Race Track Spark

Ten years ago.

Pennsylvania

Jett, and Braelyn first crossed paths at the local RaceTrack when Braelyn was there with her best friend from high school, Jayce.

Braelyn had grown up watching racing with her family on Sunday afternoons, and she would often spend her Saturday nights in the summer at the local track with her Dad and Sister, Pennee.

So I guess this came as no surprise that her love spark would happen at the race track.

After all so much of Braelyn’s life was just that, moments that all started at the track!

Her first crush on a NASCAR driver happened at this very track when she met Dale Jr at autograph night that they had with a couple of NASCAR guys.

Her first what she thought was heartbreak from her first middle school boyfriend happened in the bleachers over there in turn one and two section K about half way up.

Turns out some deep fried oreos fixed that heartbreak pretty quickly

Her first time at the races without her dad happened in that very section with her mom when dad was less than pleased with some of his teenage daughters actions so he opted out of going that night.

Both regret those moments to this day.

Her first Legends Nationals were enjoyed in those very bleachers years to come on a daddy daughter date that was much needed.

And many more firsts including the first race without her mom after she lost her battle with cancer were had in those bleachers, Section K about half way up.

When Jayce moved to the area from Indiana, Braelyn and he quickly became glued to the hip, doing homework together, going out to eat after school, and everything that high school best friends would do.

All of their friends joked around about how one day they would end up together.

That day never came but both often wondered what would have come of their lives if it had.

They both ended up in very different places than how they both had thought they would end up in their late high school, early adulthood days.

Late winter-early spring of their junior year Jayce decided he was going to start racing at the local track, it had always been one of his dreams, and with him going off to College next summer he knew this was a great way for him and Braelyn to become closer.

Maybe, just maybe he would finally have the courage to ask her out as more than just his best friend.

So began the start of the building of Jayce’s street stock front the ground up, with help from friends and both sets of parents of course.

Jayce’s plan to get closer to Braelyn was working.

They had always been close but not like this fall/spring.

The end of the school year was nearing and rookie pre-season practice was going to be starting in a couple of weeks.

They still had a lot to do on the Street Stock and Jayce had a lot of working on his confidence to do as well.

He was hoping by the time the season started he would be enjoying his rookie season with his best friend and girlfriend Braelyn by his side.

Braelyn couldn’t wait for pre-season rookie practice to be here.

Hoping all the hard work and determination would pay off in the racing department for Jayce and the romance department for the two of them.

When Jayce asked Braelyn to be on his crew for this summer she was over the moon excited to spend one of their last summers together enjoying something they both loved so much.

So came the day of pre-season rookie practice, after many sleepless nights, setbacks, and many other trials and tribulations of getting the street stock built.

Of course, there was no way Braelyn was missing this after all the hard work both she and Jayce had put into it.

Besides she was also hoping that he was finally going to ask her to be his girlfriend.

Jayce kept dropping hints all spring while getting the street stock ready.

This had to be when it was finally going to happen, in fact speaking of time they were running out of it.

Jayce was moving next summer to go to the University of Indian and Braelyn still had no idea what her plans were.

Early May in this area can be dicey regarding the weather.

Living in the Northeast part of Pennsylvania had its perks but it’s long drawn out winters was not one of them.

Braelyn and Jayce weren’t sure if they would even make it to pre-season rookie practice due to weather.

Many days were leading up to the practice that it looked like mother nature was not on their side.

But at last, the day arrived with only a few minor snowflakes flying in the air early that morning.

Jayce, Braelyn, and Jayce’s dad Ely loaded up the street stock, tools, safety gear, and of course lunch for out at the track and they were off to the local NASCAR short track.

On the 45 minute drive out there Braelyn had fallen asleep and her head had fallen on Jayce’s shoulder.

At that moment it seemed like all the worries and nerves he had about getting out on the track had gone away.

Instead of nerves about racing, he instead had a feeling that only Braelyn had given him before.

A feeling he couldn’t explain, it wasn’t just a sexual attraction Jayce had, in fact for so long that was the farthest thing from his mind.

Braelyn made him think of things that not many guys our age do, the future, the future with Braelyn by his side.

Why couldn’t he just work up the courage to finally ask her to his girlfriend?

They already did everything together.

Why not add the title to it as well?

“I’m going to ask her today, at the track, today is the day,” Jayce told himself.

Ely shouted back to Braelyn and Jayce that they were almost there.

Jayce lightly tapped on Braelyn’s shoulder, she barely was awake, still sleepy-eyed, she yawned and looked at Jayce who just got busted staring at her in a way more than just friends look at one another.

