The Drift that Made Us

Chapter 9

UNO

I took a deep breath as I pulled the door handle of my car. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. But my rage took over! Why would she take my vehicle? Of all the cars in the street, she chose to steal mine.

I sat beside her inside the car. I collected and rephrased sentences in my head before saying anything. Mysty didn’t dare to say something. She knew she f****d up!

“What were you thinking?” I said in a very calm yet about-to-explode voice.

“Sorry!” She said; she even placed her head on the steering wheel. I heard sobs. Was she crying over the motherfucker?

I turned on the overhead light. When Mysty wiped all her tears, her eyes met mine.

“Be my fake boyfriend!” she said. I almost choked with my spit when I heard what she wanted to do. I couldn’t help but release a chuckle. God damn it! Do girls think that real life is like what they watch and read?

“Are you serious right now?” I asked and looked at her.

“Yes!” She said, not laughing; it must be hopeless!

“That makes it worse! Herrera, no one does that in real life. Come on!” I said.

“Is that a yes or a no?” She asked. Her eyes were so puffy.

“No! Don’t be a cliché, Herrera!” I said. She sulked as if I had taken away something important to her.

“What do you want? Oh, you need blood?” She said, dumbfounded.

“What?” Why did she think I needed blood? My blood’s fine! She was strange!

“Nothing. How can I convince you to help me? There must be something!” She asked herself more than me. There was nothing she could do to convince me to help her. I had more than on my plate to waste time on her boy crisis.

“You didn’t pass my vision test,” I said. To be associated with me, someone must be presentable and proper.

“Are you kidding me? Are you saying I’m ugly?” She asked and scowled at me.

“I didn’t say that,” I replied.

“Fine, whatever you say—” She said, and I interrupted her. Has she clowned me, seriously?

“Did you just—” I couldn’t even finish my sentence.

“I did,” she was smirking and all.

“Are you even listening?” She asked me. I had listened to her drama for minutes and wasn’t complaining; that was progress. All I did was stare at the windshield and calm the f**k down.

“Yeah, go on,” I said.

“The day we first met, you insisted on looking into your eyes when talking to you, but why aren’t you facing me? All bull?” She had the guts to point that out. Okay!

"Fine, whatever!" I said and looked into her eyes. She looked like an alien from another planet with those puffy, watered eyes.

“Ah—” she suddenly looked behind her and stifled a chuckle.

“What now?” I asked—impatience flowing inside my head.

“I’ll be your slave for one month?” She asked.

“No!”

“I’ll clean your house for a month!”

“You don’t know what you’re saying,”

“Do your house chores?”

“I don’t have any,”

“You don’t? Whoa! Okay, clean your car?”

“No!”

“Your assistant?”

“I don’t need one!”

“Blood bagger?” She said and started to look desperate with her “brilliant” ideas.

“Do you have a fixation with blood? No!”

“What then? What can I do so that you can teach me how to drive fast?” She said and sighed.

“What? You’re expecting me to teach you how to race? Are you crazy?” I won’t be the cause of someone’s death. Forget it!

“Yeah! That’s the idea!” She exclaimed with light in her eyes.

“What’s in it for me? I have a lot to do. Are you wasting my time?” I asked.

“Ah… I can leave the team for good?” That’s a good one. Finally, she was making sense.

“Tempting!” I said without thinking for once.

“You don’t have to be so happy about it!” Mysty said with sad eyes.

I erased the smile from my face. That was a d**k move even for me!

“Anyways, I will leave once I beat Reed in a race,” She explained.

“And if you don’t? And why is everything up to you? You’re the one who’s asking for a favor,” I said. She was about to reply, but my phone rang. It was the private investigator.

“News?” I said when I answered the call.

“Sir, I have a lead…” he said.

“What exactly? Email me the specifics; bye!” I said and dropped the call.

Mysty’s eyes were begging for information about the call I had. We’re not close to telling her anything.

“Fine! Let’s do it. You owe me one, Herrera, and I’ll cash out whether you like it or vice versa,” I said. I hoped she knew how I handled deals like this. I opened the door to head to the driver’s seat.

I pulled the door handle, but she locked me out. She then half-rolled the window and said, “I’ll return it to where I stole it,” she stuck her tongue out at me and almost instantly rolled up the window before I could protest.

When we reached Serenity, there were a ton of people. My friends ran to Mysty, and everyone was staring at her. I climbed out of Rome's car and maintained my distance from them. I could still hear their conversation since they were loud. Rome saw me and got closer. I threw his keys in the air, and he successfully caught them.

“Thorn! You’re back!” Kiro said.

“You’re Wheeler portal sensation now!” Toby interjected.

“Yes! Thanks to the uploader!” Kiro said before a smirk.

“What do you mean?” Mysty asked.

“Your awesome driving a while ago in Uno’s car. Someone caught it on video.” Dani said.

“What?” Mysty asked. Toby even showed her the video on his phone. Her face said it all.

“What are they talking about?” I asked Rome.

“You know, Kiro!” He answered.

I checked my phone but got distracted when someone yelled at a megaphone.

“Ready to burnout!”

