The Royal

CONTENTS: THIS STORY CONTAINS MENTIONS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY! SO, IF YOU'RE HOMOPHOBIC THEN I ASK THIS NICELY, PLEASE LEAVE. THIS STORY HAS BEEN REPLAYED IN MY HEAD BUT WITH DIFFERENT CHARACTERS. Enjoy! (I changed the characters a lot!)

P.S: Crison Creek is a fictional state in the U.S that I made years ago.

It was the first of the three days of practice training for Crison Creek's Go-Kart Grand Prix. I'm 16 years of age and a professional racer for USPKS. Not, to brag but I'm a three-time winning champion.

But that was years ago. I've gotten 2nd place for the last two years because of my rival, Jaqulin Marcel. She was also a three-time winning champion. This year would be her fourth if I didn't beat her. I had to beat this woman on the track. I spend thousands of dollars just to get 2nd place!? No. Not on my watch.

I scoffed as she walked past me, she was pushing her CRG Black Wheel kart named, The Royal. It had golden, blue, and red colors. She thought she was soooo fancy because it costed almost over $7,500. Boring. My Margay Brava costed about the same. Maybe, just a couple hundred less. She was prissy, petty, rich, and good looking. At least to me. She was hot and all...but her personality was absolutely TRASH!

I don't judge people on appearance, just personality. And she had a trashy one.

She did a few laps around the track and got a whole 78.9 mph's while I got a whole 76 mph's. So, what if she was faster than me? I could still win. I think. Hopefully.

"Wowzers! Jaqulin Marcel has a top speed of 78.9 miles per hour! Ms. Zaliese Knore coming in second with a top speed of 76 miles per hour! What do you think, Ross? Who might win out of the two?"

"Well Josh, team Speed Demon all the way. Literally forever. What about you?"

"Weeeellll team...ROYAL!" He laughed.

DAY TWO:

My new Top Speed was 77.7 miles per hour. Jaqulin Top Speed for today was...79 miles per hour. She boasted about it and Josh would yell, "GO ROYAL!"

It kind of made me mad. I kept going higher with each lap. On day three my highest speed was 77.8 miles per hour. Hers was still 79.

Dammit!

There was a slight chance of me winning if I kept my speed up. But it needed to be higher. Though, there was no way to get it higher than 77.8. I need hers to go down!

Don't get me wrong, I was tempted to cheat by sabotaging her at first. But I'm not that kind of person. I race fairly and win fair-in-square.

I don't cheat. Never have. Never will.

I was on my way home after day three...but I came to a stop when I saw a sad figure on a bench. Face in their hands. I could hear sobbing. But that's when I figured out who it was. Jaqulin.

I'm not a person who hates people. I may dislike her, but I liked her enough to ask her what was wrong. I went over to her, sitting right beside her lone and sad figure.

"I know we kinda hate—no, dislike each other, but What's the matter?"

She sniffled, "Why does it matter? You don't care!"

"But I do care. If I didn't care, then why am I here? Something happened. The universe doesn't just put random people into other's lives. There are reasons. And there's something wrong. So? What's wrong?"

"M-My...girlfriend just broke up with me." She started crying even harder.

"She s-said that s-she fell in love with another woman. And has been seeing her for over 6 months now! I was with her for two years! I even got a promise ring! God dammit! I'm so stupid! So gullible."

"Oh." I started to say.

"Hey. You'll find your someone. She wasn't 'the one.' You'll meet someone who loves you for you and cares deeply and passionately about you."

"No, I won't." She sobbed.

"Yeah. You will. Because that person could already be in your life. You just don't know you love 'em yet."

"Who?"

"Well, I don't know!" I laughed. I got serious again,

"But I am serious. Somebody out there loves you."

"Okay..."

Jaqulin...she was pretty lonely and hurt. I didn't understand why the way she was...I was wrong to assume. She might be prissy or petty...but that did not define her. I learned a lot about her that night. She was a very loving person.

"Just so you know, Jaqulin. I think you're an attractive woman. And I'm serious! I promise. Hell, I think you're gorgeous!"

"No, you're just saying that...You don't like me..."

"I used to not like you. I think that you're misunderstood. I'm able and willing to be here as an emotional support. I would love to be friends. If that's okay. You can say no."

"I'd like a friend."

"Also, Zaliese? Question. Are you gay? Just wondering." She laughed.

"That's the most straight up question I've ever gotten. People just assume by saying, 'You're a faggot, aren't you?' People these days. God damn! But yes. I do like girls. I'm a lesbian." I laughed.

"Me too."

"Kinda obvious."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're always checking that one girl out."

"Oh, Missy? She's my ex. I don't love her anymore."

"And that's okay!"

"Thank you, Zaliese."

"No problemo." I giggled. She giggled too.

I had to go home. But I hugged her and said "Goodbye! See you later!"

TWO DAYS LATER:

"WELLLLLLLLCOME TO THIS YEAR'S FIRST RACE! Today we are here in Norewell, Mississippi! Sunny day out here folks! Hot and scented! WOO! Let's introduce our racers..." Ross said enthusiastically.

"Welcome back, Jaqulin Marcel in first! Second with Zaliese Knore! Third, Nico Macentire!"

The list went on for about a minute, going all the way to kart number 40.

My kart, Speed Demon, had the number 6 painted on the side. Black and red were my colors. The timers ticked down. Red. Yellow. GREEN!

I jammed my foot down on the pedal and got to 50 mph in just seconds.

Number 3 was still ahead of me, (number 3 was The Royal).

Today we were going 15 laps around the track. 1 lap was over. Then 2. All the way to lap 14. Lap 15 was coming up fast, I was currently in 1st place...and then back into 2nd, when...The Royal? passed me. The Royal? I look closely at the kart in front of me and realize that it was kart 9. Nico Macentire. Damn. I looked at the board that read the places that the racers were in. Jaqulin was in 4th. Something happened.

I focused on the track ahead of me. I was back in 1st! The intercoms went off,

"OWW! THAT'S GOT TO HURT, JOSH! Kart 3 has become uncontrollable. Kart 4...OH MAN! Kart 4 has just wrecked into 3! Oh no, this can't be good."

"T-This is not good at all!" Josh stammered.

I was 1 mile away from the finish line. But that's when it dawned on me. Who cares about winning? I cared about...I cared about Jaqulin! I slid to a stop in the grass on purpose. I raced over to kart 3. Jaqulin didn't look okay.

They took her away on a stretcher, her arm looking a bit broken. Karts passed the finish line. Nico came in first. Then kart 10 and kart 17.

I was probably disqualified. But that didn't matter. I chased the ambulances to the hospital and waited for Jaqulin to be safe again.

When she came out with a broken arm...she looked traumatized. And sad. Very sad. Tears came down her face,

"You idiot!" She laughed jokingly at me.

"W-What?" I questioned.

"You were going to win! But...why did you stop for me?"

"Because I knew that you could've gotten seriously hurt! I wanted to make sure you were okay..."

"Aww. That's cute."

"W-What? N-NO!" I laughed.

"You could've gotten killed." I said seriously.

"Yeah. The doctors said I was lucky to only break an arm. It could've costed me my life. PTSD now. Ha...Uhm...yeah, I think I'm done racing for the season. Maybe forever."

"Nah, you'll fight back and make sure you continue to win!"

"Thank you, Zaliese. Really."

"Yeah. No problem."

"I know this might sound weird and all, but...would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow night?" Jaqulin giggled softly.

My face turned red, "Y-Yeah..."

I was blushing. And that made her laugh.