Braelyn got butterflies in her stomach but instead of acting all cute she jokingly punched Jayce in the arm and said: “what is wrong with you Jayce we have a car to go shakedown and get into the winners circle what are you looking at me like that for?”

“Shit,” Jayce thought.

Maybe today won’t be the day I ask her out after all.

“No I have to do it today I should have already done it,” he thought.

“O nothing, I don’t know, must just be nervous.”

“Let’s go shithead.

We have races to win this year.

Let’s see what this car still needs before opening night in two weeks.”

Was Braelyn just “one of the guys” after all?

Jayce shook off the feeling and started to focus on the race car and what they both came here to accomplish.

Was it worth losing the friendship over?

Rookies had to park at the back of the pits, I guess it’s the track’s way to keep well just that the rookies got out of the way of the veterans.

After getting things set up in their pit stall Ely told the two kids to go make sure Jayce was all checked in and that he would pull lunch out for them.

“This is it, I’m going to ask her on the way up there,” Jayce thought to himself.

Ely gave him this look, he knew all too well what his son was going through even though he didn’t say much about the situation.

He adored Braelyn and has wished only the best for these two even if it meant just staying friends.

Braelyn and Jayce reminded Ely so much of him and his wife, Evelyn.

“We’ll be back” the kids shouted as they started the walk towards the main building where drivers meetings would be held once the season started, it was also where drivers and their crew would check-in for the weekend.

“So are you excited to start racing?

Or still nervous?

I’m telling you, you’re going to be great.

Unstoppable.

Besides you got some of the best people on your crew.” Braelyn said to Jayce

“I think a little bit of both.

But you’re totally right with you and my Dad by my side there is no stopping me.

Heck even if there is I’m just glad that you’re here with me to experience it.” Jayce said with that same look he gave Braelyn in the truck when they pulled up the track.

“Damn Jayce there’s that look again, are you sure you’re feeling okay and the nerves aren’t getting to you?” Braelyn said this knowing good and well why Jayce was giving her those looks.

It’s what she has wanted all this fall and spring, was for him to finally ask her to be his girlfriend.

Jayce shrugged it off, he grabbed her hand kind of awkwardly, it’s not like they haven’t held hands before, a couple of school dances and what not as friends, but why was this so different?

Braelyn couldn’t shake the butterflies in her stomach, or that look in Jayce’s eyes.

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the main building.

Ely caught a glance at them as they approached the main building.

Oh son he thought with a sigh.

She won’t wait forever!

“I’ll be right back out, it shouldn’t take long,” Jayce said to Braelyn.

“Sounds good I’ll be here”

As Braelyn leaned up against the building waiting for Jayce to come back out.

One of the other drivers came walking up.

“Damn,” she thought.

Jett walked up to her and started making small talk with Braelyn, asking the normal questions or rather making the normal sleazebag statements boys make these days.

But why was it actually a slight turn on for Braelyn?

She tried giving him the cold shoulder but was failing miserably at it.

What has gotten into her, She thought to herself.

Instead of giving Jett the cold shoulder this hardcore, bad boy, with a sweet, sexy side was turning her on.

All while her best friend, the boy she had wanted to date for so long was right inside about to walk out.

It had to be the fire suit she thought to herself.

Or female hormones not knowing what way was left or right.

No, it was for sure the fire suit.

“All checked in Jayce you’re good to go, good luck this season, and try not to let the veterans give you too much grief’ Mrs. Jaxs said, the check-in person that always worked the main building.

She was a known face around here, always so motherly, and loved each of the drivers like they were her own family.

“Awesome thanks so much” Walking out Jayce thought to himself alright buddy this is it, it’s now or never you have to ask Braelyn to be your girlfriend.

He took a couple of deep breaths and opened the door to the building and was ready to finally do what he had wanted to for so long.

He was going to make Braelyn his official girlfriend.

Instead when he walked outside the building what he saw felt worse than a punch in the gut.

It took a moment for Braelyn to notice Jayce standing there.

Before she did she found herself flirting with Jett, when he put his hand on her arm saying “well Braelyn just let me know if you and Jayce ever need any help with that car it can be trickier than you think when you’re first starting, where’s your phone I’ll give you my number in case you ever need to get ahold of me outside the track.” Braelyn felt a spark, something not even Jayce had made her feel when Jett touched her arm.

Okay, this had to be female hormones for sure, definitely not just the fire suit Braelyn.

Braelyn giggled a little school smile and handed Jett her phone.

He typed in his number and sent her a text from her phone so he had her contact.

