Life In The Fast Lane

The music called to him.

Not the sound of the thumping bass that echoed through the large industrial size garage, not the banging that some of more rowdy participants were partaking in, and not even the gyrating bodies of women in tight barely there clothing that danced with each other.

No…. there was only one thing Clifford “Cliff” Devo was interested in.

The cars.

The purr of their engines rumbling was music to his ears. Each of them had a distinct sound from a soft whisper to a loud growling rumble. All of them purred for him vying for dominance over the ridiculous music in the cavernous space.

“Oh great Cliff’s doing that whole space out thing again” Came a voice to Cliffs right.

Cliff turned to see his two friends Ronnie and Sam watching him. To say those two were polar opposites would be an understatement. Ronnie was a bear of a man all broad shouldered and American hair and an all-American smile to match. Sam was the opposite with rich ebony colored skin piercing and a serious fuck off vibe. It amazed Cliff that the two of them could argue the way they did and still be so passionately in love. One thing they always seemed to agree on was him mostly on how to bust his chops.

“Cliff can still hear you” He said his rich Irish brogue wrapping around every word as he turned back to them. He raised one slightly bushy eyebrow at them his muscular arms crossing as they both laughed.

“Now he can hear us” Sam said snorting and giving Ronnie a peck on his cheek.

“If your done drooling over cars perhaps you’d like to do some actual racing?” Ronnie remarked pointing at his black truck and the hitch attached to it.

“I was born ready” Cliff said running a hand through long black hair. He moved over to the hitch climbing on top of it and gasping the gray tarp draped over one solid year of hard work. It was hard to believe just a year ago he made it back to the states and reconnected with Ronnie and Sam, it was hard to believe a year ago he had nothing but a hundred dollar to his name and a simple part list, it was hard to believe he was here now having put in the hard work and earning the money that got him his first true car.

His pa and ma back home in Ireland were unaware of what he was doing. They thought he just fell in love with his mother’s native country and wanted to go back. They supported him in that sense but if they knew what he was doing in America his two military strict parents would surely blow a gasket. They understood his obsession with cars to a point…

But never racing

“Lets get this show on the road Lacey” Cliff murmured his strong calloused hands pulling at the sheet and tugging it off the frame of his car. The sheet fell off revealing a slate gray Honda SR2000 with blue racing stripes and trim. He felt a burst of pride run through his body as he admired the racing car he and his friends built with their own two hands.

“Lets pull her out” Sam said jumping onto the hitch and gesturing for Cliff to help her. He shook himself out of memory lane and worked with her getting the car off of the hitch and onto the concrete.

“We’ll make sure she is good to go” Ronnie said coming over and opening the hood up “You go buy your way in”

Cliff nodded grasping his black racing jacket and tugging it over his simple white T shirt as he moved to the front of the warehouse. The broker for the underground races would be there as well as the representatives from the Bardellino crime family. In Los Angeles if you wanted to race there was only one way to do it and that was through the crime family. They cornered the market on gambling and races and had grown even more powerful since he was gone.

He reached the front booth and after being starred down by a burly thug with muscles bigger than his fished out a small envelope of cash. In it was everything his friends and he saved up to buy into the races. If they were lucky they would walk out with double what they brought in.

It all rode on him.

“I’d like to register for the next race” Cliff said turning to the white board with the racers name.

“Whoever is next” He said trying to find the name as the thug counted his entry money.

Lacey

Ciro stared at the tablet screen grinding his jaw together as he fought off the swelling rage inside of him. The first incident had been three months ago, a small mistake his men took the blame for but since then it has happened every other week and each occurrence had gotten larger and larger. At first he continued to fault his men for the slip ups but it became apparent that something else was going on.

“Morning Daddy.”

If there was something in his life that served as a cure all it was his daughter, Lacey. “Princess!” He beamed setting down his tablet and opening his arms. She was his little girl, the crowning jewel to his empire and all that was good in the world and while he would always see her as that giggling child she had turned into a young lady overnight. “You look beautiful.” Ciro stood and hugged his daughter to his chest approving of the 1950’s styled sundress.

“You haven’t been sleeping well.” I clucked frowning up at my father. “Is everything okay?”

Pulling back, Ciro sat down again at the head of the table as Lacy took her normal seat to his left. “The factory was broken into last night and the shipment from the docks have been compromised.” He sighed rubbing a hand over his tired face. “As well, one of the construction sites has been vandalized and we’ll need to shut down for a few days to get things organized.” As disreputable as his business ventures were, Ciro had always made it a priority to be as honest with Lacey as possible while still maintaining her innocence and safety from the exact details of that part of his life. It was a strenuous balance and one that could never mix, Fatherhood to Lacey and Boss of the Bardellino Clan, Capo di tutti capi of the Eastern Board.

Anita brought me in an assortment of fresh fruits, steaming oatmeal and hot green tea. It was the normal breakfast fare and I smiled my thanks up at Anita. “Was anyone hurt?”

Ciro chuckled, shaking his head no as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind Lacey’s ear. “No Sweetheart, no one was hurt and everything can be replaced and fixed.” He assured her settling back in his highback chair. “It’s the lack of respect that people have for other people, for their means of living and personal property that gets to me.” Ciro all but growled. “If people could just see the selfish consequences their actions placed on others…” He ranked a hand through his graying black hair. “I’m sorry Princess.” Ciro bashfully smiled, normal he kept better control of himself but alone with Lacey he let down his barriers and was himself.

“Don’t apologize Daddy.” I blew on my tea before taking a test sip. “I understand and feel the same way.” Agreeing I took deep drink from my mug and relished in the warmth that spread through my chest to my belly. “It’s the same as those who have every means at their disposal and prey on the weak and poor. Those with power should protect those lesser then themselves not profit from their misfortune.” I innocently stated spearing a piece of pineapple with my fork. “Like you…” I paused chewing delicately. “And all the work you do with the children’s hospital.” I clarified with a charming smile, secretly enjoying the momentary tension the wrinkled my Father’s forehead.

“Sir?” Marco slowly eased the west door open and stuck his head in. “You have a call.”

Annoyance and anger pruned Ciro’s lips as his morning was disturbed.

Everyone knew that unless absolutely necessary you didn’t bother the Boss while he was having his breakfast, it was the only time that he got to spend with his daughter and he deeply treasured those few minutes he had with her.

“It’s urgent.” Marco pressed his face emotionless to the heated look from Ciro.

“Very well.” He snipped, standing from his seat to brush a quick kiss to Lacey’s head before taking his tablet and meeting Marco at the west door. “What are your plans for the day?”

I shrugged acting indifferent, as if every day was the same and I found it all to be boring and beneath me. “I’ll take Porsche out for a ride.” She was a five year old Hanoverian horse I had received two years ago for my birthday but she wasn’t the Porsche I was taking about, unbeknownst to my father.

He nodded his mind already attuned for his day. “Be safe.”

“Always!” I sang as he exited the room. I gave him another ten minutes as I picked at my food before leaving the table. “The silver BMW today Polo.” I notified Marco as I passed him.

He didn’t smile at me this morning saying my name as a warning. “Lacey.”

“What?” I balked batting my eyes at him, the picture of pure innocence.

Marco tried to stare me down but I had years of practice and he didn’t scare me in the least. “Just,” He shook his head. “The stables is 13.7 miles one way.”

My smile was brilliant and genuine. “Got it!” Marco knew something but did know enough to say something to me or my father about it. So he played the silent sidekick when he thought it necessary and here lately it’s been a frequent side job for him. “See you later.”

Before I even turned on the car I plugged in my tablet booting up its override programming. It would redirect the car’s internal GPS to the course I have mapped to my tablet. The only thing I have failed to overlook the first time was the supposed route I took and the mileage of the car was off by less than a mile. A fatal mistake I would never make again even without Marco nudging me.

Hours later…

A heavily tinted ’95 Porsche 911 turbo pulled into the garage, its catty purr distinctive against the high pitched whirls and throaty rumbles of the other cars assembled. At first glance the shiny black car looked factory, the only thing that first impression might give it away was the white wispy lace tramp stamp hand painted under the rear spoiler.

