Honey, why?

11. The Race of the Century

Luke and Teddy are now on the next location of the race, and Vinz and Karelle from the other senior class are hot on their heels. From the previous location, they got two other Roman numerals that just confirmed my previous theory. The answers to the riddles form into a word.

Teddy said that the first they got were letters L and I. Then we solved the next riddles and got the letters V and I. Then, just as Teddy told us, they just got letters D and I. Lividi.

Charles said it's Italian for the word bruise but I countered that in Latin, lividi means bluish gray. So it could pertain to the color of the bruise rather than the bruise itself. Well, we just have to wait until Luke and Teddy reach the final location to see in which part of the puzzle does lividi fits in.

Well, we can't be that much sure of it. For all we know, the answers might as well be 50 and 1, 5 and 1, and 500 and 1. And there are also clues which made us think that they'd plot the numbers on a Cartesian plane, with the riddles saying between the lines of "never forget zero is in the middle", "x marks the spot" and "y don't you place her there".

When they first got the letters L and I on the Centennial Park, Teddy and Luke thought it's supposed to be fifty-one. Then when they reached the Sports Complex, they took to mind how the rooms have three numbers on them. They found room 501, which is the only odd room there since every room on the first floor starts with 101, then 102, then so on. It's just that the room 105, which is the room with a twenty-five-meter pool, is in reverse.

Never forget zero is in the middle.

Then the letters V and I. In the Food Park, it became easy for Teddy and Luke to find the huge X marked at the center of the open area, under the Evelyn Tree. It's that famous misspelled tree in the middle of the Food Park with the wooden benches around it.

The story goes that a high school student was the one who planted the Eastern redbud there fourteen years ago before the place was even made into a Food Park.  Now, the lovely tree stands there, surrounded by a two story infrastructure housing the restaurants and other food shops. It grew to an astounding length but through the years, the brass plate that contains its name soon became old and full of scratches. The name Evelyn is now missing the letters L and Y, and it has been since known as the Even Tree.

Is this a prime number?

They've solved the riddle for this one easily, which answer is the color blue. My stomach is gurgling from excitement. Lividi, then the color blue. I believe more and more about my theory. Now, Teddy and Luke are on their way to the Concert Hall, then the final stop! Somebody pinch me.

"Hey!" Well, I didn't mean literally. Charles's smile is so blinding even though he is laughing at my misery. I rub my elbow although it doesn't really hurt, not one bit. Does it ever really hurt if someone pinches your elbow?

He bites his lower lip and my legs threaten to give. "You're right. Lividi. Blue." And I have to take a seat as his eyes travel from my face down to my chest.

He arranges my golden headband atop my hair, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear in the process. Some of our classmates went for a bathroom break, while the others are still formulating some connections between the answers that might help Teddy and Luke later when they reach the Concert Hall.

"9 am," Charles says to me, lowering his head to my level. Why didn't I get my father's genes? It sometimes sucks to be just five foot four.

"9 am what now?"

Charles straightens up and announces shamelessly to the whole dam world, "Our date, of course!" I could feel my eyes and my heart trying to come out of my body. Sweat drips down from my scalp to my temples. Dam you and your charming self, Charlemagne. "Don't you dare be late, babe. I'll come and pick you up." He stops for a moment to ponder a bit. "Or do you prefer that we meet up someplace else?"

For the love of me, I couldn't talk. I shut my unhinged jaw and swallow several times but still, no words would come out. I'm afraid that if I talk, I'll just stutter and embarrass myself even further.

"Great. I'll pick you up, then. I'll be the gentleman in a tuxedo by your front door." His wink makes my head spin. All I could do is nod my head. I must seem stupid. He goes back to look at the paper in which Ali had scribbled some numbers and letters.

Minutes pass by and there hasn't been any update from Teddy and Luke. The last we hear of them before they leave us hanging for another ten minutes is the question, "There is no Roman numeral for zero, right? Over." 

We know Teddy and Luke know the answer to that so I don't know why they need to confirm it with us. Maybe the final riddle starts messing with their minds that they begin to be unsure of their answer.

Anyway, we are not too worried about them. In the last venue, the contestants are always asked to map out a certain place in a Cartesian plane where they would find the treasure that they needed to bring back here on the football field.

Most likely, those two are now mapping out the real last location and are probably on their way now there.

"Guys! Guys!" Teddy shouts at the radio. Patty holds out the radio in the middle of our circle, and all of us crane our ears towards the device. "Don't... Ace!" There is static and then another, "Don't... Ace!"

We exchange confused looks and Patty presses the button to speak to the receiver. "What is it, Ted? Over."

This time, it is Luke who shouts. "Don't let them get Ace! Don't let them get Ace!"

