CHAPTER TWELVE: THE RACE BEGINS

The sun still hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the empty race track as Paul and Bucky stood close to the starting line.

Their gazes locked in a fierce conflict, as both of them began stretching.

Each breath they took crackled with anticipation, each pose they made filled with confidence, the air electric with the promise of interesting competition.

"It's finally time huh, hope you're prepared Bucky, because this will just be too much fun for your miniature brain to handle," Paul said in thought as he did his final stretch.

Paul couldn't resist the opportunity he had been waiting for.

With a determined look, he stepped forward, his gaze challenging. Bucky met his stare, equally determined.

As they set foot on the track, the air buzzed with anticipation. It was game time, and neither was backing down.

Spectators started to gather around, murmuring excitedly about the strange match-up race about to unfold.

Soon after the referee had arrived, Miss Nagasaki, the vice principal, and the Supreme Student Council President could be seen approaching too with their aura of intensity and absolute authority.

Everybody bowed their head in greeting.

"GOOD MORNING!! YOUR EXCELLENCE," all the students bow greeting as only Paul was noticed doing something else.

It seemed the three had come out of curiosity while walking around, presumably to ensure everything was fair and square for the race.

Miss Nagasaki's was noticed walking towards Paul side.

"Hey, what in childish hell do you think you're doing?" Miss Nagasaki's voice cut through the tense air after she had gotten close to Paul.

Her eyes locked onto his, icy and penetrating.

"This is no time and place for your games." She leaned in, her words a stern warning.

Paul smirked, meeting her gaze.

"Am Just having a bit of fun, nothing for you to worry about," he retorted, his tone dripping with mischief.

Miss Nagasaki's expression hardened.

"Fun?" she echoed, her voice laced with disapproval.

"This is definitely no place for that, especially not now, weren't you listening at all when I was talking in class?"

Paul shrugged off the question, unphased by her words.

"Chill, it's harmless," he replied, putting on an innocent smile.

"Don't you ever tell me to chill!! If you still like your head on your body," Miss Nagasaki warned, eyes narrowed as her anger skyrocketed, a silent warning in her cold gaze, as she gripped Paul's hair.

"Ow ow ow, sorry aunt..... I mean sorry ma'am, I  won't say that again," Paul squirming in pain said quietly, as his blunder almost made him lose face.

"And I'm really just dealing with a little pest infestation that's been annoying me so, it's nothing for you to be worried about," Paul said to her, trying to calm her down.

Their exchanged glare crackled with tension, each word being a subtle battle for control.

As they stood locked in their confrontation, the air around them seemed to thicken.

"Just don't mess anything up with that playful attitude of yours," Miss Nagasaki replied, finally leaving Paul's head alone.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," Paul said tidying up his messed up hair. His attitude changed immediately she let go of him.

"You bitc...." Miss Nagasaki almost blundered as she noticed the vice-principal's gaze.

Soon after Miss Nagasaki moved back to where she came from.

"You seem close to that student, do you know him from somewhere, or do you perhaps show him any form of favoritism?" Mr John the vice president said soon after Miss Nagasaki arrived.

"Oh no sir he's just one of the best students in my class, I see potential in the kid," Miss Nagasaki replied with a calm smile.

"I probably shouldn't say the truth about me and Paul yet," Miss Nagasaki thought to herself as she saw more students closing in to watch the match.

"We'll see," Mr John replied looking as composed as ever.

"Tch, potential my ass, all this kid is good for is just annoying me, I won't even be surprised if he loses… There's a reason I picked Bucky for this job,"

"not only is he the only one I know that was always close to the Ice Dragon, I heard he was trained by her as well,

"I still don't know the nature of their relationship yet, but as I use him for now, things will for sure start to come together. But don't you dare disappoint me now Bucky," Nicole thought to herself as she intensely glared at Bucky.

Bucky could feel her gaze on him, as drops of sweat dripped down his forehead as fear coursed through him.

"Okay, no time for that now just ignore the glare and breathe," Bucky said internally as he took a deep breath and exhaled.

The referee announced that the match was about to begin.

Paul and Bucky were on their lanes, in their running positions, prepared for anything, eyes burning with an overwhelming competitive spirit.

As Paul and Bucky felt the excitement surge around them, a tangible energy vibrating through the air, wanting to wait no longer...

Let the race begin

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.

.

"BANG!"

The race kicked off with a bang, Paul and Bucky sprinted neck and neck down the track.

Paul exploded off the starting line like a coiled spring unleashed, his muscles flexing with every powerful stride as he tore down the track.

Paul quickly moved ahead with lightning speed, leaving Bucky trailing behind.

But Bucky, quick to react, pushed himself to the limit, determined not to let Paul get too far ahead.

With every ounce of strength, Bucky closed the gap, his heart pounding in his chest as he inched closer to Paul, the thrill of the chase igniting a fierce determination within him.

"I must not lose... for her! For big sis! I must not lose!!!" Bucky's internal yell echoed with desperation, each word laced with urgency.

"I don't care about Nicole, I don't care about the bastard in front of me, all I want is for her to feel proud of me. So, Bucky, push!!!" The intensity of his thoughts surged through him, fueling his determination as he pushed himself to the limit, every muscle straining with effort.

With each step, he propelled himself forward with relentless speed, his focus laser-sharp on the finish line ahead.

Every movement in his body screamed with effort, yet he pushed himself harder, faster, fueled by an unquenchable thirst for victory.