“Lace my Girl!” Bot shouted out loud breaking from the gathered group.

The Porsche parked and the door opened. “So much for my secret reveal.” I pout kicking out at Bot playfully.

Bot was born Charlies Michael Murry but everyone who mattered knew him as ‘Bot’. He was tall and lanky with closely buzzed sandy hair and dark brown eyes. In his white, grease stained tank top and torn and dirty dark blue jeans and every inch of exposed skin tattooed he looked like your everyday grease monkey. You would never guess him to be a 9-5 banker, his tattoos perfectly lined so that in his crisp suit you couldn’t see even a hint of color. “What can I say?” He shrugged a single shoulder ducking his head. “You’ve forced me to keep quiet about her for years and now that she’s alive.” He caressed the hood a long lost look shadowing his face.

“I know…” My tone echoed his as we stared off into the distance, remembering the long hard journey this had been to get to this point.

“A ŕunsearc?”

In a faint almost invisible matte black under the handle of the driver’s side was a very thin flowy girlish signature. “un-ROON-shark.” I sounded out for him with a smile on my face. “It’s Irish for ‘secret love’.” It was another memory but from a time before Bot, before racing and before my discovery.

“I dig it.” Bot nodded tracing over the lettering. Someone called out from the group that Bot came from and he nodded. “Better hurry up the next race is about to start.”

I nodded and reaching back into the car pulled out a thick envelope. “Wish me luck.”

“Don’t fuck up my girlfriend.”

The imagery was disturbing and I shook my head trying to rid myself of it. “I swear if a naked part of you so much as-“

Bot held up his hands with a sick smile on his face. “It was only the once but it was enough to last a lifetime.”

It was a running joke between us but also not because I wasn’t too sure if he was just fucking with me or not.

“Gross.” I gagged leaving him behind to pay my fee.

He was flying.

He reached that magical sweet spot that high when you were going so fast time seemed to slow down. His lead on his first race was pretty significant enough that he could lean back and enjoy the ride as he raced through the streets Los Angeles. Pedestrians cars whipped past him reminding him of tame broken horses that longed to be free.

His baby blew past them all guided by the route programmed into the GPS the race manager gave him. One-part GPS and one-part police scanner it guided him through the checkpoints that were carefully planned out around police officers patrol paths.

“You’re doing great Cliff!” Ronnie said coming in through the cars Bluetooth speakers “The lead you have is fucking incredible!”

“Don’t break my flow man” Cliff said his eyes not wavering from the road as he drifted around another corner “you know what I say”

“There isn’t anything but the tire and the black top during a race yeah yeah” Ronnie said dismissively “Then I suppose you don’t want to here who just showed up?”

“What does it matter?” Cliff growled his concentration wavering as he raced across a bridge “Some punk kid from the six months I was here?”

“Hey sorry man” Ronnie teased “its just if it was me I would WANT to know about the woman I once married coming in”

Cliff felt his car drift slightly to the left and swore. He jerked the wheel to the left narrowly missing a soccer mom van as his mind raced with the news.

Lacey was there.

The woman who he named a car after was currently standing in the warehouse. The implication was enough to take him out of the race and blast him back into the past.

Lacey represented the happiest months of his life. Before her, before Los Angeles his life was a series of pain stemming from an abusive dad who was a fan of knocking him and his mom around. It wasn’t until his mom met his step dad at a holiday base volunteer program that she was embolden enough to leave him. Cliff couldn’t be happier about it and when his mom revealed they would have to go back to the states in order to live with him Cliff saw it as a place to start over.

And he was right.

“20 miles until destination” The GPS chimed momentarily breaking him from his trip down memory lane. His eyes noted the alleyway and made the split-second decision to use it as a shortcut.

“How does she look?” Cliff asked as he and his Honda slid into the alleyway.

“A lot better than she looked at the wedding” Ronnie murmured dropping his voice so Sam wouldn’t overhear.

The wedding….

Cliff and Lacey met in fifth grade on the playground. There was a group of boys trying to steal her fancy handmade lunch and teasing her for being the snotty rich girl. Cliff never found out what a girl like her was doing in such a standard high school and neither did Ronnie and Sam. After he left she did as well.

A slight smile crossed his face as he remembered boldly stomping over to the bullies. His encounters with his dad left him with a distaste bordering on hate when it came to bullies. A distaste that followed him even now.

He got his ass kicked but earned a few good punches himself. Every scar was worth it for what happened after. Lacey didn’t leave his side talking to him the entire time he was getting patched up in the nurse office and following him to base.

And so, began what Cliff called the most romantic time of his life. They never did anything more than hold hands but they spent every minute of school together. Lacey was a girl he could just talk to, a better friend than even Ronnie and Sam were.

So he proposed.

Of course, it wasn’t a REAL wedding. Sam was her maid of honor, Ronnie was his best man, and the priest was nothing more than a scarecrow. Yet… he still had the old Captain Crunch decoder ring he gave her. He idly wondered if she still had the pink princess ring he bought her from the dispenser……

“Five hundred meters remaining” The GPS chimed pulling him once more. He noticed one of the other racers edging closer and swore. He pushed the trip down memory lane away instead focusing on winning.

He gunned the engine his hand dropping down and flicking the button for NOS by the drive shaft. He pressed down on it his body pressing against the racer seat he had installed.

“You have reached your destination” The GPS chimed as the screen darkened. It was replaced with the leaderboard showing everyone’s position and the final lap time. His eyes settled on the number one spot taking in his name and whooping in pleasure.

“You did it bro!” Ronnie said as Sam whooped in the background “Now get your ass back here!”

“I’m coming!” Cliff said the smile growing on his face. He cut the Bluetooth off and turned back towards the warehouse.

“I’m coming Lacey” He whispered gunning the engine and taking off again.

………………………………………..

TEN MINUTES LATER

He pulled back into the warehouse his window down as the spectators clapped and cheered. The reception for a new comer wasn’t bad all things considered especially for the ones who placed their bets on him.

He pulled up to his spot and slid out of his seat. His eyes scanned the crowds of people trying to find Lacey as Sam came up and hugged him.

“She’s over there” Sam whispered pointing towards the more VIP section “You sure you want to go over there? Fourteen years was a long time ago”

“I don’t know” Cliff said hesitating for a second before moving forward “I at least have to try”

He moved away leaving Sam and Ronnie and plunging back into the crowd. He made his way towards the VIP section stopping short in front of the bouncer.

“Name?” The bouncer asked crossing his arms.

“Uh Cliff” Cliff said peering around him and noticing Lacey “I’m not on the list but I just wanted to say hi to an old friend”

“I see” The bouncer said starring him down “Tell you what. Give me your name and I will go tell her”

“Uh thanks” Cliff said clearing his throat “My name is Cliff Devoe that should be all Lacey needs”

“Be back in a second man” The bouncer said nodding his head and turning to go talk to her. Cliff waited feeling a bit awkward and pushing his hands into the jacket of his jacket.

“You look nervous.” Bot taunted with a wink.

My response was to flip him off, rolling my shoulder to reposition my loose sweater to keep from flashing everyone. The truth; I was. My career as an underground racer was years in the making but this was the big league. I had been a big fish in a little pond for so long that I grew accustomed with not having to worry about winning because I always did. Bot had been the one to get me to move up and I delayed saying that I needed to finish the Porsche before I made the next leap. It had been a half truth, with as much attention as this circuit got I was worried about running into someone from my father’s circle. Crime lured crime and with larger pots and more ricks it was a dangerous gamble on my part.

I knew Bot was waiting for more than that and I happily gave him want he wanted. “Eat a dick.”

“My girl!” He loudly bragged hooking an arm around me, steering me back to my car and my race.

“Hey Lucas.” I waved in passing to the bouncer, a man I knew from my mini crime spree. He had a brother or a cousin or something that worked for the FBI or DEA, again it was something like that but the point was he had some of the best surveillance tech in the area and as an extra bonus because he tried to make a clean living out of it he was under the radar of my father.

