Just a Friend

Whew! What a week I’ve had! Words of Radiance came out on Tuesday and, though I’ve finished it, I’m still savoring that book. Mmmm. I recommend anything written by Brandon Sanderson.

Alright, enough endorsing another author. This blog is what I write. To the story!
*********
Amy’s feet hurt, but she didn’t care. Dancing always made her feel better, both about the world and about life in general. Things always seemed lighter after she danced the stress and worries away. Everyone had their own methods to detox themselves from everything; some would read, others exercise, or play video games. Hers was dancing.

There were several times that she forgot that she was actually there with someone. It kept surprising her when Jay would dance along side her. He seemed to be enjoying himself, allowing the music to carry him off. Amy could only smile at that. She had no idea what he did to relieve himself from the world, but she could tell that he was enjoying himself in the club.

However, neither of them could keep it up all night. Several times they would stop and enjoy a sit at the bar counter. There weren’t many alcoholic drinks, since it was an underage dancing club, but that didn’t matter much; there were other things to drink. As they sat to enjoy being off their feet and quenching their thirst, they would talk. There was a lot that they talked about, though Amy couldn’t remember all of what it was. But there was one thing that they didn’t even bother implying.

The Circuit and the threat on her life.

That night, it was meant just for dancing and enjoying the night. Life was too short to worry about things like that. If there was one thing that she had learned from other Racers was that you had to take small moments of joy when you could. It was the advice she had heard over and over. Enjoy the small things that you like, take pleasure in what was important. You never knew which Race would be your last.

Amy let all of those thoughts escape her, leave her be. The night was to be enjoyed. No use worrying about things that could be left for the next day.

However, the night could never last. Eventually, the club was going to close, there was a final dance, and everyone was told to start clearing out. Amy walked out of the club with Jay, looking forward to getting back to her own bed. It was a good thing that Maxx would be driving home for her. Her feet really hurt.

“That was fun,” Jay said, his voice sounding horse. It wasn’t really a surprise that it did; everyone had to talk loudly over the music. “I can see why you like it.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” she laughed. “I’m surprised that you were so ridged at first. Haven’t you gone dancing before?”

He sighed, rubbing his neck. “Not really,” he admitted. “When you’re in my type of business, you have a tendency to attend cocktail parties and stuffy events. Nothing quite so…” He fumbled for the right word. “Active.”

She laughed. Active? “You lead a boring life,” she joked with him.

“Boring?” he said, mocking hurt. “I’ll have you know that it is nothing boring! In fact, I get great joy out of status reports.”

They both laughed at that.

“It’s late,” she sighed, checking the clock on her phone. “I have a curfew at the Circuit. I should probably get going.”

“Probably,” he agreed. “I’d like to get some rest before tomorrow anyway.”

She frowned. “Why?”

“Oh, it’s one of those boring things you accused me of,” he said vaguely. “I’ll try to talk to you tomorrow. Hacker mentioned that he wanted to check on Maxx again.”

“He always wants to check on Maxx,” she said, rolling her eyes. However, mentioning the mechanic also reminded her of something. “Has he and Sally really been hitting it off?”

“Two peas in a pod, those two,” Jay confessed. “I can’t seem to get them apart. If I want Hacker to do something or go somewhere, Sally is right there with him. I suppose that will change when classes start up again next week, but I suspect that they’ll be spending every free moment together.” He shook his head. “I never thought that I would see the day when Hacker would be interested in a woman. He’s always been too interested in tech to be bothered by females.”

“What a delightful way of putting it,” she huffed. “As long as he keeps Maxx up, I guess I can’t complain. Sally generally has bad taste in guys, but Hacker is a nice one. If she’s happy being with him after so many bad relationships, I’m not going to say anything.”

“Good,” Jay said. “You’ll have to get used to her being in the shop. She’s almost always there.”

Amy froze. Jay took a few steps ahead before he realized she wasn’t with him. He turned, frowning at her. “What?” he asked.

“Sally,” she breathed. “She’s at the shop? You mean…” She turned pale. The dancing that had gotten rid of her troubles disappeared, the worries crashing on her again. “Sally knows about what the Circuit has planned for me?”

“No,” Jay quickly assured her, putting his hand on her shoulder. She immediately brushed it off. “I made Hacker promise not to say anything about that to her until we got your permission. If you don’t want Sally to know the truth, we’ll hide it from her.” He paused, looking her straight in the eye. “However, I think that she has a right to know. I can make her promise not to say anything to anyone, but I think she’ll want to know that her best friend is in danger.”

