“Steve, shut up!” Dennis ordered sharply.
Steve’s face was full of defiance, but as he pressed his lips together, he accidentally tugged at the wound on the corner of his mouth.
“So, this is why you got into a fight?” I raised an eyebrow and poked at the cut on his lip.
“Ouch! That hurts!” Steve jerked back, glaring at me. “They started it!”
“Steve! Fighting is strictly forbidden. Do you want to get suspended?” Dennis was so furious he nearly jumped.
Suspension was indeed a serious consequence, and Steve’s bravado wavered briefly at the thought.
Still, he insisted, “I did nothing wrong!”
Dennis clenched his fist and knocked it lightly against Steve’s head. “I can’t save you, kid. As punishment for breaking the rules, you’re benched from competing in any more matches after we return to Boston!”
For a boy who loved motorcycles and was utterly driven by his ambition to win every race, this punishment felt like the end of the world.
“No! Dennis, you’ll ruin me!”
Dennis was unmoved by his pleading.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Dennis!” Steve protested. “Without me, who’s going to beat U. C.? ILM can’t win without me!”
“Wrong!” Dennis snapped, his voice rising with passion. “ILM still has Bianca, a flawless racer!” He balled his fist, his enthusiasm palpable. “The U. C. Club members may be strong competitors, but defeating them is your mission! Go, Bianca!”
Just as Dennis was igniting with ambition, mocking laughter echoed behind him.
“Hey, Madeline, someone’s saying they’re going to beat you.”
“Madeline? It’s really her!”
With her arrival, even the staff couldn’t help but show their excitement.
“Madeline is U. C. Club’s star racer and the strongest contender for the championship!”
“Word is, the spectators in the back have already started betting. A lot of people are putting their money on Madeline to win it all.”
The admiration and enthusiasm from the crowd delighted the U. C. members, who cast smug looks in my direction.
“Since when can low-level racers challenge our queen, Madeline? Shouldn’t you teach them a lesson?”
Madeline didn’t even spare me a glance. With disdain, she reprimanded her teammates. “Don’t waste your attention on worthless losers. They’ll only drag you down.”
How arrogant, Madeline.
I frowned, but before I could respond to her rudeness, Steve burst out angrily. “Who are you calling a loser?!”
ILM’s hot-headed genius racer, Steve, glared at her in fury. “Don’t forget, Madeline, that last month at the Los Angeles Mountain Circuit Race, the one who took home the victory was me.”
Madeline’s face flushed red with anger at the memory of her defeat. “I admit, you’re skilled, Steve, but you can’t save ILM from falling off its throne. It’s already a failure through and through!”
Steve scoffed. “I don’t even need to step in…”
He patted my shoulder, flashing a smug grin as he introduced me. “This is Bianca, ILM’s new member. Her skills alone are enough to beat you and prove that ILM is still Boston’s top club!”
“Bianca, ILM’s new member?” Madeline’s eyes narrowed as she fixed her gaze on me. “Then show me what you’ve got.”
“Looking forward to ILM’s performance,” she sneered.
I didn’t bother correcting Steve’s lie. “Is that a challenge?”
Madeline smirked. “Do you accept?”
“Why not?” I replied, genuinely intrigued. I was eager to see just how skilled Madeline truly was.
U. C. Club’s star racer was undoubtedly a rare and exceptional rival. The thought of competing against her thrilled me.
Madeline, however, seemed unimpressed by my enthusiasm. She clearly didn’t believe I stood a chance.
“Make it to the finals first,” she said coldly. “Only then will you be worthy of racing me.”
After Madeline and her team left, Dennis finally voiced his concerns. “You may not know much about U. C. or Madeline.”
“U. C. Club has followed an ‘elite above all’ principle since its founding. Backed by a wealthy owner, they’ve invested $2 billion in professional training equipment, top-notch coaches, and recruiting the best talent.”
“Many of the top racers active in competitions have been invited to join them. And countless young racers with big dreams have applied to be part of U. C., but not everyone makes it. Talent alone isn’t enough-absolute strength is the ultimate ticket in,” Dennis explained.
Though U. C. was a relatively new team, established only two years ago, its roster of elite members already outmatched countless veteran clubs.
“Her teammates called her ‘queen.’ So, is Madeline U. C.’s number one?” I asked.
Dennis nodded gravely. “That’s what the stats say.”
I could feel my excitement building even more.
“You’re injured, Bianca. Are you sure you can handle a race against Madeline?” Dennis asked, concern evident in his tone.
“Victory will be mine, Dennis,” I said with certainty, my anticipation for the finals reaching its peak.
I was confident I’d clear today’s qualifying race and the semifinals on the fourth day. And the ultimate showdown? It would happen on day seven.
Turning to Steve, I asked, “What about you? Did U. C. ever invite you?”
Steve puffed up with pride. “Of course. After I won my first championship last year, I got an email from them.”
“Then why didn’t you join?”
Steve hesitated for a moment before replying. “Because ILM’s record was so bad!”
“Don’t you think saving a struggling, near-defunct team and pulling Dennis out of the depths of failure is a far nobler goal than joining U. C.?”
Dennis, barely containing his irritation, gave a dry laugh. “Thank you, really.”
Steve waved it off. “No need to thank me. I’m just that kind of kind-hearted-ow! Dennis, you jerk! That hurts!”
“Don’t you run, Steve. Let my fists express their gratitude.”
“Ah! He’s bullying a kid! Help! He’s pulling my ear…”
I rolled my eyes as I watched their antics and rubbed my own ear. So noisy.
“Excuse me, where’s the locker room?” I asked one of the nearby staff members, leaving the two behind.
The attendant guided me to the women’s locker room.
“Feel free to use it,” he said.
“Thanks!” I replied, stepping inside to change into my racing uniform.
When I came out, Dennis handed me a sandwich and a cup of iced coffee.
Steve was up first, and once his race was over, it would be my turn.
“Overall performance still needs to be evaluated-”
“I don’t have much patience,” a familiar voice interrupted.
“Patience is a virtue for any serious investor-”
The voice caught my attention. I turned, scanning the crowd.
There were too many spectators, and my view was blocked. I couldn’t see the person’s face.
“Bianca? What’s wrong?” Dennis asked.