“Hey there’s a guy.” He started holding out his hand.

Bot brushed off the gesture and I ducked following in Bot’s lead. “After the race Luke-warm.”

He shrugged not even brisling at the nickname, given because he was a horrible racer and always came in last place. It didn’t diminish the love he had for the sport but knew he would never be the one behind the wheel. “Yeah, sure.”

I smacked Bot on the back of the head. “That’s not nice.” I scolded with a frown.

“Fine, fine. I’m sorry,”

My look didn’t change.

“Okay, I’ll make sure I tell him I’m sorry.”

“Better.”

- - - - - - -

My hands were clammy. Lung pulled air in quick gulps and I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

I loved it.

I revved the engine again my body humming with an intoxicating mixture of terror, nerves, excitement and just a dash of sexual adrenalin. It was a heady tonic that I chased with every galloping beat of my soul. No one had ever called me a thrill seeker because no one knew this side of me but I was, I was addicted to it and the rush.

“When I win this race you’re going to sit that pretty little pussy of yours on my face!”

“You mean when I win and AFTER I fuck her tight cunt raw!”

This was typical. “Boys…” I cooed settling the two men on either side of me down. “There’s enough to share.” I purred blowing them both a kiss. “If you can catch me!” I roared slamming on the gas the millisecond we got the ‘go’.

Both men were a second late, one even missed his sweet spot and over revved catching his motor as he accelerated to catch up.

The Porsche screamed her please battle cry as I shifted climbing her higher and higher. The streets were serene, a car here and there but open for me and my desires. The GPS lead me to my destination but I neglected the direction to take the underpass, jerking the wheel to the left and patting the breaks to lure it into a seamless drift. The wheels sang as the car drifted at an angle, heading with the turn. As the merge lane intersected with the highway I gave A ŕunsearc her head and she sprang back from the drift a little heavy in the rear but I knew she would respond like a racehorse refusing to stop and steadied her accordingly.

Behind me I could hear another car and horn blaring from a civilian SUV as Mr Pussy-licker swerved to miss the Audi. The other two cars passed under us. That was about as much thought that I gave the other racers as I punched it. Swaying to imaginary music as I weaved this way and that, using the advantage of my smaller car to fly.

And fly I did using the mile long stretch to open her up.

Shifting down I tilted her into another flawless drift, exiting the highway as the GPS recalculated me to my destination.

“Take a right in 200 yards.”

The English voice queued, using the momentum and the already angled arc of my car I pulled the wheel tighter and made the quick turn. Four blocks later I heard the hearty engine of another car. I was either that far ahead or that far behind. My little shortcut at the beginning of the race was a calculated stunt that left me blind to the other racers, other than Mr PL who had followed me. If I was correct that should have been the road I was intended to take.

If I had listened I was sure I would have been able to pinpoint just want kind of car that was but I didn’t have the time.

“Next time.” I promised myself shirting A ŕunsearc to a new speed. The air cooled engine rumbled and I slingshot myself into the next turn. This was the straightaway, the last ditch effort by those who were losing to NOS up and win. I had a love/hate relationship with NOS and preferred to reserve it until absolutely necessary. And by the sounds behind me it wasn’t necessary. Even they flipped the switch, it wouldn’t matter, I was too far ahead and, oh! Just won the race.

The tablet flashed to life and the GPS alerted me that I had reached my destination on the right. Slowing down I picked up the tablet and watched names and times blink to life on the screen. Second by nine seconds was Mr Tight-Cunt followed by Mr Pussy-Licker by half a second and lastly Mr I-Don’t-Know. It was a decent race and my body unwound with a sigh. The rush was short lived and already I was craving my next hit.

“So, we could share.” Mr TC shouted pulling up to my window.

I rolled the glass down and hung out the window with an overly pouted lip. “But you didn’t catch me.”

“Well I’m here now, what’da say babe?”

“To the victor goes the spoils and it doesn’t look like you came out victorious.” I flapped my hand farewell and regained speed as I rolled up the window.

“What if I catch you now?!” I heard shouted behind be in desperation. Even if he had won, he wasn’t my type and I wouldn’t be his spoils.

- - - - - - - -

I rolled into the warehouse to a gather crowed of cheering drivers, grease monkeys and NOS bunnies with Bot in the front row arms held wide. Revving the motor I cruised up to Bot and everyone took a step back as I approached, except Bot who bent down and started pushing on the front end and humping his hips with a manic smile on his face.

“My Girl, my girl, My GIRLS!” He smacked the air leaping from his spot at the hood to the driver’s door, opening it and I turned the car off. “Oh you are so getting waxed tonight.”

“Me or the car?” I laughed as people congratulated me, slapping my back and taking turns around A ŕunsearc.

Bot threw his hand out and shrugged. “Oh, just the car but you can watch.” He joked wagging his eyebrows at her.

"Perv." I laughed walking away from him and the crowd of people.

Ghost. It had to be yet the logic of the impossibility was missed.

"Clifford?" I gasped the name willing the pushing crowd to part like the red seas. "Cliffie?" There was a straight away gap and I used it, running for the man that couldn't be. He spoke as I ran to him and that was all the evidence that I needed. Jumping I launched myself at him, wrapping my legs around his hips for stability as my hands threaded through his long black hair. There was no hello, nothing spoke as my lips meet his. My mouth opened and my tongue licked at the seam of his bottom lip demanding entrance. I growled a sound of frustration and bit his lips pulling back from the kiss a serious scowl on my face.

It wasn't that I wasn't getting what I wanted, well not totally but my reactions weren't all my own. My hand moved before my brain could and I slapped him across the face hard. "Where the hell did you go!" I accused him as tears welled up in my eyes.

She brushed past him and Cliff would be lying if he said he didn’t feel a little heartbroken. He watched her go trying not to eye fuck her ass and the rest of her body which had only gotten better in age.

“What did you expect mate” He murmured to himself shoving his hands back into his jacket and stalking back towards the car he named after her. His friends noted the crestfallen sad puppy dog look he had on his face and wisely chose not to say anything.

“Looks like your not the only one who became a racer” Ronnie said pointing at the current live feed of the races. Cliff eyes widened in surprise as he saw her name as well as the type and model car she was currently racing.

“When did she even get into cars?” Cliff said stepping forward. His eyes zeroed in and he watched her drive a shiver running up his spine as he watched her expertly bob and weave. For a man like him who spent his life studying racing it was easy to see she had talent.

And LOTS of it.

“Oh shit” Cliff murmured shaking his head from side to side “I’m in trouble”

“Why?” Ronnie asked even as Sam chuckled knowingly.

“Try again when she gets back” Sam said coming over and patting his shoulder. Cliff nodded swallowing the hard lump in his throat as he thought about trying to talk to her again. The idea of any sort of rejection from her was enough to cause him to contemplate running back to Ireland.

He decided to focus on her racing. He watched her as she raced and cheered with everyone else when she won against the other men. He was completely blown away by her abilities and idly thought that in a head to head race she might just beat him.

He didn’t have to wait long for his second chance. It took her a mere ten minutes to get back into the large warehouse. Cliff hung at the end of the crowd and watched as she came in buffeted by fans and people cheering her name. He made sure to clap as well even though he was hoping to congratulate her in person instead.

He felt a sense of slight jealousy when he saw a man go up and practically hump her car. It only took him a few minutes however to realize he and her were not dating. He sighed in relief and hesitated before he began to push through the crowd.

He was halfway through when her eyes finally reached him. He froze as he watched the flicker of understanding dawn on her face.

“Come on come on come on” He said softly watching her trying to convey who he was via sheer telepathic prowess. After a few minutes he sighed turning back to her and beginning to walk back to his crowd.

Then he heard it

“Cliffie?!”

The mention of her old nick name for him caused a shiver to run up his spine. He turned watching her as she moved and began to push through the crowd.

“Lacey bunny” He said softly moving through the crowd after her. He struggled in vein to push through to her even being bold enough to barrel and push some guys to the side as they met in the middle.

