When You're Right, You're Wrong

I had gotten roped into try a difficult trick into the foam pit. Of course I wasn’t about to back down. Especially in front of Mandy. I climbed on the bike just as a wave of nausea hit me. I pushed it down and kicked the bike to life. I sent the bike flying just as black started to cloud my vision. It could have been from my crash earlier but it was more than likely for from the fact that I hadn’t eaten or drank anything since lunch yesterday and I had been training most of the morning and afternoon.

I rounded the corner, focusing on the ramp when my arms gave out and my vision went black. I felt myself hit the ground then nothing.

~~Travis POV

I watched as Lucy hit the ground and rolled away from the bike. Andy and I ran over to her and pulled her helmet off.

“I think she’s got heat stroke.” Andy said. I went to pick her up but Mandy appeared at my side. Andy grabbed Lucy and hurried off inside.

“Stay here.” I told Mandy and hurried off after them. By the time I made it inside Andy had cool cloths and ice packs all over her body and she was starting to wake up.

~~Lucy POV

I woke up to Andy and Travis standing over me. I had been moved inside on the couch. There were cool clothes over my forehead and on the back of my neck. Andy shoved a bottle of water in my hand but I refused it.

“Lucy, you have to drink something.” Andy said. I shook my head. “Either drink or go to the hospital.” I grabbed the bottle and poured the cold liquid in my mouth. I glanced over at Travis but quickly looked away.

“Travy! It’s time for my manicure!” She squealed dragging him away. I saw him take one last look at me before he was pulled out of the room. I felt my heart break. I wanted to cry but I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t shed another tear for that douche. He had made his choice.

~~

The next day I had a race. The Nitro Circus crew was going to be there to cheer me on. It had been a rough night. I usually had trouble sleeping on race night and last night was no exception. As a result I had been drinking Red Bulls since 8 this morning.

“That should do it.” Ian, my mechanic said wiping his hands on his coveralls.

“Thanks.” I said. He nodded his head in acknowledgment and walked off. I looked around the trailer. Something was missing. Usually Travis was buzzing around here getting me psyched for the race. I felt pain start to well up inside of me but I pushed it back down.

“Hey!” I jumped and turned around to see Andy, Jolene and Jim standing in the doorway.

“Hey.” I said trying to calm myself down.

“How are you doing?” Andy asked giving me a hug.

“Same as always. Nervous as hell and jittery!” I said shaking my hands out.

“You’ll be fine.” Jim said. I gave him a smile and turned to Jolene. She gave me a hug.

“He’s here. Mandy just won’t let him come back. I’ve already spilt my drink on her.” She whispered then released me. This made me feel slightly better.

“Thanks.” I whispered. I picked up another Red Bull and started drinking.

“Fifteen minute, Miss McDade!” A brown haired guy with a headset on shouted from the entrance to the trailer. I gave him a thumbs up and he left in a hurry.

“Well might as well get out there.” I said. Andy helped me get my bike to the starting line before he headed back to join the rest of the crew. I glanced up at the crowd. My eyes instantly spotted Travis. He had his arm around Mandy. She didn’t look too happy. A sick sense of joy filled me. If Mandy wasn’t happy, then I was very happy.

A few minutes later, we were told to get on our bikes. I shoved my helmet over my head and climbed on my bike, kicking it to life. I took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. They released the bar and I hit the throttle. In that moment, everything disappeared. All that matter was keeping my body in the right position while I was going around a turn and avoiding other bikes so I wouldn’t fall behind.
The first turn came up. I took it sharp. It was a dangerous move but it paid off. I pulled into the lead. Gabe, my manager was probably going to give me an earful later. Another curve came up, this one a hairpin turn. I hit the break, dug the heel of my boot into the ground and spun my bike around before hitting the throttle again. I hit the first jump but landed kind of sketchy. It took a minute to gain my balance back, losing most of my lead.

By the time I finished the first lap, I had gotten my lead back. I was in the lead for the next three laps. I was on my final lap. I could see the finish line. I glanced back and saw that one of the riders was closing in on me. Time to play dirty. Just as we were almost to the finish line, I clipped his bike on ‘accident’, only it didn’t work out exactly as I had planned. I cross the line just as part of my bike caught the other bike. I flew forward as my bike went to the side, landed on my back. I glanced up just a pile of bikes came down on me. I curled up as tight as I could. I could hear the other bikes zooming past just as another bike collided with the pile. I was dragged forward and hard objects were slammed into me. Then it was all quite. I could hear the wail of a siren. Everything started fading out. The bikes were lifted off of me. My helmet flap was pulled up. Cool air rushed in, hitting, me in the face.

