《Imperfect power》chapter 9

Jade's POV:

Stickers: checked

Fresh paint: checked

Cool outfit: checked

Angie: checked

Communicator: checked

Skills: issue

Dammit! Why do I feel like crap?

"Eric, I'm so nervous! I'm gonna puke!"

"Don't worry, as long as I'm here, you won't be able to."

"That's not what I meant!" Why is the world spinning?

Can my baby really win the race?!

"It's about whether you can win the race."

"Eric, stop reading my mind!"

I get into the car and try to relax.

"Don't worry, Jade, we can't die in a car accident if that's what you're worried about." Angie assures me. But that's not what I'm worried about. If I lose, I might as well hide and cry. My reputation could either grow in this race or crumble and destroy me entirely. I didn't think this through.

"Whatever happens, we're here to talk to you through the communicator." I hear Lauren's voice in my ear through the earphone I've put on.

"Thanks."

"Under other circumstances, I would be inside with you, but I wouldn't be able to survive if the car goes upside down too many times."

I understand Lauren's words. That's why only 'cheat death' and I can go.

[Jade, can you hear me through the communicator?] I hear Eric's voice in my ear.

"All clear, Eric!"

[I would send my words directly into your head, but that would be too distracting.]

"Understood. Now, I'll go take my position."

I drove off to the starting positions.

[I won't be telling you numbers, but car colors more or less, since it'll be easier to focus.]

"What's my color then?" I asked him for the most crucial detail.

[Um... purple?]

"No! It's mulberry! Mulberry! Remember that!"

How can he be so clueless? Can't he tell the difference between colors? Is he color-blind?

[Listen, I see purple, I say purple. The guy in front is black, and the one on the right is black n' white.]

What kind of nonsense is this? It's too complicated.

"Wait, there are two black cars."

[Then the one in the left lane, right in front of you is... cool black]

". . . Then the other one?"

[He's just black].

"Don't say it like that! That's mean."

[Ughh... fine! He's umm... Less expensive black].

"Will do."

The countdown. I'm so nervous.

"Don't worry, Jade, I brought a few bags just in case you gotta puke." Angie reassured me, but I don't think 'a few' will be enough.

10

9

8

. . .

"Holy shiiiit!"

4

3

2

1

[JADE! GO!]

I started with my wheels squeaking and burning against the ground. Even though I'm fast, they're definitely more experienced.

[Jade, I don't wanna be mean, but you're nearly at the last place!]

I'm trying, okay?!

[The red one passed you, and cool black #2 is about to!]

There's a cool black 2? Oh shit, there is!

"It's fine! I'll get them on the next turn!"

"Jade, you didn't."

"Shut up, Angie! I know what I'm doing!"

I have no idea what I'm doing! All I know is that I'm about to cry.

"If I could die like that, I'd be praying!"

"Stop dramatizing, Angie!" I'm already praying...

Here we go. I'm passing cool black #2 and black n' white alongside with them.

"See that! I'm invincible on turns!"

[If only you just didn't hit other cars while passing them.]

That's just a little rubbing; it can be fixed.

"Wooo hooo, Jade! You're slayin' it!"

"Who do you think I am?"

I have no idea how, but indeed, I'm slayin' it. I just passed the Red one and took the fifth position.

"Yes! Yes! I'm doing it! I passed two more! Now it's time for white and lime. They seem tough to pass, and the turns are getting harder to handle."

Uugh... They're getting further away from me.

[Jade!]

Now's my chance; I can do it. I'll pass them on the sharp one!

"Jade, no!"

"JADE YEEEEESSSS!!!!!"

I shouted as we passed lime and white and... Oh shiiit! I'm not gonna make it; I'm about to crash!

[Jade, turn!]

"Got it!"

I turned my car to the side, so I hit the wall with the longer side to change the impact. But still... My baby!!!

Now, gas, gas, gas! I need to accelerate, or they'll pass me again.

With the ear-breaking sound of burning wheels, I continued my race.

[Now, Jade, you're in first place, so focus on proper driving; they won't pass you soon.]

"Eric, I was wondering... Where did you get all that knowledge from?"

It's fascinating that he can guide me like that.

[I watched a few movies.]

And the mood's gone.

"Jade, the finish line! Faster!"

You don't have to tell me. Oh no, they're keeping up; I have to do something.

I turn a little to get in the way of the lemon car, and here I go!

A picture of winning.

"JADE!"

Oh no. The car is flying. What the fu-

*crash*

It's rolling upside down.

"Jade! You bitch, I knew you'd do that sooner or later!"

Angie, I'm sorry. Once the car stopped on the wall, you couldn't call it a car anymore.

Angie is hanging on the wall... at least a part of her.

A piece of metal is holding her upper body, nailed into the wall.

"Don't worry, it's just a flesh wound."

Yup, She's fine. Though I wonder where her bottom is... Ah, under the car. How did it end up there? She was inside just a few seconds ago.

"Eric, can you bring me my bottom? I need clothes from it so I won't run butt-naked."

"Yeah, here."

The moment Angie dissolved her torn-off bottom and regenerated a new one, Eric instantly put her clothes on her so no one would see her.

"You've won, Jade. How do you feel about this?"

"My baby..."

"Yeah, your car is not a car anymore," he said.

"My baby..."

"How about this? I'll get you a new one."

"My bab- ...really? Thank you!"

I wonder what it will be. I'd be happy if it was better than the current one. I mean, the one before the crash, obviously.

Lauren and Christine walked over, and it reminded us of the risks we dodged.

"That's why I didn't come with you." Lauren said, sounding a bit annoyed.

I couldn't resist teasing her. "Because you can't handle this kind of ride? Or because you're not strong enough?"

Lauren got irritated again, but I kept poking fun at her.

"Jade, you know you can't beat Ren in a fight, right?" Eric dropped a bombshell on me.

"Huh? Really? I knew she was in a different prison, but..." I suddenly realized just how outmatched I'd be in a fight with Lauren.

"You might land a punch, but that's about it." Eric clarified, making me think about what a fight with Ren would actually be like.

"Kufufu... if you touch me, I'd have total control over you." Lauren added, making me step back, fully understanding the gravity of bringing Lauren and Christine along. Christine, stronger than Lauren, felt like an even bigger threat.

"Anyway, let's get our prize for winning." Angie said, shifting the focus to our victory.

"I wouldn't be so happy about the prize... We had no sponsors, and it's a friendly race, not well paid. Plus, I'll have to cover the damage to that wall over here." Eric remarked, and Angie's expression turned uncertain.

"Then there's no big reason we participated?" I asked, feeling annoyed about the loss of my car.

"Well, you can finally call yourself a professional racist!" Eric misspoke.

"Racer, Eric. A car racer." I corrected his earlier mistake.

"Racist, racer, same thing."

Um... no, Eric, it's not.

"Racism is when you hate someone of a different race," I had to explain.

"Like Formula 1?"

"Yes, wait, no!" I corrected myself, realizing how different those two things were.

Whatever!

"This day is already too stressful, and it's not even chapter 16 yet, so the author can't really deal with the consequences of including controversial topics."

"Lauren, what are you talking about?" I wondered.

"Nah, just... breaking the fourth wall..."

The heck... Anyway, we're done, and I won!

"I'll teleport you home, and Jade and I will deal with all the work here. I promise I'll check if we can meet Raul tomorrow," Eric assured us.

It's going to take some time to accept that I lost my car today... My baby!!!