Chapter 50 - Official Petrolheads
Yuka arrived back at the hotel car park in the Brera, after exchanging keys, paperwork and cars with Marie. She stopped in front of the hotel entrance, then picked up her phone and called Hitomi.
Hitomi: Hey Yuka. Found anything?
Yuka: Have you?
Hitomi: No…
Yuka: Oh, well that’s good.
Hitomi: Good, why?
Yuka: Come out to the car park.
Hitomi: Oh you found a car then?
Yuka: Just get out here.
A couple of minutes later, Hitomi emerged from the hotel. She immediately spotted the bright blue Brera.
Hitomi: Oh… My…
Yuka: Yuka. Oh your Yuka. Get in.
Hitomi: Yuka…
Hitomi got into the Brera and immediately started wriggling around in her seat.
Hitomi: This is so comfy!!
Yuka: Like it?
Hitomi: How did you get this?!
Yuka: You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
Hitomi: I’m curious now. Tell me.
Yuka: I had a threesome with these two girls who said they’d give me a Brera if I slept with them.
Hitomi: Bull. You are joking, right?
Yuka: I’ll show you the love bites.
Hitomi: What?! Yuka! I know we were in a tight spot but… Yuka!
Yuka: Relax! I’m kidding!
Hitomi: Oh Yuka you nearly gave me a heart attack!
Yuka: At your age? Dream on. But I really did meet a couple of girls with Alfa Romeo’s.
Hitomi: So they were drunk and just gave you keys to an expensive luxury coupe?
Yuka: Nope! They were fangirls of ours. Can you believe it? We have fangirls!
Hitomi: Now I see why you said I wouldn’t believe you.
Yuka: Mhm hmm. I just straight up traded the 135i with them for this Brera.
Hitomi: Lucky sod.
Yuka: Indeed!
Hitomi: So, let’s say they really did ask for a threesome, would you…?
Yuka: Hell yeah! I love double trouble!
Hitomi: Really?!
Yuka: No!
Hitomi: Okay, I admit that was a stupid question. You’re with Kei and you’re not a cheat. So, what if Kei let you?
Yuka: Still no. I refuse to do it with anyone if there’s no love involved.
Hitomi: Ah yes, traditional Yuka. I used to be traditional too, but then I took a break up to the heart and well, I realised there was no point keeping that mindset. Especially when you’re living in a place where your friend gets laid everyday, but cant tell you what the guy’s name was because she was completely wasted.
Yuka: Well you know me.
Hitomi: Mhm. Anyway, should we take this conversation out on the road? Let’s eat somewhere fancy tonight!
Yuka: Okay!
Two days later…
It was finally race day for Yuka and Hitomi, this would be their last race in mainland Europe before the grand finale in England. Yuka and Hitomi were giving the Brera a final check in the pits before the race, making sure none of the typical Alfa Romeo reliability problems reared their ugly heads at an unexpected moment.
Yuka: So far so good. Looks like Marie knew what she was doing.
Hitomi: I’m glad our fangirls are actually capable mechanics and not screaming teenagers.
Yuka: Consider yourself lucky that we’re racers and not pop stars then!
Hitomi: Amen to that.
Hitomi took a step back and started counting the other cars in the pit lane.
Hitomi: One… Three… Seven… Eight… Huh? Yuka there’s only eight cars here, excluding us.
Yuka: Isn’t that how it usually is here? I heard this particular championship is pretty difficult to get into, hence the low numbers.
Hitomi: But there should be ten cars, not nine.
Just as Hitomi finished her sentence, a yellow sports car appeared in the pit lane and made it’s way down. Hitomi couldn’t identify the make or model from far away, but as the car passed by and stopped, Hitomi knew exactly what it was.
Hitomi: Oh crap.
Yuka: What?
Hitomi: Stratos.
Yuka: You sure?
Yuka and Hitomi watched as the Stratos backed up into the space beside the Brera.
Yuka: Well I’ll be damned. A Stratos.
Hitomi: Told yoooou.
Yuka: Right. I’m finished.
Yuka wiped the sweat from her face with a soft towel and closed the bonnet of the Brera.
Hitomi: All set then?
Yuka: Yup.