Amy gulped. She hadn’t even told her Mom about the danger. Oh, they both knew something was wrong with the Circuit, but they didn’t say anything about it. There was no need. Sally, on the other hand, she was a happy go lucky person. She didn’t get involved in dangerous things. She thought the best of people and was horrified when bad things happened. News that the same Circuit she had enjoyed all her life was secretly killing of the Speeders would destroy her image of the Races.

But Jay did have a point. If Sally was going to be spending all that time around them, then she at least had to be informed.

“We’ll tell her before classes start,” Amy said softly, still horrified at the very thought of telling her friend the truth. “And you’ll get that promise out of her so we won’t have to worry about a leak from her.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You think she’ll talk?”

Amy laughed a bit. “Sally is a gossip. It’s best to have you promise so your Talent will keep her from letting out something that we don’t want the Circuit to know.”

“Very well,” Jay agreed. “How about the day after next? We’ll have a nice get together in the shop, let her know, and then make her promise not to say anything.”

Amy nodded, feeling her stomach sink at the thought. But it had to be done. Sally was a loose cannon that they had to plug.

“Huh,” Jay said, looking at her face. “It seems that you’ll need to go dancing tomorrow to shake the stress away.”

“Probably,” she agreed. “I’ll probably also sleep all day tomorrow to get ready for it.”

“Can I come along?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Whatever you’d like to do. I’ll probably ignore you like I did tonight.”

He smiled, shaking his head. “I’ll take it. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” He then bent down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He then quickly stepped back, waved his hand in farewell, and walked off before she could hit him.

She stared at his retreating back, her breath caught in her chest. Did he really have the nerve to kiss her cheek like that?

“That was uncalled for!” she yelled after him.

He only laughed.

Muttering under her breath about how annoying he was, she found Maxx and got in. “Home,” she commanded, putting her feet up on the other seat. “You do the driving. My feet hurt.” She had a moment of grim satisfaction to know that Jay’s car wouldn’t drive him home and that he would have to deal with his sour feet driving the entire way there.

“How was the night?” Maxx as asked he pulled out of the parking spot.

“I loved the dancing,” she said, resting comfortably on her seat. Thanks to his form, there was no middle console that separated the two front seats. “But then Jay had to put a sour end by giving me some bad news and kissing him on the cheek.”

“Really?” Maxx asked, sounding smug. “Then why are you blushing?”

She sat up. “I am not blushing!”

Maxx laughed. “You forget, I’m in your brain. I could tell some things, like the rush of blood to your face. You’re blushing.”

“Just get us home,” she snapped. He laughed again but said nothing more. Amy snuggled back into her seat. There was no way that she could be blushing. Jay was annoying and overstepping his bounds. The only reason she was blushing was because no one kissed her, even on the cheek, before.

That had to be the reason.
**********
Amy was surprised when she got an email telling her that Camellia wanted a word with her the next day. Gingerly getting out of bed, she got dressed and headed for the Talent Seeker’s office in another building. Like many other Racers, she was up late, having enjoyed a night out on the town. Some of them were nursing hang overs, others moving slowly as she was, and the few crazies that were already up and training for the day. She knew that soon she would have to get onto a training schedule again. The next big race, the one that would be redoing the one before winter break, would be held just a couple weeks after school would start again. Amy wondered if the Circuit purposefully placed all the Races in the time it would be most inconvenient for her schooling. She wouldn’t put it past them to do it.

Wondering what Camellia wanted with her, she braved the cold winter outside to get to the Talent Seekers’ building. These were the Seekers who spent most of their time tracking and taking care of the Speeders. Amy thought it was ridiculous to send slow people after Speeders.

Getting into the building, she had to ask for directions on how to get to the Seeker’s office. It turned on to be on the top floor and she decided to take the stairs all the way to the fifth floor rather than take the elevator. It gave her a bit more time to wake up and to prepare to meet with the Seeker.

Arriving to her office, Amy knocked.

“Come in,” purred the woman.

Rolling her eyes, Amy entered. The woman’s office was very refined and ornate. It was also very colorful. Pink colorful. Amy glanced around the room. It seemed that everything had a pink cast to it, even the filing cabinets. However, she could also tell that the pink wasn’t the original color and that it had been a while since the room had been painted over. The paint was starting to peel on the trip around the windows and door, revealing that the room originally had a nice red wood instead of the horrid pink Camellia preferred.

