Chapter 12: Emotional Short Circuit
A cry of surprise echoed throughout Flo's Café...
-WHAT?! –
-Cruz, calm down, calm down... - Tim stood up from his seat when he heard the girl scream. His expression of confusion, mixed with concern, was evident.
She began to breathe heavily, her face was red and her eyes were so wide that they almost escaped her, totally shocked. From a distance, she looked somewhat funny.
Obviously, everyone inside the V8 looked at her, some dismayed, others annoyed because they wanted to continue their lunch in peace. Just because she was a sports star didn't mean that 100% of the people were going to put up with certain attitudes of hers.
Unfortunately for Cruz, at that time, Flo had the place full of people. Right now, her mobile phone was on the floor, disassembled, next to the table. The battery was a meter away from the yellow case that had the Dinoco logo drawn on it in blue, which was similar to the paint on her racing car.
The device broke into three pieces when its owner dropped it. The usual thing when this happens.
Flo came running over.
-What happened? – She asked Tim.
-I don't know, she... She got a message on her cellphone, and after reading that... she got like this... - The young man answered, trying to explain with assumptions. -I imagine that was why. -
-Oh, dear, breathe... - The woman began to fan the girl with the notebook where she wrote down the orders, she was as lacking in information as Tim.
Then McQueen, who had been outside with his family the whole time, with Sally's permission left the table for a moment to enter the cafe. The voice of his star student's scream was recognizable.
-Cruz? But, what?... – He walked up to the girl, seeing her mind gone he did the first thing that crossed his mind: He took her by the shoulders, shaking her a little. –Cruz, react. –
-Mr. McQueen, don't do that, she may have something serious and shaking her may make it worse. – Tim commented.
-You're right. – Flo seconded. –Don't be so drastic, honey, I'll call the doctor instead. -
-"Mr. McQueen"? – And suddenly... the young woman reacted as if by magic.
Everyone was perplexed to see her as if nothing had happened... Was she acting sick or something?
-Are you okay? – Lightning asked.
-It seems that the shake was a good remedy. – Flo said with a smile, looking at Tim.
He showed her that he seconded her by just nodding his head in approval. Then, noticing that he had almost stepped on a part of the phone, Tim bent down to pick up the mess and began to put the device back together.
The owner of the V8 turned to the other diners and loudly announced that there was nothing to worry about, that everything was fine, and also apologized for what had happened.
-Eek! - Seeing that the guy had started to put her phone parts together, Cruz panicked, remembering why she had made a fuss in the first place.
With the young woman's nerves on edge, her head was only half-working.
-What's wrong? – McQueen asked again, she was more strange than usual.
-I think the message you received was very bad. – Tim said to Cruz and offered her cellphone with the pieces already assembled. – Did something happen at your house? Is your family, okay? –
-Message? – The veteran American racer looked at the girl.
-Yes, everything is fine... – Cruz spoke between sighs, received the mobile device and turned it on. – Well... I don't know... – When the screen was fully loaded, she searched through her messages again... – Mr. McQueen? – She began, as if she wanted to forget what she received, obviously, she couldn't. The search was to find out if this had been a dream... A nightmare maybe, or not. Even so, she calmed down, and now she seemed more sad than euphoric.
It was another drastic mood change, like a person after crying.
-Yes? –
-I need some advice... – She cleared her throat, and after having confirmed that the message existed, she began a sentence with difficulty. - Uh... What would you do, when a person, has not been very nice and what most surfaces with this person is the discomfort and just wanting to get away, but now this same person wants to approach you... With a sudden, and apparently kind, invitation to dinner. –
-"This same person"? – Tim whispered to himself, although everything indicated a description of Jackson.
-The truth... – McQueen began. – I'm not sure what I could advise you. It's difficult because it's about what you feel about it. But... What I did in those kinds of moments, was always approach my rivals. – He smiled shaking his head in denial. – Maybe it may sound silly to you, because I often received insults, innuendos... And that doesn't mean I was left behind. -
-Yes, we heard that you were also a loose mouth. – Tim Treadless commented. He didn't say it with bad intentions, nor in an insolent tone, it was just a comment.
-Well, it usually happens when you are very young, talented and impulsive... When you think you are immortal and no one in the world is like you, when you think you can trample others with your insolence just because you can, but it's not right... – The veteran racer defended himself. – Even so, you can still boast about your talents, when you really have a talent to boast about, if you don't have that clear... Then you are just a "know-it-all" imbecile. –He made a slight smile for half a second. –
-Oh. – It was the only thing Tim said. Maybe because he and all his teammates on the track were a bit like that, but not exaggeratedly like Storm.
-Anyway... - Returning to Cruz. - You're an adult, do what you think is best... If you don't want to accept, that's fine. If you want to do it... That's fine too. Just be careful how you think you're going to do things, and come home safe and sound, mind and body. -
When he finished speaking, he gently patted one of her shoulders.
Cruz finally relaxed and smiled, blushing a little at the feeling.
-Thank you, Mr. McQueen... - She said.
Lightning also felt relieved with that gesture from her. He hoped he had given some good advice.
-Ah! Something else: whatever you decide... Don't come to training after lunch, today your emotions are short-circuiting, take the afternoon. - Then he went back outside with his family. Lightning also wanted to have a good time with Sally and Lance.
Cruz expressed her gratitude again and immediately thought of one of McQueen's phrases: "Just be careful how you think you're going to do things..."
