towards the first corner, with three cars beside me and two in front. We take it easily and I study my opponents. The two cars in front of me are quite close. If I can edge to my right I might be able to get around them.
Deciding that’s my plan of attack, I start edging to my right and picking up speed. I hit the gas when I see a gap, and soar right past them. Pride and desperation compete in my chest as I come up against the car in first place. The two I just passed are close behind me and could make it past me at any second. I study the track and try to remember where the next corner lies. I recall it being a sharp one, so I pull in to my left slightly.
I’m right, and the drivers behind me are forced to slow down because they hit at the wrong angle. This gives me the jerk forward I need. I close in on the car currently in first, excitement building high. It’s then I realize that car belongs to Sheyenne. Great. I don’t focus on that, but instead on the plan of attack.
Another corner is coming up that’s sharp, I need to get around her just after it for me to be able to win this thing. As we approach the corner, I tuck myself in the inner lane and come up beside her. Apparently she does not like this because she swerves her car towards mine, making me jerk my hand and therefore my car to the left. I have to quickly correct it before I spin out of control.
By this time another car has passed me. Anger flares and I hit the gas and bring the car back up near the two at the front. I’ll bring her down for that. I pass the first one and am faced with Sheyenne again. I anticipate her move because I’ve watched her race before, and brake right as she jerks her car towards mine. She pulls too hard and ends up turning the front of the car too much towards the middle. I take this chance to get around her.
Suddenly, I’m in the lead.
My heartbeat picks up and my palms become sweaty as I see the finish line. I glance behind me. There’s a different car coming up close, and any second he’s going to get around me. This is my chance to give it all I’ve got. I drop the car down a gear and I put my foot flat to the ground. She roars and growls, speeding up and screaming towards the finish line.
I cross it two car spaces in front of the other one.
I screech to a stop and am screaming with joy when Tazen opens my door. He’s screaming something too, but I launch out of the car. He lifts me up and my legs wrap around his waist. He holds me tight, yelling something in my ear but I can’t hear it past the roaring of the crowd.
I won.
I fucking won.
“Holy fucking shit,” Tazen yells, putting me down. “Baby, you won!”
“I won!” I scream.
His smile is so big it’s infectious. People are around me, patting my back and congratulating me. The announcer tells the crowd I’ve won, and they erupt into cheers. I’m new, but they know who Tazen Watts is, so therefore, they put their money on his car. They made the right choice.
So did I.
A moment later, I’m being handed a thick bundle of cash. “Your winnings.”
My … winnings?
I stare down at it. There has to be ten thousand dollars here. I stop breathing.
“Baby,” Tazen says into my ear. “You fucking won!”
“Th-th-th-this money is mine?”
“Fuck yeah, it’s yours, and well earned. You little firecracker.”
This money will change my life.
Holy shit.
“You fucking cheated!”
I turn to see Sheyenne storming towards me. She’s furious, enough for Tazen to put his arm at my belly and push me around behind him.
“She fucking cheated, running me off the track. I could have been killed.”
I lean around Tazen. “If I recall, you pushed me first. Don’t be a sore loser, Sheyenne.”
Her body jerks and she roars, “I’ll kick your ass! Let’s do it again, right here, right now.”
I snort. “No thanks, I already won. You go and stroke your pride, it’ll make you feel better.”
Tazen laughs just as Murray approaches Sheyenne.
“It was luck,” Sheyenne spits at me. “Luck!”
“Or,” I say, grinning. “You just suck.”
She lunges forward, skidding to the side to try and