5. A race

I woke up, yawning. As I straightened myself, a coat slid off my shoulders. 
"Huh?" I removed the coat. Who put this?

Oh! It's Loren's. Was I cold? 
How long did I sleep?

It smells like a cold cologne.

Why am I thinking about it's smell?

I wandered my eyes around but Loren was nowhere to be found.

I stood up and folded his coat neatly. Taking a piece of paper, I wrote 'Thank you' on it. Keeping both the things on the table beneath a paperweight I left his cabin.

Which class is it now? I took out my phone to see the time it's 2:34.

Oh my goodness! I slept for too long.

Thank God! I asked Lady Anna this morning to pick Adam from school.

"Levy!" Jacob called with concern in his eyes.

"Hey! Jacob." I waved my hand at him.

"Are you alright? And who slap you?" He was worried.

"Slap? No one." I replied mirroring his aspects.

"Your left cheek is red." He poked my cheek.

A bruise mark.

"Oh! That. I slept onto a book." I said while slapping the back of his hand.

"Oh! good morning." He grimaced and folded his hand over his chest.

"It's already afternoon Jake," I said placidly.

I, sometimes call him Jake whenever he acts like a child.

"Because of you." He pointed finger at me. "I did a single problem 3 times." And snapped.

"And how is that because of me?" I quirked my right brow.

"Simple. You slept and I couldn't copy from you." He cocked his head in disappointment like it's a matter of fact.

Childish!!!

"At least you get something in your head." I waved the matter in the air.

"Where were you yesterday? I came to your house." He was back to normal.

I can't say I am going to the office.

"I was having some work," I said nonchalantly. "Admund's work." then added to make it more loyal.

"Ok, guess what?" He asked with excitement.

"What? A race?" I guessed.

"Exactly. And you're coming." He 
Ordered.

"Sure! I am not gonna miss your race." I walked to the washroom with a quick bye to Jacob.

I have to see how this bruise is looking. 
Jacob is a car racer. He won't race professionally. But compete with different colleges and participates in different race competitions. Whereas, his mother is a pianist and his father is a writer. He had an older brother and a younger sister.

A perfect family, I guess.

While I was looking at my red reflected cheek in the mirror, someone said 'hey'. I turned to see who?

It's the 'red end hair' girl.

What was her name? Did she even tell her name?

"Hi!" I replied.

"Woah! Who slap you?" She asked surprisingly.

C'mon you too. Jacob ditto!!

"No one, I just slept on a book which caused this bruise," I said while arranging my hair to hide it.

"I see." She turned towards the mirror and spoke while coloring her lips red. "We don't have any other classes common except language.''

"Are you new here?" I asked.

"Yes." She responded.

Does she have friends?

I thought to ask but didn't.

"Can we be friends, I don't have any." She turned her heels towards me.

"Sure, Jacob will be glad to meet you." I fluttered words not knowing how to respond.

"Jacob?" she raised her perfectly sharp brow.

"A friend of mine," I said while making myself ready to leave.

"Oh! I will be glad too." She stretched her hand towards me. "I am Jael, Jael Russel."

I shook her hand "I am Levy Troustkey."

I nodded and left the washroom with 'bye' while she replied 'see you'.

After a class college ends.

Brother told, today a person will visit us to have a deal with our company. He wants this deal to be accepted at any cost else there will be a great loss.

I don't understand much about such profit - loss things. I am just doing what my brother's saying.

When I got home, Adam was already there, thanks to Lady Anna. I went to my room, had a bath and dressed in black jeans paired up with a white short-sleeved T-shirt and a gray jacket.

While I was having lunch, Adam spoke "Hey levy! Jacob visited yesterday when you're out."

"I know and good news for you," I said with a smile.

"What? What?" He asked with full of excitement.

"We are invited to watch his race," I said while keeping my plate in the sink.

"Today?" He asked with eagerness. 
"Yes. Get ready."

He had a craze for cars and want to become a racer. He is a fan of Jacob.

Office work was at 8'O clock. So, I have a lot of time. Adam was ready in 5 minutes.

"Are we going to take the straight long route?" He asked while walking towards the door.

"Yes," I said with a smirk.

"Woah!" He hurried towards the door. "And when are you going to ask brother about Aventador." He supplied.

It's one of our favorite cars.

