High Heat – Above normal tire temperature that’s usually around 260 degrees.
Toward the end of my senior year, my life had turned crazy and it was only May. I was racing at different tracks around the Northwest every weekend and when I wasn’t racing, I was working in the race shop or doing homework to graduate in a month. I couldn’t fucking wait. I also couldn’t wait to get away from Chelsea. Since we had sex, she pretty much stalked me.
I had no time for anything; barely enough time to sleep and if it wasn’t for caffeine, I’d be asleep right now as I tried to focus on my mid-term final.
Sway kicked my leg under the wooden table we sat at during our political economics class. As I thought to myself why I would ever need to know anything about political economics to better myself, she whispered, “Wake up.”
I shook my head, trying to focus but the late nights getting my car ready for the next weekend were taking a toll on me and my attention span.
Once school finals were over, it was time for the World of Outlaws race in Chico and then Cottage Grove followed by Elma and Skagit. It was a busy week for my family and a chance at seeing my dad for more than a few days at a time. He was usually on the road beginning in March and ending in late November so we welcomed the chance at finally seeing each other when he was home.
Since I was competing on the Northern Sprint Tour this year, I had to make all four races and place. I ended up driving down to Chico to meet up with Dad and his teammate now, Bucky.
Bucky was a good wholesome guy. He’d do anything to help you out if it was in his power, so I wasn’t surprised when Spencer and I pulled into town and Bucky was standing there with my dad and an older gentleman dressed in a black suit.
Spencer and I got out and approached them. Bucky smiled at me and gestured toward the man.
“Jameson, this is Walter Gains. He’s the president of Bowman Oil. He’d like to talk to you about sponsoring your car next year and running the USAC Silver Crown series full-time.”
I’m sure my eyes widened. Dad and I had frequently talked about my plans for next year once I graduated and I’d made it clear to him I’d be racing. I still didn’t have a plan in place but I knew, just as he had done, the real challenge was in the Midwest and East Coast. Those are where the big boys are.
I reached for his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Gains.”
“Son, call me Walter and let’s talk.”
Walter and I talked for a good hour about my plans for next year. I told him I’d planned on heading to the Midwest to try my luck out there with the open wheel guys and, in turn, he offered up sponsorship on a silver crown car as well as a sprint and midgets if I chose to run them.
In racing, sponsorship is necessary. Without it, there’s no way for you to do this. We need sponsors to help foot the bill. In turn, we plaster the sides of our cars with their names, promoting their products. Why? It’s simple, exposure. Race fans see the products that we use and want the same thing.
Unsure how to adjust to this information, I called Sway from a payphone outside of Chico while my dad and Spencer ate dinner.
“What’s up?” Sway asked.
“I got sponsorship for next year.” I blurted out.
“No, shit?” she asked her voice excited.
“Yep,”
“That’s awesome, Jameson. I’m so happy for you.”
I felt a twinge of homesickness hearing her voice. It’d been almost two weeks since I saw her and, to be honest, I missed her. I also hadn’t seen her since she felt me up in the hall way but things like that never kept us from being friends. We did that shit all the time. I’d felt her up on more than one occasion and frequently slapped her ass. That was us.
“I wish you were here. I miss you,” I told her in a sudden onset of word vomit.
“Well, yeah, I’m worth missing.” She giggled.
“You are.”
The line was quiet for a moment before she sighed.
“I miss you too. Tommy isn’t as fun as you and it’s not nearly as entertaining to make fun of him when you’re gone.”
“Come see me then.” I suggested. “Bring Tommy.”
“In Chico?”
“No, in England ... yes, Chico.”
“But you’re only there for tonight and then you’ll be in Cottage Grove.”
I laughed; she knew my schedule better than I did. “Right, well then come to Cottage Grove,”
There was a long pause before she spoke. “Okay, Tommy and I will drive down tomorrow morning.”
That satisfied me immensely. No matter how much time I spent doing what I loved, I still missed my friends and the normal life I had when I was with them.