Of all the times he imagined meeting her again this blew everything out of the water. She was on him before he could say anything else wrapping herself around him and planting a deep needy kiss. Cliff moaned in pleasure his hands dropping down to her ass and grabbing it for support as they made out. The world seemed to freeze as they made out and when he pulled away he had the stupidest love sick grin on his face.

SMACK

He reeled back a bit as she smacked him full across the face. His eyes widened in surprise a question on his face that could only be “what the hell” He didn’t let her go however and still kept her close as he tried to come to terms with what just happened.

“What do you mean where did I go?” He asked as Ronnie and Sam ran up “You didn’t get the message I left under our spot? I had to go back to Ireland”

With some resignation her put her down. He grasped her hand instead bringing it up to his lips and brushing his lips across her knuckles.

“I had these two look for you but you disappeared” He said pointing at Ronnie and Sam who both waved “Where did you go? Why did you switch schools so suddenly?”

Before she could answer an alarm blared through the building.

“Cops coming!” The race coordinator yelled out. The effect on the group of racers was immediate as they all scrambled and began moving towards their respective cars.

“I can’t be here!” Sam hissed his eyes wide “If my dad catches-“

“Don’t Sam” Cliff said reaching out to stop her mid worry “Ronnie you take Lacey and get Sam out of here”

“Thanks man” Ronnie said grasping her hand and dragging her to his car. Cliff blushed as he saw the real Lacey look.

“Don’t start” He murmured continuing to blush as he moved toward her car.

“Remember when we got caught stealing cookies for the homecoming party?” Cliff asked going to her car “And I drove us out of there? Think you can return the favor?”

I waved a weak and honestly awkward ‘hello’ to Ronnie and Sam, another set of blasts from the past, m y feet touching the ground as Cliff set me down.

“Our spot?”

Irrational anger whipped through me as Cliff tried to defend himself, trying to push the blame on me. “I-“ Was all that escaped my mouth before alarms echoed and bounced from metal wall to metal wall. I ducked and covered my ears shielding myself from the noise.

“Cops!”

I questioned Sam’s fear, what was the big deal? It seemed there was a story here, questions the needed to be asked to fill in those missing years.

“Don’t Sam. Ronnie you take Lacey and get Sam out of here.”

I bristled at the directive. “Excuse me?” I didn’t need Ronnie to save me. I had my own car and was more than capable of saving myself. The look I gave Cliff was icy, I wasn’t the same little girl from before needing him to step in a take care of the bullies for me. But all he gave me was a blush and a mumbled ‘Don’t start’ in that annoyingly sexy Irish accent. I wanted to argue but shot him a look that let him know I wasn’t done with this.

The only thing I could say was that it was a good thing he moved to the passenger side of the car, if he had assumed he could drive… “Wait, so are we wanting to get caught because if I remember that correctly you hopped the curve, ran a red light and almost took out Mrs. Ferron’s mailbox.” I teased maybe exaggerating a bit here and there with the details.

I started my car nevertheless and smiled at Cliff an evil sparkle in my eyes as I floored it north as everyone flew from every doorway but the one towards the flashing lights a sirens. “So what’s up with Sam?” I ask my voice light and breezy as I hit the streets the wide open air making the sound of the cops approaching even louder. “What got her so scared? I don’t remember her Dad being anymore of a tight ass then any of ours.” A little harder on her with her studying but I couldn’t remember him being scary. Then again he loved me.

The street curved and if you looked really hard you could see peeks and reflecting of the red and blue lights. Still I drove ahead keeping the car at a controlled speed, above the speed limit but not so fast that my engine labored. “And what was up with the ‘take Lacey and go’ comment?” Another question this time with me pretending to sound like him. The lights got closer and still I drove ahead, turning at the last moment into a lumber milling and processing plant. It had its gate up and I drove on through using the maze of buildings to hide my car from view.

No sooner was I hidden behind a large building labeled ‘Building B’ that they cops drove by at high speed. The pack of them blazed on and I watched in my side and rearview mirrors with a toothy grin. Clear for the moment I drove pass building b and weaved my way between buildings to the other side of the huge lot. It was apparent that I knew where I was going but I wasn’t about to confide that my father owned the milling company and because of his ‘deals’ that went on here I didn’t have to worry about cameras.

The gate on the other side of the lot was also open and I rolled on through taking a left towards the ocean. Using the back roads I might have showed off a little, speeding on the straightaways and drifting corners hugging my lane lines perfectly. I didn’t know where Cliff planned to meet up with Ronnie and Sam but I knew where I was heading.

About ten miles from town what had been a luxury gold course and a promised to a lucrative million dollar per house subdivision was now a ghost town. Shells of houses started but never finished peppered the landscape. As the houses disappeared the lots grew wild, sapling trees and California grass towered at uncontrollable heights. A line of pine trees and wrought iron fencing separated the housing lots from the closed down golf course and around the back.

River Gate Golf Course had seen better days, the only thing that seemed to be in any sort of working was the large double wrought iron entry gate with twin sentry stone pillars on either side. Slowing to a park, I rolled down my window and punched in a six digit code, the two sides swinging out towards me feet from the hood of my car. The clubhouse didn’t look any better than the poorly maintained grounds. Clay roofing tiles were missing and blown askew, the windows were all boarded some with sprayed with graffiti and the fountain in the front was filled with clear water, the little guppies and sucker fish happily swimming about. “If you need to call Ronnie or Sam go ahead the code is…” I listed of the six digits quickly, sure that he would notice that those six numbers were the same as his month, day and last two of his birth year.

Yeah I was totally going to act surprised and innocent to the fact if he were to say anything. Like, ‘you don’t say, I hadn’t remembered…’. Even just to myself in my head it sounded false. I parked in the back, by the loading dock and parked the car, turning off.

I know the place didn’t look like much but I had claimed this place as my own, it was my workshop and play ground. River Gate was a three course once-upon-a-time dream park. Now it was a ruined mess that barely resembled what to use to be but the hundreds of paved cartways… They had been designed so that two golf carts could pass each other without a problem, making them large enough for a single car to race on. There were flats, turns, dips, hills, double back, intersections and a number of mixtures of the bunch and so much more. This had been where I had perfected my craft, built my Secret Love and hid all my secrets. Two people outside of myself knew about the place and on a spur of the moment I had made it three, soon to be five.

“I’m going inside, get a drink. You want something?” I exited the car keeping my keys out to unlock the door, leaping up on the ramp instead of taking the steps. The moment I did that I quickly punched in a new set of numbers and disabled the security system that was linked to my cell phone.

Inside wasn’t much to speak of. The stock room and loading bay had been cleared out and tool boxes and a car lift had been brought in. You could probably fit five, maybe six cars in the space if I cared to push the toolboxes against the wall, moved the lift from the middle of the room and picked up the boxes of parts that were scattered around the floor. Industrial lights replaced the florescent bulbs and the kitchen had been stripped, the ventilation system redone and was rebuilt into a paint booth. Across the hall I had kept the bathroom and utilized employee lounge and turned it into overflow and sleep room, complete with a queen sized bed. Beyond that I had replaced the light wooden door that keep the employee area from the guest area with a heavier locking door and that was pretty much it. I had boarded up all the windows before they were even broken to deter break ins and environmental damages but other than that, the place was more or less falling apart. Dust built up and the rooms had that stale air smell that really old books had.

“The vending machine has Dr Pepper, Mt Dew, Strawberry Fanta, Arizona Green Tea, 7-up and water.” It was all my favorites and was plugged in against the furthest wall facing the doors. Two couches, a coffee table and a shelf made the little corner into a casual hang out spot. Not that it had ever been used as much as I had kept the place pretty guarded. I flipped on the lights illuminating my work space. On the same wall far wall but against the other side was a metal table I had taken from the kitchen that I used as my drafting and planning desk and as such was covered in parts magazines, blueprints, maps, loose paper and notebooks.

Things moved fast, faster than the speed demon would have liked. No sooner were they reunited than they were running from the cops and barreling into the night.

