Chapter 13: Race
Zein's Point of View
I bit my lip as I watched the hands of the clock move in the center. Everyone else was busy listening, while I was busy staring and waiting for the time.
"Do you have somewhere to go?" Cedric whispered.
I shook my head and leaned back in my chair. I calmed myself. I can make it. I need to be there. I need to watch it.
I could still feel Cedric's gaze on me, even though I didn't look at him. I heard him sigh and stand, which made all of us look at him.
"Yes, Mr. Lee?"
"Uhmm… We have an emergency meeting. Can you excuse us?"
I furrowed my brow. What is he talking about? Do they really have an emergency meeting? I glanced at my professor, waiting to see if he would allow Cedric to leave.
"Okay, you may go."
I felt Cedric grab my shoulder, so I looked back at him. He motioned for me to follow, and even though I hesitated, I quickly fell in step.
I caught up to him at the side of our classroom. He started walking as soon as he saw me. I didn't know why, but I followed him.
"I made us an excuse so maybe I can come with you."
I gaped. He did that on purpose. He helped me, but there's a catch, and he knows I can't refuse him this time. I glanced at the time on my phone and cursed under my breath, there's only a little time left.
Ace was already there since they didn't have a last subject. Cedric and I share the same last subject, so we both had the same schedule.
"Fine."
I walked ahead of him. I even caught his faint curse when I said that. He ran ahead toward the parking lot, so I decided to quicken my pace too.
From a distance, I started the car, making sure it was ready to go as if I'd leave him behind if he didn't get in right away. No, I'm not that kind of person, I know how to acknowledge a favor.
Once he got in, he greeted me with a grin. I just smirked back and quickly started the car. I mean, technically, this car belongs to Ace; he just lent it to me. He said all his possessions are mine too, so technically, I'm driving his car.
"You don't seem that happy being with me."
"Shut up," I said firmly.
He whistled and fiddled with the window, looking bored during the ride. He could just get out if he wanted, I'd be more than happy to kick him out.
"Where are we going?"
I pressed harder on the pedal to speed up the car. I couldn't help but smirk, feeling a little Allison-like as I ran a red light.
"Mad driver," Cedric muttered with a grin.
Oh God! Why is that place so far? Darkness and light were fighting for dominance, and it seemed like it was about to start. Ugh!
"Hmmm…" I glanced at Cedric and noticed his furrowed brows as he stared into the side mirror.
"Turn," he ordered, which made me frown.
"What?"
I didn't have time to mess around with him. I was racing against the clock, and there was a game I needed to watch. If I wasn't on time, I might miss the best part.
"Oh, shit! Come on, Zein! Just this one—fuck, please."
I was startled by his cursing, so even though I didn't want to, I turned the wheel. I could see the awe on his face as he still stared at the side mirror. What's back there?
"I'll drive."
"W-Wai—"
"Just move."
I switched seats with him, frowning as I looked at him. Glancing at the side mirror, I saw a car dangerously close behind us, practically about to crash into us.
"Seat belt," he said, and I quickly obeyed.
I had no choice but to follow everything he said. I had to trust him in this moment. Even if I was confused, it had to be done.
"Come on…"
I swore under my breath as he suddenly accelerated. Way too fast. I didn't even have the chance to look at Cedric because I was frozen staring ahead. I swallowed hard when I saw the ocean at the end of the road.
He must be aware that if he kept going straight, we could die, right? I hope he is. Damn this guy, he hasn't even let me change my last name to Craige yet, and he's already trying to kill me.
"Hold on… This will be the most exciting part of this chasing game."
I cursed under my breath as he let go of the steering wheel and covered my eyes. All I could see was darkness. We're not dead… right?
A moment later, he removed his hand and drove the car gently. I looked at him, he was just whistling, like it was nothing.
"W-What was that? Were they after us?" I asked.
"You sure have a creepy stalker, huh?" he laughed again, covering each laugh like he was avoiding my question.
"Now, where exactly are we going?" he asked again.
Annoyed, I just leaned back and told him the location. Now… what are we even going to find there? The ending? Ugh! If I had known it would be like this, I probably would've ditched class.
"It's a place where races are being held, right?"
"Yeah…" I said lazily.
"As far as I know… 8:30 pm is usually when it starts."
I gawked at that. 8:30? I glanced at the clock, 8 o'clock already. Did I hear Ace wrong? Was it really 8:30? I thought it was 7:30. Ugh!
"You should get yourself some cotton buds sometimes."
"Oh, shut up."
He just laughed, but I still couldn't forget what had happened earlier. I glanced at Cedric, who was driving with a smile. He's trying to hide that incident. Trying to divert my thoughts. Why? Who was that?
When we arrived at the arena, it was already packed with people. I just smiled, Cedric was right, it hadn't started yet.
"Hmmm… it's been a long time since I've been here," he whispered beside me, watching the crowd.
"You've been here before?" I asked.
