Robert drove us to the tracks at three in the noon. Since the starting of the sessions, my whole body was so sore that I was not able to drive the car. We had taken up the old tradition of him driving me around whenever necessary.

Robert was happy with the current arrangement though, since he slept over at my place almost all nights. With him sleeping over, it gave him the opportunity to wake me up early for the jogs.

Though I was not very keen with him sleeping in my room and next to me, the day's strife would have often drained all my energy to say a word against it. He would massage my shoulders and kiss me goodnight, making me feel cosset and pampered.

As we reached the tracks, Luke was still there inspecting an old beetle, sitting behind the wheel as he turned on his engine to check his handy work. As the engine roared to life, a small tornado of smoke twirled around the bonnet and there was a loud bang with which everything halted in its place.

I could hear Luke sigh, he probably would have to start again. When he noticed me getting down from the car, he smiled.

Luke often stayed back to train me along with Robert. Though he was not as easy going as Rob, I liked having him around. His intervention in our practice made Rob's skin prickle and he would have a steaming nose by the end of the day.

"Hey, Scar!" Luke jogged towards me as I went ahead to put the bag in its counter. "You are early to work?"

"Yeah." I said, a little louder than necessary. "I love it so much here, you know. The pain it inflicts and all that."

Luke shook his head sideways with a ghost of smile invading his features. "Poor guy, why do you torment him?"

"Torment him?" I asked. "He's the one who's driving me nuts with all these."

"You do know that it is important for you to win finally, right?" Robert walked to our group, with a glare stuck on his face. "Talking nonsense all the time is not getting you anywhere."

"And I'm doing my best!" I exclaimed. "Don't you see! Even though I'm tired as hell, I come here every fucking day to make sure that I'm trained by your highness."

"Don't you dare take that tone with me." Robert raised his voice to meet mine. He was already steaming even with the cold wind blowing at our side. "All you do here is come and flirt with Luke and waste all your time."

"I do not flirt with him!" I took a step ahead to meet him. "Do I Luke?"

"Why do you ask him?" Robert said, not looking at him. "He's the poor soul who undergoes your nonsense just because I asked him to help me out."

"I didn't know the great Bert wanted help in training me!" I folded my hands across my chest.

"Yeah, who could handle a estranged monkey that escaped from the zoo, alone?" He questioned me back.

"Well, if you think me like that, then I can get trained on my own." I said and walked ahead, not waiting for him to continue his insults at me. "I know things now."

I was fuming by the time I reached the tyres. It was not arranged like they were usually were - probably because Robert took his sweet time to argue with me while he should have been here making sure that everything was set before I started.

It didn't matter now anyway. Though I had asked for change of coach at the beginning, I thought we both liked to work together now. But I was wrong.

Being the hot head that I was, I pushed the tyres according to the style in which they were usually kept. With three days of the usual sessions, I was now a little better but my hands were still not used to the routine. They ached like hell but I ignored it and went ahead.

It took me more than an hour to finish all set of courses that was laid out. Being deprived of energy, I fell on the tarred road, face up cladding the sun. I closed my eyes and laid there like I was crucified, too tired to move my hands.

The rays of the sun, which would have been a welcome sight on a windy day, seemed to prick my skin evaporating the sweat.

"Breathe through your nose." Robert's voice was closer to mine. I didn't feel like he needed my attention and I continued with the heavy breathing, taking in as much as oxygen as I could to calm my over-exercised lungs. "That was the only reason it was given to the human race."

"Shut up, Rob." I muttered. My voice came out like a whimper even though I was angry with him.

"You did a good job today." Robert appreciated.

"Yeah," I agreed, my eyes still closed. "I tend to work in peace when certain someone is not around to raise my blood pressure."

Robert chuckled at that. "You seem to be in a good mood after the workout."

If only he knew what was running in my head right now. I wanted to strangle him for making me seem like a flirt when he was the king of them all.

"Don't tell me you were there standing behind the bonnet checking me out." I opened one of my eyes, struggling to keep it ajar under the scotching sun.

"How did you know?" Robert asked, feigning surprise. "Were you looking out for me?"

I put my palm on top of my eyes to keep away the sun rays, trying to give him the nasty eye that he required. When Robert noticed that I was having trouble getting some shade on my face, he moved towards his left blocking the rays and eventually getting me some shade.

Luke came into the view and I smiled at him. "Stone, done for the day?"

"Yeah." I said, trying to sit up. My back ached and my legs wouldn't comply with what my mind was asking it to do. "God," I muttered.

"On your toes, tiger." Luke said, lending me his hands to use as a support to lift myself up. Though I head a grumble from Robert's side, I ignored it completely. "Does it still ache?"

"Not as much as it used to." I admitted, as I stood on my toes, stretching my limbs.

My pony tail had come out form its band with dust, sweat and small pebbles from the road. I was sure I looked like someone from the evil dead. I wanted to take all my grunge and get home faster.

"I see you have already arranged all the tyres." Luke said, a little impressed.

"Luke, I've finished the beetle up, can you check her out?" Robert asked. "If it's okay, then I'll take off."