Cliff settled into the passenger’s seat and watched Lacey expertly tear out of the warehouse. There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind that she wouldn’t be able to shake the pigs suddenly flooding into the warehouse. He took the time to admire her abilities once more taking note of some of the riskier moves she enacted to break the line of site.

“I wasn’t talking about you” Cliff said rolling his eyes. He realized he would have to admit what he was actually talking about and blushed slightly.

“I was talking about my car” He explained still blushing “I named my car after you.”

He realized how lame that sounded and hurriedly coughed. He suddenly felt the intense need to look anywhere but her and cast his gaze out into the night instead. He could hear the sirens still going off in the distance as the cops chased the other less skilled members of the street racing league. He waited a few more minutes before speaking again.

“Sam dad is a cop remember?” Cliff said glancing over at her “He made detective a few years back and he’s probably part of the cars out there. Her dads a good guy but he would kill her if he found out she was into racing. That’s one of the reason she just acts as support instead of being an actual racer.”

A worried look crossed his eyes as he thought about his friend being out here and in danger. If anyone could get her home safe though it would be Ronnie. He would do absolutely everything for her and wouldn’t let her get caught if he could help it. A blush crossed his cheeks as he remembered their relationship and just how special they were to one another. His eyes glanced back at her as she started the car again idly wondering what the kiss meant for them.

When the coast was finally clear Lacey pulled out and started down the road again. Cliff didn’t say anything as she drove alternating between watching her and staring outside to piece together where they were going. Eventually they traded the warehouse and industrial area for open spaces and abandoned buildings. He watched the ghost town fly by shaking his head in disgust at the prime showcase of fat America. He glanced at her his eyes questioning as he tried to figure out what they were doing here.

Seconds later they were pulling into a dilapidated old golf course. He took stock of the ground and the patchy roof glancing at her once more and trying to make sense of why they were here. Was this where she was living? She didn’t look homeless…. And if he remembered her dad was rich?

When she admitted the code was his birthday his eyes snapped back to her. He eyed her as she drove in blushing a bit at all the implications her reveal could mean. Did she hold their relationship close to her heart like he did?

And if so what did that mean.

“They should be fine” He told her his eyes flicking back to the main building “What is this place?”

Before she could answer she was popping the door open and stepping out of the car. He quickly reached over thumbing the release for his seatbelt and pushing the door open. He stepped out and followed her trailing behind her. He nodded at her offer for a drink before speaking up.

“Yes I would” Cliff said as she punched in a new set of codes and walked in. He followed after her his eyes widening as he took in what looked like equal parts living space, garage, and mad scientist lab. He tried to peek at some of the blueprints but before he could she was moving and blocking his view.

“Uh hang on and I will go grab them” He said turning on his heel and moving to the vending machine. A second later he came back with two ice cold cans of drink. He gave her one shivering slightly when their fingers touched before he moved back and over to one of the couches.

“I never expected to meet you tonight” He told her his eyes watching her “I’ve been back at the state for about a year now. I tried looking you up but the last name I thought was yours didn’t exist. I can’t tell you how good it is to see you. How many times I have imagined our meeting together”

Cliff stopped and tried to compose himself before speaking.

“It was fifth grade but it was still the best relationship I have ever been in” He told her speaking honestly “Even if we never talked again I still counted you as my best friend… I even kept the ring you gave me for that ridiculous mockwedding we did!”

As I drove I absorbed everything that Cliff said. He had named his car after me. I smiled thinking about how in a ways I had also named my car after him.

“Detective, is that right…” I knew that Sam’s dad was a cop but I hadn’t seen his name on any of my father’s reports and figured he had stayed as a foot cop. If he was a detective and clean… he could be just the guys I was looking for. “Good for him.” I finished realizing that I had left that statement open as thought about things.

I waved my free hand around the large open space. “It used to be a golf course, my dad met my mom here and fell in love. When he found out she worked here, he bought the place. It went under a number of years ago and since then I’ve made it my own little haven.” I showed him around the garage space. “It’s a mess.” I cringed seeing for the first time all the empty soda cans and water bottles. “Through those doors is a paint booth.” I had taken the wall out of the kitchen so it would be easy to drive a car thought and sheeted it closed it heavy plastic. “It used to be the kitchen so I kept the ventilation system.” I smiled thinking that it had been so cleaver. “Um, that door,’ I pointed at a standard room door. “Leads to a hallway. Right is another door into the paint booth. Left is a bathroom, the tub stopped working so I’ll have to get that fixed.” I really loved that hot tub and it was on my list of things to do. “Second door on the left is my leftover room. Part storage room, part bedroom, and part whatever it needs to be. Beyond the heavy door is pure chaos. I haven’t known what to do with the space and I don’t have to time to properly do anything with it so it’s been in limbo.” I always felt bad for the condition of the rest of the building. While I made an effort to patch the room and fix things here and there to keep the elements out, the building was starting to fall into ruin.

“Thanks.” Taking the soda can I blushed at the graze of his finger against mine.

“Wait, a year!” I wanted to be mad but he had tried to look for me, it wasn’t his fault that my father made finding us impossible. “You have?” My heart skipped a beat at hearting that he had imagined meeting me again but then it wilted. Best friend. God, and the way I had jumped him!

I turned scarlet and headed to my planning corner and started cleaning up, hiding blueprints and shelving notebooks, shoving loose bits of paper between their pages. “Yeah, you’ve been my best friend too.” I lied, staring at the corner of the table, farthest from Cliff. I had married him, even if it was ridiculous to him and even if it had just been fifth grade he was the man I thought of when I pictured my happily ever after. “Still have the ring too.” My tone tense as I pulled out my set of keys, showing him the pink princess ring encased in a clear plastic ball hanging from the car ring like some lucky charm. “But I’m glad you’re back.” That wasn’t a lie and I turned back to face him a smile equal parts joyous and sad. “I’ve missed you.” Also not a lie. “I could use more friends.” Lie, lie, LIE! I didn’t want him as a friend but if that was the wall that needed to be erected to keep him in my life. I was willing to do that, Cliffie was back and I didn’t know just how badly I had missed him until I had seen him again.

“So…” I didn’t know how to approach anything that felt like real feelings and skirted around the ‘you’ve been the only man I’ve ever loved and you grew up to be utterly handsome’ topic and just made small talk. “You became a racer, what else is new?”

Cliff noted the way she seemed to flounder at the mention of the title of best friend. What was going on? Did she not feel the same way?

He was so confused he reached out and took her hand she was saying something about him being a racer but he couldn't focus on it now.

Not when he could see the hurt in her eyes.

Not when he wanted to do anything to fix it.

"Lacey" Cliff said faltering on words before deciding to come out and say it.

"I never thought I would see you again" He told her speaking honestly "I dream about this imagined it in my head. If I already fucked it up then please give me another chance. When I say you were my best friend its because you are... however you're also my wife"

He chuckled at that and looked at the ring once more before continuing.

"If you ever...." He faltered blushing a bit "I mean if you ever want to. We can pick up things exactly where we left off.... We can see if this still works"

He let that hang in the air for a second before clearing his throat and jumping up.

"And yeah I became a racer" Cliff said turning to her and going to look out the window. He was unsure of what she thought and how she was going to react to his words.

"Racing and cars came after you" Cliff remarked rubbing the back of his neck "After you left I got lost in them I found I was really good with my hands and loved racing. I came back to the states as soon as I could and went from there"

He turned regarding her.

"What about you?" He asked raising an eyebrow "I always remember you being more into drawing and painting than cars and racing"

I loved the way he said my name and melted at the sound. Reacting without thinking was a fault of mind and I lept at Cliff again, pressing my body to his, freeing my hand and wrapping it around his neck pulling him down for another kiss. I was quick and light but my eyes shone with rays of happiness. "You should have said wife first." I grumbled hitting him lightly on the arm. Teasingly I nipped his bottom lip before untangling myself from him. "Oh and incase you're wondering, that's my answer for picking up where we left off." I grinned giving him a playboy wink.

