The Race

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Apparently I had better reflexes than all of the guys because I was the first one over the starting line, my tires squealing as I shot forward.  And when I looked in my rearview mirror, they were a good fifty feet behind me as we sped down the street.  I smiled as I looked back ahead.  

My path was glowing as I rode, gathering speed.  The crowds were all down the sidewalks, cheering and holding signs.  Their faces blurred as I flew past. 

I saw one of the helicopters fly to my left in my rearview mirror, the first to go off on their own course.  And then the far right car turn, tires squealing.  The next two cars and the other helicopter broke off.  That left only me, Kier, and Asher still on the main stretch. 

It was a few moments before Asher went off to the right onto his course.  That left only me and Kier. 

I heard him change gears and press on the gas.  As I looked in the mirror, I saw him speed up until he was right beside me.  Apparently he’d been holding back. 

I looked over as he kept my speed.  I could see the crooked smile on his face and then he looked over at me. 

“One day,” he shouted. 

“What?” I shouted back, looking ahead of me.  What in the world did he mean by ‘one day’? 

“You’ll see,” he shouted back. 

The glow of my course veered off to the left up ahead just a few hundred feet.  I looked back over at Kier and knew that it was going to be the last time I saw or talked to him for a few weeks. 

“Keep your promise,” I shouted. 

He laughed, throwing his head back.  “I’ll be waiting for you,” he called back.

I changed gears just before I came up on the turn.  I think Kier had turned just when I did, only in the other direction, because I could see his car in one of my mirrors mirror, driving away from me.  I had to keep telling myself that I’d see him again in less time than I thought and wouldn’t have to feel the loneliness that was starting to creep inside of me. 

I’d had Kier with me practically nonstop for the past few days and watching him drive away from me was complete torture.  I didn’t know why I was feeling like this when I never had about anyone before.  Not even my dad.  And I didn’t like it one bit.

I shook my head.  I needed to concentrate on my course right now.  Who knew when my first obstacle would be coming at me or what it even was. 

As I followed my course and headed out of the city and toward George Washington Bridge, I could hear the thudding of the helicopter blades and I looked up to see one flying over the river.  Then I could hear one of the cars and I wondered if one of them was Kier’s.

I was just about to get onto the bridge when one of them cut me off. 

I swerved around them and I caught the grinning face of Roman.  He changed gears and came at me from behind.  Now that we were technically out of the city, it was all fair game if we crossed each other’s paths.  We weren’t allowed to start any defensive driving until we were at least at the bridges. 

So now it was on. 

Two more cars got on the bridge then, but I was still trying to get away from Roman.  I changed gears, pulling farther ahead of him. 

Thudding made me look up and I saw the other helicopter flying overhead.  I willed my bike to go faster, just so that I could get away from Roman before he made me crash even before I officially got out of the city.