Ace of Hearts

Chapter 2 - Post Dinner Races

Maya

All I wanted was a hug from my mother telling me that it was going to be okay and since I couldn't have that I settled for the next best thing - street racing. We all have our self-destructive tendencies.

Me: Nat meet me at Kims

Natalie: I thought you were never going back there again

Me: I'm on my way there right now

I shoved my phone into my pocket as I entered my car and started driving towards Kim's garage. Kim was a 40-something-year-old man who owned a garage on the other side of the city. He was also the man that ran all the illegal underground races in the city. My mother brought me here once when I'd turned 16.

"Do you have any spots open?" I asked Lucas, Kim's right-hand man, as soon as I reached.

"For you my dear, always" he replied giving me one of his signature grimy smiles while running his hand through his dull blonde hair

"Pull over next to the black Audi," he said as he stuck his hand out for the cash required to enter the race.

I drove through the crowd that had gathered to see the race tonight. They looked so carefree leaning against their cars with bottles of beer in their hands.

It didn't take me long to figure out who the black Audi belonged to - my archnemesis Jimmy. He'd been racing for longer than I had and honestly, he was still super salty that a girl beat him this many times.

"Maya long time no see," he said "I've missed you"

"You mean you missed losing to me?" I questioned raising one of my eyebrows. I was in no mood to take anyone's shit tonight. I had enough to deal with for one day.

"Darlin' I ain't losing to you tonight"

"Are you willing to bet on that?" I replied cockily immediately regretting the words as soon as they left my mouth.

"If I win, you have to finally go on a date with me"

I gagged internally

"What if I win?"

"I cover your race entry fee for the next five races," he said

What have I gotten myself into?

"Fine," I said huffing, looking into the mirror, and sighing. I looked like a ghost due to all the crying and the smudged mascara. I tried to wipe it off as much as I could before I heard a knock on the window.

"Have you been crying?" Natalie asked as soon as she entered the car. I swear this girl could read me like a book.

"Nat," I said sniffling and trying to look at her without breaking into tears again.

"Oh no," she said grabbing my shoulders and turning me so that I was looking right at her "what did he do this time?"

Just as I was about to tell her what happened at dinner Kim yelled for the racers to get ready.

"We'll talk about this later. Good luck!" Natalie said she jumped out of the car. I had her sit next to me when I was racing once and she threw up as soon as the race was over. Since then she always waits for me at the finish line.