Page 55 of Tandem

He did some silly guy handshakes with the others, and then we all walked around the course, commenting on which corners and turns we thought would be the easier ones and ones that posed a little more of a challenge.

When we got back to our cars, we all threw our fists together in a game of rock-paper-scissors to pick our driving order. First was Hank, then Tyler, then Freddie, and I was last. Which sucked buttt… it would still be fine if I were faster and smoother than them! Loser bought shakes for us all.

Hank hopped back into his car and pulled up to the starting line. He gripped the wheel with anticipation as I walked to the front driver’s side onto the course with my arm in the air. I smiled, and he nodded at me, signaling he was ready, and revved his engine. I dropped my arm, and he took off. Tires were burning rubber as he flew past me. Hank initiated a controlled slide into the first turn, the car’s rear end gracefully swinging out in a textbook drift. But then, on the first tricky corner, his back end spun out hard, and he was off the track. He finished his run and I could see the frustration on his face.

“Hey, you just gotta practice some more. Muscle is always a little finicky with drifting. You know that, Hank,” I told him as he walked back over to watch Tyler’s run.

Tyler, who owned a Subaru Impreza, known for its agility and responsiveness, was ready on the line. He was locked in, his hands steady on the wheel as I dropped my arm, and he initiated his first drift. The Impreza responded beautifully, the car’s weight shifting effortlessly as it glided through the turns. Tyler had years of experience in this car, it was his first car as well as his dream car. He finished the course with no mistakes in under two minutes.

And then there was Freddie, who had brought his own Toyota Supra, a high-performance machine known for its speed and precision. He pushed the car to its limits and knew exactly what those limits were and when to stop pushing his car. The tires spun in a controlled frenzy as he executed perfect power slides through the wider corners. But he still didn't beat Tyler’s time, with a few seconds behind.

Now, it was my turn. I slipped behind the wheel of my newly rebuilt Nissan Skyline GT-R, a car that had become an extension of myself at this point. Heck, Dad even joked about building a garage door in my bedroom so my car could always be next to me. The familiar feel of the steering wheel and the growl of the engine sent a shiver of excitement down my spine as I pulled up to the starting line.

I took a deep, calming breath. While the other guys were racing, I told Jayden that I needed him to come into this run halfway with me so I could show them something I had learned. I saw him slip into his car out of the corner of my eye.

It was weird how I wasn’t nervous doing a tandem drift in front of them because I knew I could do it now. Having done it with AJ, I knew what it should feel like and when to timeit. So, my nervousness had been replaced with anticipation and excitement in their wake.

I revved the engine, my smile growing as I heard her come to life. I kept my eyes focused ahead. Dad taught me to always look in the direction you want to go, and your body will respond almost naturally to it. I took off, and the world around me went by in a blur as I took corner after corner. Then came the clipping point turn.

It was a move that demanded precision and split-second timing, and executing it flawlessly was a testament to a lot of time practicing. I held my breath as I hit the maneuver, something I didn’t realize until I let it out after completing it perfectly. That one always made me hold my breath.

Then Jayden shot up next to me, and I could just imagine the guys yelling in confusion, watching us. But Jayden knew what to do as he pulled ahead barely before we had to enter the final turn. And I positioned myself perfectly next to him.

While we tandem-drifted around the corner, I kept my mind focused on the angle of my car, watching him to know exactly when to exit the drift so we didn’t tap cars. Exiting the drift, I let out an excited laugh. I couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces. They knew I had struggled with tandem drifting for so long.

I finished the course with five seconds under Tyler’s time! I got out and whooped. The boys were all smiling, and their mouths were definitely open in shock.

“All right, Hank, looks like shakes are on you!” I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a peck on the cheek, and he rolled his eyes. “Lemme guess, strawberry for the lady?” he said with his slight country drawl. I gave him big, dramatic eyes and blinked, clasping my hands.

“Oh my gosh, are you psychic?! How did you know?!” I feigned shock as he started to walk back to his car.

“Rosalie, you have gotten the same order for shakes after we drift or drag race since you were eleven,” Hank said as he ran his fingers through his hair again. We all knew that I just liked to mess around with Hank. Like a second brother who was kinda into cars, even though they weren’t the same cars I was into. It was more than I could say about Jayden.

We all got into our rides and headed over to my favorite little burger shack for shakes, which were much needed as I hadn't really eaten anything before I left this morning. Dad knew I would be at the drift course for a longer lunch today. He said it was fine, but he would just have me help with some deliveries after I got back. This shake place was like a home away from home, besides the taco shack. Dang, now I wanted more tacos.

“Hey, guys, once we grab shakes, let’s go across the way and grab some more food. I’m starving after all that racing!” The guys rolled their eyes but mumbled and nodded in agreement. I smiled my biggest smile at them in response.

Dad and Mom started going there when they first met. Dad said he fell in love with Mom after she brought him tacos from that place because he had only mentioned it once to her, and she spent hours trying to find the right place to bring him lunch one day. And so it just naturally became one of our hangouts, too, my little car group.

We finished our shakes and went to the taco place. We placed our order and then went to sit at a rickety wooden table, chatting about the day. As our food was brought out, we dug in. My god, these tacos were made by a god. Nothing else in the world compared to them.

Tyler leaned back, wiping hot sauce from the corner of his mouth. “So, Rosalie,” he started. “Any word from your dad on when he’s hosting the next drift or drag race?” I sipped my water, contemplating the question. As close as we were, my dad always kept me out of the loop when it came to the actualscheduling. I think he wanted me to be just as surprised and excited as everyone else.

I shrugged, a playful smile on my face. “You know my dad, guys. He likes to keep us all guessing. I never get to know ahead of time.”

Freddie chimed in, “Yeah, I miss the thrill of racing. It’s already felt like forever since the drift races. We need some action to look forward to.” As we kept discussing the possibility of the races, my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was probably Dad asking how much longer I’d be, I thought, looking at the clock. Then my eyes lit up, and my cheeks warmed as I saw it was not from my dad but AJ.

AJ

Hey baby girl, the rematch is tonight. Just found out. Gonna come watch me kick his ass again, aren’t you?

I smiled. He knew it was a silly question, and of course, I would be there to cheer him on. “Hey, guys, I need to get my work done for Dad, like, fast. I’m going to dip for now, okay? Text you guys if Dad mentions anything!” I hopped up from my seat, and the guys looked at me.

“Alright, catch you later,” Tyler said with a wave, and Freddie nodded.

Hank, with a massive mouthful of food and his country drawl, said, “Catch ya later beeeyotch.” I waved and laughed and picked up the to-go order I got for Dad, then slid into my car and pulled my phone back out of my pocket to respond.

Rosalie