BOTHERED

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: The Other Driver

Tyler

I stared as Lance walks towards us. He looks as douche as he was before. We are always in a tight competition. We want the same thing in life and that is to enter the F1 racing circuits.

He is good. I always end up in second place kapag nasa competition kami but last race I know that I almost beat him and I know that he knows it too. If I already get back to my body I will definitely beat him during the next set of races. I want that First Prize. I want the visitors from Renault to notice me. It's a good stepping stone to get me in the F1 series.

"How did you get in here?" Inis na tanong ng pinsan ko kay Lance.

"You are answering my question with another question? Oh c'mon Je! I know your team is hiding something from everyone. Are the rumors true? Is Tyler in coma or is he perhaps already dead?" Lance said with a sheepish smile.

Jerome strides towards him and grab him by the collar. "My cousin's not dead!" Jerome said in greeted teeth. Humarang in between them si Steve and he gently pushed Jerome on the side.

"Tama na. We have visitors." Steve said to them.

Lance straightened up his suit. "I was just asking. I'm a little bit curious because I haven't seen the second placer for quite sometime now." Lance said in a cocky tone. I hate the way he emphasized the word second placer. I know it's an insult.

"He is doing fine and next time you two meet again on the tracks he will definitely beat your ass and you will eat his dust." Jerome said making Lance laugh out loud.

"Don't say something that is impossible Je. Everyone knows that he can never beat me in this life time or even the next one." Lance said making me clench my fists. I just want to punch his face right now.

Lance glances at Nayi with narrowed eyes then he smiled at her.

"See you around." Lance said while staring at Nayeli then he left. He is acting weird and why do I feel like he knows something about what happened to me?

"Okay let's get back to our tour then." Steve said then they headed towards the door. Susunod na sana si Nayeli but I grabbed her arm then I pulled her towards a table and we crouched down. I gestured for her to be quiet until the coast is clear. When the garage door was closed she finally stands up.

"Sid guard the door and tell us if someone is coming in." I said to Sid. He nodded and went out. I look back at Nayi.

"Turn on the computer. We are going to copy some files." I ordered Nayeli.

"Ha? Magnanakaw tayo ng files?" She exclaimed. "I am not doing that!" She added as she shook her head.

"It's a file about me and I am giving you permission to get it." I said to her. Nayi rolled her eyes at me and grunted while opening the computer.

"Alam mo kulang na lang magka PhD na ako sa breaking and entering tapos ngayon theft naman ang gusto mong gawin ko? I didn't sign up for this." Reklamo nya. The computer started asking for a password.

"Type the word Phoenix." I said to her.

After entering the password we are already in.

"Where do I find the file?" Nayi asks. I look at the cluster of icons on the desktop and pointed at one of it.

"Classified folder." Nayeli read aloud then she clicked on the icon. We are ask to type in another password again.

"Firefly." I said to Nayi and then the files come out on the screen. They are all reports about the car engine, test failures and observations about the car. I scan every file inside the folder.

Accident Report Case No. 101 'Tyler'

"Let's have a look at that." I said to Nayi as I pointed at the file.

I leaned forward and started reading the summary of the report.

Conclusion: No engine or any other structural problems noticed on over all investigation of the car. Human error is highly taken into consideration.

Those were what was written on the report. My hands form into fists once again. So now they are blaming the crash to me?!

This is wrong! Something is really off!

Nayeli

Naiilang ako.

Why?

Because Tyler's face is so near. Napapalingon tuloy ako sa kanya. Mas gumagwapo pala sya sa malapitan? His face is so serious right now while reading the report.

What was he like before he got into coma? It is pretty obvious that he is famous with the girls. Come to think of it wala pa pala akong masyadong alam tungkol dito kay bothersome ghost.

May girlfriend na kaya sya?

"Are you checking me out?" He suddenly said while still staring at the computer screen.

"H-hindi ah! May dumi ka kasi sa mukha!" Palusot ko then nung aakma akong pupunasan yung pretend dumi sa cheeks nya bigla syang humarap, dumampi tuloy yung labi nya sa kamay ko.

(O//////O)

Our eyes met and I swear my heart feels like it stopped beating.

"If you are going to kiss now better hurry because someone's coming in." Sid suddenly said. Sabay kaming napalingon ni Tyler sa likuran and we saw Sid sheepishly grinning at us.

I moved away from Tyler and inserted the USB on the computer.

That was really awkward! Do we look like we are about to kiss?!!! I shoved the thought away and pulled out the USB after copying the file then hid inside a locker. As soon as I closed the locker door sabay bukas naman nung pinto. Sinilip ko yung pumasok. It was another guy wearing a racing suit.

He went directly to the computer and like me he copied something on it. He looks very suspicious like that other guy awhile ago.

Suddenly a phone rings. Napabalikwas ako. Akala ko kasi phone ko na yung tumutunog. I saw Ian taking out his cellphone from his pocket at doon lang ako nakahinga ng maluwag.

"Eto kinukuha ko na. Magkita na lang tayo sa The Curve mamayang eight ng gabi doon ko na lang ibibigay lahat." I heard Ian said then he puts the phone back inside his pocket.

After he got out from the garage lumabas na ako nung locker. Tyler is standing in front of the computer.

"Who is that guy?" Si Sid ang nagtanong.

"Si Ian. He's on my team. He is a race car driver too." Tiim-bagang na sagot ni Tyler.

"Anong kinuha nya?" I ask.

"My files." Tipid na sagot ni Tyler.

"Kanino naman nya ibibigay yun?" I ask Tyler.

Tyler looks at Sid and me. I think I already know what he is thinking right now.

"I have no idea but they are meeting at The Curve tonight and we are going there. We have to find out kung kanino ibibigay ni Ian yung mga files ko." Tyler replied.

The Curve? Ano yun? A bar?

Masama ang kutob ko sa lakad namin mamayang gabi. I think I wouldn't like what's going to happen and my instincts never failed me.....

Well maybe only once.