"Sure thing, man." Luke said and walked towards the beetle that he was working on before we arrived there.

I walked back towards my bag and feeling better with my soreness, I was planning to hitch-hike to house to get the dinner going. Dad wanted to have spaghetti for the night.

"You are staying, Scarlet." Robert said, without looking at me. He made his way to the beetle in which Luke had already seated. "I told you I had a surprise for you"

"What makes you think I'm still up for it?" I asked walking behind him. "I'm not going and that's that."

Luke turned on the engine with the bonnet open. Like before, the engine coughed up and before I thought it would give up, the motor started and Luke's face lit up by a fraction. He reversed the car and spun it around his place, making sure that it was undergoing all the basic tests before it was driven.

"It's good, man!" Luke shouted, over the loud engine noise. "I need to cut the noise and it's as good as new. Thanks, Bert."

Robert only did a salute to him with two fingers on his eyebrow. With the sessions getting over, Robert seemed to have come back to his senses and I was getting to see the Robert I knew outside of the track.

"Where were we, babe?" He asked with a big smile on his face.

I shook my head and pushed my bag higher up my shoulder. I was not going through his mood swings yet again. He confused me. He would smile one minute and insult me the next.

I couldn't get along with him and play the good girl every time he walked in, just to get mocked.

"I'm going home, Rob." I said.

His whole demeanor changed with that sentence. The cheerful Robert vanished and a concerned one took his position. He came closer to me for inspection, his eyes scrunched up and his mouth transformed into a small frown.

"Scarlet," He drawled. His voice was so gentle and filled with warmth that made me halt in my steps and look at him for confirmation. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I said, stepping away from his embrace. I didn't know what was happening when he held me close to him, as if he cared about my feelings. "I just have to get home to make some spaghetti."

Robert's face broke into a warm smile. "While you were mistreating those tyres, I completed that task too." He said. "I've placed it on the smaller counter for Edward."

My eyes bulged in shock. "How... How did you get the keys?"

"We go home together everyday." Robert said as a matter of fact. "I have seen you pick that right pot up from your lawn, under which you keep the keys."

"What?" I asked, still perplexed at his statements.

"It's not rocket science, you know." Robert said. "In fact, you shouldn't be keeping it there. Do you know how many thefts have happened this week?"

"Why spaghetti?" I asked, confused.

Robert laughed. "There are so many things that you could ask and you ask me why I made spaghetti? I mean, I could have stolen almost anything from there."

With my silence, Robert sighed. "You had placed all the ingredients for spaghetti on the dining table." He said. "It was not very hard to guess."

"I think I should go." I muttered.

With the recent revelations, the mental stress was eating me alive, rather than my aching body.

Robert closed our distance and took my hand in his. "Look Scarlet, I'm sorry, okay?" He said, making me look at him. It was not every day that he uttered sorry. "I mean, everything is taken care and you only have to come with me. Yes, I know I took things a little far today, but can't you just let it all go?"

That was what I had been doing all this time, letting it go even when I had been hurting.

"Come on, Lily, James and Nick all are coming." Robert said, tilting his head at me.

I sighed. "You promise it'll be good?"

"Yes, ma'am." He saluted just like he had for Luke. I smiled. "There's the smile I was missing."

---

"Happy birthday, kiddo." James came forward and placed the present he was holding into my hands.

It was then that all of it had fallen on me like an apocalypse. With everything that was happening, I had forgotten my own freaking birthday. And Robert had made it worse with all his insults. Now if I thought about it, it seemed like he had done that on purpose so that the surprise would have the best effects on me.

"Thank you." I muttered, looking at Robert, who had crossed his hands and was leaning against the counter watching me with amusement.

"I'm so sorry," Lily came forward to hug me. Taken by astonishment, I put my hand awkwardly around her and patted her back. "I pretended not to see you at school today. It was all Robert's plan." She pushed my bangs away to see my face. "He said it would have a better effect on you."

I glared at the person in question. I should have known he was behind all this.

"Happy birthday, my love." Nick came forward, placing a chaste kiss on my cheeks as he gifted me his present. "May all your dreams come true."

I didn't look at him, for my emotions were ready to betray me. I nodded my head, keeping my head low.

Lily sensing my feelings, came to my rescue as always. "I only brought you flowers and I'm going to compensate my presents by tutoring you very well."

I laughed at her. "Don't tell me Robert asked this too."

"Hey!" Robert said, when his name was mentioned. "That's all her."

"Well, what have you got me then?" I challenged Robert, who only walked towards me putting his hands around my shoulder.

"What do you have in mind?" He asked, making my cheeks flame.

"Well, not another set of torture sessions for sure." I jerked away from him, not wanting to get caught with Lily's statistic analysis again.

All of them laughed and we took our seats in the dim lighted café. For someone outside, we would seem like teenage kids having fun, but I knew that these were the only fun I could ask for.

"I've got cake for you." James said, before he took his spot next to Lily. "I'd asked them to keep it in the freezer. I'll go get it."

