Song of the chapter: Shut Up And Drive by Rihanna (Lol I had to. Couldn't pass up that opportunity)

When Saturday morning arrives I'm a lucky dip of emotions. I honestly can't tell you which one Theo would have waiting for him when he arrived. Would it be the fear of not only trying something like race car driving but also properly going out for the day to spend time with Theo? Would it be excitement from the anticipated speed of the cars or because I couldn't stop thinking about how it felt when his lips touched mine and he held my face within his hands? Or would it be confusion as I continue to face an internal struggle about whether what I'm doing is right or wrong? I don't know whether this is meant to be a date or just us hanging out as friends like Theo had already claimed that we were.

We had agreed that Theo would pick me up since my apartment was on the way to the raceway. Believe it or not but we had actually discussed this by messaging each other using our phone numbers like normal adults because we had finally exchanged numbers after knowing each other for two months now.

It's 9am when I hear my phone vibrate from where it sits on my bed as I finish getting ready. 'I'm here' reads the message as I grab my jacket and belongings and shout out goodbye to Jess.

Sure enough, once I make it down the flights of stairs and open the door to the street, I find Theo waiting for me. He stands there clad in a tan leather jack with a black shirt underneath, matching black jeans and Lacoste sneakers. The substantial breeze that will apparently be occupying the day tousles his naturally wavy hair as he leans against his car.

Now I kind of wish that I had worn a leather jacket too so I can look like one of those cool race car drivers in the movies. And it totally should have been red, even though I don't actually own a red leather jacket and would've had to buy one specifically for today. I do have a black as well as a tan leather jacket though, but it probably would've been a bit awkward to match with each other. Either way, I have gotten way more caught up in thinking about leather jackets than I ever thought I could have.

"You ready, Miss Adams?" he asks me, a boyish grin making a subtle appearance as he awaits what I can imagine is an activity he lives for.

"Sure." I nonchalantly reply with a shrug, teasing.

"Ella, I don't know what we're going to do about these enthusiasm levels. They're just too high, I feel like you're about to explode from excitement." he says, hand on his heart as if with concern, as he opens the driver side door while I walk to the other side.

I feign a dramatic sigh. "I know. I'm sorry but I just can't control it."

"Know anything about cars?" he asks me, as I slide into the passenger seat and close the door.

"Other than how to drive one and which ones I think look nice— nope. I did watch a movie about Formula One drivers the other night with Jess. The one with Chris Hemsworth."

"Right. So the important stuff then."

"Clearly."

He chuckles under his breath as he turns on his car and begins our trip to the race course. It's quite a relaxing ride with Theo playing light music in the background as he makes some, but not too much, small talk. I'm thankful that he doesn't bombard me with conversation because I'm not too big of a morning person. Rather he just answers questions that I ask about his interest in cars and such.

I have to confess that after around an hour of having Theo driving me that, although I love my trusty Corolla hatch, driving around in Theo's Audi was a welcome experience. I would never have guessed how much I would love having my ass heated but it was a true treasure in the cold New York winter. The whole smooth driving experience and leather interior is nice too but damn that heated seating was great. It must be great having money.

I almost get withdrawals from his car when we finally arrive at the race course. But I also know that by the time we come back to it in a couple of hours I'll probably have moved on to whatever luxury cars we drive today. The potential for withdrawals isn't exactly hindered by the harsh winds that await us outside the car, driving me to crave the warm shelter of the car.

I'm immediately regretting not wearing a jacket on top of my jumper as soon as I step out from the car only to promptly shiver. But I try push past the cold in the hopes that we'll be inside a car soon.

However, when I reach Theo's side I find him taking off his jacket. He's doing it in this effortless way that makes me jealous because if I tried to do the same I know my jacket would have already gotten stuck on my sweater multiple times by now?

I'm genuinely wondering if he is actually crazy? It is fucking freezing right now. How is he not going to freeze?

Then I realise that he's extending his hand and the jacket it is gripping to me.

"Take it."

I shake my head with certainty. "No, I can't. You'll be cold then."

He shakes his head back at me with disapproval.

"Please, take it. I'll be perfectly fine. I've lived in the U.K. most of my life. I'm used to it. If you think this is bad, try Scotland," he tells me, practically shoving the jacket into my arms as he tries to discourage my hesitation with his light hearted comments. "Anyways, once we start driving I won't need it anyways. The adrenaline will honestly warm us up. You'll see."

I watch him with hesitation, not sure if he's genuine about anything he has just said or just trying to be nice. He doesn't seem to be shivering, like I am right now, so that gives him points for honesty. But maybe he's a good actor and then I'll just feel horrible.

I'm too busy assessing my options and how truthful Theo is being when he puts a halt to any further questioning by stepping behind me and lightly placing the jacket around my shoulders. I look over my shoulder to object but he's already moving to my front to wrap it closer around my shoulders and keep it on better. It sits loosely on me, but not by too much, as I give in to his gesture and fold myself into the jacket's confines. I guess I will be wearing a leather jacket today after all.

"Thank you" I tell him now that I have caved in.

"All good" he says, looking down at me with a sincere smile.

"Now, come on. We've got cars to drive." he says, breaking the bubble that I felt might have begun forming around us.

Theo begins walking away from where our car is parked to a nearby building but he is walking at a rather fast pace that I have to do a little jog up to him to catch up. I'm sure he's just eager to get to the cars but part of me wonders if he is also eager to put some space between us. After all, I don't really know how close he's looking to get with me. Following our kiss all I got was a "see you around" while he had been pretty clear in encouraging only a friendship for weeks now.

