The tracks were supposed to be a garage according to the area it was provisioned for. It was extended to tracks mostly for checking the cars and other engine parts. The supposed garage even hired drivers for races but it had never in its history created one. I was the first and they were risking a lot by doing so.

The garage was in its usual state with bulbs hanging up in the air with a few workers under it, inspecting something in their respective cars. As I was about to make my way towards Luke, the only person I knew there apart from a few familiar faces, Calvin waved his hand at me.

I stopped at my tracks waiting for him to climb down his stairs to reach me. He was in his usual jeans with a coat over his shirt. He was always in semi-formals and I wondered why. Then I remembered the race in which I was an earpiece and the fact that Calvin was mad at me hit me like a wrecking ball. Was he firing me or something?

"Hey Scarlet!" Calvin greeted me quite cheerfully and I started to backtrack wondering if last night had ever happened. "How was school?"

The question alone made me nostalgic. Dad was always the one who asked me those questions whenever I met him at the tracks. Now, Dad was this drunk guy who had lost his mind, leaving me all alone.

"Uh," I stuttered, pushing the imaginary strands of hair behind my ear. "It was good."

"That's great." Calvin smiled. His eyes still held that twinkle as if telling me that he had somehow won the lottery and was now a millionaire. Perhaps Ashley had called and had cut of all her deals leaving us to ourselves?

"Ashley said she was off her deals?" I asked unable to contain my curiosity.

"What?" Calvin purged his eyebrows together as if to ask me if I was crazy. "No, it's still on." He chuckled. "Tired of Bert already?"

It was more like tired of my life. Bert, I could handle. 

I laughed nervously at him, putting my weight on my left leg. I had seen Rob flirt with a girl outside the garage and I wondered if I should be heading back home. "Yeah, I don't see him today so, I guess there's no practice. Um, I'll get going then."

"Bert has some errands to run." Calvin said, waving his hand in the air. Only if he knew what errands that Bert was running. "But your practice must continue. Bert was very considerate of your learning, so you have a surprise today."

"Surprise?" I asked, my brows knitting into one.

"It's only after the race." Calvin nodded his head at me.

"Race?" I asked, my voice higher than before. The word alone was enough for me to give surprise and nightmares, all at once.

Calvin gave a small nod with his signature smile. "I heard you were a good earpiece yesterday. And I'm sorry for what happened, I was not in the right temperament, so..."

"That's fine." I waved my hand in the air, my face tuned to a question mark. He still hadn't answered my questions.

"So, since I've seen you being an earpiece, I want to test your driving skills now." He said pushing his glasses up his nose. "You will have your same car that you normally drive and it's all set for tonight. The men will accompany you too."

"What?" I asked, not believing what he was saying.

Sure, I had been practicing, but it was only me in the track. No accompaniments. But Cal was talking about me in an actual race, which I wasn't prepared for. It was not happening, not when my driving guru had somehow vanished for his idiotic errands.

"Come on, Scar." Cal said, scratching his stubble with his thumb. His expression was as if he was telling his daughter that he was dropping her off from a moving plane, as if it was no big a deal. "Bert said you were ready. Besides, it's only with the people you know. Luke, Dan, Jake, Martin and you—just five. We have space issues to deal with many more racers."

"Cal, just understand!" I was almost breaking down. Hell with Bert if he said I was ready! I would know when I was actually ready, won't I? Besides, won't I need an earpiece as I had been Rob's? "I have never driven with other vehicles on the road and I was continuously monitored. And where is your Bert? It's not happening!"

"It's now that you learn." Calvin said in a calm voice trying to persuade me. He ran his hands over his blonde hair, resting it on his head for a while. "And it's all with the people that you know. I promise they will take it easy on you."

His smile told me otherwise and I was not sure about myself, let alone other racers. I needed Rob on my side to console me and tell me that it was all his idea to get me frightened.

How the hell was I going to drive when I, out of all people didn't have an earpiece of my own? Besides, all these times had I ever driven on road with other vehicles competitively? It was bizarre. A nightmare!

"Well, make yourself comfortable, you will start the race within another few minutes." Cal said and turned away not waiting for my response.