"Look over there!" Ali shouts at us and we all follow his finger as he points to the right side of the field. There, we see the white chariot racing back to us, with the black one catching up in about a few yards behind. The figure riding the white horse is flailing his arms widely, then he points at us, then back at Teddy on the chariot. At us, at Teddy. At us, at Teddy. Why?

Ali is talking to the radio the moment I feel a hand tightly gripping my wrist and Charles's arm comes around my shoulders as he hugs me to him, yanking me away from a boy who just jumped me. I catch a glance at Rory of Class-B on all fours on the step below us.

"Patty! Let's go! Nessie, Brent! Cover us!"

What is going on? Has the world gone mad? I am swept off my feet as Patty lets go of my hand and carries me down the grandstand. Then, a lot of things happen all at once.

I hear Ash shouting "That gift check is ours!", and then I glimpse Marica's cat-like face as she almost scratches my neck with her red talons, if not for some guy grabbing her by the waist. One of my brown sandals falls off or grabbed by some rabid student I really can't tell anymore there's a lot of hands around me, and all this happens with confetti flying all around.

Charles is in front, guiding Patty down the steps. I wrap my arms tightly around Patty's neck as he almost slips every now and then, and behind us, I see Jude and Nessie thwarting other students who are trying to chase us.

"Patty, why? Why are we running?" The tone of my voice moves up and down in time with our descent. Patty doesn't answer. All I can hear from his parted lips are heavy gasps. Cries. I should have laid off those fries like Charles had said.

It didn't hit me until we've reached the bottom of the grandstand and start going for the football field where Luke maneuvers the chariot just past the starting line. If I wasn't staring at the crook of his nose to refrain myself from being dizzy with his hasty movements, I wouldn't have taken notice at how Patty's eyes glance at the v of my shirt for a second. 

Why, why, why. 

Y don't you bring her there?

Her.

Is this what I think it is? In a span of ten seconds, I am about to find out.

***

The moment we reach the middle of the field, Luke has already jumped off the horse, Pegasus, unchaining the chariot from it while Teddy slides down from the chariot unclasping the huge wings from the horse's body.

"Put her on! Hurry up!" Luke shouts as he work on the reins. Patty wastes no time as he put me up the saddle. He put me down first then lifts me up by my waist like a little girl so I am sitting with both legs dangling on the side of the body of this beautiful creature. Dam.

Charles and Brent have their backs on us, crouching in anticipation of an attack from crazed students who are running towards us, the nearest one being Jude, running with my sandal on one hand.

When Pegasus is free, Luke places one foot on the stirrup for a momentum so he could mount her again. I try my best to move as far as I could so we'd fit in the saddle but no can do, baby doll. No can do. It's too tight.

Jude throws my sandal at me as someone tackles him from behind. Patty catches my shoe and put it on my foot just as Luke reaches for the reins, my back is secured by one of his arms as he do so. On our right, the class-B contestants just parked.

"It can wait, Patty!" He says, raising both hands up.

Patty quickens his move and straps my sandal faster than I ever did my entire life. "All done!"

And with that, off we go. I can't believe this. I mean, this isn't the first time an audience participation had come this far but it was subtle and SAFE the previous years.

For example on our freshman year, someone needed to bail the contestants if they got turned to stone by Medusa. It was a trap when the wrong answer was chosen. If both contestants had been turned into stones, then another student from their class needed to answer the question correctly to turn them back to normal.

Then during sophomore year, a riddle had been given to the audience and they had to solve it and tell it to the contestants because they needed the answer to move along.

And lastly, just last year, the whole class needed to be there at the football field waiting for the contestants when they came back and perform their class cheer (which we composed on the spot because we never really had a class cheer and no one had been given the heads up that we'd need to do one that time) once the chariots came to a halt.

All of those were pretty much standard stuff. No students being tackled to the ground or face being bitten off. Okay, I'm exaggerating. But still, it could happen. 

Races of the previous years involved nothing like this where contestants need to kidnap an innocent girl on their horses and race with them...  (I look around to see where Luke is taking us) back to a location they just visited?

My head snaps up and my eyes are wide as saucers. "Luke, why are you going back to the Centennial Park?"

"We need to get you something, sweetheart." His eyes never leave the road for a moment while still maintaining a reasonable pace.

I see some men in traffic motorcycle safety jackets here and there. Some speculators were taking photos and some people just don't really care. Well, nothing to see here, folks. Just your everyday normal teenagers horseback riding into the sunset.

Luke slows down when we reach the Centennial statue in the middle of the park where the statue of the three theological virtues is situated. Three statues of maidens which symbolizes the three virtues fides (faith), spes (hope) and caritas (charity). The marble statues have their backs on each other, with their arms held out in different angles.

With his long arms, Luke takes one of the cabochons I didn't even realized dangling on the arms of the statues. He then carefully placed it over my head, and it hangs on my neck.