After that, she said goodbye to Tim, but not before leaving him the money for the food, and when she got out of the V8 on her way home, she answered Jackson's message:
"See you tonight"
A couple of hours passed and at Cruz's house, it was three in the afternoon, the time when she usually started her second day of training.
But with Lightning's permission, she was now lying on her back in her bed, like a starfish, thinking about that night.
Jackson answered her midday message, only to give her the time when he would pick her up.
Then, with her gaze, she went around her room again, as she had done since she arrived from V8 and her confused mind could not let her get out of bed because of the weight of all her thoughts.
At least that was how her head felt.
And everything accumulated right after the little accident with McQueen and Jackson's arrival.
In the next few seconds, her eyes stopped at the doors of her closet.
-Look for a nice dress... - She spoke almost like a broken machine. -
As if reacting to what she had said, she raised an eyebrow and sat up in bed as if propelled by a catapult.
-Wait a second... What? Those words are quite strange together... "Looking for a nice dress... To go out with Jackson"... - She sighed and fell back onto the bed. - Damn... I never thought something like that could happen... - And sat down again. - But I already accepted an invitation to eat at the WW Motel before, and to tell the truth, it wasn't that bad... I'm still alive. It could be the same, it's just dinner. What could go wrong? As soon as I finish, I'll go home to sleep and tomorrow, everything will be like before. - She fell back onto the bed. - But why me? Did he make a mistake with the phone number? No, it's not possible, or he would have noticed by the next message. -
She finally sat up and managed to get out of bed, walking to her closet, opening the double doors wide.
- Okay, I'll go, I can clear up my doubts if I face him directly. – She began to search through the dresses she had worn for Dinoco's formal presentations and others she had for the parties after the races. In this world, celebrations were not long in coming.
-Maybe Jackson doesn't care if it's a dress he's already seen... The first one I bought as a gift for myself, the first time I raced in Florida... I found it! – She smiled.
With both hands she took a pale blue dress by the straps with tulle of the same color on the loose skirt, neither too long nor too short, fitted at the waist and with a V-shaped neckline.
She went to her full-length mirror and put it superimposed on her body, but with her sports clothes on top, the yellow furry slippers and her messy hair, together they didn't seem to have anything special. So, after a slight tantrum, she took off what she was wearing to try on the dress.
There, with that garment on, Cruz looked at herself for a long time. She had a beautiful hourglass figure, although she never boasted about it.
-I love it. – She flattered herself, bringing, memories of those first days in the world of NASCAR. She felt so special.
She even wondered what Mr. McQueen would think?
But he had seen her before in that dress, and yes, he made a good comment. At social events, he was kind to everyone in any case, he didn't just compliment her.
Anyway...
Continuing with the search for elegance, Cruz focused on her hair, they were curls that were somewhat difficult to control, they were just like her. However, she managed to make it all look matching.
She had time after all.
Hours passed...
And without realizing it, Cruz left a mess in her room, between clothes, hair, makeup, getting ready after a shower and a couple of cups of coffee, she couldn't think of anything else as time went by.
She managed to straighten her hair in record time and arranged it in a braid that fell over her shoulder, hoping it would last all night without frizzing.
Suddenly, a message on her cellphone...
It was Jackson.
"I'm at the entrance of your house."
-He doesn't know what doorbells are?- Cruz asked herself.
Then she took a light cape that came with the dress, covering her shoulders, she also carried her bag, into which she put a lip gloss, a small bottle of vanilla-scented cologne, a couple of mint gums and her cellphone.
She put on a pair of black, mid-heeled shoes with an ankle strap, grabbed the keys to her residence and after a big sigh to give herself courage... she left.
There, a few meters from the entrance, Jackson was waiting for her dressed in a black tuxedo and a blue shirt
Cruz stopped to think for a moment, placing her eyes on him.
-"Wow"... - She thought, looking at the young man, who looked pretty good.
At previous parties he showed up dressed similarly, but she didn't know why now it was to flatter him. She found him a... "I don't know what"
-You look good, Ramirez. - He showed her his thumbs up. -I almost thought I had gone to the wrong house. - Jackson smiled.
-Ha... Ha... - Cruz didn't know if she felt good about that or not. Was he serious? - Do you say the same thing to all the girls you date? -
-No... Hey, I'm being nice, I swear. - He shrugs. – And, listen, don't take this the wrong way, but... You know, I've been thinking a lot after your tear-jerker yesterday... And I think I feel comfortable talking to you like this. -
-"Like this"? Like this, how? – She felt curious.
-Like a friend... -
-... - Cruz was speechless... Was he trying to make her a fool like he did before?
-Well, let's go. – Jackson turned around and walked to an electric blue sports car he had parked in front of the house, a Dodge Viper apparently. He opened the passenger door, and waited there.
Wait a minute... Wasn't it a lie? He didn't make a stupid and/or hurtful comment. So, it was true that he thought they could be friends... And now he even opened the door for her like a gentleman.
He really had Cruz very surprised. Well, let's give the guy the chance to bring out the best in himself.
-Yes! – She smiled pleased; she was genuinely glad about this. Right now, she walked quickly to the car and got in, thanking him.
Tonight, and although she didn't know that Francesco would also be there, it seemed like it promised to be a lot of fun.
To be continued...
Disclaimer:
-The canon characters belong to Cars © Disney-PIXAR.
-This story originally belongs to me © Shadoru.
-Sorry my bad English.
