The final bell rang, and I gathered my books slowly, watching as students rushed toward the exits. My first day at college had been a disaster from start to finish - bullies, unwanted attention from Gabriel, and Paxton's condescending dismissal of my interest in racing.
Maybe tomorrow will be better, I thought, though I wasn't holding my breath.
As I walked toward the main entrance, I caught fragments of conversation from a group of students huddled near the lockers. The words "race" and "tonight" made me slow my pace and move closer.
"...going to be epic," one of them was saying, a tall guy with bleached hair. "Gabriel's been training for weeks."
"Yeah, but Paxton's got that new engine modification," replied a girl with purple streaks in her hair. "My money's on him."
"Are you kiddin