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT we were in Cottage Grove where Tommy and Sway met up with us. Sway found me prior to the main putting my racing suit on.
I was only in my underwear when she opened the door.
“Oh, my God,” she stepped back. “I’m sorry. I thought you’d be dressed by now.”
“It’s okay, Sway.” I laughed. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me in my underwear before.”
“True,” she mused stepping inside, closing the door behind her. Without averting her gaze from my stomach, she smiled.
“See something you like?”
“Get dressed. I came in here for a reason.”
“Oh, yeah, what reason would that be?” I pulled my racing suit up over my shoulders after slipping on my lucky t-shirt Sway gave me.
“I was... uh... shit.” She laughed. “You distracted me.”
Turning around, I faced her.
I smiled. She smiled.
“I distract you?”
“Yes... sometimes.” Her face lit up. “Oh, right, I made you brownies... that’s why.”
“Brownies, you say,” I looked around for them. “Where are they?”
She squinted at me in the cutest way.
“Tommy ate them on the way here.”
“You let Tommy eat my brownies?”
“I’m sorry. I was distracted by some asshole on the freeway and, well, he ate them.” She shrugged indifferently. “They were really good though.”
“I thought you said Tommy ate them.”
She smiled. “He had some help.”
I was silent for a moment staring at her. I wanted to kiss her badly. I wanted her. I wanted her against my car, against the side of the hauler. I wanted her. Having sex with Chelsea only amplified my hormones. I knew what sex felt like and now it was pretty much all I wanted.
My willpower was vacillating; I could go either way. My hormones ruled and I stepped closer to her, my hand curled under her chin and before she could pull away, I kissed her.
She responded, kissing me back, her lips moving in sync with mine, our tongues gliding together. I smiled against her lips as my body pushed her against the side of my car, trapping her.
We kissed for a moment before my need peaked and I knew she could feel the results of this. Turning away from her, I mumbled a “sorry” before bracing myself against the wall. She left me weak.
“Now I’m distracting you,” she said hanging her head, she looked confused, just as confused as I was. “I should get out there before Tommy gets himself in trouble.” She leaned into me again and kissed my cheek. I wrapped my arms around her once again to feel her warm body against mine. “Good luck. I drove all the way down here... win for me tonight.”
I nodded arrogantly. “I will, honey.” I vowed with a wink.
I could feel the energy humming between us, building over time. I knew she was attracted to me, and, me, well it was beyond attraction now. I was pretty much obsessed with her to stalker levels.
It was hard to get the thoughts of Sway out of my mind that night but, once again, when I slide inside the narrow cockpit of my car, I was vigilantly focused.
That wasn’t to say I didn’t imagine her throughout the race. I could still smell her perfume on me and taste her mint gum.
Damn it.
I groaned pushing the thoughts aside and focused on the race.
I was running a different shock package tonight I hadn’t used before but my worries were eased when I easily slid past the top three cars in the second corner. I was leading on the first lap. The race stayed green for the entire forty lap main and I never saw another car besides the few lapped cars I passed.
After collecting my trophy, I made it back to the pits to see Sway, Tommy, and Spencer waiting. I let the car idle before revving the engine twice for Sway and then letting the fuel run out.
She smiled launching herself at me when I pulled myself from the car.
We sat there chatting when Bucky approached.
“Hey, kid, you did good.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Bucky.”
Bucky motioned with his head for me to follow him, so I did.
When a guy like Bucky Miers wants to talk, you listen.
We walked through the raucous of the pits. Sprint cars were being loaded into haulers and trailers where others were being torn down for inspection. Drivers and crews mingled with fans who had made their way from the stands. The smells of the heated rubber of tires and sweet methanol mixed with beer and dirt. It was the smells of a dirt track on a warm summer night.
“I’ve had some conversations with Walter Gains about you. Will you drive a midget car for me on the USAC series next year?” He looked my direction. Dark lashes shadowed his almond-shaped hazel eyes. “I have eight races scheduled and need a driver.”
