Today was Saturday; Sakura, Jia, Chiharu and Rika were currently at Tomoyo's house, inside her bedroom. Sakura was lying on her stomach on Tomoyo's bed, with her hands supporting her chin. She was facing Jia, Chiharu and Rika who were sitting on the floor. In the middle of the trio were some cakes, biscuits and drinks that Tomoyo's maid had brought up earlier. Tomoyo came out from the bathroom and plopped herself down next to Sakura.
"Have you heard, there's a small race tonight, not an official one though," Jia started, crunching on a biscuit. Sakura ears perked up.
"Oh? I didn't know that," Rika said, drinking her orange juice.
"Yup, its downtown," Chiharu added.
"Wanna go?" Tomoyo asked.
"I don't know. Don't feel like it tonight," Rika said.
"I might go, it'd be interesting to see the race. Who knows, maybe some other teams might attend," Jia shrugged.
Tomoyo nodded, "Mhmm, it'd be a good opportunity to practice as well."
"So, who else is going?"
"I think I'll pass tonight," Chiharu said.
"Alright, so it's just me and Jia then. Oh, what about you, Sakura, want to come?" Tomoyo looked at her best friend.
"Nah, my favourite show is on tonight," Sakura shook her head but her eyes were twinkling.
'Downtown, eh…' She smiled secretly.
"Okay then," Tomoyo smiled, "What time does the race start, Jia?"
"Nine. The course is pretty easy too. Just drive downtown and back."
"Great!"
- X -
"Syaoran, are you going to the race tonight?" Meiling asked.
"Nah, not interested," he replied without opening his eyes.
"Why not?" she asked walking into the room and sat down on his bed.
"Because I don't want to," was his answer.
"The race is too small for him to enter," a voice inserted at the doorway.
"Get lost," Syaoran threw a pillow at the person.
Eriol caught it, "My, my, what's wrong, Syao?" he teased.
"I give you five seconds to leave the room, Eriol," he glared at the blue haired boy that was currently leaning against the doorframe with a grin on his face.
Meiling ignored the bickering of the two and asked, "Hey Eriol, are you going?"
He shook his head, "No, Big Brother is on tonight, I don't want to miss it."
"You watch that crap?" (DK: no offence to BB lovers!)
Overlooking a certain word, he replied. "Yes. It's quite interesting. Maybe someday, I'll audition for the show."
"When that day comes, Eriol, don't talk to me. I don't want a famous friend."
"That's harsh, Syaoran. I think I'll go to my bed and sulk now," he cried dramatically, wiping his invisible tears. Syaoran rolled his eyes while Meiling shook her head.
'I'll never understand boys…him especially.' Meiling thought.
"Meiling, when you leave my room could you tell that idiot to return my pillow,"
She sighed, "Fine, I know I'm not wanted." She got up and walked to the door.
"And close the door as well," he added.
Meiling slammed the door shut and stormed off.
"Thanks," Syaoran called out.
- X-
Sakura reached her house at six PM. She walked into the kitchen and met with her dad who was cooking their dinner.
"I'm back," she smiled.
"Welcome back Sakura. Can you get me that pasta pack up there?" Fujitaka pointed to the cupboard at his far right.
"Sure, Dad," Sakura walked to the cupboard, tip-toed and took the pasta packet out.
"Here."
"Thanks," he accepted the packet and cut it open with a knife. He placed the pasta into a pot with boiling water.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Sakura asked, standing next to her dad.
"It's alright, Dear, I'm nearly done anyways," he smiled gently at her, "Why don't you go take a shower? Dinner should be ready soon."
"Okay," she smiled and left the kitchen, heading upstairs to her room.
Fifteen minutes later, Sakura came back down wearing black shorts and a pink tank top. She entered the kitchen and sat down on the chair. Her dad had set their dinner up already.
"Smells good," she smiled, eyeing the spaghetti. Her dad laughed.
"I hope it tastes good as well,"
She giggled, "Of course it will! Everything you cook tastes delicious!" He smiled and sat down.
After the dinner, Sakura volunteered to clean up and wash the dishes. Her dad nodded and went upstairs to his room. Once she was done, she went back to her room.
At nine PM, Sakura left the house. She drove leisurely towards downtown. It took her around thirty minutes to reach the place. Sakura noticed there were many people participating in the race–some were already racing. She slowed down her car and line up behind a white car. She put her black Nike cap on and waited for the instruction. Several minutes later, there was a knock on her tinted window.
"Yes?" she questioned after her window was down.
"Are you participating?" the guy with a dyed blondish-brown hair asked.
"Yes." He nodded, giving her a number. Sakura looked at it. 5.
"That is your car number. It's not in order," he explained, "We give random numbers out, so there'll be no cheating." Sakura nodded. "Can I have your name?"