He didn't answer and instead pulled me along. I was about to protest when I saw Ace staring at the two of us. His brow was furrowed, and the wind was blowing his hair.
"Hey," I greeted.
He looked at Cedric, who was just smiling.
"Why are you with him?" His first question.
I glanced at Cedric, who was whistling casually, hands tucked in his pockets.
"I'm just tagging along. Come on, let's get in line," I said.
"Wait…" Cedric interrupted both of us.
"Are we really falling in lin—I mean, I hate waiting." He said dramatically, grinning at the long line.
I turned to Ace.
"Any other way? Can you fly? Teleport?" Ace asked sarcastically.
Cedric laughed.
"You love fantasy, dude." He walked over to the two bodyguards at the entrance.
"I still can't believe it. You're with him in an hour. Crap, I should have just waited for you."
"Jelly, Ace." I whispered.
He looked at me, brow furrowed.
"What?" he asked, clearly not understanding and wanting to know.
I leaned over and wrapped myself around him, looking like a little monkey clinging to him.
"I really love jelly, Ace… Craige." I chuckled while he remained frowning.
It seemed like he didn't get it, so I just looked at Cedric. He showed his I.D., shook hands with the guards with a smile, and signaled for us to come forward.
Ace wrapped an arm around me.
"When did we start following that guy like obedient kids?" he whispered.
"Do you have another way to get in faster? Can you teleport? Fly?" I teased.
"You're not funny, darling," he said.
I rolled my eyes. I wasn't joking, just imitating. The guard let us in, so I wondered what Cedric had done. Did he pay them a lot? I doubted it.
We chose seats near the front. The racers were already ready at the starting line. I immediately spotted Allison and Raze at the far end, still bickering.
We walked over to them. Raze smiled sweetly when he saw us.
"Darling, you came for me—"
"Shut up," Ace cut him off.
I walked over to my sister, who was completely focused on adjusting her race car, while Ace kept talking to Raze, who just laughed at everything.
She didn't even glance at me, her eyes fixed on her car.
"Did you sleep at all?" she asked without looking back. "Or did you spend the whole night praying that I'd lose?"
"How did you know?" I asked.
She looked at me, one eyebrow raised. "Gosh! I'm your sister, you should be on my side." She waved me off while leaning on her car.
I noticed the number nine on the side of her car. We both turned around at the sound of Raze's sharp curse.
We walked toward them. I could see the fire in Ace's eyes while Cedric just grinned. Raze stood between them, clearly trying to stop the two.
"Don't act important," Ace said firmly to Cedric, who just laughed it off.
I stepped closer to Ace and took his arm, trying to calm him. "Hey, chill. What's going on here?" I asked.
Cedric just shook his head, while Raze grinned, adjusting his black t-shirt with the DGW logo on the side. The number ten was on the car beside him.
"This is my night, bros, and you came here just to—"
"The jerk is now an ass fuck shit. Baby, beat me first," my sister said, shaking her head.
We sat down just as the announcement came that the race was about to start. The arena was open-air, revealing the dark sky dotted with twinkling stars. I felt Ace's hand brush against mine, linking us together.
I was seated with Ace on my left and Cedric on my right. Giant monitors hovered above, showing a full view of the arena, while choppers circled in the sky.
There was a closed gate on the side where the racers would soon emerge, ready to complete three laps out and back into the arena. The crowd roared, each fan cheering for their favorite. It was obvious some of the competitors were well-known, many fans had come just to see them.
But what really grabbed my attention was the guy with the biggest fanbase. The cameras were focused on him, and I could clearly see the silver gleam of his teeth.
"Before we start, we want to acknowledge the presence of the 2012 Race to Death Champion, Mr. Cedric Lee."
I gawked at the monitor, seeing Cedric's smiling face. When I glanced at him beside me, he really was smiling.
"I'm not jealous, Zein."
I looked at Ace. "Why would you be?" I asked.
He smirked and leaned back. "Even if you're staring at him while I'm staring at you? I won't get jealous." I could smell the sarcasm in his words.
I leaned against his shoulder and stayed quiet. I wanted to let him feel what I was feeling, things my mouth couldn't say.
"Even if he loses, I won't let you go. Just watch, Zein."
The race began. I straightened up in my seat, frowning when I saw Allison still hadn't moved. On the screen, I could see her frowning, struggling to start the engine, but it wouldn't work.
People around us were whispering. I could hear their faint laughs, and it annoyed me.
"Just remove the pin," Cedric whispered.
Allison furrowed her brows as she focused on a part of the engine. She picked something up from it. Her eyes squinted when she spotted a pin.
"They still play dirty, huh," Cedric whispered again.
Ate quickly caught up to them. There were no cars left inside the arena now, and all of us were focused on the big monitor. Leading the race was the guy with the most fans. He was calm, almost as if he already knew he would win.
Their cars, Allie's and Raze's, intersected. They exchanged a few words, then gave each other a sly smile. I shivered at the sight, sensing that they were plotting something.
