Speed Racer Fan Fiction ❯ Wheels and Raspberries ❯ Chapter Three: The Love Note ( Chapter 3 )

Wheels and Raspberries

Chapter Three: The Love Note

The black and yellow racecar stopped next to Raspberry and her Speed Demon. On its side was the number 9. Once she recognized the car, her heart stopped pounding as the fear of it being trouble had passed.

“Cool, you're Racer X,” she said coolly as he got out of his car.

“And you're Raspberry Racer, I presume,” he said with a half smile. “If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing out here at 3 in the morning? It's pretty dangerous out here around this time,” he continued.

“Oh? And are you going to protect me?” she asked grinning. Her smile was daring.

“If you want me to…” he said just as sarcastic.

“I just came out to try and clear my head. With all that has happened to me in the last few hours I'm surprised I haven't driven off the end of that pier,” she said motioning to a pier a few meters from them.

“Really? You don't seem like the type of person who would crack under pressure,” he said coming up to the railing of the sea wall where she was looking out at the ocean.

“I don't usually, but I don't know if I'll be able to take the weight of all these recent events…” she replied. Her face was calm, but pain was written all over it.

“It's that bad, huh?” Racer X said trying to sympathize.

“Well, long story short, my dad finds out he only has less than 3 months to live and he doesn't want me to sit there and watch him die so he sends me out about 18 hours down south to live with my uncle, Pops Racer. You know, so I won't be all alone when he…” it pained her to even think of her father passing. However, she felt it nessesary to put up a tough front and not show her weakness to someone she also looked up to, other than Speed. “When he passes…”

“So in essence, your whole life has just changed its course …”he said hinting that she needn't go to deep in detail.

“In no more than 48 hours,”

“I feel your pain,” he replied. “I had to part from my dad as well…”

“Really?” she turned to look at him, though she couldn't see his face, she could tell he resembled someone very familiar.

“It was my fault, we got into an argument and I just left without saying goodbye…”

“Ouch, do you regret ever going away?”

“Actually I do, and I wish I could go back, but…” his voice grew a little sad. There was a short pause before Raspberry spoke up.

“I understand…because of the positions you may have taken, there are people after you. So much so, that if you return to your family, you'll be putting them in danger…” she said reaching to pull out another cigarette. “It's a very big sacrifice to do what you do. You can't have a family; you can't go back to the one you had, and you can't start one… I couldn't do it…I don't know how you do…”

“Do you pity me?” Racer X smiled.

“Don't be offended, but yeah, I do,” her expression grew solemn. “It was hard enough having to leave my dad when he's at his worst, but you know what?”

“What's that?”

“I'm glad he sent me down here. In only a couple of hours in being with the other part of my Racer family, I have never seen so much love and comfort. I mean, me and my own father had a lot of that same family love, but not as much as they do….There's something about my aunt that I'll never forget,” she said with a gentle smile as she looked out on the ocean.

“I sat down to eat dinner with them just a few hours ago,” Raspberry continued. “Their dinner table is kinda small and my cousin Speed already had his two friends there, then I arrived early. So it was me, Sparky, Trixie, Speed, Uncle, Auntie, Spritle and his pet chimp, so the table was pretty crowded. But even through that limited space, Auntie still managed to set an extra place for someone,”

“An extra place? For who?” Racer X asked.

“That's exactly what I asked her. She told me it was for her missing son, Rex,” Raspberry said solemnly. “She said if he ever came back home, she would like him to know that he never left their thoughts,” she replied almost in tears as just retelling the story touched her more so as it did hearing it. Racer X gently smiled, eventhough he ran away with the intent of never coming back, it touched him to know that his mother remembered him and was still waiting for him to come home.