"Drawing, painting and being a princess was all I was allowed to do, to be." I sighed. "As a young girl it was a perfectly normal role to play but after you left." I shrugged. "I had to grow up and being a princess wasn't okay anymore. To everyone else I'm still that dancing, artsy pampered princess but when I get to be myself." I twirled around with my hand out. "This, this is what I like. Who I am." I stopped and my sweater rode high on my one shoulder and hung low on the other, dipping down showing more of the black lacy bra that I wore underneath. "I like the problem solving of fixing cars, the grease and the smell. The speed clears my head and winning, winning is better than sex."

Walking past him I hopped up on the lift, my favorite seat in the room and left my feet dangling back and forth. "You know it's funny if you think about it. This, us. It's like fate." I giggled, shaking my head at the whole connection of things. "I mean what are the chances that we would ever see each other again? And like this of all things!" I was insane but I didn't want to question it too closely, just bask in it's happy occurrence. "For us to still care for each other." My tone softened and I looked at Cliff with doe eyes. "I don't know, maybe I'm reading too much into this because I'm just so happy you're back in my life. Whatever the reason the point is, seeing you again is like a dream come true."

"My car, it's name is A ŕunsearc." I didn't explain the meaning, I knew to a degree he used to speak gaelic and hoped he would understand.

Her lips

The fell of her body on his

His mind swam with it all. His hands were back on her ass keeping her close and pressed against him as they passionately kissed. When she pulled back and punched his arm he didn't even mind it to lost in the joy of her and having her so close after so long.

He panted as she extracted herself from his arms. He followed her like a puppy dog as she walked forward explaining herself. He was forced to shake himself from his perverted desires to just take her right now.

Of course it didn't help when she was showing that bra like that.

"I don't know if I would say winning is better than sex" He said chuckling his hands coming up to the back of his head and across his neck once more.

"Not if you're doing it right" He said before blushing and sitting down across from her.

"I turned to cars to after I lost you" He said reaching out and taking her hand "Its funny how we both found each other and followed the same paths even after we were apart"

He let that idea hang in there air before smiling.

"And It seems I am not the only one who named a car after someone" He remarked smiling softly "Lacey.... I never stopped loving you. I am still in love with you"

He leaned in giving her another kiss before pulling away.

"What do we do now?" He asked continuing to hold her hand.

"Really?" I arched an eyebrow at his opposed view of winning over sex. "So I'm just not doing it right?" I challenged with a playful glare. "And you, you've been doing it right?" I clicked my tongue in a dismissive fashion. "We'll see about that." It was almost a threat and most definitely a promise but for now it was just words.

It was the words every woman wanted to hear, that they were loved and it was almost enough to make me complete that promise I just made to him right then and there. "I," I swallowed hard trying to find the words and lacking. "Me too." I leaned into the kiss, opening my mouth to quickly dart my tongue into his mouth to get a taste of him.

"What do we do know?" I laughed at the idea. "Well we can fuck like bunnies and test your sex is better than winning theory or," I wagged my brows at Cliff a minx of a smile on my face. "We can check up on Sam and Ronnie and make sure they are alright and that we are as well. Then you can ask me out on a date and this time I'm gonna want more then the roller rink after school."

I let go of his hand and slid from the lift and stalked closer to Cliff with a huge smile on my face. Climbing into his seat and straddled him, my legs on either side of his hips and sat down right over his groin. Leaning in close I pressed my chest to his and breathed into his ear, my lips hovering over his earlobe tickling the tiny hairs there. "So what's it gonna be, Cliffie." Teasingly I rolled my hips seated on him as I was, his name exaggerated and timed to the length of my movement.

I was horrible, I knew it and did it anyways. I wanted to tease him, repaying him for injustice inflicted to me in the past. Hey, there were worse ways to pay off a debt.

Cliff all but toppled out of his seat when she hinted at the two fucking like bunnies. The idea of them hooking up like that after just having gotten back to each other wasn't non appealing. It blew the idea of even talking to Sam and Ronnie out of the water.

"Well I" Cliff started to say blushing a bit. Before he could complete the sentence Lacey was on him straddling his hips in a way that made his entire body shiver with delight. His hand dropped down to the small of her back massaging and stroking the skin as she teased him.

"Date and those two can wait" He said panting out in pleasure as a sizable bulge made its presence known underneath her. He grasped her and leaned in giving her another deep kiss before breaking off.

"You said you have a bed in here?" He asked raising an eyebrow "Care to go to it? Or do you want to do it right here? Honestly I dont care as long as its with you baby"

"Err." I buzzed, nipping at his earlobe and wiggling on the growing lump under me. "The correct answer was check on our friends and get something to eat." His blush was adorable and I pinched his cheeks like a grandma. "Thank you and join us next time for Lacey's Trick Question of the Day!" The smile on my face was identical to those of a game show host and I even waved and nodded.

Hopping up from his lap I patted his knee. "Come on, I'm hungry and I want to know that they are okay." Picking up my unopened can of soda I pulled the front of the vending machine open and put it back in.

Pouting I turned back to Cliff making a sad face. "Honestly Cliffie, I'm hurt that you thought I would be so easy." I straightened my sweater winking at him. "I plan on make it so much harder." I teased swaying my hips as I started to turn off lights.

I waited for Cliff to call either Ronnie or Sam and to name a place to meet up. Preferably a place with food, like waffles.

He starred at her his mouth agape as she hopped off of him. He shot daggers at her as she teased him and got up and hurriedly patted his cock down.

"I wouldn't have been that easy either" He shot back trying to put on an air of false bravado "If you had given me a few seconds I would have turned the table on you as well"

He hoped that sounded more confident than it came out of his mouth but somehow doubted it. He followed after her biting his lip and moaning as she put an extra sway in her hips.

He decided to get his mind off of her by doing what she asked and placing the call. He fishes his iPhone out of his pants and with a few swipes placed a call to Ronnie through facetime. He picked up on the first ring his face filling the screen as the couple entered the garage.

"Cliff!" Ronnie said happily "I thought you might have been lost to a certain sex kitten!"

"What's that mean?" Sam challenged coming up in one of his shirts from behind Ronnie "You can't say she has something on me baby?"

"Lacey can hear you both" Cliff hissed glaring "Sam put some clothes on! We want you guys to come eat with us"

"Eat?" Ronnie said perking up as Sam began to pull off his shirt and exposed more and more of her chocolate thighs "Where at?"

Cliff moved the phone away from his view and thought a few seconds before answering.

"The Pizzeria" Cliff said a small smile playing on his face as he glanced at Lacey. He wondered if she had been back since the last time they went.

"You guys are to much" Ronnie said rolling his eyes "Sure we will go to the shitty pizeria because it was YOUR place"

Before Cliff could return he hung up leaving Cliff and Lacey alone. Cliff moved over to her car door and opened it gesturing for her to get in before going to his side and entering himself.

I tilted my head back and laughed out loud. "Right, sure you wouldv'e." I pacified him still laughing. "So just so we're on the same page. You're saying that if I stripped," I spun gracefully on my toe to face him and pulled on side of my sweater down. "Right here," The sweater tipped lower. "Right now." The lacy see through material of my bra gave peaks at the flesh underneath, teasing him with the very beginnings of my areola. "That you would pull the wool over my eyes and leave me begging and needy?" I sensuously licked my lips and tilted my head back again, this time trailing the ends of my fingers over the exposed skin from the column of my neck to the top swells of my breasts. "And you said you missed me." I winked spinning again to leave him to his phone call.

"They really do make the perfect couple." Sure it had been years, an entire lifetime since I had last seen them but they didn't seem to have changed much. "Why thank you." I curtsied when Cliff opened my door, he hadn't changed much either.

The Pizzeria. "Is that place still open?" I had fond memories of the place, the handwritten notes, sharing a milkshake and filling the jukebox with quarters to listen to our favorite songs over and over again. Ronnie was right, the place did have shitty food but we had carved our names into the tabletop declaring our love for each other even back then.