“I thought Justin was going to drive for you.”
Last week Justin had told me he’d be driving for Bucky next year.
“He is... but on the Northern Sprint Tour and half of the Outlaw races. I need my USAC car running, too.”
I nodded but didn’t answer him right away.
USAC had three different divisions. I knew I would already be running the USAC Silver Crown and Sprint Car series with the help of Walter and Bowman Oil but that would only be for thirteen Silver Crown races and thirteen Sprint Car races and it wasn’t a full sponsorship. I had a lot to think about. I could be their puppet or I could go on my own.
Bucky and I talked more and I told him I needed to think about it. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and, instead of making a snap decision, I decided to think it over.
Trudging back toward my pit, I glanced around the pits one last time as the haulers and trailers filed through the pit gates on the way home. The lingering smells from the cars were replaced with the thick pungent smells of the diesel from the trucks.
When I got closer to my pit, I noticed Sway perched upon my car, sitting on the edge of the right rear tire, laughing at Tommy dancing around.
She was beautiful.
Her hair shined under the lights, auburn highlights sparkling with the light breeze reflecting the light. She caught me staring at her and smiled, motioning for me to come over. I did.
Slinging my right arm over her shoulders, she leaned into me.
“You smell like racing,” she said breathing me in as though the scent was pleasant to her. I had yet to change out of my racing suit.
“Well, I did race. I won by the way.”
“I saw.” She smiled looking up at me. “I watched every lap.”
“I don’t doubt that.” I returned the smile. “Let’s party. We are graduating in two weeks and I won.”
Sway jumped off the tire. “Don’t have to ask me twice.”
Getting drunk was exactly what I needed. I wanted to forget everything for one night. I didn’t want to think about racing, sponsors, school, Chelsea... nothing. I wanted to have fun. I wanted to be a teenager.
And, we were teenagers.
We did stupid shit, drank too much and ended up together in a sleeping bag. Too drunk to function, we ended up kissing some more. I felt my way around her soft body as did she. Her smooth hands crept under my shirt and then removed it. I didn’t stop her as I was too busy kissing her.
But it never went past touching and kissing. It never did. It seemed like we both wanted to. The desire and temptation was there but, then again, there was hesitation... from both of us. I don’t know what it was but it was there. It was as though we both saw the boundary. There was an imaginary line surrounding us and we both knew what happened if either of us crossed over.
We all ended up camping in a field that night. Sway and I were in one sleeping bag and, oddly enough, Tommy and Spencer were in another. Not sure how they ended up that way as the night was seemingly a blur but when they awoke and found themselves snuggled together, they were alarmed to say the least.
It was a good joke for the entire trip home. I even took a picture for future blackmailing. And, like usual, Sway and I never spoke about our kissing, that imaginary line we had developed, or what it meant.
ONCE WE GOT home, graduation was approaching fast. I couldn’t wait. The other important event was our senior prank.
The night before graduation, we finalized our plans.
When Spencer graduated, he stole Sheriff Stevens’ car, took it for a spin around town and then returned it.
I decided that I would race my sprint car through downtown Elma one last time, for old time sake.
At the Homecoming football game earlier in the year, Spencer and I took a pair of 360 sprints onto the running track around the football stadium.
Jimi was not happy about that.
Knowing that, I knew he wouldn’t be happy about this either but, come on, a kid has to get his kicks somehow.
Sway was amused immensely at the thought of Stevens having a heart attack at the sight of my 800 horsepower sprint car broad sliding down E. Young Street toward his house.
She couldn’t stop laughing as she push started my car with the Red Dragon.
We installed a 2-way radio in my car to communicate while she told me when and where the police were. The goal was to make it past the Sheriff’s house and then back to my house before he caught me.
So, there we were pulling out of my driveway onto Cloquallum Road.
All I heard on the radio were Sway’s giggles which made me laugh.
“Focus, Sway,” I said, between my own laughs. It was that funny to us. “We have to focus if we want to pull this off.”
