papers." "Excuse me!?" Lightning snapped. "I think someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Doc stepped up and shoved Lightning against the car. Lightning was so confused. "Woah, Doc! Hey!" Doc shoved Lightning's shoulder again and explained. "There will always be dirty racers out there son. Always someone trying to push her buttons and get under your skin." "So?.." "So you have to learn to deal with it. On and off the track."
Lightning stared all confused and a bit more angry now. "You called me out here to push me around?! What the heck is wrong with you Doc!?" Asked Lightning. Doc then ordered Lightning to get into the race car and drive. Lightning sighed and got in as his coach said. Doc got into his and gunned it. Lightning peeled out and sped off right behind the old racer. Gaining up on him at the first turn, Doc looked over then BAM! Shoved his car into Lightning's! Lightning was shoved off the track a bit and came to a stop. Doc hit the brakes and stopped and got out.
Lightning looked over and yelled "Hey! What was that for!?" Doc approached answering "Dirty racing! Today, you learn how to defend yourself." "But I"-"Don't go off the track." Doc ordered. "Let's start again." he then walked back to his car. Lightning sighed and backed up and pulled back around for the restart.
Both racers sped off through the dirt track! Lightning thought Doc might ram him off the track again at the first turn, so the kis eased up and let Doc have room on the first and second turn. On the stretch out, Lightning gunned it to pass the old man, and Doc let him. Until the nose of Doc's car met with Lightning's rear wheel. Doc nudged him slightly. This turned Lightning side ways and off track into a spin into the dirt and sand and to a stop. Doc hit the brakes on his car and pulled up to Lightning ordering "Again." Lightning was exhausted and didn't even want to do this and Doc knew it, but he was pushing the kid.
Same outcome over and over. Doc would shove Lightning to a stop off track. Using different tactics and maneuvers each time! Getting Lightning more and more angry and thus the kid was driving more and more reckless each time.
Again.
Again.
AGAIN!
Each time! Again and again!
Lightning hit the brakes and came to a stop. Dust flew up and he hit the steering wheel! Doc pulled up to the kid and said "Again." Lightning had enough though and yelled "NO! I'm done! I'm finished! I am tired! I am hot! I am dirty and I smell and I want to go home! I want to go to my girlfriend and I want to lay down and sleep! I want to sleep DOC!" Don't think Lightning talked to Doc like that ever before really. Doc snickered asking "Oh ho.. You think because you got a big name and a pretty girlfriend you can do whatever you want hot shot?" Lightning's jaw dropped. "Not what I said at all Doc!" "Funny. All I heard was whining. Again." The old grump ordered. Lightning growled loudly and hit the dash of the Bolt hard! He was sick of this!
Again.
AGAIN.
AND AGAIN!
Lightning cussed! He kicked the car! He hit the wheel! He yelled in frustration! Feeling like it was impossible. It got late. Dark. Again.
Lightning gunned it wide open down the stretch! Forget playing nice! He just wanted this to be over! Lightning looked back and couldn't see Doc behind him. GOOD! Then suddenly, The rear shook and Lightning lost grip! The car spun back and fourth for a moment and he hit the brakes. Drifting to a stop off track. Again... Doc zoomed right by then slowed and came around and pulled up next to Lightning's car and asked "Why didn't you do somethin?" Lightning growled in anger and yelled! "I did not even see you were behind me!" "Because the dust cloud made by your car. Gotta remember that on dirt." Doc reminded.
Lightning had enough of this! "NO! NO, I don't even race on dirt! I race on asphalt! Nascar! In a dam circle! I am sick of this racing dirty thing you have going! Why are you even teaching me this!? Half the moves you were pulling are illegal!" Doc nodded and explained. "Because I have always taught you to win. I have taught you how to race against good clean racing. Time you learn how to race against racers that don't care about the term friendly competition and would rather see you slam into a wall then finish in last place and most importantly, because I am your coach and I said so." Lightning glared at the old man. hating this.