He wrote, “It’s Jett from the racetrack.”

At this moment Jayce knew it wasn’t the right time to ask Braelyn to be his girlfriend.

Words couldn’t begin to express how he felt.

He turned the corner and cleared his throat and at that moment Braelyn stopped twirling her hair and giggling.

She looked his way and said “Hey Jayce meet our new friend Jett.”

Our new friend.

Jayce thought.

But he put a smile on his face and went with it.

He had enough going on with the nerves of getting the car on the track for the first time.

This isn’t the first time Jayce has lived through a Braelyn crush/failed boyfriend.

“Hey Jett nice to meet you” Jayce said, holding back anger and hurt feelings he currently had.

“Hey man nice to meet you too, your girl Braelyn told me this is your first year racing and how you two spent the whole fall and early spring getting the car together.

That’s totally awesome that she’s helping you like that.

Let me know if either of you need any help.

I’ve been at it for a few years myself and my whole family has raced at some point in their lives.

I’m hoping to move up to Mods next season.”

Your girl.

Braelyn thought.

Maybe all three of them had got it all wrong.

Jayce “Thanks man I’ll for sure let you know.

Braelyn we should get back to the race trailer dad was getting lunch ready for us before Street Stocks go out for their first couple laps.”

Maybe I hadn’t lost my chance after all.

Jayce thought.

He already thinks Braelyn is “my girl” why not make it true.

Jayce and Braelyn started walking towards the trailer and Jayce put his arm around Braelyn.

Which would have been the perfect moment to ask her to be his if only he didn’t catch the look in her eyes as she looked back at Jett and waved.

Jayce made a mental note to prepare to be Braelyns crying shoulder when things went south with her and Jett like they always did with her and boys.

It’s like the universe was even telling them they belonged together.

They made their way back to the trailer where Ely had subs from the local corner store, some chips and waters for everyone.

Ely asked the kids who they were chatting with at the main office.

“Make friends with someone in the division or an enemy up there kid?”

Before Braelyn had the chance to answer Ely, Jayce chimed in with a look on his face of disappointment.

“I think maybe a little of both.”

Braelyn knew exactly what Jayce meant when she saw the look on his face.

After all this isn’t the first time that he picked up the pieces of a broken heart and she knows he saw her flirting with Jett when he walked out of the main building.

Braelyn made a mental note to not let Jett stand in the way, she wasn’t going to make the same mistake again.

This time she was waiting for what they both knew they wanted, what even the universe seemed to want.

She was going to wait for Jayce to ask her to be his and only his.

Braelyn’s phone dinged.

Maybe: Jett popped up on her iPhone.

“You look great by the way.

Too bad your boy came out when he did, I wanted to kiss your sultry lips so bad.

Let me know if we can sneak away.

Would love to show you the race trailer if you know what I mean.”

Jayce “ready to get me suited up for the first couple laps they are going to be calling rookie street stocks soon”

Braelyn looked up from her phone flushed and speechless.

Jayce “you okay.”

“Of course let’s get you in that suit and ready to go.”

Sliding her phone in her back pocket, with a skip of a heartbeat, flushed face and confused feeling in not only her gut but her heart as well, Braelyn started to pull out the safety equipment to get on Jayce.

Going through the list in her head fire suit check, shoes check, neck restraint check, radio check, gloves check.

Looks like it’s all here.

She froze staring down at all the equipment unsure of what she even felt anymore.

All rookie street stock drivers to the line up chute for practice run, all rookie street stock drivers to the line up chute for practice run, Lawry the pit announcer said into the loudspeaker.

Hey Braelyn you coming with my stuff it’s go time girl.

Jayce said.

Shaking her head and trying to shake the feelings she is currently having, Yea Jayce coming.

Handing him all his safety equipment and helping him get in the car Braelyn seriously starts to question the feelings she thought she had only for Jayce.

Did she still want to leave the track today Jayce’s girlfriend or did she want to play with fire and chance another broken heart for Jayce to hopefully pick up if and more like when things went south with Jett.

Strapped in his car and ready to head to the line up chute for the first time ever Braelyn tapped the roof of his car and told her best friend good luck as she watched him pull away.

A tear fell down her face and Ely put an arm around her shoulder.

You know he won’t wait forever but you’ll always have a Best Friend in him no matter what you decide.

Now wipe your tears, grab the radio and let’s go get our boy ready to make it to the winners circle this season.

Wiping her eyes, Last call all rookie street stock drivers to the line up chute all rookie street stocks drivers to the line up chute.

Lawry said over the loudspeaker.