Then, the dancing fountain turns on. The horse tilts itself backwards and thank my lucky stars for Luke's agility, we didn't fall. He manages to direct the horse away from the center of the park and then it is galloping once more and I have a pretty good idea where our next stop is.

I hold the necklace that Luke placed on my neck on my hand. There is a pendant on it almost the same size as the one that was already on my neck and it looks like frozen ice that glitters as it catches the light. I feel like Sailor Moon just left it there for me to find.

"When we got to the Concert Hall," Luke begins, giving me a glance. "We were asked to map out the coordinates of the place where the final clue was using the numbers we got from the previous riddles."

Luke pulls at the reins and the horse halts. "Come on, sweetheart." He gets off the horse and reaches his arms up to me to help me down. "You're looking very much like a damsel in distress with that dainty dress."

How did he know I'm wearing a dress underneath my shirt?

After securing the horse on a lamp post, he takes my hand in his and we sprint for the swimming pool area in the sports complex. I realize that he has taken us at the back entry of the facility and not the main entrance. When we reach the pool, Luke immediately starts undressing, removing his shoes and socks, and I am about to turn away when he instructed me to keep my eyes on the other side of the pool.

"Those bastards are on their way here and they're coming for you. Be aware. I'll be quick." He talks as he removes his shirt and his jogging pants. Then he proceeded to kiss me on my forehead while he is in nothing but his gray boxer shorts before diving into the pool.

I cup my face in my hands to transfer some of the heat in my cheeks. He might be a close friend but he's still a guy. I wouldn't mind him touching or kissing me, just not in his undies.

I watch as Luke's figure search the bottom of the pool and by the time his head surfaces, I hear footsteps echoing on the front entrance of the pool. Luke swims back to me and I grab his clothes and shoes and hands it to him but instead of putting them on, he just grabs my arm and we start running for the exit, but not before he places a necklace around my neck. I look back to see Vinz bursting out the other door, then he is shouting at who probably is Karelle.

"Put your clothes on first!" We are outside now and Luke reaches for the ropes of the horse when I shove his clothes at him. "Quickly! I'll do the reins."

Luke do as I say and he's almost done with just his shirt missing when we hear footsteps coming from the door. We look up and see Vinz by the door, staring hungrily at us and breathing heavily.

In my panic, I scream. As in a total legit scream that you could only witness in a 90's teen horror film or in Scooby Doo. Not even a girly shriek or a high pitched screech. It's a total, almost manly, low and loud scream. I'm so ashamed but at the moment, I don't realize it yet.

Luke grabs my waist and hoists me up the horse before climbing up himself. I move my other leg on the other side of the horse so I could mount it properly, rearranging the skirt of my dress to maintain my modesty.

Vinz reaches us before Luke settles in behind me, grabbing my ankle as he tries to pull me down.

"Just give me the lapis lazuli, Ace!" Vinz shouts. His grip on me is not entirely hurting, just firm.

Luke reaches down and grabs my thigh, pulling at it so Vinz would lose grasp on my ankle. "Get your bloody hands off her, you barmy!"

The horse must have sensed the struggle going on because without warning, it advances forward and Vinz has to step back to avoid any potential accidents while I immediately take hold of the reins. I stir the horse in the other direction, to the place where we should head next.

"Luke."

"Yes, sweetheart?"

I purse my lips and tighten my hold on the reins. "Can you let go of my thigh now?"

"Oh!" He suddenly releases his death grip on my thigh and his hand moves to my waist just like the other one. "Sorry about that. I hadn't noticed..."

Well, I guess there is no need to mention him being half naked or my legs sprawled on either side of the horse with my skirts threatening to run up my waist.

How did I get here again?

"Luke, what's the matter with these necklaces again?"

Luke rests his chin on my shoulder and I feel his wet body pressing on my back. Water drops down to me from his wet hair and it makes me feel ticklish. "Well basically we've been sent to solve some riddles to solve another riddle that had us going back to the places we've already been through to collect those things we could've collected in our first trip but where's the fun in that?"

"But what about this lapis lazuli?" I duck my head to glance at my chest for the necklace. The rocks drum against my sternum as we gallop our way into the Food Park.

One of Luke's arms moves below my outstretched arm so he could touch the rocks. "The riddle says to retrace our steps, to take back one thing from the officials. A class officer. You." He finds the lapis lazuli among the tangle of gems and holds on to it. "I've already noticed you wearing this necklace. You weren't wearing one this morning and it's just so eye catching, you know?"

I nod my head as I spot the Food Park. "Shall we tie our horse somewhere else?"

"Nah." Luke climbs down even before the horse halts completely. "I'll go take the necklace, you stay here. I'll meet you at the exit beside Häagen Dazs in three minutes. If someone comes at you, take a ride around the Food Park and still head for Häagen Dazs. I'll wait for you there."

"Alright." And off he goes.