[h2][center][i][color=9e0039]Allison Hawthorne[/color][/i][/center][/h2]
[center][i]Location: Race, Main Stands[/i][/center]
[center][i]Time: Sunday, Noon[/i][/center]

Bouncing gently on her toes, Allison waiting for a verbal response. Ashton's body language suggested she didn't know who Snap was, but at least she didn't seem upset about the mention of her height. Or did she? She smiled, at least, but didn't speak. Allison became increasingly anxious, seriously concerned that the woman was giving her some form of silent treatment. Had she been rude? Was Ashton waiting for an apology? Would she accept one? Sometimes people didn't like hearing apologies, kinda like Kriss, but that had definitely been her fault. But this wasn't her fault. Was it?

Allison's thoughts spiraled out of control as she silently rewrote her introduction in her mind and wondered if the outcome would have been the same. Her eyes, still concealed by the aviators, began to glaze over as she attempted to restart her train of thought. Fortunately, Victoria cut in.

[i]"Hey, Ummm I have spent too long with doctors... Sorry... Ii just... Defensive."[/i]

The girl's head visible twitched as she came back into reality. Blinking several times, she turned her head slightly to speak to the other woman.

[color=9e0039]"Oh, that's okay!"[/color] she said, reverting back to her normal perky self. [color=9e0039]"We're not doctors though, so no worries."[/color]

She nodded politely as Victoria continued to speak, forcing herself to avoid tilting her head back to make eye contact with Ashton again. 

[color=9e0039]"Oh, no, she's not a race car driver. I think. I dunno, I guess I should ask her. I mean, her car is pretty much a race car, but I don't think she drives like, professionally."[/color]

She began rambling haphazardly through a variety of unrelated topics, full aware that this may not be a very good strategy. Every so often she paused for a response but none came, which prompted her to speak further. She turned her head to look back up at Kriss and Snap but their faces were lost in the crowd. Eventually she ran out of things to say and simple stood awkwardly nearby. Time was on her side though. She sensed tension in the stands and glanced up at the leaderboard, which indicated that the cars were on their final lap. Several people began chanting the name "Joel" as the unmistakable roar over the horizon signaled the approaching pack. Allison slipped her shades off to get a clearer look and noted that two cars were pressing hard at each other's sides, nose and nose for the finish. The raw energy radiating from the people in the stands made her hair stand up. The noise grew louder and the cars screamed closer as people moved to the very edge of their seats.

It was over in seconds, the cars screaming over the line and past the stands. Eyes turned upwards to the overhead screens.

[P1 Nicolosi, SCR, OHI, Nissan 300. 0]
[P2 Sato, Nissan F1, Nissan GTR,+0.035]

[color=9e0039]"Which one was our g-"[/color]

Her sentence was cut off as the crowd exploded. People everywhere were cheering, pumping fists, and giving each other high fives as the rest of the pack buzzed by almost silently in comparison to the stands. A voice called over the intercom that Victoria seemed to recognize. She turned to Allison and Ashton, beaming proudly.

[i]"City Hall, 7.30, dress up, there's a very good event on! Our car won!"[/i]

[color=9e0039]"Okay!"[/color] Allison replied as she left the area. Ashton had silently shown support with applause and it finally occurred to Allison that perhaps the woman could not speak.

The winning car sped by again at a slower pace. The crowd erupted for a second time at the sight of the stars and stripes flying proudly from the window, and moments later the [i]"U-S-A! U-S-A!"[/i] chant reverberated through the stands. Allison joined in instinctively. A lump formed in her throat as the flag passed her and continued down the track. Old Glory. She was never excessively patriotic, but there was a tremendous power in that flag as it danced in the breeze that everyone present could feel. Most removed their hats and either held them over their heart or threw them into the sky. Tears formed in the eyes of some. Nearby, an older man wearing a "POW - MIA" shirt held a trembling hand to his head and saluted. The elderly woman beside him wrapped an arm around him and laid against his shoulder as the rest of the onlookers on the bench saluted with him in unison.

There was something about that flag.

As the cheering continued, Allison realized that it would be more difficult now to find the rest of her squad. She noticed Ashton was looking at her again and had tilted her head towards Victoria's seat. The meaning went completely over the poor girl's head and she shrugged, flipping the sunglasses back onto her face.

[color=9e0039]"I dunno where she went. Sorry! See you around,"[/color] she yelled, hoping her words were audible. She hesitated just a moment longer, again unsure of whether she was being rude or not, before twisting away and lunging up the stands, navigating carefully and moving in the general direction of where she hoped Kriss and Snap were.

--

[@Silver Fox][@PrinceAlexus]