Chapter 72 Feel Alive
Chapter 72 Feel Alive
Purple’s POV:
The racing event took place in the same spot as the first event they had before school started. The place was so full that you’d think the entire population of Roonie and Jerry had shown up.
Some riders walked around wearing blue, and I knew they were from the JK team; whenever they crossed paths with the riders in red, they would exchange mocking words before moving on.
“Let’s get some drinks.” Etsy dragged me through the crowd, but when I saw the long line at the bar booth, I suddenly wasn’t thirsty anymore.
“Maybe not.”
She chuckled. “You don’t stand in line when you’re from the fan club.” She walked past the line with people staring at us like we were crazy. We got to the front, and one of the sellers spotted us; he winked at Etsy before leaning on the counter to talk to her.
“Sup, baby?”
“Two drinks,” she said. He looked down at her before biting his bottom lip—most men in Roonie were damn disgusting. He nodded, pulled two cans from the refrigerator, and handed them to us.
“Have fun.”
Etsy didn’t reply; she just clung to my arm, and we pushed our way to the front, waiting for the event to start.
Some riders in black jackets with fire designs drove in and parked their bikes at the start line, while others wearing the same black jackets but with water-droplet designs pulled up as well. They all wore helmets.
“Those are the riders from Jerry; they don’t see eye to eye either,” Etsy yelled over the screaming. It was pretty obvious the ones with the water-droplet designs were more popular, as the crowd went crazy when they drove in.
“Who are we cheering for?” I asked, ready to scream my lungs out because I just wanted to let myself lose control before joining Paul and my mom in their love bubble.
“The water riders, of course,” she chuckled, jumping up and screaming her support, and I joined in.
The race started, and they drove with such speed that if I hadn’t been paying attention, I wouldn’t have even realized they had taken off. We kept screaming, turning our gaze to the big display screen as members of every rider gang tried to hinder the others to make a path for their leader to reach the front.
They didn’t care about who got injured as they pushed and accelerated like crazy. “Jesus!” I gasped when one of the riders was sent flying to the ground. An opponent’s bike almost ran over him but spared him at the last moment, and the others drove forward.
“This is crazy,” I voiced out in total disbelief. Was this a racing event or a suicide attempt?
“It’s quite decent compared to what Harry will be doing in Bernoi,” Etsy answered with a chuckle. I stared at her in disbelief, but she was busy watching the race with a tense look. What did she mean by what Harry would do in Bernoi?
She noticed my expression and turned to look at me. “Oh… you didn’t know it was a dangerous race?”
What did she mean by a dangerous race? Racing wasn’t supposed to be dangerous… at least, that’s what I thought.
“Has no one tried to talk him out of it?”
She laughed like that was the most stupid thing I had ever said. “He has been doing this for three years, and this is his fourth. The first time was when we were in high school… Leone had a difficult time trying to convince him, but he wouldn’t listen. The second time, Chris and I joined their squad and tried to talk him out of it, but he said there’s something about racing in a rocky town like Bernoi that makes him feel alive.”
Bernoi was rocky; it was famous for hiking, and even hikers often got injured there when they slipped. I couldn’t imagine a race in that terrain, with all those slippery rocks and thick forests with little to no roads.
“The third time, his parents showed up—that was the first time I met his mom. Last year, she arrived at the shared house and literally called him every name in the book, but when she left, he was on the next flight to Bernoi for his race. He always goes and comes back safely, so we got tired of complaining and just chose to get used to it.” She simply shrugged, and when she returned her gaze to the screen, she started screaming because the water team was in the lead.
Now I remembered why I always hated riding. “I will use the restroom,” I told Etsy, and she raised a brow.
“Good luck finding one.” She returned her attention to the game. I pushed my way out of the crowd toward the parking lot; as expected of a dark place filled with cars providing shade, there was loud moaning coming from every corner.
I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Harry: "Can we talk before the race?"
If there was even a chance for me to try and convince him not to get involved in such risky racing events that could end his life or leave him injured, I was going to take it.
Harry: Where are you?
I let him know my location before hugging myself tightly. Since I wasn’t stuffed into the crowd anymore, I could feel the night chill biting at my exposed back. My eyes were sore with tears—one might think I was crying because of the cold, but I just couldn’t imagine why Harry had to feel alive doing something so risky.
I am starting to believe four years ago when we parted—when he left without a word. I wasn’t the only one who lost myself back then but everyone knew why I became depressed and the person I am now, but what about Harry? He was a top student, he had a great relationship with his siblings, his parents were super rich, and here in Roonie, he had this perfect set of friends who would do anything for him. What else did he need to feel alive?
I flinched when I felt something draped over my shoulders, then sighed in relief when I recognized that familiar warmth. Harry hugged me from behind after dropping his rider jacket on me. “Now, what’s with all the skin?” he whispered, and I rolled my eyes.
“You’ve had girlfriends who walked around in bras; don’t even start with me.” I turned to face him, and he had a frown.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, leaning on the car behind him, staring at me with those blue eyes I loved so much.
“Do you have something to say first?” I asked, because he had frowned the moment I mentioned his other girls.