Racing Devil

Chapter 12 (100%)

Although the children had gotten to see their hero racer's face post-accident, the same privilege didn't apply in front of the camera. He put the mask back on as usual.

Everything was going well that day. Their team had all headed home, but Myles still wanted to discuss with the staff at the circuit. He told her to wait and disappeared inside the building. It took him a while before he came out, beckoning her to come in. Niksa followed him inside and saw shelves full of helmets. The farthest side of the room was a staffed counter.

"Try them on. See which one fits."

"Why?"

"Didn't I tell you to try?"

The puzzle that he had brought up was being solved at this moment. Before she could fully process, Myles picked up a neon green helmet and put it on her head. He moved his face closer to examine the back of her head, and saw that the helmet was stuck on her ponytail. He quickly removed her black hairband and stepped back to adjust the chin strap for her.

The soft click sound woke her up from the trance. Niksa lifted her hand up to fiddle with her hair as a habit, but only felt the smooth surface of the helmet and the end of her hair that reached about mid back. She was about to protest the lack of personal boundary when Myles handed her his cap, sunglasses, and mask.

"Hold onto them."

The manager obliged, putting them in her handbag. She opened her mouth, about to speak but was interrupted by him.

"There is always a first time for everything. If you try and don't like it, that's one thing. But you have to give yourself a chance to try, Nicky."

Niksa was stunned. She couldn't deny the truth in his words. Moreover, she couldn't dare count the number of times that Myles had pushed her out of the zone to try something that she had never thought to try. She had been afraid that it would change her forever.

She took a deep breath and decided to make a wager.

"If I try this, then you have to give the hairband back to me."

"After this," he added his condition. "Sure, no problem."

Myles winked before leading her out to the circuit. She followed and saw that the staff had already brought two karts around, ready and waiting for them at the starting grid. Bright spot lights illuminated the field as darkness began to settle.

"I will give you a head start. Go take that pole position," his words echoed as he pointed his hand towards the first car in the front.

Niksa was enjoying this enough to quip back.

"If I win, you have to call me champ for one week."

"And if I win?"

"Then you don't have to do that."

He shook his head, clearly amused. He put his hands on his hips as he watched her climb into the kart that was in the front and listen to the staff's explanation intently. He then got in the second kart. As he was securing his belt, Niksa took off from the starting point without him.

"Hey!"

The woman turned to laugh, but when she slowed down to round the first turn, she noticed that the pro-driver was already catching up to her.

"You cheated!" he shouted from behind.

"And you don't? How long have you been doing this?" she clapped back, unrelenting.

Myles was closing the distance as they were nearing the second turn. Niksa half screamed, half laughed, full of excitement. A sharp corner that was coming up made her nervous, it was scary but somehow thrilling at the same time.