High Note

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Summary: It’s been a year of ups and down. Now it’s time to just let loose.

AUTHOR: Zippit
EMAIL: zippit@cryptoffic.com
CHARACTER: Carl Edwards, Carl POV
CHALLENGE: Yuletide
WRITTEN FOR: Deifire in the Yuletide 2007 Challenge
RATING: PG
COMPLETED: December 2007
WORD COUNT: 1,000
DISCLAIMER: If you recognize anyone in this piece, I am in no way affiliated with or know them personally. I am neither making a profit nor plan to do so. This is nothing more than an exercise in fiction. This is a result of an overactive imagination and I claim no truth to these words.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This was harder than I expected, but I’m glad I got it done. Enjoy!
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I don’t understand.

All of my teammates have decided I’m Satan spawn. Okay, I can understand Matt having issues, but Greg and Jamie? David’s not said a word. Kurt received more support from Matt and Greg when he stepped out of line than I have.

Kurt still even talks to Matt and Greg. Sometimes you can see them hanging out between practices talking about the cars. Okay, so Kurt was the leader in welcoming me to the Cup level, but I didn’t think Greg and Matt were that different of opinion.

I’m not insane either despite what Matt wants to insinuate. I’ve just had less of a reign on my temper. I went after Junior last year and received less of a firestorm about my actions. Definitely not one as prolonged as this one’s gotten to be.

Even the other competitors are chiming in. Part of it’s the media’s fault, but damn do they have to be so harsh? Mark’s compared it to high school, Harvick outright dissed me, then Geoff Smith makes me sound like an eighth grader with no impulse control. I figured from my OWN camp, I’d get some decent support. Kurt received better support than I am right now and he got himself arrested.

Maybe they’ve taken on a different policy after all the stuff Kurt put Roush Racing through. I don’t know.

Okay, so I admit, it wasn’t a good idea to nearly punch Matt right in front of the camera because it’s NASCAR. Everything gets plastered across the airwaves if you aren’t careful. But it wasn’t supposed to blow up this big.

It started with that stupid Busch race. Matt didn’t have to race me that hard. I figured he’d let me by because he’s not exactly going for the Busch Championship while I am. I wanted to give Jack the owner’s Championship too.

That freaking “incidental” contact cost me the rest of the race. The car was a piece of crap after he’d slammed into me and finally ended with me crashing out. It was the heat of the moment and there was no other way to make my displeasure known than clapping when he drove by on the track.

The Cup race the next day didn’t help either. Thought we were teammates, not just another car on the track. He should’ve given me more slack. I knew I wasn’t going to see him at all the next week and I needed to make my point known....

I’d never have hit him. Never. I’m not that stupid. Jack would’ve probably kicked my ass and started giving me lesser equipment. And why am I getting this much heat? Tony’s tried to kill Matt at 180 mph. Ran Matt into the grass at Daytona.

That got plenty of attention, but was forgotten quick enough. Why is this hanging over my head like some rain cloud that won’t go away despite all the sun beaming down?

I don’t get Matt and Tony. Tony tried to kill Matt and he still asked Matt about cat breeds before he got his two new cats. Wasn’t he supposed to be allergic to them?

I thought I had the dynamics of the garage figured out.

~*~*~*~

Jack insisted I make a special point of extolling the virtues of my teammates during the banquet. I wonder what that’s going to stir up in the media. At this point, who cares? I’m in New York. It’s time for some fun. I can deal with the media commentary later.

Kiss Mom good night, change, and dive into the New York night life. It’s a shame we can’t get away more often. Sometimes it’d be nice to get away from everyone associated with the Cup scene.

It’s nice to be able to pay the cover charge at those clubs I never thought I’d be able to get in. NASCAR has some good side perks. Move to the bar, order O’douls, and while I wait look over the crowd.

New York offers the careless anonymity you don’t get anywhere else. It’s the upside and the downside. No one cares if you’re some big NASCAR star here unless they’re your sponsor. Speaking of being just a normal guy, there’s this pretty blonde who’s caught my eye. She’s dressed in a sparkly green halter top and sleek black jeans.

Flash her a wide smile and grin more when she winks back at me. My drink’s here and I take a sip, making sure she is looking at me. We play long distance flirting until I start on my third drink. I weave my way through the crowd towards her and spot Matt buried in the crowd.

Huh, odd. Wonder where Katie is. Guess they’re making a night of it too. Make it to the side of my pretty blonde, sliding my arm around her waist, and find her name’s Jane. She’s no plain Jane. Not from her dazzling green eyes to the hint of her tan to the athletic lean of her body. She tucks against my side easily and we get to talking.

Time seems to pass in a whirl and we’ve only gotten cozier. She’s a sweet thing and she doesn’t mind making her intentions clear. My hand’s slipped down to rest on her ass most of the night and she hasn’t said a word. If anything, she’s tried to get me all to herself in order to take advantage.

Maybe I will, maybe I won’t. I would really love to get to know her better. We share a few hot dances on the floor, pressed up all against each other. The smell of her perfume is so intoxicating and she didn’t mind when I slide my hands against her skin.

She drags me back to a booth for some private talk. We share more conversation and she’s settled down some. Still a bit frisky, but I like that in a girl. Spot Matt in an adjoining booth, that’s not Katie he’s with. Does she know? Shift forward to get a clearer look and is that Kurt? What the hell’s going on?

Probably catching up on all the things that’ve happened this year. Where are the wives I wonder? Probably celebrating themselves. No matter. I have my own celebration right beside me.

Now this is the right way to end the year.

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Zippit - zippit@cryptoffic.com