Page 31 of Vawn
Yeah, like Ojo would ever tell my brothers how he felt. Because if he did have a lot on his mind, he obviously felt he couldn’t share it with me. That only made me feel worse.
I shrugged. “Whatever. I’m going to take Enif to Dad and Pops before the race.”
My oldest brother gasped. “What? My niece doesn’t want to watch me race? Plus, I thought you were Ojo’s number one fan. What could be more important than watching us race?”
My daughter giggled. “But da hotel has a waderpark and a holo-zoo.”
“Ah.” He set her down and ruffled her hair. “I guess I can’t compete with that.”
I smiled for the first time since I’d arrived in the pits. “I’ll see you later. Good luck out there today.”
He ruffled my hair, too. “Stop looking so glum. Everything is good. Trust me, okay?”
I gave a half shrug. I didn’t know how Ret suddenly knew, or thought he knew, what I was thinking, when he hadn’t my entire childhood. I waved to Genj, Xac, and Qé, who all looked at me with sympathy, as if they knew something I didn’t. Yeah, Ojo wanted to end things. If I didn’t have my daughter with me, I’d do it myself, right now, then head home to Orez with a broken heart before the race had started.
***
I glanced at the stadium with dread in my heart. “I don’t even feel like going back.” The beginning of the race hadn’t been much different than the last one we’d attended. And I doubted the ending would be much different, either. ORIXA would pull off some move to trick the rest of the racers and win. Big celebration for them all. Just not for me.
Utahn pulled on my arm, tugging me toward the stadium. “C’mon. Things aren’t as bad as you’re making them out to be. Today is going to be good. I promise.”
“For you, maybe.” I rolled my eyes. “You and Genj arefinallytalking, but I can’t even get that from my actual boyfriend.”
“Ugh! You are so dramatic.” My supposed friend pushed me from behind instead of supporting me in my time of need.
“I’m sorry my heart breaking is interfering with your happiness.” I wiped away a tear. “I really thought we could make this work, you know?”
Utahn clasped my arms and stared at me. “Please give him the benefit of the doubt for now. And if he does end up breaking your heart, I promise I will join your brothers in beating his ass.”
I wiped another tear away as I gave my friend a half smile. As much as I knew all three of them would fight for my honor, I also knew how strong Ojo was, and how he’d had to fight to survive on Jenegath. It was included in the minimal information I did get from him about his life before becoming a space racer.
“Fine,” I sighed. “But I expect you to fight dirty. You’re going to need to.”
“Deal.” Utahn hooked his arm through mine as we returned to our assigned seats in the stands.
Though everyone had told me not to worry, my stomach churned more and more as we got closer to the last lap. I wiped sweat from my forehead, though the air had grown cooler with the setting sun. I really felt like I was going to be ill as every organ inside me quivered, anxious about what was to come. In fact, I’d been feeling like this for the past few days. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken the trip to Derinj in the first place.
I reached for Utahn’s hand. “I don’t feel good.”
Instead of responding, he launched forward to stare at the screen. I glanced up, trying to figure out what was going on.
There was a battle for first place between ORIXA and Team Ffice. Both teams had all members in the top ten. And while the occasional jet would push slightly ahead, no one from either team surged forward, as if getting ready to perform some special maneuver to take all top five positions.
My upset stomach temporarily forgotten, I stood beside my best friend, on edge, watching the screen to see how this played out.
The finish line was drawing nearer. All at once, ORIXA spread out. I gasped, wondering what they would do next to win.
Out of nowhere, a jet from another team launched forward, smashing into the tail of one of the lead jets. There was a huge fireball. Debris flew everywhere. And just as quickly, all the screens in the stadium switched to show the announcer, who looked as shocked as I felt. Murmured whispers filled the stands as emergency jets flew overhead. Yet, no one knew the outcome of what we’d just witnessed.
Please remain inside until emergency personnel have cleared the scene.The words scrolled across every screen. Over and over.
I grasped Utahn, a new dread filling every inch of my body. “Please let them be okay.” I knew what it was like to lose someone I loved. I didn’t want to go through that again. And I didn’t want anyone else to experience that, either.
Stars.When were they going to tell us what happened? I needed to know my family was safe.
The announcer touched her comm unit below her ear, probably getting a message from someone. But, what? The rest of us needed to know, too. I needed to know.
Utahn rested his hands on my shoulders. “Let’s sit down and wait. I don’t think we’re able to leave for the hotel anyway.”
