“Holy shit,” Luke muttered and turned to face Cara. “He’s not going to do that is he?”
“No but not because he doesn’t want to. His bike is too heavy.” She answered, not taking her eyes off of the stuntman and his bike. When he reached the end of the roadway he straddled the bike, repositioned his gloves and then steered the bike upward, so that the bike’s back wheel was the only on touching the pavement. Suddenly he removed his hands from the handlebars and spread his arms out to the side, as if he was balancing himself walking a tightrope. Next, he returned his hands to the handlebars and tucked his legs through them. His feet pressed against the handlebars and kicked off, somersaulting again before his bike stood upright and his feet dragged along the asphalt.
Luke glanced down, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He arched his hips and pulled the phone to glance at the text he received. “He’s next.”
Cara looked at him nervously. She couldn’t help the butterflies in her stomach, she prayed to anyone who would listen, that Jake would be okay.
Luke laughed and squeezed her hand tightly. “He’s got this. Don’t you worry.”
The truth was Luke didn’t know what Jake was about to do, and neither did she. They both knew for a fact that he was wild and would do anything for a rush. Heaven help them.
Jake’s bike came into view, front and center of the roadway. She watched him intently as he secured his helmet and adjusted his gloves. She could feel Luke’s leg twitch nervously beside her and before she could stop herself, and began to bite her nails. They slid to the edge of the bleachers, their eyes glued to Jake.
The engine purred, exciting the crowd. He sped to the middle of the road, before slowing down. He planted his left foot on the pebbled ground and spun the motorcycle in circles, donuts to be exact. He did half dozen full circles, before riding straight to the end of the roadway. He turned to face the direction in which he had just drove, sped up and tilted the motorcycle upward. Duplicating the same as the biker before him, he drove back to the end of the roadway balancing the bike on its back wheel only. When he reached the end of the path, he brought the bike downward to its normal driving position.
“He did it!!” She jumped to her feet. “He didn’t get hurt or anything either!” She felt the smile spread over her mouth and she grabbed Luke out of his sitting position. “He was fucking awesome!”
Luke laughed at her as she jumped up and down elated. She watched Jake glance up at the stands to catch a glimpse of her and his brother. She looked at him as he took his helmet off and she waved her hands wildly hoping he could see her cheering him on. She knew she looked ridiculous by the chuckles that were coming from Luke, but she didn’t care.
Jake blew out a breath, he was pretty sure he was wearing a shit eating grin, as the adrenaline swirled in his veins. The decision was made; he was definitely in the market for a motorbike. One taste, left him starving, and aching to learn all there was. He wanted to be able to get on a bike and make people’s heads turn, he wanted to feel that rush. He was a step away from comparing it to sex, but he stopped himself, okay it was a close second.
He glanced up at the stands, and tried to scope out Cara and Luke. And then there it was that protruding weight on his chest, feeling as if he had just been hit by a Mack truck, desperate for air. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned between gasps to look over at Pete.
“You did good—“He stopped midway as Jake gasped. “Jake, you alright?”
He couldn’t make out his words, all he heard was the sound of his sharp breaths pounding in his ears. He didn’t even hear the engines that surrounded him. He closed his eyes, so much for a great experience. He willed himself to catch his breath, realizing as these attacks progressed, they began to last longer than when he initially started having them.
He could start to hear Pete’s dull voice, he couldn’t make out the words, or if in fact he was even talking to him. Deep breaths, he told himself, but barely managed short gasps. He must’ve been imagining it, but he felt as if the pain that was searing through his chest was spreading to his abdomen. He was now hunched over his bike when he felt two arms engulf him from behind.
When Pete rang Cara’s phone, she was certain that watching Jake, he was having another attack. She didn’t even bother to answer she just bolted down the bleachers, with Luke on her tail. They made their way around the track. Luke grabbed her from behind before she ran across the track. She wasn’t paying attention, she almost ran across the track as a race was underway. He guided her, cutting around the track towards the center path where the stunt bikes were. She ran to him, tripping over her own feet until she reached him. He was doubled over his bike, when she slipped her arms under his and brought his body upright.