Night Drives

Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

After two hours of dancing, Penny siphoning empties from others, she was wasted. Like she wouldn't remember any of this wasted. Isaac and I stayed sober since he's our designated driver and I didn't want to consume any liquid. We watched Penny twerk against his brown Toyota Camry as more people were driving in, what she's been doing all night. The breeze of the wind hit my eyes, making it water. I wiped it away and bundled my sleeves into my palms, more cars arriving with their music blasting from the speakers. "Yaassss!" Penny yelled in excitement, her hands waving in the air before sitting on Isaac's hood of the car. Adding two whoops, she almost slipped off, with his quick movement Issac caught her before she hurt herself.

"Penny, it's time for water," I suggested, frowning my eyebrows.

"It's a celabration!" She slurred and shouted as Isaac held her up under her armpits.

"Of what?"

"Somebody's bday is today!" I nodded at the fact but she still needed to sober up.

"Do you have any water?" I asked Isaac.

"There's some in the trunk," he instructed me. He unlocked the door, and the boot opened up. I lifted it higher and rifled through the contents: sweatpants, empty shopping bags, and a book of short stories until I finally got my fingertips on some mini water bottles.

Shutting it closed, I handed him two, I took one for myself.

My throat was scratchy from screaming over the music. "Terps and etc are you ready for tonight?!" The voice of the girl was amplified through the speaker, everyone cheered and whooped. I joined in and clapped with the crowd she continued, "remember what happens on Earth stays on Earth!" I leaned forward for a closer look, her blonde and purple braids swayed against her shoulders.

"Give it up for our rookie racer, Ray Cordero!" The tall muscular guy in a white tank top flexed his biceps. I realized he's the school's quarterback, his arms looked bigger from the pictures from his Instagram.

"And to our reigning king, Damien Beckett!" Damien's name rang through the stereo. I spotted him as he twirled his keys around his index finger with hunched shoulders scoping the crowd. So this is his kind of thing.

"Taking your title, Beckett!" The crowd oohed at Ray's taunt, Damien just smiled and headed to his car. Ray did the same to the neon orange one. Their engines revved up, my pulse was racing before it even began. Was this even safe? I stood on my tippy toes, licking my bottom lip.

"For any newbies out, here's what's gonna go down: the first driver to reach the end of the road wins! Engines at the ready?!" Both cars revved up once more, it roared loudly. This was my first time witnessing a drag race live. Of course I've seen some on t.v. like NASCAR and the Fast and Furious movie franchise. Damien's car was sleek and black, haven't I seen this car before? That silver grill, oh my God. I squinted, my eyes and mouth widened. That's the car that almost ran me and Penny down. "Ready, Go!" The girl declared with a wave of her arms both were off peeling on the road. I frowned, watching the two cars skid and move. Penny laid her elbow on my shoulders, whooping so loud it hurt my ears. 

I ignored it, they were driving way too fast, going around in a halfway circle. Damien, be careful. I shouldn't be worried about him, but I was. Penny spilled some of her drink on me, I complained but I didn't want to miss it. Please don't crash. The finish line was coming too close. It was a metal fence that had a makeshift stop sign that looked rusty. Old. It could break apart. Were they gonna drive through it or stop immediately? I let out a shaky breath, picking at my dry lips with my teeth.

Both cars came to a halt, the tires screeched on the asphalt. Damien's car was inches in front of the line, Ray stopped his halfway. Damien won. I dropped my shoulders, everyone roared with cheer as the race ended. Penny shook me again, yelling incoherently. I blinked multiple times, feeling out of place. At least it was over.