Nevertheless, we are here to focus on cars and tick off an experience on a list of things I should try to start living my twenty-something year old life properly. So that's what I'm going to do.

Theo leads us to where we check in and are then escorted to the race course where our car and supervisor for the day talks us through what we'll be doing to day. He runs us through the safety protocols before the keys are handed over to Theo and we're told we can finally get in the car.

I take the chance to look over the Ford that awaits us and if I thought that Theo's car was a massive step up from my car then I don't even know how this car could compare. Of course, the car wasn't the type you'd typically see on the road and the most I actually know about it is that it's a Ford with the model type probably being some combination of two letters. But it was the most sleek looking car that I had seen, the surface almost reflective despite the lack of sun, with the royal blue colour and black trims screaming luxury.

We climb into the car, Theo in the driver seat and I in the passenger. He checks that I'm all good before he turns the car on and the engine loudly roars to life. Now that is something I've never heard from a car. The rumble of the motor softly shakes us in the seats and quickly prompts the goosebumps to appear across my body as I try prepare myself for just how fast we might end up going.

"I'll make sure to ease into the speed. Let me know if you want to me to pick up the pace." he reassures me.

I nod, the nerves opting for not a word to be uttered out of my mouth.

"You want me to close the windows?" he checks.

"Screw it. If we're going to do this we might as well get the full experience."

Theo chuckles at my response. "Okay then. Here we go."

He begins to lift his foot off the brake and shift it to the accelerator. Already the car is accelerating at a rate that my car would probably die from. Within seconds we are already going around fifty miles per hour. Though I'm a little surprised since Theo did say he would ease into it I am also all to aware that (1) I am all too often described as a grandma driver and (2) you probably can't ease into speeds all too much in a race car.

Theo quickly flashes his head over to me to check on how I'm going so I shoot him a thumbs up to partly reassure him that I'm fine but also get him to look back at the course in front of us sooner.

"Let me know if you're ready to go quicker." he shouts out, focus back in front of him.

"I'm ready." I promptly answer, sitting here waiting for what feels like a roller coaster about to fall of the side of a cliff.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!

"Okay. Let's do this."

And with approval from me I feel the car begin to lurch further forward as Theo's foot pushes more down on the accelerator. I'm too scared to look at the odometer to see just how fast we're going but I can definitely guess that it's faster than I have ever or will ever drive. And yet Theo doesn't seem to be freaking out at all but is instead driving like it's natural to him.

"Holy fuck, this is really fast!"

Theo laughs at my exclamation, taking yet another very brief second to look at me again with the widest grin I've ever seen on his face before returning his gaze to the track before him.

"I'm not even going near as fast as the real deal do." he chuckles.

If the definition of a boyish grin were to be captured using an image it would be Theo right now. With the wind rushing through his hair, eyes firmly concentrated on the road and hands firmly yet effortlessly moving between the gears and the steering wheel he is definitely in his element.

"I'm guessing you've done this before?" I ask as he easily manoeuvres around a bend in the road.

"Once or twice."

I'm also guessing he's the type of everyday driver that drives a bit faster than I do in that Audi of his.

I want to ask him what made him want to do it again but the expression of pure wonder on his face as he concentrates on driving answers that question all too well for me. Plus, I don't exactly want to distract the guy driving us abnormally fast right now with too much talking.

The air is rushing past us like we're caught in the middle of a tornado. It brushes through my hair as it sends it lifting from my shoulders and floating into the air behind me. I could regret the decision to leave the windows open later when I'll inevitably get a headache but right now it is invigorating.

It's the middle of winter but warm air engulfs me- something Theo warned me about- making Theo's jacket which rests around my shoulders redundant. Air conditioning seemed to not be included in these cars which Theo had explained on our walk over here was so that the cars would be lighter and thus quicker.

I find myself laughing wildly at how crazy but amazing this is. Never would I have imagined that I'd be a speed addict or that I would love a race car driving experience but I truly do. I'm actually disappointed when the laps we had booked in are finished and we are pulling over at the pit stop to finish up.

I'm almost jumping around when we get out of the car, the adrenaline rushing through my veins. While Theo isn't quite as energetic as me, that grin is still wide across his face with the laughter reappearing as he watches me.

"So how'd you find that?" he asks as he joins me on my side of the car.

"Better than I could've imagined." I answer honestly.

I was worried that I'd have to lie about how I felt about this but I truly don't have to. It was an experience like no other I've felt.

"I'm glad to hear that." he says as we meet up with the supervisor before Theo ushers us off to have a drink and calm our heart rates down a bit.

We have a drink or two and talk some more about cars, with Theo teaching me more about cars and the one we had just driven that I could've learned in all my years. He fills me in on his past experiences and we laugh over his recollection of just how badly he had also looked like he was going to shit himself the first time he tried it much like I had apparently today.

"You ready?" he asks me, taking one last sip of his drink before he lifts himself from his seat.

"Yeah, sure." I say, finishing the drink and jumping up from my seat with the new energy still present within me.

I'm all prepared to start the walk back to Theo's car when he begins leading us back the way we came.

"Isn't the exit the other way?" I ask.

He keeps walking as he turns to look at me trailing behind him and his giraffe legs with a smug across his face.

"It's your turn now." Theo tells me. 

"My turn?"

"Yep. You didn't think I'd bring you along just so you can sit in the passenger seat, did you?" 

Oh fuck. 

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Sorry for the lag. Here's part one of what was a long and fun chapter to finally get around to writing. Hope you enjoyed :) Part two coming soon.

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