---

Dan smiled consolingly at me. He was just next to my car, the only one which I had bumped not so long ago, holding the steering wheel on his right hand.

Calvin was the only person who stood with a green flag on his hands with a wicked grin ready to set the roaring monsters free. After telling his ready, get set, he screamed go waving the flag high up in the air.

I took a deep breath before I pressed the acceleration. My hands were shivering expecting the unexpected, so held the wheel tight making the knuckles go white in frustration.

Driving with Robert had made me like a robot asking myself all the questions he asked when he sat next to me during my driving sessions. Though I had scolded him with all the colorful words that I knew, it had helped me now with this unofficial race.

As I sat behind the wheel staring at the tracks ahead of me, there was this new zeal and enthusiasm that didn't make me flip on my own shit. This was way different than any of the times I had driven. It was adventure.

I was awestruck by the way my mind had starting ticking with every circumstances that was thrown in my way. The way I was dodging the cars in front of me, surprised me and made me wonder when the hell I was capable of doing this all on my own.

I remember the times my Dad had told me about the races. One had to be completely immersed in it to survive. Lack of concentration for even a tiny fraction of a second was more than enough to throw one into a ride to hell and it was all that mattered.

The frightened girl was long gone and was replaced by a fierce one who was capable of winning this. The curves, the cars, the roars - didn't matter. All that mattered was the journey that was taking me through it. That alone gave me a boost to go ahead, no matter the win or fall.

I smiled a genuine smile when I saw myself in the last lap of the said race with no one else ahead of me. So this was what it felt like—the craze, the happiness, the wonder and the feeling of I'm-on-top-of-the-world was worth it all. I wouldn't mind going through all the frightened phase just to feel this way over and over again.

"Whooh!" I screamed with a wide smile on my face as I further increased the accelerator. "That's awesome!"

"Sweetheart, not letting that happen!" Luke shouted and soon, he was next to me. Luke, who had never smiled in all the time I had been there, now gave a faint grin as he stepped ahead, putting me behind. I saw the grin evaporate as soon as it formed and the angry young man look came back as he concentrated on the road ahead of him.

"No way!" I laughed, screaming and racing behind him.

I could feel the body of the car wobbling but it was still going, never letting go. I tapped the dash board, just as Rob used to do to his car when he was proud of her. I smiled and put my head back into the race.

"Coming through!" Martin chanted next to me, starling me in the process.

"Oh my God, you are beating me too?" I asked, half smiling, half blaming.

Honestly, I didn't care if I was winning or losing tonight. All I needed was this gusto to go ahead, counting the moments of pure bliss. It had been years since I had been genuinely this happy. I had never thought that racing would give me the thrill and if that was what kept me happy, then I would do it all over again.

I had reached third that night, with a happy face. Martin and Luke both had already crossed the finish line that Calvin had drawn for us and were waiting for me to do the same with a smirk on their faces.

I bit my right cheek with a glint of amusement of my own. I had seen a lot of racing and had played a lot of racing video games to finish just like that - normally. After all, this was my first race, though I was terrified of it in the beginning, I wanted to finish with style.

I pushed my leg against the accelerator even when I knew I was only a meter or so from the finish line. I kept my left hand on the steering wheel while the other on the hand-break. It was all the matter of time now. 

Within a few seconds I was past the finish line with a zoom of my own, but I had a different plan and I went further ahead of the others. I could almost hear Calvin shout at me, pathetically asking what the heck I was up to. The smirks of the boys' face were falling as they believed that I was going in for another crash soon.

But I was clear. I knew this.

As soon as I was out of the finish line, I twirled the wheel on my hand to the right, making my way towards the infield. As I turned, I lifted the hand-break and it made a creek sound, just like I had estimated. The dust rose up above the air and suddenly, everything seemed to be in slow motion and I could see the dust particles shine against the light of the tracks.

It was then I knew that I was in my moment. This was all that the racers dreamed of. This is what they lived for.

As the hand-brakes made its work, the bent up car of mine halted with a sudden jerk, pulling me from the trance I was in. "Wow" Was all I could muster and the content smile on my face couldn't fool anyone even if I wanted to.