"He already told I have to be eighteen for that," I said while sitting in the car. He sat too.

"Your growing too slow Levy." He said and folding his hands over his chest.

"That doesn't make any sense and put your seat belt." I threw my phone towards him. He grabbed it and on the stopwatch.

Whenever we go to watch Jacob's race, we race through time and try to beat our last record.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Ready." He nodded.

I accelerated my car and here we go.

I was speeding up the car while Adam was watching the stopwatch and the speedometer.

"C' mon Levy break the last record." He shouted. "Cross 110, cross 110."

"Be quiet." He was distracting me.

I crossed 110, now our speed was 115 kilometers per hour.

"1. Signal broke." He started calculating Challans

"2. Crossed the limited speed."

"3. Another signal broke"

"Oh no." A goods carrier was crossing the road.

"Overtake it, Levy, from the right. Don't let it pass before us." Adam was shouting with excitement.

"That's dangerous Adam," I exclaimed.

"No-No. You can do it. Don't let it pass."

"Just keep your mouth shut," I said in a worried voice.

He kept quiet.

I slowed down my car and let the carrier passed. Then crossed the road by overtaking another car.

"4.overtake." He continued.

We arrived in 15 minutes. Where the actual distance was about 40 minutes. 
"It was fun." Adam said while looking at the stopwatch." You could have reach 120 if you hadn't slowed down." 
"And we could have been crushed by the carrier by now." I ended his sentence.

My phone started ringing with notification of Challan.

While Adam was reading it.

"51.86$ for 4 Challan." he read the total amount and threw the phone at me when it rang by the name of brother.

"It's the brother."

"Why so scared?" I took a hold of my phone and received it.

"Hello," I said keeping my voice calm.

"What's with these Challans!!" He shouted.

"What? How to did you know that?" I question him back.

Exactly how? He never knew it before, but how now. 'I am so scared now' my heart feels out my chest and hands turned sweaty.

"Explain Levy!" He said in a cold scary voice.

"How did you know?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I linked your emails and contacts with mine." He answered.

"But why? And when?"

"Since yesterday. I should have done this before."

What should I say now? And why did he linked?

"I- we-I it's." I tried to explain but couldn't come up with any words. "I am sorry." And ended up apologizing.

"Where are you now?" he asked angrily.

"At the stadium to watch the race," I said in a low voice almost murmured. 
"We are going to have a conversation when you are back." He hung off the phone.

Shit! now what? 
Will I be grounded?

"What did he says?" Adam asked.

"We are in big trouble," I answered.

"Wait - wait. We? You levy not we just you." Adam said furrowing his eyebrows.

"Mr. Reporter! You never report this to brother as it's your work to do. You're an equal partner in this crime." I said with a fake smile.

"Busted!!" He said throwing his hands in the air.

I didn't concentrate on the race, my mind was spacing out on how brother would react? What will he do? Will he allow me to drive again?

Now Aventador will only be a dream. I sighed.

Raced finished at 7:30.

Office!!

Asking Jacob to drop Adam home, I hurried to the office.

I took the personal elevator which landed me directly in my office cabin. Uncle Wilson was already waiting for me while looking at his wristwatch.

"Uncle-" I tried to speak but was cut off by his words.

"Where were you, Miss. Troustkey? And what's with this outfit?"

I glanced at myself.

Oops. All mistakes at once.

"Don't worry," I said calmly. I have a plan.

I sat on the chair showing it's back to hide behind it and was waiting for the dealer to come.

After 5-10 minutes someone knocked.

"Come in," I answered without turning my chair.

"Excuse me miss. I came here to conduct a deal with your company."

"I know. Take your seat." I said without turning my chair.

I heard his voice somewhere. But where?

"Will you please turn around miss." The voice said.

I know this voice, who is it?

"No! I mean let's have a conversation in this way." I protested.

"I have to know who you are before signing the deal." He responded.

I remembered. OH! GOD!! 
it's Loren's voice.

Uncle was going to respond to him by saying my name. But I stopped him by sign language. Making a cross with my hands. He understood and stayed quiet.

Phew!

"Let's first confirm the deal and have paperwork tomorrow. You can see my name which will be displayed on the papers." I made up something to convince him.

"No. That's not how things work." He said and turned my chair.

I quickly took an open book to hide my face.

"Levy?"

••••••••••••••••••

H.LOCKHART.