Win Some, Lose Some

CHAPTER ONE

STARTED: June 20, 2013.

FINISHED: October 12, 2013.

Almost there. Almost there.

Those words of self-encouragement ran through my head as I zipped by one of my opponents. Slamming hard on the gas, I changed from 90 miles per hour to 110 as adrenaline tore through my body and pushed me past the finish line.

I, Troy Bolton, the NASCAR rookie, had won my first ever professional race.

Parking my car, I stepped out onto the pavement and looked around at the crowd in the bleachers. They were all on their feet, waving posters and flags and calling out my name. I smiled and waved to some of them before accepting my golden trophy and posing for photos.

"Hey Bolton!"

I turned around to see Denny, my coach, running toward me. "We gotta be on the road in ten. Your pit crew is already loading your car into the trailer, so meet me at my truck as soon as possible. I wanna make it at least to North Carolina tonight." At the moment, I was in in D.C., and had to be in Florida within two days to race in the Miami Sprint.

"Okay." I rolled my eyes a little as I responded. I would've liked more time to take in my victory, but no, Denny was always in a rush. Fuck my life.

After shaking a few hands of news reporters and NASCAR staff, I reluctantly dragged myself to Denny\'s old, rusted pick-up truck and plopped down into the passenger seat. Opening the glove compartment, I pulled out a pack of cigarettes and took a lighter from the cup holder.

"No smoking in here, remember?" Denny said in his usual rough voice.

I replaced the cigarettes and lighter and, tilting the seat back, rested my feet on the dashboard and hung my arm out the window. This was going to be a long evening.

...

It was eleven o' clock by the time Denny pulled into the half-empty parking lot of a motel and announced that we were to sleep there that night. "And I want you to actually rest, meaning, no shit like going out and getting yourself drunk."

I rolled my eyes. Night clubs were one of my favorite places to go. I didn't have a girlfriend, and all my friends were back in my Minnesota hometown, so it was nice to get out and have a beer while talking to some guys and grinding with girls in little black dresses. However, my parents didn't know about this, and wouldn't like it if they heard about it, so Denny always tried to discourage me from going. I guess he somehow felt like he was responsible for my actions since he was my coach.

Fuck him.

Once I got settled into my room, I pulled out my iPhone and typed in "Nightclubs" on the maps feature. To my delight, three different results showed up. I decided that I'd try to go to the first one, which had the best reviews. But of course I had to wait until I knew Denny was in his room and asleep for the night. To pass time, I showered in unpleasantly cold water and dressed in a white t-shirt that was snug enough to show off my muscles and a pair of dark jeans. White socks and a pair of Vans completed my outfit.

At around one o' clock, I put my cigarettes and lighter in one pocket, my wallet and cell phone in another, and snuck out the door. Outside, I picked up a taxi and was on my way to the club. It was then that I remembered I hadn't called my parents after the race was done. Shit. Why they always wanted me to call, I don't know, but they were going to have a fit when they didn't hear anything from me. But I wasn't about to be bothered with any of that now. I was in my happy place.

The taxi halted in front of the club, from which loud music was blasting from. Entering, I made my way to the bar and ordered a tequila shot and a can of beer. Once my drinks were handed to me, I sat on a barstool and drank. Fast. Then I ordered another tequila and inhaled it just as quickly as I had before.

Feeling slightly tipsy, I got out of my seat and made my way onto the dance floor. And damn, there were asses everywhere. And sexy ones, too. Ones that looked like they belonged to strippers. My eyes eventually focused on the butt of a short brunette in a leopard print dress that only reached her mid thigh. The neckline plunged to reveal her cleavage along with some of a lacy black bra, and her strappy black heels showed off a set of manicured toes. Fuck, she's one sexy bitch, I thought to myself.

It wasn't long before the hot brunette and I were grinding in the middle of the floor, my hands traveling dangerously low and her boobs pressed against my chest. Clearly, she was drunk, which was an advantage for me, as it was easy to get her into a room. It was there that we kicked off our shoes before I ripped her dress off. Her hands gripped my abs in the process of pulling my top over my head. As my bulge became uncomfortable against my jeans, I yelled for her to take them off next, and she immediately obeyed. Now down to my boxers, I expertly unhooked her bra, staring hungrily at the pair of breasts that met my eyes.

Soon, the girl and I were rolling around naked on the bed. I don't really remember anymore of what happened next, but I do know that when I woke up hours later, she was cuddled next to me holding my arm-both of us still nude. Using my free hand, I broke away from her grasp and sat up, my hands instantly going to my throbbing head. Fuck hangovers, I thought.

Just then, the girl's eyes fluttered open. Stretching, she, too, sat up, then, looking toward me, quickly dove back under the covers and, strangely, started to sob.

After sliding out of bed and pulling my boxers on, I knelt beside the bed and asked, "What's wrong, was I that bad?"

The girl shook her head and her chocolate eyes, full of fear, connected with mine. "My boyfriend...he...he made me come to this club last night...and he got so drunk and disappeared...I told one of the bartenders and he gave me some water to drink...only it was obviously vodka because I ended up drunk and now I realize you fucking had sex with me...you fucking took advantage of me! Just get out!"