“She's very sweet,” Racer X said; that's all he could say without giving too much away. The argument may have been between him and Pops, but he tore his mother's heart out and caused her to worry every night. He didn't even want to imagine what his running away did to his little brothers. He wasn't even around when Spritle was born, so he doubted his youngest brother even knew who he was…

“She's way more than that…”she replied looking at her watch. “And I better get home before she thinks I'm missing…”

“Would you like me to escort you? I really wasn't kidding when I said it was pretty dangerous out here…”

“Sure why not?” she said putting on her helmet. Raspberry started up the engine as Racer X started up his. After letting the engines roar, Raspberry and the Speed Demon started down the road back to the Racer house with Racer X following. The young biker looked out at the ocean for the last time before heading home; it was only minutes from dawn as the night sky began to grow lighter. “Wow, I had no idea it was this early already... I hope they didn't wake up…”

Both the Masked Racer and Raspberry pulled up into the driveway. “I'm going to leave my bike out here, I don't want the garage door waking them up, eventhough it was parked in the garage when I left,” she said praying that the Racer family didn't wake up to the opening of the garage door.

“Hey, Raspberry…” Racer X said before backing out.

“Yeah?”

“Tell your aunt I said hello…”

“Uh…Sure…ok…” she replied as he drove away. I wonder how he knows Auntie…

Her suspicions about Racer X began to grow as she took off her helmet and continued up to the front door. Before she even touched the knob, the door opened to a very worried Mom Racer.

“There you are young lady! You had me worried sick!” the little house wife said in her robe.

“I'm sorry, Auntie. I thought I'd be home before you woke up…”

“The sound of a garage door and a motorbike driving off woke me up…”

“Oh geez, I'm sorry…I couldn't sleep so I went for a ride…” Raspberry responded. Mom sighed and put her hands through Raspberry's violet-red hair to hold her head.

“I understand that you've gone through so much in just one day, but you really shouldn't go off without telling anyone, especially at this time of night...” she replied as she pulled Raspberry into an embrace. “Your uncle and I love you, we have ever since you were born. And we just got you, we don't want to loose you. If there is anything bothering you, don't be afraid to come to us, we'll always be here for you…”

“Thank you, Auntie…” she said as they pulled away. It really comforted her to know that she wasn't alone. Mom had smelled something peculiar on her…

“Raspberry, do you smoke?”

“Um…” Raspberry gave a really bashful grin; it was too hard for her to come up with a good excuse.

“Roselyn Oleander Racer…” she said in her motherly tone.

“I'm not a big time smoker! A pack usually lasts me a month!” Raspberry said throwing out the greatest excuses she could find.

“That's what they all say…” Mom said with her arms crossed. “Why don't we get to bed ok? We'll talk about this in the morning…especially about that bad habit of yours…” she said guiding her to Speed's room. “Now get some rest, It's not healthy to be sleep deprived,”

“Oh, hey Auntie…” she said just before going in the room.

“Yes, dear?”

“Racer X told me to tell you hi,” Raspberry answered, Mom looked confused.

“Racer X? You saw him out there?”

“Yeah, and he was kind enough to escort me back,” she said. Mom smiled, but she still looked a little perplexed.

“Oh well, best wishes to him then…” Mom said as she climbed the stairs leading to her room. It still greatly confused her that Racer X wanted to say hi to her, of all people. Shoving the thought aside, she continued climbing the stairs. “Goodnight, Raspberry…”

“Goodnight, Auntie…” Raspberry replied. Closing the door, she plopped herself onto the air mattress. Raspberry was still in her racing suit, but she didn't care. After 20+ hours of a sudden life switch, she finally drifted off into dreamland.

Speed woke up in a cold sweat. It was hard for him to get to sleep, even harder to stay asleep. He looked over to the air mattress where Raspberry was sound asleep. I thought she got out of her racing suit…he thought not knowing of her midnight rendezvous.

Speed rubbed his face as the sun blazed into their bedroom. All night he had been thinking of Trixie. Just the mere thought of possibly kissing her was making his whole body tingle. He ached just to see her again; he only wished that she would join them for breakfast that morning as she usually did.

Unfortunately for Speed, Trixie was going to a Flight seminar up north and would be leaving that very day. He wouldn't see her again until their Friday picnic at the park. He groaned as he realized it was only Sunday.

“Oh Trixie, I don't know how, but you even managed to capture the heart of your very best friend. I'm falling for you faster than a two-ton elephant from a 30-story building” he thought. He then began to think of all the previous men that have been in her life and began comparing himself to them.