"Cherry," she answered straight away.
"Alright Cherry, you're racing against number…25." Sakura halted him before he walked away.
"How do I know it's my turn?" she asked.
"We'll call your number out, just listen carefully 'cause if you don't turn up when we call you, you lose straight away." She nodded.
- X -
"It's pretty crowded," Tomoyo commented.
"Yup, who would have thought," Jia added.
"So what's your—"
"Hey guys!" a voice interrupted.
"Oh Meiling! Didn't realize you're here as well," Tomoyo said.
"Me neither," Meiling smiled, "So, what's your number? I'm fifteen."
"Twenty," Jia said.
"Twenty-five," Tomoyo said.
"Well, you guys are not my opponent then,"
"Thank goodness," Jia let out a relieved sigh.
"Hey!"
"Joking, joking," Jia laughed. Meiling stuck out her tongue.
- X -
"GO!" The boy with a black hair shouted through the megaphone as he dropped his hand, signalling for the race to start.
"Next up, number five and number twenty-five. Please come to the starting line."
"Good luck, Tomoyo!" Meiling said.
"We'll be rooting for you!" the girls shouted, pumping their fists in the air.
"Thanks guys!" she laughed and ran to her car. Tomoyo drove to the starting line and found herself lined up against a pink Spider.
'I could win this.'
- X -
Sakura was waiting for her opponent at the starting line. She was excited. She was ready, more than ready.
'This is probably my first time racing in HK…It's going to be fun!'
She grinned and glanced at her side. A dark violet Mazda parked next to hers.
'Tomoyo?' Her eyes widened a bit but she then she smiled in enthusiasm.
'Just the one I wanted to race against.'
The boy who acted as a referee walked up between the two cars. He motioned for the drivers to open their window. He first talked to Tomoyo. Once done, he leaned into Sakura's car window, since she was sitting on the right hand side while he stood on the left. "As you drive along the road, there'll be directions for you to follow," he explained.
Walking back to his spot, he faced the two cars and shouted into the megaphone. "Get ready!"
Sakura and Tomoyo revved their cars.
"Five, four, three, two, one...and GO!"
Tomoyo was in front with Sakura closely behind. Tomoyo drove straight and then turned left and then sharply turned right. She looked in the review mirror and saw that the pink Spider was still close behind her.
'I won't let you pass me!' Tomoyo thought.
Tomoyo pressed the gas harder when it was a straight road. Her car was best when it came to a straight road. Her speed could go to the max. She looked at the mirror again and saw that she was leading the pink Spider by quite a bit. Tomoyo smiled and continued to press down her gas even more.
Sakura watched Tomoyo's car that was at least 100m in front of her. Her best friend was good. But she could do it better. She grinned, realizing that they were about to enter a round about.
Tomoyo pressed down on her brake as she entered the roundabout. She steered her wheel as she went around on the edge of the circle.
'I'll show you my driving…Tomoyo!'
Sakura pressed down on her gas harder before she entered the roundabout. Once she was in a quarter of the way, she pressed the break but never lifted her foot from the accelerator. Sakura used one of the drift techniques which made her car slide smoothly near the centre of roundabout. Tomoyo's eyes widened as she saw the pink Spider slide past her and leave the roundabout with her closely behind.
'How is that…possible? There's no way anyone could do that!' Tomoyo thought both in awe and disbelieve.
Sakura's car went past the finish line; she pressed down the break and did a perfect three hundred and sixty degree turn. Everyone was stunned by her performance, not to mention that she had just beaten a rank six racer.
Tomoyo parked her car next to the girls once the race was over. She looked over at the pink Spider and sighed. She got out of the car and walked to her friends.
"Tomoyo, that was a good race," Jia said.
"Yes it was," she smiled.
"I want to know who drove that Spider," Jia said, looking at the pink car.
Meiling ran and joined the duo. "The driver of that Spider is a girl."
"I'm surprised but it was as I suspect," Tomoyo said, looking at the pink car. Jia looked at her in question. "I mean, really, a guy drives a pink car?" she said incredulously.
"Ah," Jia nodded in agreement. "What else do you know, Meiling?" Jia asked.
"Her name is…Cherry,"
"Cher—ry?" Tomoyo said the name slowly. That name was so familiar. She had heard it from somewhere before but where?
"She's really good." Meiling commented.
Tomoyo nodded, "Yes, she's great. And she just beat me, which means that she is now a rank six racer."
"The race is not an official one so therefore, you're still number six." Meiling said.
"Meiling's right," Jia affirmed.
Tomoyo shook her head, "Official or not, she beat me. In fact, I don't think I can beat her at all," Tomoyo looked at the now empty spot where the pink Spider was parked earlier, "I have a hunch that she didn't use her full potential at tonight's race."
'Who are you…Cherry'
- X -
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