"Wanna call Ronnie back and bet him that we can make it there first?" I tempted starting the Porsche up with a tiger's roar. "Loser has to buy the shitty pizza?"

I didn't care if Ronnie took the bet or not, or even if Cliff made the call. I drove fast but safe, keeping it just under the speed cap that any cops that I passed by overlooked me. "You asked before why I hadn't gone to our spot. What would I have found?" I tried not to sound hurt, it was just one day he were there and the next it was like he hadn't even existed. That morning I had called my father crying and pulled me from school, gave me the week off where he bought me my first pony and reenlisted me in an all girls private school that next week. He thought keeping me far from any memories of Cliff would keep me safe. He hadn't been totally wrong either. The whirlwind of starting a new school in a new part of town had been a lot for me to adjust to and by the time I had settled in I had a new set of friends that helped distract me from all that I had recently lost.

The car was dark and so was the garage which thankfully gave Cliff a bit of a smoke screen as he reacted to her. The Irish American wasn't new to sex but Lacey was a triple threat.

1. A hot girl

2. A sensual girl

3. His old love

So when she began to pull her sweater down he moaned in pure pleasure. He felt the skin on the back of his neck prickle up and he hurriedly turned his head so she wouldn't see his reaction. He knew if she reached down he would feel the effect her body had on him.

But he didnt want to give that up.

"Yeah they do" Cliff said chuckling "I always wanted to be them with you.... that probably sounds weird though"

"Yeah it is I have been back there a couple of times for the memories" He admitted blushing further "I even made sure our initials were still there... I uh may have written down my information in case you showed up"

"Ronnie doesn't stand a chance" Cliff laughed as they tore out of the garage. He texted them anyways letting them know where to go and leaving out the part about the race. Ronnie was enough of a gambler that he would have went for it.

"You would have found a letter about where I went and what happened." He explained "I also tried to give you the base information so you could send me a letter however I got it wrong I didnt find out until later though"

“Be them?” I laughed at the idea. “I remember that one time Ronnie brought Sam flowers and she kicked his ass for thinking flowers could work on her.” She was a hard ass even back then and Sam had been the model that I had used when I remade myself all those years ago. It hadn’t worked but I had learned to not be so soft, to keep people at a distance and make people earn my trust not to just give it away. “He was this big huge teddy bear and she was this tiny little lioness that made him work for every inch she gave him.” I chuckled because it didn’t look like things had changed. “No, I liked what we had. I treasured it, for who we were at the time, it was perfect.”

I cringed, too ashamed to look over at him. I hadn’t even thought about going back, hadn’t even tried and here Cliff was all ‘contact info at our first date joint’ and ‘letters in our secret spot’. Compared to him I hadn’t done anything in the way of finding him again. Sure it was easy to say I had been a girl too heartbroken and vulnerable to try but as the years dragged on I had healed for better or for worse and still I hadn’t made any attempts to locate him.

“I went to prom alone.” I confessed keeping my eyes on the road as I weaved between traffic. “Found a dress like that one I cut out from the magazine and pasted to our ‘Together Forever Book’.” There had been a movie where a girl had a dream book of all the things that she wanted to do and see. The future husband she dreamed of and their house and children. I had made one shortly after and shared my findings and dreams with Cliff as he had been pasted to every page I had made.

“It doesn’t excuse me not looking for you.” That had been harder to confess and I turned to face him, the glow of the red light lighting up the small cab of the car. “I didn’t.” I started. “I thought.” Shrugging my shoulders I used to light turning green to look away. “It was crazy to think you would remember me. I had convinced myself that all I was to you was a distant foggy memory, that you would feel the same way about me that I do you.” I spoke to the steering wheel but my words were for him. “Past a Hallmark movie who still loves their first childhood sweetheart?” My laugh was more heavy sigh then true laughter. “I just.” I reached my hand out and rested it on his arm. “I’m sorry for not trying, for not looking. Can you ever forgive me?” I pleaded with watery eyes.

The neighborhood was starting to look familiar and turned the corner seeing The Pizzeria down the street. Back a ways I could hear the shift change in a finely tuned car and I knew who it would be. This was surreal, being back here. Ronnie and Sam. Most of all Cliff. I felt like this was a gift, some dream that I had realized I desperately needed until I saw him and part of me was waiting for the other shoe to drop. But I let the feeling pass as I punched the gas, taking the mile in record time. Tires squealing as I drifted into parking lot, missing the parking spot by two feet. “That almost would have been cool.” I sighed correcting the car and realigning it correctly into the stall.

Maybe it was the time of day or the day itself but the The Pizzeria’s lot was empty save for a few cars in the back that was more than likely staff parking and a beat up old min van and worn work truck, complete with the yellow water jug and toolboxes in the bed.

“Doesn’t look like it changed at all.” I sighed seeing phantom rewinds of my time here long ago. Sure the paint was chipped and faded there and there, the gutteres gagged with age but all in all it was the same.

I turned off the car but didn’t make a move to get out, realizing that I was waiting for Ronnie and Sam so our group would be complete when we all walked into together like the olden days. I felt in love with malt shakes here, loved how they added so much chocolate syrup that it all sunk to the bottom. The race with Ronnie on who could finish their shake first and the chilling brain freeze that directly followed the challenge. “Like it’s only been day and not years since that last time I was here.”

"That is true" Cliff said a smile forming on his face as she talked about what they had versus what Ronnie and Sam had. He recalled the ups and down of their relationship throughout the years. He hadn't been there for them but he heard about them through phone calls and eventually video. He consoled them both when they were apart and rejoiced when they were back together.

But she was right. The two of them and their relationship was so much different than the one he had back with Lacey in fifth grade. Ronnie and Sam were meant for each other but they didn't always get that or life sometimes got in the way.

Not for him and Lacey though. From the very first day they met they knew they belonged to each other. Or at least he knew he belonged to her. They were inseparable bound together in a way he never saw before. It was a good showcase of that, that they could pick things back up from where they began as if no time had passed at all.

His eyes flickered back over to her admiring her in the half shadows of the night. His tongue flicked out over his lower lip once more teasing the skin as he thought about the few teasing bits of skin he already saw. To say he was eager for her would be an understatement. However he wanted to wait until the right time to.

"I didn't even go to prom" He told her laughing "Didn't seem like a point. I remember our teacher from fifth grade joking that we were future prom Queen and King and couldn't shake those words. I won't lie and say there weren't any others or that I am something like a virgin but they never compared to you and I never had a relationship that meant even half of what you and I meant..... and I would love to see that book one day"

She talked about not looking for him and he shook his head. Now when they were back together it wasn't the time for regrets and what could have been. It stung a bit that she didn't but she more than made up for that already by even being with him again.

"It does not matter" He told her his voice firm "The only thing that matters now is we are back together"

They were at the pizzeria before he could say anything more. He laughed as she parked reaching out and opening the door and sliding out.

"Let's get inside" He said moving over to her side and opening the door. He took her hand and helped her out just as Lacey pulled in.

"There they are" He said as the car doors opened. Ronnie and Sam stepped out a large smile on there face as they came over to the two.

"If it isn't the second best couple in the world!" Ronnie said clapping a large hand across Cliff's back and sweeping Lacey up in a hug "How are you girl?!"

"Give her some air Ron" Sam said shaking her hand and smiling at her "So shall we get in? Pizza is on me!"

"music to my ears!" Cliff said laughing and moving to the door. He paused to look at his friends once more before opening the door and ushering them in.

The pizzerias interior hadn't changed at all either. The faded carpet was still the same except for a few stains and the booths were still cracked. The smell of fresh pizza was the same to and Cliff's stomach rumbled in response.

"Go get us a table" Cliff said to Ron and Sam "I'll go place the order"

"Here" Sam said fishing in her tight ass jeans and pulling out her card "My treat"

"Ty darling" He said nodding his head at her and moving to the counter. He waited leaning against the wall as he waited for someone to reach him and place his order.

“Ronnie!” I shrieked as he pulled me into a bear hug that lifted me off the ground. Feet firmly planted on the ground I breathed a big smile and nodded my head up and down. “Good, real good.”