There is one she did truly fall in love with; his name was Nicolai (nicknamed Tiger). The only reason they broke up was because he moved away and never kept in touch, so naturally they grew far apart. When he left, Trixie was an absolute wreck; she even refused to eat, and it took everything in Speed's power to help her get over him once and for all. He could even remember she would be sitting by the phone day after day waiting for his call…and it would never come, ripping her apart even more. The last thing that Speed wanted was for him to come back and try to reclaim Trixie's heart. So with that he shoved the thought from his mind and concentrated on how he himself was going to claim Trixie's precious heart.

“Trixie… I want to be the one to pick up the shattered pieces of your heart.” he promised in his head. The only thing it came down to now…was how to tell her. Ideas for confessing to her raced in his head. His eye kept catching a pen on his nightstand.

“That's it! I'll give her a letter! A love note…” he thought has he got up from his bed in a rush. He immediately got up and rushed to his desk and pulled out a blank sheet of paper. With pen in hand, he poured his heart out on the white sheets. After signing his name at the bottom, he toward his sleeping cousin who turned over. “I'll send this out with you, Raspberry; apparently you know a lot more about this stuff than you allow people to believe…”

Raspberry turned over again, seemingly dreaming of something interesting. “Well, when you wake up that is…” he said as he watched her. He took one last look at the letter he had just written; the tender note written on the page may very well change his life forever. Speed so desparately just wanted to wake his baby cousin up and send her along with the letter…

“Speed, are you awake already?” Raspberry's voice gingerly said from behind him. She was sitting up on the air mattress. Grogginess was evident on her face as she rubbed her bright green eyes.

“I was writing something…” his face turned red as he answered her.

“Writing something?” she said through her yawn. Raspberry began to regret sleeping in her racing suit that was now clinging to her skin.

“Yeah, this is how I'm going to let her know…” he said holding the envelope in his hands. It was amazing how much power that love note actually held over his life.

“Ah…The Love Note. This is going to be fun!” she said as excitement began to boil over.

“Oh it will, ne?” he said smirking at her. Raspberry gave him a confused look. “That's good, because I was wondering if you could deliver it for me…”

“What? Why me?”

“C'mon Raspberry, just this one favor?”

Raspberry changed out of her old racing suit to her favorite red and black one. She combed her hair out and put it back in her helmet as she went down stairs where Mom was in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

“Now just where are you going, young lady?” she said as she spotted her going toward the front door.

“I get to play mailwoman!” Raspberry replied holding Speed's letter between her fingers. “Don't worry Momma Racer, I'll be back before breakfast!” Raspberry rushed out the door before Mom could answer.

Once outside, Raspberry stuck the letter in the inner pocket of her racing suit before jumping on her motorcycle. Speed said she should've left by now so I have to stick it in her mailslot…

After revving it up, she was off again using the directions Speed gave her. Her new apartment was only about 10 blocks away from the Racer house, so getting there wasn't at all difficult. Coming up to the security gate she put in the code written on the paper that Speed wrote the directions on. I hope this works… the gate opened. Yes! I'm in! Now let's see, she thought continually glancing back at the crumpled sheet in her hand. Building B…Apartment 32…

“Wow, nice place…” she said looking around at the nicely furnished complex. “Ah, here it is…” she spotted Building B and pulled in to an available parking spot not realizing that Trixie's car was still there. She found apartment 32 was on the ground floor which made her realieved that she didn't have to climb 5 flights of stairs like some of the other apartments. After getting to the door she pulled out the letter that had Trixie's name in nice cursive on the front. Well little guy, you're going to make some guy either really happy or really upset. Either way, you're going to change his life for ever… she thought as she held it for the last time.

For some reason, Raspberry knocked on the door. Wait, what am I doing? She isn't home… she snickered realizing her mistake. The door opened before she could place the letter in the slot; for a split second, Raspberry thought she had the wrong apartment until she saw that it was Trixie standing at the door.

“Raspberry? What are you doing here?”

“I…um…uh…came to deliver something,” she replied trying to get over brief shock. “Speed told me that you were on your way to a flight seminar,”

“I was, my flight got delayed until tomorrow…”

“Ooo, tough break…”

“Yeah, luckily I booked a couple of days ahead of time,”

“Ah, smart thinking…” Raspberry replied still holding the letter in her hand.