"That is so sweet." I beamed, trying to forget all the dark feelings as I made myself comfortable within my own friend circle.

It was a table for five and we fit there perfectly. I was jammed between Lily and Robert while Nick took a seat next to Robert keeping the last one for James.

James got the pineapple cake and placed it in front of me, with one big candle on top of it. "Make your wish, Scar."

I almost had tears of joy as I was sitting with the company I loved. Though I had forgotten about the whole fuss, I was glad that I was with them by the end of the day.

"I love you guys so much." I muttered, as I leaned forward to blow the candle.

I closed my eyes and made a wish. That was when it hit me. I was here with the best company, with the best food and the best place, yet I was stinking with all the workout.

"Why didn't you tell this to me earlier?" I hired at Robert. "I should be smelling like a pig who just had a bath in the mud pool."

"And I'm going to make this memorable with pictures." Lily announced, as Nick volunteered to cut the cake and serve it to us.

"See," I raised my hands up in the air, silently telling him I told you so. "Now, I'll look like shit in all the pictures."

Though Robert had worked in the garage, he looked so fresh while I was there covered in my sweats. But my pleas and glares went on top of him, as he only gave me a amused glance.

"You are still going to sweat now." He said.

My eyes grew bigger at his sentence.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" I asked, a little louder than necessary. Was he making a sexual innuendo?

"Let's go then?" James asked as we had spent almost two hours after the cake was cut. "I think it is almost time. Isn't it Rob?"

"Yes, it is." Robert smiled sweetly at me. When all of them got up and put on their coats, Robert came closer to me and whispered. "That's my gift for you."

I looked at him, still suspicious of his actions. "Well, I'll be a judge of that."

Instead of going out of the café, James lead us out in the other direction. As we walked, Nick opened the door, leading into a reception area. Robert went ahead, placing a hand on Nick's shoulder as he gave his name and four tickets.

"Go-karting?" I almost shouted.

The toro-russo shaped go-karts were standing on the side way ready to be driven. The twilight had faded into the darker clouds and were lighted up with small stars in the sky. The way was lit up with dim lights to show the way we had to drive.

Few crew were still there who tilted their caps at me with a smile. I was sure they knew it was for my birthday.

Though I was tired, I didn't mind go-karting with my friends. "I love your birthdays!" Nick came beaming, engulfing me with a big hug. "And I love you for knowing the racer guys!"

I laughed at his use of expressions.

"Well, I personally think my statistics are very accurate." Lily said, putting her hands on my shoulder observing Robert as he made entry at the reception along with James. "I mean, only best of friends could do this kind of stuffs, right?"

I turned crimson and gave a relieved sigh as the lights were dim for her to see my colored cheeks. I was glad that I had not told her about the recent turn of events ever since the torture chamber was open for me.

When Robert came back, holding the tickets for us, I smiled at him. Beneath all that angry looks, I knew he cared enough to make my birthday special in his own way.

"Ready to get beaten by me?" I raised one eyebrow at him teasingly.

"Sorry, babe." Rob said. "I'm not playing at all. I'm your earpiece just like we had discussed before."

I had understood. Being a racer meant we were all financially a little too tight. And when Rob smiled at me, I knew it was the exact reason why. The fact that he had gone ahead to spend his hard earned money on me was a sweet gesture in itself.

I kissed him on his cheek, not able to hold myself. "Make me win then." I winked at him before I went into the car.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart." The cap guy said. "I'm Gary, best mates with Bert. He told me lots about you."

"Um, thank you." I said, still pondering over the best mates.

Gary seemed British and I wondered if Robert was in London before he came here. But then again, there were a lot of travelling involved when it came to racing and I let it pass. I stuck my earphones and called Robert, who stood at the end to give me instructions to drive.

Though I was sure I didn't need any today, it was fun with him, which he always seemed to promise me.

I had not driven any sort of cars from past three days and sitting behind one gave me a pleasure that I couldn't describe. With all the soreness, I thought I would have some difficulty in pulling the wheels as I wished. But I was wrong. It was as easy as twisting a bottle cap open.

I laughed and shouted, as I took turns, beating Nick.

"Let him win this time, sweetheart." Robert said. "He's been putting a sour mood from the last round."

I laughed and did as I was told. I let Nick win the last round, getting a toothy smile from him. We were told that the rides were over and we had to return the helmets back.

As I stood in line, giving up my accessories, Nick came to me with a nervous smile.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, pocketing my phone after disconnecting Robert's call.

He took a deep breath before he spilled his beans. "I'll be to the point." He said, looking at Robert who was talking with Gary. "What do you think of Robert?"

"Robert?" I repeated his question like a parakeet. "Um, he's a nice guy, I guess. Takes care of you once you settle into his good books. Why?"

"Um..." He stumbled at his words. "I think, well, I don't know him that long. But you know..."

"What is it Nick?" I asked, taken back by his nervousness. "Did he hurt you or say something stupid to you? Because I'm going to hunt him down, if that's true."

"No, no." Nick said. "I think I... I like him, Scar. I really do. Since you are the closest to him, can you... maybe help me out?"