The Fuel Within

Chapter 1

Day 1

A deep breath in. Hold.
I am eleven. Eleven is my lucky number.
Adjust my goggles. The person next to me bounces their leg a lot, their boots are very clean. Tighten my grip on throttle.
Release. A deep breath out.
Blink. The other person beside me is dressed very pink. Very very pink. I wouldn't want to lose if I was that colour. Very memorable. I am magenta, neon green, and black. Fidget in my boots.
Another deep breath in. Hold.
Flag. Three beeps. Greenlight.
Go!
Like a swarm of bees, our machines rocket off and we speed up fast. Slow start, I am eighth. Bike sounds crisp though. Two across from me, one slaps into the mud. One down. I catch up to seventh. First jump coming up, migrate to centre of lead up. Quick, quick, quick! Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze! Compress legs and rip.

Made it. Smooth. I catch up to sixth. Crowd cheers for us. Back tire skids as we round the corner. I tail the rider ahead. Another jump, quick! Speed! Speed! Speed! Petrol smells really good. Bike ahead sounds nice. Head-to-head. Wheel to wheel. Close. Very close. Uncomfortably close. Too close. I back off.
They've got balls. I'll catch them on the minis.
Up down, up down, up down, side, slide, straight, speed, speed, speed.
Again, catch them, speed. Migrate to inner corner. Slap berm. Overtake, spit mud on their goggles. Fifth.
Go fast! So much fun, love speed. Wheels skip over log section. Lap mark coming up.
Fast on the straight, faster! Squeeze throttle! Keep standing! Knee still hurts, damn. Wipe mud off goggles as we near fourth.
Fourth trips and high sides, knocking off third. Should feel bad, but don't. I'm third. Dodge bikes ahead of me, fast on the first jump. Second is so fast. Grit teeth, shove down nervousness. Go.
Second is aggressive, strafes from side to side.
Don't laugh as jump over them. High. Very high. Will I land okay? Stomach drops.
Second. Fight with them on my tail as we catch up to first for the next two laps. He is quite fast.
Gain distance on last lap, get angry! Get first! One lap to go!
First is blue and green. Nice helmet. Rides tense. Speed! First is first for a reason. I have made a great comeback though. Go fast, go fast, go faster! Catch them in the mini's, I'm good at mini's. Mini's look like waves. Love the beach, very pretty, love seashells, love how curly hair gets in the salt. Focus. Catch up to first. On their tail! Speed up! Rider is very stiff, but rides very neat.
Small crowd is cheering very loud, can hear them over bike engine.
Log section. Damn it, not good at logs. Slow down slightly.
First is worse! Good. Catch up! Second! First and three quarters. First and a half! First and a quarter!
Mud sprays from their back tire onto my goggles.
First and a fifth!
Can smell their petrol exhaust. Smells good.
First and a sixth!
Can hear third gaining, they are good at logs. Damnit! Go faster!
First and a seventh!
Go.
Fast!
First and an eighth.
My front tire catches up to their mid.
First and a ninth.
We lock eyes for a moment.
Rider looks caught off guard. It's Justin. Justin is always sore loser. He's very clean.
I grin, not for long.
First.

"Riley!", a voice calls out as I ride into the finishing pit, my skin sizzling, my breath short as I laugh. I know that voice! Masses of curly hair, dark skin, beanies galore, I know that voice! Adrenaline feels so good, my hands are shaky. I fumble trying to pull my goggles off, I can barely see, there's so much mud on me. I came first! I laugh and pump my fist, "yes!", I hiss.
Again, the person calls to me, and I can hear people start to crowd around. My team will be here soon, then I can hop off my bike. I pat her. Good ol' Pinkie. Damn, my knee hurts. I'm still trying to take off my goggles when trudgy footsteps and squeaky armour catch up to me, then crash into me on my bike, toppling us over in a mangled heap of metal and plastic. My bike lands in the dirt!
"Oh, damnit- hold on.", my attacker quickly apologises, leaving me to lift the bike back up, setting it on its stand. It's Billie! I love Billie!
She pulls my goggles off, stepping back to throw her hands wide, the big 'thirty-three' on her chest glinting, "You won!"
I smile wide, gathering myself to my feet. My knee is really hurting. I laugh and spread my arms out, "I won!"
Billie cheers throwing a fist to the air before rushing in and hugging me. We jump around in a girly mess of armoured legs and arms.
"You overtook me so hard, you idiot!", she laughs, pushing at my shoulder to shoot me a stern look.
I laugh, glancing to the side, "I'm sorry?", what to say to someone you beat.
She grins and shakes her head, throwing an arm over my shoulder, "I'm not coming third next time, mark my words."
I laugh and bring my hands together, picking the mud off, "You nearly got me on the logs though, you're a beast at those."
We look out to the people on the sidelines. The front row is covered in mud, as tradition requires, and the townsfolk cheer me on. Justin kicks the ground, crossing his arms looking over at me. I catch his eye and he and storms off. He's always been a baby. I smile and look to the judges, the sports casters, and laugh again, "That was so much fun."
Billie sighs, "One more race, Riley, if we keep in the top three, we get to our first area qualifier."
I smile, our first area qualifier.
That's the dream. The goal. This opportunity only comes around every four years, and this time I'm going to get to that championship, and the area qualifier is what's going to take me there. First the area qualifier, then the regional qualifier, then the king, the big race, the be all and end all, the championship.
I smile, and look down to my leg, rubbing it just above the knee, "... I just hope this heals up a bit."
Billie looks down to me, she's a little taller than I am. She clicks her tongue, "Let's get you off the dirt."