After the burnout, I prepared myself for the extreme. I wanted to rip off the smile on the motherfucker’s face when he rolled down his window.

Let’s see who the f**k deserved to be king!

I suddenly thought I was dreaming when Honey stood between our cars and held a flag. A few moments later, Reed and I took off. He was ahead of me, and it sparked my inner beast.

I was like a cheetah who was pacing but could overtake him anytime. Losing was not an option! No way in hell I would let that happen.

Damn it! I was on his tail, ready to take over. I need a second of his carelessness, and I would swoop the f**k in and win this thing.

That was the only choice I had. Winning was the only way!

Focus! I glanced at my opponent’s car in front of me. One! I sneaked in and boosted my speed to 60% compared to my current pace. It was wildfire!

Fuck! Yes! I slammed my hand on the steering wheel in excitement. When I reached Serenity and climbed out of the car, people congratulated me, and some even thanked me because they had won the bet.

“Guys, pay up!” Rome said with a smirk on his face. Toby and Kiro’s faces were epic as they sent the money to Rome’s account. Mysty just watched as she stood there with us.

“Where is Dani?” I asked them to reveal my presence.

“Bro! Congrats! Dani’s inside, by the way; he changed his mind about the bet and decided not to join,” Rome said.

“Thanks!” I said. Mysty said the same thing, and I flashed her a meek smile.

“We’re starving! Treat us!” Kiro teased Rome.

“All right! Let’s go!” Rome gave in.

“Let’s eat and then go home. We have an early trip later. Don’t you dare use this as an excuse to be late!” I said, mainly teasing Rome.

“Bro, come on!” Rome said. Everybody laughed and went inside Serenity.

I checked my backpack for camping when I reached home. I was all set! I opened the fridge for a last-minute bite, but nothing exciting, so I decided to snack on a banana. A few minutes later, the home phone rang. It was the guard. He said that the bus was in front of the house.

I loaded the bus. We already picked up a few. One by one, the bus picked up the team members from their homes.

“Good morning, guys!” Mysty said to everyone on the bus. Almost everyone reciprocated her energy.

“Good morning, Master!” She said with a grin. I just nodded in response. She went past me and took a seat.

The next stop was Rome’s house. I even pressed the doorbell, but no one showed up. I called him, but there was no answer. Did he have a death wish?

A minute later, the gate moved, and Honey came out. “Uno, he’s coming out in a bit. Oh, congrats last night!” She said with the most innocent smile.

“Thanks!” I said.

“You’re welcome. See you around!” She said and went into the house.

“I’m here!” Rome said a few seconds later. He ran inside the bus before I could say anything.

When Rome and I entered the bus, “I’m sitting beside you, baddie!” He said. I looked behind me, and he was talking to Mysty.

I could think of a hundred reasons why he called her that. Why the f**k was I eavesdropping? Nevermind!

Kiro, Toby, and Dani were all in Luis’ family home. To be candid, picking up everyone from their house was a waste of time. We could’ve met at the uni and traveled in peace.

Most of my teammates looked like zombies since many were in Serenity last night.

“Bro, I’m sitting with Thorn!” Kiro exclaimed.

“They say when you’re late, you can’t demand anything,” Rome said.

“Now, what book did that come from?” Kiro asked.

“My book, go!” He answered.

“Ugh!” Kiro groaned. His steps faded as he moved away.

After an hour or so, Mysty’s voice filled the air; she sounded serious. I listened to some music, but I couldn’t help but overhear.

“Rome, I saw the flag bearer last night in your home,” she started.

“Honey? What about her?” he answered. Oh, this was about last night!

“You know that she has a boyfriend, right?” Mysty asked again. He probably knew!

“Yes,” Rome said. Brother, what’s with you?

“Are you guys having an affair?” Mysty asked. I almost spat my saliva. What the actual f**k? I disguised it with a cough.

“You okay there, master?” Rome asked.

“Fine!” I said.

“Mysty, you’re a baddie, huh? She’s my sister!” Rome said, followed by a laugh.

“Sorry! I need to go to the bathroom!” Mysty said and stood, and I heard her feet touch the ground. The bus suddenly shook because of the potholes on the roads, so Mysty fell back on her seat.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, baddie!” Rome said.

Three hours passed, and the bus stopped. “Drifters, bring all the food you can from the fridge and cabinets so we can head in!” I yelled. “Grab your things, grab some food, fall in line, out! Clear?” I added.

“Crystal Clear, master!” Everyone answered.

“Thorn, we got this!” Kiro said and winked at Mysty.

“Let her help. She’s not a princess!” I said. My friends looked at me like I had murdered someone, humiliating them.

“Not a princess! ‘Cause she’s a Queen!” Toby said. The guys cheered on while Mysty shook her head in confusion. Now, I was the humiliated one!

“Move! You’re disturbing the line!” I said.

When the drifters unloaded everything, the bus disappeared to the road. Mysty ended up bringing some of the tents.

The drifters chose their places and started to gather stones so the tent would be secure when set up.

As I dropped the things from my hand, I heard Rome say, “Baddie, do you wanna build a snowman? Oh, I mean, our tents,” they laughed in unison.