"Now go home. Get some rest. See you first thing in the morning." Doc added. Lightning's jaw dropped. "WHAT!... Why? Don't I get a break?.." He whined. Doc shook his head answering "You can take a break when your hands are blistered up from how tight you grip that wheel and your back hurts from the seat and your stomach cramps up from sitting so long. Five a.m sharp. Don't be late or I'll only make it harder on you." Lightning hated this. How dare Doc push him like this! Doc then left with a final wave. Lightning sighed and sat there a moment. He was so tired and all he wanted to do was be home with Sally...
Sally sat on the couch. Watching some old tv show as she sipped some tea, wrapped in a warm blanket. She heard the loud roar of the familiar sound of Lightning's racing engine. She quickly shut off the tv and set down her tea then got up to greet Lightning at the door. He walked in and Sally greeted "Hey Stickers.. Late training huh? I thought you'd at least be home by dinner and wow... You are covered in dirt.." She pointed out.
Lightning sighed and locked the door behind him. "Yeah, I noticed." He was short and rude. sally's brows lowered. "What's wrong with you? What was Doc having you do this time?" "Crash." "Crash?" Asked Sally. That just didn't sound like Doc. "What do you mean Crash?" Lightning only looked at her and just went off, "Crash! Over and over! Wrecking into the dirt over and over again! That's what I did tonight! And guess what the best part is?! I get to do it all over again tomorrow because some how.. I guess I'm not crashing correctly! Fuck I'm tired! I'm sore! MY head hurts! Please! I want to shower and go to bed." He began walking off when Sally caught wiff of him and another familiar thing. "Why do you smell like cigarette smoke?" She asked.
Lightning stopped in his tracks and sighed. "I... Because I'm aloud to smoke Sally." He growled. Sally's brows lowered. "You know I don't like that Lightning. And this attitude you have suddenly.. It's ridiculous." Oh Lightning had enough. He shook his head and turned around towards her snapping "If I wanted another lecture, I would ask! But please! I am begging you to just SHUT UP! Just for the rest of tonight!.." He whined and then walked off to the bedroom, slamming the door and going to shower before sleeping.
Sally sighed. He was in a huge, bad mood. She tried to be understanding, but sometimes it was really hard. She tried to see things through Lightning's eyes sometimes as he was always busy, always tired and always working.. But she was to and it was like he forgot sometimes. And the cycle of never seeing each other but a few times a week hurt them sometimes. It hurt her sometimes and now Doc was training him harder. Why though? Sally wondered...
5 am.
Lightning pulled up to the dirt track to find Doc waiting. Lightning parked next to Doc then got out the Bolt and approached his coach and quickly apologized for last night. "Sorry how I acted yesterday.. I was.. Tired..." Doc nodded and assured the kid it was alright and that he understood. Lightning then pitifully asked "Can we.. I don't know... Not practice.. Crashing? I still have a head ache from getting flung around like a pinball last night."
Doc's brows lowered. "That wasn't practicing crashing, that was practicing racing with a rough driver on the track." Lightning rolled his eyes and asked "Doc... Please.. I can't take much more. I get slung around by Kyle every weekend and I don't think I can handle being slug around by you during the week.. Please.." Doc snickered then said. "Well that's just too bad. Let's begin." Oh Lightning hated this. But he got into the car and began another day of stupid crashing.. Over and over...
Lightning came to another stop and once the dust settled, Doc approached asking "How you feeling? Ready for the next phase?" "Next phase? You got to be kidding me.." Lightning griped. "What else could there possibly be now?" He asked. Doc nodded answering "Well next, I want to see you drift up and down the pass." "WHAT!?" Lightning asked with wide eyes!
Doc snickered and laid out the instructions. "Go up the pass and drift every turn. Look out for some light traffic. Though it's still pretty early and I doubt anyone will be on it. Once you reach the falls, stop, and turn around. Head back down the pass and drift each turn down." "Why?..." Lightning asked. Doc smiled answering "Just because." Lightning's brows lowered. Hating this, but this was Doc. And most things Doc did had a good reason behind it. Though Lightning wasn't sure when or how drifting would exactly come in handy on a circle track...