“Lucy, can you hear me?” A brown haired guy wearing a dark blue hat with paramedic written across it asked.

“Yeah.” I said staring at him.

“Can you move?” He asked.

“I think so.” I said slowly sitting up. The paramedic grabbed my under my arms and lifted me to a standing position. The crowd erupted in applause. Another guy appeared at my side and helped hold me up. Pain shot through my right knee.

“Something’s wrong with my right knee.” I said looking at the paramedic. He motioned and a stretcher was brought over. I was helped up and strapped down. I went to take my helmet off but one of the paramedics stopped me. They wheeled me off the track and into the medic tent. A neck brace was put on me and a blonde haired paramedic started shinning a light in my eyes.

“No concussion. We are going to send you to the hospital to get your knee check out though.” The blonde hair man said.

“Lucy!” Andy shouted, rushing over to me. He was followed by Jim, Jolene, Erik, Tommy, Special Greg, Travis and to my dismay, Mandy.

“I’m fine! They are sending me to the hospital to get my knee checked out.” I said holding my hands up. “Did I win?”

“Yeah.” Jim said going to stand by me.

“That’s all that matters!” I said throwing my hands up. Andy eyed me suspiciously.

“That was a pretty nasty crash. Winning is the least of your worries!” Andy said.

“Travy, she’s fine. Can we go now?” Mandy whined. I watched as Travis wrapped his arm around her and walked out of the tent. Jealousy burned inside of me. I took a deep breath, pushing it all away. He had made his choice, I told myself. That was all that really mattered.

“The ambulance is here to take Lucy to the hospital.” The blonde haired paramedic said. I was loaded up in the ambulance and rushed to the hospital.

A couple hours later, I was released with a brace, crutches and orders to take it easy for a couple days. I had sprained my knee but I would be fine. Andy made me stay at the compound since he and Jolene were also staying there. I had fought but Andy put his foot down.

~~

I woke up the next day with a sore body. I slowly got dressed then hobbled my way down stairs. I sat myself in front of the TV and turned on the sports channel.

There were highlights from yesterdays race, including my horrific crash. It turns out I had clipped the guy behind me wheel just right and I had over compensated. Other than that I had looked pretty good. They cut away from the race and back to the reporters.

“Looks like Lucy McDade wasn’t the only one making a huge splash in the race world yesterday!” The only female on the show said. “It appears that Lucy and Travis Pastrana have broken up! He was seen kissing some mystery girl in the stands while watching his former girlfriend racing!” She said her voice adopting a slight shrill towards the end. I bet she was loving this! It was probably going to make her career. I quickly switched the channel and threw the remote to the other side of the couch. The same people who had declared we were dating have no broken us up. Yeah, we weren’t officially dating but it still hurt. Not like I was ever going to let anyone see that.

Andy was in the kitchen making breakfast and Jolene was still sleeping. I was too absorbed in my cartoons that I hadn’t noticed that anyone was behind me.

“He is never going to go back to you.” Mandy said. I jumped and quickly looked behind me.

“I don’t care.” I replied.

“I see the way you look at him.” She said moving closer to me. “You are doing things to make him pay attention to you.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I said turning back to the TV. There was a loud slap and pain erupted in my cheek. “What the hell?” I shouted grabbing my crutches and standing up.

“Leave my boyfriend alone!” She yelled.

“Honey, you’re crazy! The only reason I’m here is because Andy made me!” I shouted back. Andy came running into the room closely followed by Travis. Travis ran over and pulled Mandy into his arms.

“Whats going on here?” Andy asked.

“She slapped me!” I shouted pointing towards Mandy. Travis looked at her.

“She called me a whore and tried to hit me!” She sobbed.

“Yes because you can’t avoid a crippled girl.” I said rolling my eyes. “And I would call you a whore because you are one!” Mandy broke out into a round of fake sobs. I rolled my eyes again and hobbled out of the room.

“I don’t like her being around here!” Mandy sobbed.

“Fine! I’ll leave!” I shouted going for the door. “I didn’t want to be here anyways!” I had gotten down the hallway almost to the door when Andy stopped me.

“Don’t let her drive you out.” He said.

“She’s not. I am leaving because I don’t want to be here.” I said calmly. He placed a hand on my shoulder but I shrugged it off then turned to the door.