Sophie looks at me like I’m an alien. “Are you serious? If I didn’t have Matt, I’d definitely want this piece of heaven all to myself.”
She says the last part of the sentence loud enough for Jake to hear her. Turning his head toward us, he gives us a wide grin and winks at us. He’s signing some fan’s arm. He fixes his cap, which has a ton of sponsors’ logos printed on it.
“See, women melt when he smiles,” she sighs, and Jake is still watching us. I become a little uncomfortable, so I turn away and take a look around myself. When will I ever get another golden opportunity like this to see the track and all the commotion up close? I notice every team is in their corner, surrounded by fans and reporters. The paddock girls are still walking around half naked, and men are following them with their gazes. Sophie abandons me again, I can see her talking to one of the VIP visitors.
“You,” I hear a strong voice behind me, so I turn. I give Jake a questioning look, and then look around me to check if I hear him correctly or if he was saying that to somebody else. Jake strides toward me with confidence and stops right before me. I put my index finger to my chest, and look at him with raised eyebrows. He nods.
“Um, yes?” I ask.
“You’re the one from the hallway a few minutes ago,” he says. I nod. “And from the beach.” I’m surprised he remembers me.
“I’m sorry. You probably thought I was one of your fans, but I was just looking for a toilet. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Still watching me without saying a word, he nods.
“What? Do I have something on my face?” I ask when he keeps staring at me. Blushing, I quickly wipe my hand across my mouth. Just like me. Sophie and I had a coffee with chocolate earlier, it wouldn’t surprise me if I still had some chocolate on my lips. He chuckles, and his eyes sparkle.
“You had no idea who I was, huh?” My cheeks turn red again. I’m probably the only person on the planet who doesn’t know whom Jake Burns is. Well, who didn’t know who Jake Burns was. I nod.
“I’m sorry.” It sounds more like a question. I blush in three hundred shades of red. “I don’t follow motorcycling. I’m only here because of my friend,” I point my finger toward Sophie, who is still in a middle of a lively conversation with the other fans. “This was actually my first race I’ve been to.” Can someone please stop me? When I’m nervous, I usually start babbling and can’t seem to stop.
“So?” he asks.
“So, what?”
“Did you like it?”
“Um...” I fall silent for a moment. “I’m not a big fan of motorcycles.” I look down. “I mean... You do laps around the track. What’s the point in this? ... Okay, someone please shut me up,” I sigh and laugh. “I’m sorry.” I drop my gaze to the ground, waiting for the earth to open up and swallow me whole.
“It’s okay, I like people who have their own opinions. Usually, girls are sucking up to me and saying how much they love this sport... You’re honest, I like that.”
“Hey, mate,” Mike joins us, throws his arm around Jake’s shoulders and winks at me. “Duty calls.”
“Go ahead, I have to find my friend anyway. I hope she didn’t run off with one of the racers,” I try to joke, but I’m sure I’m far from funny.
“See you around,” Jake says. He and Mike start walking away, but Jake’s gaze doesn’t leave me. I’m the one to break our staring contest, when I head toward Sophie.
“Oh, Ella! Let me introduce you to Caroline, John, and Thomas.” We shake hands, and Sophie continues. “They are also fans of Honda, but their favorite team is Ducati. This is the seventh race they’ve been to.”
“Where are you from?” I ask them. Their accent tells me they are not American.
“England,” they all respond simultaneously.
Jake
Victory.
Damn, I can hardly believe I won, that I’m the MotoGP World Champion the second year in the row. Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined it was going to turn out this way.
First, the Czech racer Barta, who came in third, is called to the winning podium. Next is Gonzales, the Spanish racer, who finished second. In the end, they call out my name. Arms high in the air, I climb the winning podium, and wave to my fans. I hear whistling and cheering as I stand on the top. Right after I receive a big trophy, I’m doused with champagne. Some of it even lands in the trophy, which I happily drink. Next is the award ceremony for Premier Class World Championship. The order here is a little different, but I’m still crowned champion. After the ceremony, I head to the locker room to grab my phone because I’m sure my family has left a million messages. I also need to change since I’m drenched in champagne.