Okay, here's the third chapter! (And it's kind of lacking in the "Good Title" department.)

Chapter 3: Midday

Since it was lunchtime, Luigi allowed Derek to take a break to talk to me. We went to Flo's, since helping Luigi and Guido all day worked up Derek's appetite.

"I met Tarin," I said after we received our orders.

"Really?" Derek asked. His eyes lit up at just the mention of her. In this world, I found that his gray eyes matched his paint job, but they seemed to stand out now; a much lighter shade than from a few moments ago.

"She seems really nice," I continued. "Kristopher told me how the wedding is in three days."

Derek blushed lightly at this statement. "Yeah. Everyone in town is getting ready. I believe the last wedding in Radiator Springs was the one for Ramone and Flo." He paused to sip at his oil. "Tarin's really amazing. I'm so thankful to have met her."

I examined Derek's expression. He stared at the concrete floor just before me with a distant look in his eyes, but a dreamy smile planted on his face. The last time I saw that look was on Marcus, back in the 9th grade.

Marcus...

I must have zoned out, too, because I didn't respond to Derek until the third time he called my name.

"Maria!"

"What? Huh?"

"Kristopher says I space out pretty easily, but at least I know why!"

"Oh, it was nothing."

"What do you mean 'nothing'?" Derek squinted his eyes at me and wore a mock sly smile. I laughed in spite of myself.

"I mean 'nothing' as in it is a matter of little importance," I said with a fancy accent.

"Well, excuse me, Miss I-have-to-speak-all-proper, I was just asking," he replied in the same accent.

We shared a satisfying laugh.

Then Derek became serious. "Because if something really is bothering you, you can always tell me about it."

"I know."

Just then, Kristopher drove up, looking very exhausted and distressed.

"Kristopher, what's wrong? What happened?" Derek asked

Kristopher attempted to tell us the sum of what happened. "Wheel Well– just now– giant...bookcase– crash!– Sally!"

Derek and I gasped.

"I can't find Mater or Lightning to help!" Kristopher exclaimed.

"I think I know where they are," Derek said. "Maria, you can probably help, too."

I nodded in agreement.

"I'll catch up soon; you guys go ahead," Kristopher called after us. As Derek and I drove away, I heard Kristopher mutter, "I need to work out more often..."

We raced down the main road and turned onto a street or two. However, we didn't "race" so much as we said "excuse us", "pardon us", "sorry", and "thank you" repeatedly to get past the traffic.

"Where are we headed?" I inquired.

"Willy's Butte," Derek said simply.

"Wouldn't Kristopher had thought to search there?"

"He probably didn't. Kristopher usually takes the wrong turn."

"Oh." I mouthed.

If only Kristopher did know the right turn, he would have found Lightning and Mater at Willy's Butte, racing each other on the dirt track.

"Lightning, Mater!" Derek called. He joined in the race to tell them what had happened.

I just parked on the ledge. Making that sharp turn successfully was a lot easier in a video game than when you're an actual car.

I witnessed Lightning brake sharply and turn around to face Derek. Mater followed suit. I couldn't hear any of the conversation from where I was. Lightning, followed by Mater, took off for the direction of the Wheel Well. Derek drove up to me.

"Maria, can you tell Luigi I might be gone for a little longer than expected?" Derek asked.

-little jingle starts playing- Reviews, reviews, that's what readers can do! Reviews, reviews, writers love them, too! -music stops- Yeah!