“I’m trying ... ah, shit, I can’t breathe,” she said breathlessly trying to catch her breath.
“Stop laughing. This is supposed to be sneaky.”
“All right, let’s do this!” she shouted gaining focus. “Clear. Go!”
I took off like a rocket down Cloquallum, turned onto Elma McCleary Road past the racetrack and the Rusty Tractor restaurant. Cars on the road stopped, people looked, and bystanders on the streets covered their ears at the roaring of my sprint car.
I laughed.
This was more amusing than I thought it would be.
Throwing my car sideways onto Oakhurst Drive, my left rear bounced up on the sidewalk and knocked over a stop sign. When I came flying down E. Young Street, I threw the car into the sheriff’s lawn where I did a burn out, hopped the curb and then made my way back the way I came. The same onlookers watched as again I made my way back.
The Sheriff speeding past me going the opposite direction would have been humorous except for the fact that he was chasing my dad’s brand new Aston Martin Vanquish with Emma driving. A car he wouldn’t even let my mom drive, let alone any of us kids.
When I pulled into the driveway, my tires smoking from the burnouts, Sway ran over to me. “Did you see Emma?”
“The shit is about to hit the fan,” I told her not so calmly. “Help me get this in the shop. If Jimi sees my car out, he will know damn well what I did.”
It took us a good twenty minutes or so to get my car back inside the shop when Emma came walking down the driveway, crying, without my dad’s car.
Sway walked inside to find Spencer. We were going to need help with this one.
Emma threw herself face down into the grass.
I wandered over to her, not sure how to comfort her but I thought I’d give it a try. Emma and I never had heart-to-heart talks but I did protect her. She was my little sister.
“Where’s dad’s car?” I asked standing next to her.
“The impound. I panicked when the sheriff turned his lights on and saw your sprint car going down the road doing a wheel stand.”
I smiled. That was the best part.
“Why were you in his car in the first place? You have your own?”
“I wanted to see Nathan tonight and dad wouldn’t let me.” Nathan was Emma’s boyfriend who dad did not approve of.
“So, you took his car... a car he specifically told you not to drive, to see a boyfriend he doesn’t like?”
“I know!” she wailed.
I dropped down beside her. “Um, you need to stop that.” I awkwardly patted her back. This was not what I had planned at all. I was no longer thrilled with my prank on the sheriff and now I was worried about Emma. Something I never did.
“Now what do I do?”
“I don’t know,” I said, unconcerned with her problem. “That’s not my responsibility.”
“Will you come with me and talk to him?”
“No,” I answered. “You tell him. I terrorized the city in my sprint car. I doubt I’m on his good side.”
“Please, it will be better if you’re there.”
“I highly doubt that. Did you not hear what I just told you?”
She started to cry again as Sway walked up.
“What did you do to her?” Sway asked.
“Why do you automatically assume I did something?”
“Because you always make her cry,”
“He told me he wouldn’t come with me,” Emma wailed. “Please, come with me?” Emma begged.
Thankfully, we were saved by dad yelling, “Emma, get your ass in here!”
Jimi wasn’t happy.
“Sucks to be you,” I told her and nearly carried Sway with me to get away from her. I’d been there before many times but I was not about to tell my dad that I wrecked his car, Emma did.
Besides, when he found out about my leisurely drive through town, he wouldn’t be happy.
Hearing Jimi screaming from twenty feet away, outside, I began to feel bad for Emma. Against our better judgment, Sway and I decided to try and get the car out of impound with the help of Spencer.
In Elma, we didn’t have impound, we had the sheriff’s back yard. This was worse than an impound lot for one reason, his wife.
That crazy old broad had chased me down the street with a shotgun when I was nine years old for digging up her flowers with my go kart. Seriously, I was nine years old. Like I knew any better, and who the fuck did she think she was that she could chase a child with a gun?
The nut was off her rocker, I was sure of that.
That was what caused Sway’s hesitation.