The other racers came running to me with worried and concerned faces while I was still in the clouds of nine. When they saw me unharmed, I saw their faces relax and brake into a small grin. Luke helped me get down holding the car door for me.

I was sure my eyes were popping out from excitement. "Did you see? Did you see?"

Calvin laughed shaking his head. "Not bad for the first ride, Stone!" He called as he bid fare well. He lifted his hands up in the air as he went back to his building.

"You came third, loser." Luke rolled his eyes over with an amused smirk on his face.

"Dude, I was the one who came first!" Martin said with a cute pout on his face. Jake only patted his back in comfort.

"I don't care!" I announced, still in that zone which kept me in it like the magnets attracting the iron particles. "I just wish that jerk was there to witness what I just did!"

Dan came in sight with a big smile on his face—the only person who was as excited as I was. He was the only guy who at least tried to share my enthusiasm. "That was actually amazing, Scar!" He proclaimed and my happiness knew no bounds.

I ran towards him. Dan easily lifted me up and twirled me around as I jumped on him, encircling my hands around his neck. "Did you see what I just did!" I asked him. "Robert had never taught me that before!"

I heard a few mutters, before others went to mind their own business, tired of listening to the girl who had come third, yet was so excited about the news.

"That was pretty wicked!" he said putting me down. "Where did you learn that?"

"I see a lot of movies." I said proudly. "Wait till Dad hears me out! He'll be so psyched." As soon as the words were out, I knew it was bad. I had forgotten about Dad and Dan's little union early in the morning and talking about them, it started to come all the way back.

My enthusiasm soon died. Dan's face reflected mine and he held my hand giving it a tight squeeze. "He would be proud."

"I'm not of him." I replied coldly. I was sure my practice for the day was over. It was already nine at night and I quickly sent a message to Mira that I would not be able to come over to help her tonight. "Well, good race." I said, just like my Dad used to whenever he finished a race, no matter the win.

Dan let a small smile fall on his lips. I was sure he picked up the resemblance. "We need to talk, Scar."

---

I tried to understand Dad. Cleaning the floor at Mira's gave me enough time to think about it too. I had seen enough movies and read enough novels to get this straight, but this was going way out of hand.

But now, since the accident, things had been difficult. The race alone was a chance for us to have a roof over our head. I was working my ass off to make the two ends meet, while Dad was busy drowning himself in beer? How was that fair to me?

Shouldn't he be the one to give out cheat sheets to me for winning that damned race or at least to be supportive?

"I've not spoken to him." I said, my lips pursed in a single line as I looked elsewhere but him. We were at the Pizza Corner, waiting for our orders to be given.

"Scar," Dan sighed, running his fingers through his thin hair. "You know that he loves you right?"

The waitress called out our name and I was quick to get out of the conversation to get the pizza to our table. The pizza was sliced into six parts and like always, three were his and three were mine. I took my sweet time to distribute them accordingly. I made an additional round to get the coke and fries, just for the heck of it.

"You can't avoid it, honey." Dan said, once I was securely seated in the seat opposite to him. "Before you can judge him, please listen to his side of the story too."

"What's his story, Dan?" I almost shouted. As soon as the words were out, I realized the intensity of my voice and lowered it, looking on either side of the seat. "That he's sad? Or that he hasn't had enough to drink lately?" I whispered, tears pooling in my eyes.

"Scarlet!" I jumped at his voice. "You have no idea what he is going through."

"Oh, really?" I said, crossing my arms in front of me. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

He heaved a sigh, making up his mind to tell me what Dad was going through. He pushed his chair forward, making it creek as placed his elbows on the table knotting his fingers together.

If I was not in this position talking about my personal life with him, I would have definitely laughed at him. He looked like a Dad who was about to give his child 'the talk'.

To say he was nervous was an understatement. Daniel was someone I had never seen being jittery. Now, he was pulling his hair just to talk about my Dad. Was there something that I was missing? My palm started to sweat in anticipation as I looked at him clearing his throat.

"He wanted to kill himself."

---

A/N: TaDa! My biggest cliffhanger yet, don't you think? I loved writing this chapter especially the racing part. It's my favorite. What did you like?