“Ah,” the woman said with a smile, noticing who walked in. “Racer Aims. I’m so glad that you were able to meet with me.”

Amy could barely hold back her glare. Glad that she could meet with her? The email was worded like a command appearance. Camellia sat behind a pink desk, working on a pink laptop. Amy half expected to find a cat lurking somewhere, eating out of pink bowl. Camellia seemed like a cat person.

“Please,” the Seeker said, gesturing towards an overstuffed pink chair. “Sit. We have a few things that we need to discuss.”

Amy sat, noticing that the chair was plush as well. While it might be comfortable, she couldn’t get over the color and tried hard not imagining puking on it.

“What’s there to talk about?” she asked, honestly confused. “I’m going to the Races… I’ve met every requirement in my contract. I haven’t broken a single rule…” She paused. “You didn’t even call me in here when I changed Maxx mid Race. That was a surprise.”

“It was surprise for us all,” Camellia noted, smirking. “We had to change the rules because of it. No. We cannot get after you for doing something that we thought impossible. In fact, I think we should be thanking you. The ratings for our Circuit Racing is higher than ever due to that stunt. It was really a blessing that you survived and managed to change Maxx the way you did. You’re very popular now.”

Amy actually glared at that. She knew she was popular. Due to her contract, she had to attend a lot of events now. Why one little stunt made her suddenly important was beyond her.

“So,” Amy quickly changed, “what did you want to talk about.”

Camellia’s expression changed to a serious one without a smile. Amy raised an eyebrow at that. Camellia was almost always smiling.

“I want to talk about your Sponsor Jay,” she said, “and how much time you’ve been spending with him.”

This surprised Amy. “What about it?” she asked. “He’s my Sponsor. He tells me which events to go to, has Maxx checked by his mechanic… Of course I’m going to be spending time with him.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Camellia said somberly. “Some rumors have reached my ears that you two were at a dance club last night and that you plan to go again tonight.”

Amy frowned. How would that rumor start? As far as she knew, no one knew them at the club. At least, no one came up to her asking for her autograph, which happened a lot more than she wanted. And then the plans for that night… That was a private conversation.

“Now,” Camellia said, mistaking her frown for getting caught, “I understand that you’re young and that you might fall in love. And let’s face it, Jay is one of the most attractive men in the city, but I must warn you that it will not end well for you.”

“I don’t like Jay like that,” Amy started to protest when the Seeker held up a hand to silence her.

“You may say that,” she said, “but your actions speak louder. You’ve been seeing a lot of him outside the Circuit boundaries. This is something that will lead to trouble. There is no problem with a Racer falling in love and enjoying the company of others, but Jay is your Sponsor. A lot of things might be implied if you two start getting romantic.”

“I’d slug him,” Amy protested. “And he knows it! He’s not the kind I’m interested in. I think you’re blowing this way out of proportion.”

Camellia smiled again, though it was sad. “I think you’re the one who doesn’t understand what is going on. Try to see less of Jay, alright? It will be better for you in the end.”

Amy rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she mumbled, sinking into the pink chair. “Nothing is happening between us. I’m not worried. Can I go now?”

Camellia sighed, her smiling slipping. “Very well. I guess I should have known it was pointless to talk to you. Just remember my advice. Try to heed it.”

“Fine,” she grumbled, getting up. “I’ll try to see less of him.”

Camellia’s smile returned in full. “That’s all that I can ask for.”
**********
“See less of me?” Jay asked, frowning at her. They were at the dance club again, taking a break to rest their feet and to enjoy something to drink. “What did she mean by seeing less of me?”

“Probably just that,” Amy said, slouching back in her chair. “She’s worried that people will get it wrong if we start seeming to be more than just Racer and Sponsor.”

“You’re not worried about that, are you?” he asked.

She shrugged. So far, it didn’t seem that anyone recognized her. And why should they? She always got dolled up for dancing. She wore something different and put on makeup. It was one of the few things she could do so no one would recognize her.

“I told her that I wasn’t interested in you like that but she seemed insistent,” Amy told him, noting that he seemed a bit downcast at what she said. Why should he? He knew perfectly well how she felt about him. He was a friend, an annoying one true, but just a friend. She never had time for a boyfriend. Besides. She was in the Circuit and they were plotting to kill her. She didn’t want a boyfriend. Especially him. “I told her that I’ll try to see less of you.”