The two then separated: Ate on the left side, Raze on the right.
Almost all of their opponents were left behind. Strangely, the engines of those other cars had stopped working. Something bad was happening. It seemed planned… could it really be—ugh, it was possible.
Only three cars were still moving. The guy with the most fans had already completed his first lap, while Ate and Raze were still on their way back.
They were on the final lap, and the first to cross the finish line would win. Ate was catching up to the guy ahead, who didn't seem happy with how things were unfolding. Everyone's eyes were glued to the monitor.
"This is the real battle," Cedric whispered.
I jumped as the arrogant guy in front dropped something. It hit the wheel of Ate Allison's car, causing it to swerve suddenly.
"Is that even allowed?!" I shouted. "That's cheating!" I added, but it seemed I was the only one who noticed, or maybe no one else cared.
Ace made me sit back down.
"They don't care. This is how they play, dirty. You need to keep up, because if you're weak, you'll lose," Cedric said, laughing.
I calmed myself down. They all knew that guy was cheating, yet no one called him out. Oh, shit! This isn't just a game—it's a cheat. They're cheating because they don't trust themselves.
If you had confidence in yourself, you wouldn't need to cheat. Winning by deceit means nothing. What truly matters in every race is trust.
Ate's car came to a stop, letting Raze catch up, and they allowed the guy clearly enjoying his cheating to get ahead.
Now, it was just Ate and Raze in one car, chasing fast. My eyes widened when the guy, eyes blazing with anger, pulled out a gun. I shut my eyes tightly, without even hearing a single protest. Fuck them, fuck this game.
"Raze! Ate Allison! Just fuck this game!" I shouted.
Cedric and Ace laughed. Ghad! How are they still able to stay calm? This game is a complete mess. I swear, if anything happens to my sister, I will blow up this entire arena.
I calmed myself down, trying not to grab everyone in the arena one by one.
Ate and Raze switched positions—now Ate was driving. The guy aimed the barrel of his gun at Allie. Raze stood up in the car and pulled a knife from his pocket.
The knife of Raze Silvenia. Leader of the Devil God Warriors from Hell University.
People were whispering again. Supposedly, knives weren't allowed. But guns were?! Damn it! Next time I step into a place like this, I'm definitely bringing a bomb.
Raze's knife blocked the bullets from the gun. It didn't bend or crack at all. He even plunged it repeatedly into the hail of bullets, deflecting them all with precision. He was a master at handling that thing, as if it were an extension of his own body.
They were nearing the finish line, and every eye was glued to the giant monitor.
The guy shot at Raze's car tire, making it wobble wildly, but Raze stayed perfectly balanced, probably laughing by now.
He said something before thrusting the knife into the air. The blade struck a part of the guy's car, and suddenly the engine died.
Cedric laughed. "Spotted his weakness, huh?" he commented.
But Ate Allison's tire was completely flat. They were close to the finish line but wouldn't make it, until she suddenly floored the gas and tilted the car on its side.
I gawked. Raze, who had been standing, was flipped over, and I knew he was shouting at Ate now. I couldn't help but smile. Two experts coming together in perfect sync.
Only the two left-side tires were rolling, while the tires on the other side, the flat one included, were lifted off the ground so they wouldn't obstruct the run. They kept the car's speed to maintain that position.
Everyone fell silent as Allison and Raze crossed the finish line first. I hadn't even fully returned to reality when I heard Cedric's faint applause, soon joined by everyone else.
In an instant, the entire arena erupted with loud applause. We ran toward Ate Allison and Raze, who were still bickering, seemingly unaware that the race was already over.
"What if I toppled over? My face could've gotten messed up!" Raze shouted.
"Your face's been messed up for a long time anyway," Ate Allison shot back, not holding back.
They really didn't care about the result; it seemed like they enjoyed the bickering more than the race itself.
"Oh, so what now? Who won?" Cedric asked.
Exactly, who won? Raze or Ate Allison? But it turned out that the arrogant guy still won, because what Ate Allison did was against the rules.
I didn't struggle against the decision. No matter how controversial the race was, they preferred to follow the rules. But I think now, they'd both feel a sense of fear, that even in a dirty game, there are people capable of beating them.
"How's that? We both lost," Raze said as we were heading home.
We were making our way back to our cars while Cedric had already said his goodbyes earlier. The night was deep, and many people were walking with us toward the parking lot.
"What are you showing off?" Ate Allison stopped walking and faced Raze, which made Ace and I pause as well.
"You shouldn't have done that," she added.
Ace and I stayed silent, just watching the two of them.
"Done what?" Raze asked.
"Oh, Mr. Red Eye. I know you know what I mean. I only went along with riding with you because I was itching to take down that cheater," she said.
"So… I stepped on your pride?" Raze asked with a smirk.
"Well, I'll accept it. Even if what happened was messy. You won this game. Not that cheater over there. You're the real winner. Congrats, baby."