“I don’t know about this... it seems wrong.” We both stepped over the ruts my sprint car left in their front lawn.
“No one is going to give a shit,” I told her cutting the lock with a pair of pliers I brought with us before stuffing them in the back pocket of my jeans.
Sway sighed undeterred by my harshness. “But what if the police come?”
I gave her a look of disgust.
“I’m sure they have bigger problems, Sway. And, let me remind you, that it’s the sheriff’s house. Cops won’t come, he will.”
She rolled her eyes. “Even better,”
While I didn’t get along with Mrs. Stevens, Sway didn’t get along with Sheriff Stevens. This was mostly because he hauled her in for everything from branding cows, to spitting on his squad car.
For being seventeen, Sway had been arrested by Stevens twelve times in the last two years. It became a joke to us as to what we could do to get arrested in this pacified town.
So far we’d paintballed his house, spray painted Mrs. Stevens car with camouflage paint, branded old man Roger’s cows, let out a herd of cows in downtown, and our most recent prank was letting loose in the town with sprint cars. Oh, and you can’t forget the time we took them to the school or the many times we stole his squad car and parked it on the other side of the street to confuse him. He thought he was getting senile.
It paid to have a brother who worked at a hardware store part-time and could make spare keys.
So while we retrieved Dad’s car from impound, Spencer kept watch down the street.
After a minor incident where I lost my footing and fell about ten feet, causing Sway to laugh so hard she almost pissed her pants, we were just about home free.
Falling ten feet and thinking I broke my ass wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was with all Sway’s cackling, she woke up their fucking dog who I was sure woke up the old hag.
In the end, we ended up getting the car and were on our way to get Spencer at the end of the street when we saw flashing lights pull up beside him. Turns out, because Spencer was standing on the corner, some chick thought he was casing her house and called the cops on him.
While we were in all reality driving a stolen car, I didn’t stop for him.
She giggled. “He’s going to kill you.”
“Will you stop fucking laughing!” I turned down Hurd Road, my eyes darted around looking for any sign of the Sheriff. “This is not funny.”
Her fist rose punching me triggering the steering wheel to jerk. “All I can do is laugh because you constantly get me into these messes.”
“Um, I hate to burst your bubble but this was your fucking idea. You’re the one who wanted to help Emma.”
“So we helped Emma but got Spencer arrested, nice work!” she huffed crossing her arms.
This was most certainly not going to go over well with my parents and I felt relieved when I pulled down the circle driveway to see dad’s truck was gone. I snuck out back pulling his car Aston Martin into the race shop so I could fix the dent Emma put in the door.
I felt pretty good walking into the house. Not only had I successfully boosted my first car and raced my sprint car around the city but Spencer had been arrested. This pleased me.
When I rounded the corner, Jimi yelled, his face turning red, “You kids are assholes! I can’t believe this shit. One kid wrecks my car, the other breaks into the impound lot after taking his fucking race car for a joy ride around town, and the other ... Christ,” he glanced around the room. “Where the fuck did Spencer go?”
“Jail,” I answered sheepishly securing a position against the wall a good distance away from him in case he decided to throw something at me.
“Jail?” Mom asked looking over at me. “Like in prison?”
“Well, no, not like prison. Like in the county jail,” I clarified with a chuckle. “The sheriff picked him up.”
At that moment, if possible, dad had steam coming out his ears when I held my hands up. “It was a total misunderstanding.” I added.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, Sway walked in, not knowing my parents were standing in the living room.
“That was a close one but I don’t think—” she sighed when she saw my parents. “Shit.”
I hid my head in my hands.
Not that my parents or Charlie ever got terribly upset about the shit we did around town but they weren’t happy about this one. It was classified as breaking and entering and stealing a vehicle.
Seventeen and we already had a B & E and boosting on our records, awesome.
It’s not like that was our first run-in with the law and I doubted it would be our last. The next day, it was all over the paper that the Riley kids terrorized the town the night before graduation.
We got a kick out of it. Parents did not.