Drifting Kings & Queens

CHAPTER ONE

The thing about drifting is that it doesn't come naturally, most people think that its just stupid kids sliding their cars around and acting recklessly. it takes more then just some snow on the freshly paved ground or pulling up and e-brake and loosing traction, the real feat is being able to have the control in order to shift smoothly, let your tires dance across the gravel and not loose control all while knowing which gears work the best and how fast you gotta be going.
My friends and I know that in order to be known as the countries best drifter, you gotta have trust in you car and become one with it. Let the tires become your arms and legs and the wheel become your brain, and the second your able to have that type of knowledge the rest comes easily.
Each and every one have us has spent the time figuring out which car works best for us, which performance mods and tires suit our preferred method of cars.
Take my best friend since the second grade, Jayden, she doesn't look like the type of girl to get her hands all dirty, or to sit in a slammed car but us drifters know that her beaten up Toyota Chaser has never let her down when she's behind the wheel. She drives it so perfectly that it slides along every bend and curve like its on tracks.
She was the first one to teach us all about what drifting is, to hook us all in with the wonderful machines that our cars are, each precisely picked out and molded to our driving skills. I don't know where we would all be if we didn't have her guiding hand teaching us when we aren't able to push our cars anymore.
Jayden learned from her dad from a young age, I remember going to a closed down parking lot with her and her dad and just sitting listening to the rubber burn of the tires and the smell which her right beside me the biggest smile on her face almost like she knew that's what we were meant for.
Those days where so simple, her dads old S13, us sitting by and shouting whenever he showed off his skills, Jayden learned almost all of her dads tricks by the time she was 14.

Much simpler times indeed, we all have so much more going on now, at least once daily we have to order parts or fix some stupid problem on one of our cars but we are happy, covered in grease and oil and one to many drinks in. "Ally" Kerise yelled from across the shop, holding up a huge cardboard box that had just been dropped off. She was slightly shaking under the weight but grinning from ear to ear for anticipation to see what has arrived. Her and I where always the first two in the shop every morning everyone else started groggily making there was here around 9, coffees in hand.
Walking towards her I tried guessing what was in the box, Liams new bumper maybe, he hit a curb so bad that it split his into four different pieces. Or maybe my new exhaust, mine hung low and rubbed holes into it whenever I drove it needed replacing, it could even be something Jayden bought, maybe new side skirts for her car. I met Kerise in the middle of the shopped and grabbed one side slowly lowering it to the ground and pulling a knife out of my pocket "I bet its the new bumper" Kerise gambled, I shook my head with a laugh "I'm hoping its my new exhaust, mine sounds like shit."
We both giggled a little as I pierced through the tape, Kerise pulling the flaps back to reveal a new chassis wing for Liams 86, both our mouths dropped open in dissapointment. His back bumper was just fried and he bought a wing that would make everyone make fun of him "he did not" Kerise gasped dumbstruck by what she was staring at "we have got to not let him make purchases when he's been drinking cause this, this is just stupid" I nodded my head in agreement and closed the box not wanting to look at the dumb purchase.

Rubbing my temples I just sighed "why are we surprised" Liam was known for making rash decisions our back room full of parts we couldn't use just proved that, now we just had another box to add the the never ended pile.

By the time Kerise and me managed to shove it in the room and get the door shut, the first of the group started to show up slowly, Jayden was first "good morning" she yawned and sipped on her almost empty coffee already walking over to her Chaser. "Whats up on the chopping block for this whale" she asked slapping her cars ass before raising the hoist up to waist level. She was quite anal about her car, everything had to be up to date or she got sassy about working on other cars "not much, just needs and oil change and new tires, they should be arriving soon" Kerise said looking at the clipboard attached to the wall, flipping through to see what needed to be done today.
We always had a good pan, we started the big projects at the beginning of the week and nearing the end is when we did all the small projects that only took a couple hours at most.

Jayden nodded and walked over next to Kerise to see what else was on the chopping block for today "ooh Jaides car isnt gonna be fun to do today" she murmured, shaking her head in distaste. I frowned confused about what could be so bad about working on his car. Its Friday we should be down to little side tasks not huge jobs that makes someone sound like that.

I made it up to the two girls and stared at what notes where left under Jaides Nissan Cefiro, he took it out for a cruise last night we all knew that but while everything on his list was crossed off, in red pen he wrote 'new clutch, master and slave, coming in at 12.' "What was he doing last night that he needs all new parts" Jayden hissed, her eyes narrowing. Jaide was the newest addition to the group, he was Jaydens younger cousin and she started teaching him 6 months ago about the basics. He usually wanted more then the basics and kept trying to push the limits of his car and his knowledge and it always ended up with us having to clean up his messes.
We were all more or less forgiving, knowing we once where just like him wanting to push limits and get out there before we where ready, Jayden just took it more personally because they were blood.

As we where all mentally preparing ourselves for the workload, the two guys traipsed in, chuckling at some previously said comment and drinking their energy drinks. Liam looked a little bit hungover with his eyes slightly glazed over and half open. "Jaide Nerveal Warner" Jayden yelled across the shop making both guys pause in there steps and look over sheepishly. Liam wisely took of in direction of his car quietly whistling but hustling his legs to move faster before Jayden could close the gap between her and her cousin.
"Look Jay I'm sorry, some guys from school wanted me to show off to some girls and I took it, but halfway through the first bend and I gunned it, and just kept doing it until I felt something in the engine crack and the clutch fell to the floor" he meekly answered looking like he was about to get the beating of his life. Jayden took a deep breath "we will see what the issue is, I doubt you blew all three but your on clean up duty for the next month and if you ever do something like that again, your fixing your own car got it" she pointed in his face. She waited until he nodded before setting off in the directions of his Cefiro looking like steam could come out of her ears at any moment.