“So…you came to deliver something?” Trixie asked spotting the note.

“Huh? Oh yeah, Speed sent me to give you this…” she said handing the envelope to Trixie.

“Speed wrote this? I don't get it, why doesn't he just call…” Trixie asked; the only thing Raspberry could do in reply was shrug. “You look tired, you want some coffee? I just made some…”

“Sure if you don't mind,” Raspberry said.

“Not at all, come in…” Trixie smiled.

“Ooo, nice place you got here…”

“Thanks, Speed says it's too big for me and that I should work on getting a room mate,” Trixie said placing the unopened letter on the table to fetch some coffee.

“I wonder if he meant himself…” Raspberry snickered quietly.

“What?” she called from the kitchen.

“Huh, oh nothing…” Raspberry replied trying to change the subject. “So, how long have you lived here?”

“Oh not long, a couple of months,”

“You sure fixed it up nicely,” Raspberry said coming to sit at the table.

“Well the apartment was fully furnished, the only things I added to it was the junk that my mom had in her attic,” Trixie said joining her at the table with the mugs of coffee. The letter sat only inches away from her.

“Oh, it still looks nice. I'd love to live in an apartment like this…”

“Thanks,” Trixie smiled as she reached for the letter. “I can't believe he'd make you go to the trouble of getting this to me when I'm sure he knows how to use a phone,”

“He's a guy Trixie, I'm sure he's got other things on his mind than just racing…or thinking clearly for that matter…”

“Oh you're mean…”

“I was kidding, I wouldn't talk that badly about Mr. Super-famous racecar driver…” Raspberry replied. Trixie started to tear open the letter, but stopped half-way through.

“Before I open this…what's in it?” Trixie said appearing as if she were scared to read it.

“I don't know, I didn't watch him write it! And as you can see, I didn't read it…the binding is still in tact,” Raspberry retorted.

“Something tells me you know what's in this letter…”

“I…have an idea, but truthfully and honestly I don't know what that letter holds…” Raspberry gave her a clever smile. “The only way you're going to find out what's in it…is to open it and read it,”

Trixie sighed, but did as told and tore away the envelope. Her heart suddenly began to race as she pulled out its contents and started reading. Raspberry tried to sip her coffee as the air became thick with tension. This was it, the moment of truth. Raspberry began to recall what Speed had told her just the night before; she couldn't stand the thought of Trixie giving him a rejection.

I must be crazy now,

Maybe I dream too much.

But when I think of you, I long to feel your touch…

To whisper in your ear,

Words that will hold us tight,

Words only you would hear if only you were mine.

I wish I could go back to the very first day I saw you,

Should have made my move when you looked in my eyes.

`Cause by now I'd know that you feel the way that I do,

And I'd whisper these words as you lie here by my side…I…

Raspberry watched as Trixie read. Her expression changed as she got deeper into the letter. Trixie's hand came up to her mouth as she read the words that made her heart stop…

I love you

Please say you love me, too

These three words,

They could change our lives forever.

And I promise you that we'd always be together,

Till the end of time…

“Oh my God,” Trixie whispered. Her hands started to tremble as a great dream was coming true. “He…he loves me…”

Raspberry smiled at her reaction; Trixie obviously liked what she read. She put the letter gently on the table. Tears started to well up in her eyes.

“So…” Raspberry broke the brief moment of silence. “What did you think?” she asked rhetorically.

A big smile shown upon Trixie's face as she wiped a tear away; just that was enough to answer Raspberry's question.

“He loves me…He really loves me…After so many years of turmoil and heartbreak we suffered from previous lovers, we both came to realize that we love each other!”

Raspberry rested a hand on Trixie's. “Go tell him…he's waiting…”

They both snapped back to reality as the phone rang. Trixie practically skipped to the phone like a happy little school girl.

“Hello…Oh I don't think I'll be able to make it this year. I'm feeling really sick…” she hung it up after a few seconds.

“Trixie, I didn't know you were feeling sick…” Raspberry asked.

“Yes, I'm feeling really lovesick…”