On The Tracks ✔

Chapter 26: 'Feel Like I Did Too Much'

Gabriella

Leon finished up the story and I sighed, "I shouldn't have been there with him."

"That's why you looked so shaken up that Monday morning," Raffaele groaned, "That stupid bastard, if I get my hands on him I'll –"

"You'll do nothing," Geo interrupted him, "just like how you were a call away when all this was happening."

Raffaele laughed humourlessly, "A call away, but how could I know when she didn't fucking call me," I winced, "I was right there, if you told me, I would have fixed everything with a snap of my fingers – you know this."

"Yes I do," I yelled back, "don't you think I heard all the gossip about how I was sleeping with you to get to where I am, back then it didn't make sense, because I thought you were a fellow racer like me but you a Goretti, I didn't know this, you lied to me."

He took deep breathes and looked back at me, "I didn't want you to see my as royalty, I just wanted you to treat me like a normal human being. Everyone saw me as a rich kid who got here because his dad was in charge, but you saw me as a friend."

"That doesn't change the fact that you lied to me," I brought the conversation back to focus, "you promised me you'll come back," I heard my voice crack, but I refused to be vulnerable.

"I did and here I am," he flared his arms around him dramatically, "and you lied to me too," I was confused and I'm sure he saw the look on my face, "every time I asked if everything was okay, you said yes," I bit my lower lip, he had a point, "how was I meant to know everything was so chaotic."

I asked the question that has been in my head ever since he told me he was going on tour with Goretti, then I was first introduce to underground racing, "What were you doing?" I knew there was more to what scratched the surface, I knew there was something more to him going on tour.

"Exactly the same thing you were doing," if I had water in my mouth I would have spat it out, "I'm sure you know my family," right his family – Goretti, "has ties and even dabbles in underground racing."

Wait, so did that mean –"Yes Ella, I raced against you every night, I was the guy in red," Little Boy Red, Red Ladybug, Little Red Riding Hood.

"It was you, Little Red Riding Hood," he raised an eyebrow at the nickname I had for him. My brain couldn't seem to wrap itself around it, "so that's why your techniques were so familiar," I mumbled out.

Thinking of it, it made sense, I knew the racer had to be in Goretti, but I never thought he would be so close.

He nodded, "Yes, I was the guy you pinned your car crash on, and the reason why I had to leave in the first place." So I was the reason he had to leave.

"I need to sit down," I collapsed on the plush chair beside me, "How? Why?" I placed my face into my palms. "This whole fiasco is my fault?"

I feel tired even though I had a nap a few hours ago.

Raffaele shook his head rapidly, "No, you never said you wanted this," technically I did, I winced at my naivety, "this is cazzo's fault."

"I always hated that bastard for a reason," Gwen spoke out, reminding me we weren't the other ones in the room. I could see her lips move as she continued to talk but I couldn't hear her. I was having an internal crisis.

Chaos. Confusion. Trouble.

"Trouble seemed to follow me everywhere I went, because he did," everyone turns to me, "Patrizio was a mischievous kid, it was fun we executed pranks together, but never did I think he would do something as evil as that too me," I paused, "He didn't drug me like he originally intended, but he still lured me into T.U, trapping me there." I shrug sardonically, "I guess that's what happens when you underestimate the enemy."