"Huh, what the heck, he's actually keeping up with me…" Paul thought as he was trying to maintain perfect control of his running form.

But to his surprise, Bucky was actually keeping pace with him, matching him step for step.

The crowd, although in shock from the speed of the competitors, was shouting and cheering, caught up in the thrill of the race.

Miss Nagasaki and the vice-principal watched intently, their eyes glued to the action.

"I know you can do better kid, what the hell are you doing now…" Miss Nagasaki thought as she watched Paul flash past her side.

With each stride, Paul's heart pounded louder.

Midway through the race, Paul's mind raced as fast as his feet. With each step, he calculated his next move, his muscles burning with exertion as he fought to maintain his lead.

He had to break away from Bucky, had to win this. But Bucky was relentless, pushing just as hard.

Facing each other side by side, shaking the ground with the resonance of their synchronized footwork.

What destructively perfect harmony.

They reached the final stretch, and Paul knew it was now or never.

"Damn, I never expected him to keep up this fiercely. He's been right on my tail since the start, it's been long since I've almost felt this little form of respect," Paul thought to himself, a hint of grudging respect creeping into his mind.

"But as good as you're doing, you're still a pitifully far cry from me, second-best isn't an option for me, but it's all you deserve, I guess it time to ditch Lola's style and unleash my own."

"Here goes nothing," Paul said internally as soon after...

"sigh," he took a deep exhale as,

In a split second, Paul's running posture shifted, his right hand swayed back, his feet stomped the ground, his focus sharpening as he channeled every ounce of strength into his legs, his breath turning steady and controlled.

.

.

"I might actually win th..." Bucky was muttering to himself, his mind joyful at the realization.

But suddenly,

"BANG!!"

A thunderous roar split the air as Paul surged forward with an incredible burst of speed, leaving the crowd stunned into silence.

His footsteps echoed like a clap of thunder, drowning out all other sounds as he propelled himself ahead with astonishing burst force.

The referee, taken aback by Paul's sudden burst of acceleration, could only watch in disbelief.

"Was it me or did that kid feet just make that noise…? What sort of monster is this kid?!" he wondered, his mind struggling to comprehend the raw power emanating from the young athlete.

Miss Nagasaki's eyebrows furrowed in surprise as she observed Paul's lightning-fast sprint.

"Remarkable, it seems this student has actually been putting in some serious work."

"But it seems he still have a lot of room for improvement. Let's see just how much higher he can go," Her lips pursed momentarily before she added with a node of her head.

"What the heck, was that bastard always this fast, I knew he was definitely strong, but this now is way beyond how I estimated him," Nicole thought as her teeth gritted In anger as many things was playing out like she expected.

"Hmmm," Mr John took out his notepad and started to jot down.

But regardless of everyone's words that sounded like mutters to Paul, with each stride, he widened the gap between himself and Bucky, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind about who would emerge victorious.

It was a display of sheer determination and unyielding resolve,

To Bucky, it was a display of overwhelming difference,

But to me instead, I saw a monster, a true monster yet to be born.

 "FUN!"

Bucky's frustration boiled over, his anger bubbling to the surface as he refused to back down.

"You dare show me up, you bastard? I'll show you!" he growled, his voice thick with determination.

"ARGHHHHH!!!!,"

With a desperate roar, Bucky pushed himself to try to match Paul's speed, his muscles straining with effort as he gave it his all.

In the final stretch, Paul summoned every ounce of strength, his determination propelling him forward with a burst of speed that continues to silence the crowd.

Who would win, he he, isn't it already obvious?

"And the winner of this thrilling practice match is none other than Paul West!!!" The referee's voice boomed, echoing across the race track as Paul crossed the finish line.

Instantly, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause, celebrating Paul's victory.

"Huh… I'm already too late?… when did he, shit?" a completely shocked Bucky thought as he realized that Paul had already crossed the finish line, slowing coming to a stop, his body and muscles burning up in sweat.

The once hushed crowd erupted into a deafening roar of cheers and applause, their astonishment giving way to a noisy celebration as Paul's impressive performance had just unfolded before their eyes.

"Geez... it's.. been long since I've... used this style, man that was fun," exhausted and panting Paul said to himself cleaning up his sweat falling onto the floor, later standing up after a short breath.

"Damn, I lost… again to him, why again," Bucky muttered, his disappointment and sadness evident as he continued towards the end.

"if only I was as good as him, then big sis woul...." saddened, Bucky was in thought, lost in his own world...

Without warning

"CLICK!!"

A sudden sound was heard by Bucky.

"Yes!, it's time!" Paul's thought echoed in his mind as a sinister smile spread across his face.

"Huh?!" Bucky exclaimed in surprise as he accidentally stepped on a strange button.

And then, without warning,

"BURST!"

A huge amount of water burst from the floor from Bucky's back lane, sparkling with confetti colors, erupted from a hose and broken sprinkler, drenching everyone in the area, including Miss Nagasaki and the vice-principal.

As water sprayed everywhere, confetti filling the air, everyone looked around, completely soaked and utterly surprised.

Miss Nagasaki glared over at Paul and Bucky as she was furiously angry, but Paul's mischievous smirk hinted at more surprises to come.

What other tricks does he have up his sleeve? And what consequences await him for his shenanigans?

The race may be over, but the real game is just getting started.

What could possibly go wrong?