"Hey, I'm Troy Bolton, the NASCAR rookie. You should just stop bitching and consider yourself lucky." I put on my t-shirt and jeans.

The girl continued to cry. "I don't care who you are. I just...I don't know where I am, I don't know how to get home from here, I don't know where my boyfriend is, I just cheated on him thanks to you...I...I...I just need help!"

Sighing, I climbed back into bed beside the girl and ran my fingers through her hair. Desperate for comfort, she snuggled into my chest and buried her face in my shirt. My arms wound around her still bare waist. For the first time in I didn\'t know how long, I felt some sympathy for someone other than myself.

We laid there for a good half hour, until the girl finally spoke. "I want my clothes," she whimpered, wrapping a sheet around her and slipping out of bed. However, when she found the dress she had been wearing the night before, she merely held it up and shook her head. It was torn from our little "adventure," and clearly was not wearable.

"Looks like you're stuck in your birthday suit," I winked, chuckling a little as I slipped back into my normal self. "Not like I mind."

"You asshole." The girl's eyes filled with tears once more.

It was then that I heard the ringing of my phone. Grabbing it from my pocket, I looked at the screen and saw it was Denny. "Hey, what's up?" I asked as I pressed to talk.

"We gotta leave. Where are you? I went to your room and you weren't there." Denny sounded pissed.

"I just went to grab some breakfast," I lied. "I'll be there in ten." With that, I hung up. "I'm sorry, babe, but I gotta run," I said to the girl, making my way over to the door.

"No, please," she begged, rushing toward me and grabbing my arm. "I'm scared...and alone...and I don't know what to do."

"Fine." With a groan, I took my shirt off and gave it to her. "Put this on."

"Okay." The girl's eyes scanned the room for a private place to change. Finally realizing there was none to be found, she told me, "Please don't look."

I covered my eyes, but allowed a few glimpses through my fingers as she slid the sheet off and got into her panties and my t-shirt. Once she finished, I told her, "I really gotta go. My coach will kill me if I don't show up soon."

"I need pants." Scanning the room, the brunette noticed a pair of sweatpants that had been left from the last couple that had been in there and hurriedly slipped them on. "Well then I'll come with you," she declared, responding to my remark. "Maybe he can help me."

"Why don't you use my phone to call your boyfriend first?" I suggested, not wanting to bring her along if she wasn't willing to arrange a time for more sex. I, as is probably obvious, am a very physical guy.

"Okay."

I handed the girl my phone, and she dialed her boyfriend's number. "His phone is off," she announced.

"So in other words, you gotta come with me?"

She nodded. "I'd really appreciate it." Her eyes locked on my naked abs.

"Checking me out, huh, sexy girl?" I flexed my muscles.

The girl blushed and looked away. "Let's just go."

"Alright, then. I'll call a taxi to get us. Where do you live? I'll have the driver drop you off on the way to meet my coach."

"Well, the thing is, I was actually here on vacation with my boyfriend. I live with him in Virginia, but he took me here because we had some time off of work. My parents aren't in the picture, and my relatives are all out in California, so I really have no one to help me. That's why I'm asking you. It's not as simple as getting in a taxi and going home." Sitting beside me, the girl rested her cheek on my shoulder, signaling that she wanted to be cuddled for some comfort.

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her onto my lap, my fingers lacing with hers as I did so. The sympathetic feeling was coming back, dammit.

My phone rang again. "I really gotta get going," I said to the girl. "If you wanna come, get your shoes on so we can leave."

The girl got off my lap and put her heels from the evening before on, while I slipped into my Vans. When we were both ready, we left the room, me dialing for a taxi as we went.

...

We arrived at the motel half an hour later. Denny was waiting in the parking lot, a scowl plastered onto his face. "What the hell Troy, we were supposed to be out of here an hour ago! Get in the truck and let's get moving!"

"Sorry." I rolled my eyes. "You get into the middle seat," I told the girl.

"Who's this?" questioned Denny, looking at the poorly dressed brunette.

"I dunno her name. But she's kind of in a situation now, so to get her to shut up, I told her she could tag along with us."

"I'm Gabi," the girl said, ignoring my comment. "Short for Gabriella."

"Troy, you were at a nightclub, weren't you?" Denny's voice was stern. "And now you're expecting to bring a girl you hooked up with last night along? Are you out of your mind? You know better than this! I warned you! And go put a shirt on, please. Your stuff is in the back."

"I really need help," Gabi cut in. "He did meet me at a club, but it's not exactly what you think, sir." She repeated the story she had told me earlier while I found a new shirt to wear.

"Okay, then," sighed Denny. "She can come."

Gabi and I climbed into the truck, my eyes locking on her chest. She was wearing no bra, and it was quite obvious. I felt a bulge growing in my pants and struggled to hide it. Unfortunately, however, Gabi noticed and slapped my arm.

It was going to be a long ride.

...

A/N: So I just found this story I had started in June and decided to finish up the chapter. I am a freshman in college now so my writing for both this and my Accidentally in Love story will be sporadic. I might actually redo Accidentally in Love into a non-romance, strictly college frat fiction because of my obsession with Delta Psi Beta. So pretty much I'm just gonna write what I feel like and post. It'll be on no schedule or anything, so please bear with me if you're still interested in my work.