“But what does that mean?” he asked, quickly covering his disappointment. “That you’ll see less of me? I can’t hang out at Hacker’s shop anymore? I own that building. No one is going to stop me from going there.”

“I think she meant more of outside of the Races,” Amy pointed out. “You know, like seeing me at school.” She waved at their surroundings. Thanks to the loud music she was certain that no one would be able to hear them. “Here, for one thing.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what she is so worried about.”

“Probably she doesn’t want a Racer to get caught up with the politics of Sponsors,” Jay sighed. “It’s happened before.”

“But we’re the ones that’s doing all the work!” Amy argued. “The Sponsors only help. What sort of politicking is behind it?”

“You’d be surprised,” he muttered darkly. “You heard for yourself. The other Sponsors are trying to plan your death.” He glared at his drink. “And I think that they want to kill off the rest of the Talented as well.”

Amy said nothing, though knowing exactly what he was thinking about. His mother was a Talented, an Oath Maker like himself. She had died when he was young in an accident, though Jay thought there was something more to it. She couldn’t blame him for questioning the motives of that council that plotted the death of Racers. Why should they stop at merely killing off Speeders? Why not more Talented?

Amy had asked around, asking other Talented who weren’t Speeders if they knew Talented of their same kind had died mysteriously or in accidents. It disturbed her that there were several. It seemed that there was not one Talented who didn’t know someone else Talented who hadn’t died.

But it was the Racers who had the highest and most published deaths.

“There’s got to be something we can do,” she said softly, feeling helpless even in this environment. “Maybe turn them into the authorities or at least tip them off that something is wrong.”

Jay snorted. “Right. Most of the authorities are in the pockets of those businessmen. It’s an ugly business that I stay out of. But I know several of my peers who either bribe or blackmail the police to keep their noses out of business.”

“What?” Amy asked, shocked. “You mean… The corruption has reached that far?”

“Farther, I suspect,” he admitted. “And it’s been happening for a long time. It will be very hard to stop them.”

Amy groaned, banging her head on the table. “So there’s no hope for it? We just have to live with it?”

“No.”

The force in his tone caused her to glance up. He had a set expression, one she knew that meant that he was going to be stubborn about something.

“I have a plan,” he said, leaning in close to her. “And it’s going to be tricky, but I think it might work. And it’s simple.”

“What simple thing could possibly help bring these men to justice?” she asked, snorting in disbelief.
“Me.”

She frowned at him.

“I’m an Oath Maker,” he reminded her. “People make promises with me and they are compelled to do it. If I can get into those meetings, then I can get them to promise to stop what they’re doing, perhaps change their ways. And if I do it well enough, they’ll never suspect a thing.” He laughed at his plan. “And I’ve had plenty of practice at that.”

“But won’t they suspect something?” she asked, sitting back up. “I mean… You are a Talented…”

“They don’t know that,” he told her. “Only my father knows about my Talent and he taught me how to use it so no one would suspect it.”

“Then I see another problem,” she pointed out. “Your father.”

He flinched. “Yes,” he said softly, glancing away. “I’ve got to do something about him…”

“Could you do it?” she asked, looking intensely at him. “Work against your father? I know you respect him, idolize him at times, but… This is going to require you tricking and outsmarting him. Is it even possible?”

“It has to be possible,” Jay said, shaking his head. “I can’t sit around doing nothing as Talented get slaughtered.” He then looked her in the eyes. Amy hated when he did that. She couldn’t do anything but stare back into his brown eyes. “And besides,” he said, lifting a corner of his mouth in a smile. “I promised that I would help you survive the Circuit.”

Amy said nothing, trying hard not to blush. He did promise. He asked for nothing in return. He was doing this of his own free will to help her. To protect her.

“Come on,” she said abruptly, standing up. “Let’s go back onto the dance floor.” Jay easily smiled and also stood up. Even as they started dancing again, Amy couldn’t get the uneasy feeling out of her chest, that perhaps Camellia was right. That she was getting too close to her Sponsor. She tried to shake that feeling out of her. He was just a friend. That was all she could have.
***********
Mmmm. Words of Radiance…. Alright, I’ll stop. I hope everyone has been enjoying the story so far. I think there’s about two or three posts to reach where I stopped writing this last NaNo. Need to get back into the saddle of writing again. Good thing CampNaNo is right around the corner.

Enjoy the journey!