Things with Sam weren’t as warm, she gave me a smile and offered to get the food but I had a feeling Sam wasn’t just going to let me back in so easily. It hadn’t been just Cliff I had left behind when I moved school but her and Ronnie as well. All without as much as a good bye. Maybe I was just reading too much into it but I hoped that I hadn’t burned a bridge with Sam that we couldn’t rebuild.

The group moved and feel into the same routine with Sam and Ronnie getting a table, our table, and Cliff getting the food. I stayed back just watching my old friends. Dispelling dark thoughts I moved over to the counter, snuggling up to Cliff so my hip touched his. “Pep and bacon, extra cheese.” I reminded him, knowing that it was unnecessary. “Hot sauce on the side.” Remembering the olden days I pressed close to Cliff and snaked a hand into his pocket looking for quarters. I took my time feeling each coin, bushing the inside of his thighs, gathering a handful of quarters and skimming my thumb along the side of him as I pulled my hand out. “For the jukebox.” I smile innocently skipping to the back wall to stack the box with our sappy love ballads and head banging rock bands.

“Sam look they still have Spice Girls!” I didn’t know if we truly loved the band because we were all ‘girl power’ or because the boys hated it but I added it to the playlist.

Her playful petting had an immediate reaction to the young Irish racer. He was practically weak on his legs by the time she was done "rooting" around in his pants for spare change.

"Sure" He said his voice extra hoarse as she moved away. He caught the attendants knowing smirk and hurriedly cleared his throat before placing the order.

"Spice girls?" Sam said chuckling and coming up to Lacey. She leaned in her ebony colored hair bouncing as she pursed her lips and looked at the collection.

"Not that we got to jam to it to many times" She said glancing back at Lacey before pulling back to fully regard her.

"Cliff doesn't know yet" Sam told her dropping her voice slightly "I did some digging on you girl when you mysteriously disappeared. It took some doing but I found out who your daddy was. It's not a big deal that you're right but like I said Cliff doesn't know. He's in love with you and I only hope you're as serious as he is"

She gave her another look to convey how serious she was on that front before finally smiling. She reached over grasping the other girls slender shoulder and giving it a slight squeeze.

"I am glad you're back though" Sam said to her before reaching out with her free hand and hitting the spice girl album. She turned and moved back to the table sliding in and snuggling up to Ronnie without another word.

"Pizza should be up soon" Cliff voice said on her ear as he moved up behind her. He reached out and grasped her hips swaying her gently from side to side as the music began to play through the stereos old speakers.

"Spice girls huh?" Cliff said chuckling "this song brings back memories!"

I wanted to be more concerned that Sam knew who my dad was but I wasn’t. “Did you end up being a cop too?” Was all I asked, I don’t know when she had found out but the fact that she did was impressive enough. If she was a cop or had some underground skill that could be useful… I stored the possible information for a later time. Reminiscing with old friends after years of not seeing each other was not the day for that. Still the topic of Cliff was one that I could talk about.

“Love?” I scoffed at the word not because I didn’t believe in it but because we had just been reunited. We’ve grown up, changed as people and who to say that we were still meant for each other. There were things about me now that I wasn’t too sure Cliff would love or even accept. “We just found each other in the most unlikely of places. We might love that we happened upon one another, love that we are together after all these years but love as in Love.” I hated to disagree with Sam but it was too soon to use the love word with a capital ‘L’. “We barely know each other, the us of now. Everything we’re feeling is the us of yesterdays.” I had learned to build walls, to protect myself and keep people away and it was what I was doing right now. “Don’t get me wrong, I still have feelings for the Irish lad but…” I stared off in his direction my face panged with loss and sorrow. “What if too much has changed?” I muttered, voicing a fear I hadn’t realized I had until Sam said Love.

The squeeze was much needed and I smiled, I had thought things between us would be a lot more complicated than this and I was more than happy to take every bit of Sam’s friendship that she would offer. “I have missed you.” I smiled my tone all sappy. Sam hit the play button and suddenly the restaurant was filled with the British pop group and I used the music to skip over the mushy feely reunion. “Yo! I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want! So tell me what you want, what you really, really want!” I sang and danced, jamming out to the music, waiting for Sam to sing the repeat opening.

Cliff announced that the pizza would be ready soon as I bobbed to the music. As the next part of the song came up I slipped from his hold, sticking my tongue out at him. “I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna.” I shimmied and goofy danced around him. “I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ah!” At the end I struck an ‘Ah!’ pose before crumbling into a fit of giggles. I didn’t know if what Sam said was true or not but I was going to let it go for the moment. If that was how Cliff really felt, if he love-Loves me, well that was something we could cross when we got there.

I wanted to linger in the ridiculous 1996 lyrics and pretend that nothing had changed, that it was almost a life time ago and we were just meeting up here on the weekend like the old days. “Memories like last week when you were singing this song in the shower?” I teased knowing that was as far from the truth as me liking chocolate frosting. I laced my fingers through Cliff’s and pulled him to the table, sliding in first, eyes drawn to the boy turned man, I thought I had lost forever.

"Not a cop yet sugar" Sam said rolling his hip against her before moving toward the table with her "But you bet your ass I will be one day! And believe me when I say Cliff is totally and completely in love with you still!"

Before she could say anything else they arrived at the table. Ronnie wrapped Sam in a big hug kissing her cheek before necking her and bringing her into the booth with him. She sang with Lacey even though it was intercut with her and Ronnie making out.

Meanwhile Cliff shook his head and watched her as she danced. His eyes took her in watching her every movement and clearly enjoying it. He was smitten that much was painfully obvious as he watched her finish her dance and laughed.

"You still got it" He remarked smiling as she led him to the table "Much more than my bathroom shower rendition!"

He held her hand for a few seconds before removing it. He grabbed her instead cuddling her into his chest and wrapping his arms around her. He snuggled her necking her neck a little bit. Everything felt right in the world now that they were all back together. The two couples against the world.

"Pizza should be here in a couple of seconds" Cliff said with a smile "If you two can keep your hands off each other long enough to eat!"

"Oh please" Ronnie said with a snort "Are you two having a sleep over tonight?"

"What?" Cliff said turning to Lacey and blushing "Are we?"

Lacey didn't want to argue with her oldest friend about Cliff and his heart so she let it got with a smile and returned to the table conflicted with warring emotions within her.

She didn't know what make her heart race more, the thought that Cliff still loved her or the haunting idea that he didn't. Both notions had their good and their bad and neither was she at all prepared for. Did she still love him? It was a heavy question that couldn't be answered with a simple yes or no. Yes, she lad loved him, Cliff was the only man she had ever loved but what about today, in this moment?

Cliff wrapped himself around her and his lips teased at her neck, like this was an everyday occurrence. As if the last time they had seen each other was just days ago and not years. Giggling she pulled away from his tickling touches and shot him a smiling warming look. He didn't seem at all worried as she returned to his embrace.

Lacey wanted the answer to be yes but she had a life that wasn't all that it seemed to be. There was danger that she wasn't at all ready to expose Cliff to. If her father found out... she shivered in Cliff's arms just as he mentioned the pizza. She knew who her father was now and while she was fairly certain he wouldn't kill or harm her, the same couldn't be said of anyone she dragged into this mess that was now her life.

"A sleep over?" She repeated the question with a mirrored blush on her face. "I don't know, do you guys still have those?" The idea sparked her as childish but then she quickly remembered all the memories she had shared with these people and she found herself smiling. "But I guess, I mean..." She shrugged a single shoulder and looked back at Cliff. "Why not?"

At that her heart skipping to an all new high and she ducked her chin to her chest and rocked back against Cliff, feeling his hard warm chest against her back. He was a comfort that she hadn't let herself miss but now that he was here... part of herself was okay with letting her lie to herself and it silenced the cautious voice with a loud 'Yes' in answer to her feelings about Cliff. If the butterflies were anything to go by, she still loved this man and she promised herself in that moment to make all that she could of this between them.