The driver of a Stratos, a man of average build, got out of the Stratos and began to stretch his legs a bit. Hitomi called out to him.
Hitomi: Bit cramped in there eh?
Stratos Driver: Yeah.
Hitomi: Be careful out there, if you wreck that Stratos, a lot of people will hate you!
Stratos Driver: Haha. Are you my opponent today? I’ve never heard anyone come out with such polite pre-race banter before.
Hitomi: Nah, I just a co-pilot. It’s my cousin you’ll be racing against today. Right Yuka?
Yuka: Mhm.
Stratos Driver: Yuka? Then you must be Hitomi? The two girls from Japan who have so far gone undefeated in Europe?
Hitomi: I’m American, but yeah, that’s us.
Stratos: I see. My name is Desmond. I’ve been winning the Italian Festival for the last three years straight, ever since I got this Stratos.
Hitomi: I guess you’ll be our main competition out there then.
Desmond: Yeah. Well then, I will see you both on the track. I look forward to racing the famous Yuka and Hitomi.
Hitomi: Likewise.
Yuka: Yeah, likewise.
Desmond: In a bit, then.
Desmond went back to his Stratos to start his own pre-race checks.
Hitomi: So, reckon we can beat him Yuka?
Yuka: I’d say it’s a fifty-fifty chance. He’ll beat us around corners but I’m sure we’ve got him on power.
Hitomi: I hope we do, otherwise we’re screwed.
Starting Grid
1. Silver Alfa Romeo Spider
2. Desmond’s Yellow Lancia Stratos
3. Red Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA
4. Black Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto
5. Silver Fiat Barchetta
6. Yuka & Hitomi’s Blue Alfa Romeo Brera
7. Blue Lancia Delta
8. Red Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale
9. Silver Alfa Romeo GT
10. Silver Alfa Romeo 147 GTA
Spider Driver: I’m going to end your streak, Desmond!
Desmond: I need to pull off every technique I know to keep those girls from passing me.
GTA Driver: Not Desmond again. Damn idiot and his Lancia.
Duetto Driver: A big showing for Alfa Romeo today. Of course, as it is the best car maker in the world!
Barchetta Driver: Oh come on, all these Alfa Romeo’s but only one Fiat?
Yuka: First race in our last car. Excited?
Hitomi: Yeah. Let’s give Desmond hell.
Delta Driver: Alright! Let’s test this new turbo!
Speciale Driver: It’s not the winning that counts, it’s the way you present yourself.
GT Driver: Who brings an older Alfa to a race? Get some common sense, grandpa!
147 Driver: Time to prove everyone wrong about the 147.
Hitomi: Go Yuka!
Yuka pushed hard right off the mark, using the Brera’s mammoth power to overtake the Barchetta before the first corner.
Yuka: Excuse me! Cutting in here!
Barchetta Driver: Idiot!
Hitomi: Damn you can cut it fine in this car.
Yuka: Four wheel drive advantage baby!
Yuka: Fourth already!
Desmond: Already within reach? Damn they’re even better than the hype.
Hitomi: This thing is so stable. If this was the 135i we’d be sideways.
Yuka: I know! It’s amazing!
Desmond: Now you’re filling my mirrors. Damn this Spider in front, holding me up for too long. Move aside!
Spider Driver: Screwed!
Desmond: Take that!
Desmond: Now to win this. All I need is to use my agility to stay ahead of the pack.
Hitomi: He’s getting away!
Yuka: I noticed!
Yuka: Don’t you dare block me now! Coming through!
Spider Driver: Denied!
Yuka: Son of a goof!
Hitomi: That bastard!
Yuka: Look at Desmond! He’s just left us!
Hitomi: Take this Spider at the next set of corners. You can use an alternate line but you’ll have to run wide on the last corner.
Yuka: Got it!
Yuka: There!
Spider Driver: Aw no!
Yuka: Yeah! Eat that ass!
Hitomi: Perfectly executed! Now go get Desmond!
Yuka: Right!
Desmond: Lap two. Oh you two got in front of that Spider already? The damage has already been done, you wont catch up.
Yuka pushed hard through the next set of corners, trying her best to close the gap in a car that weighed over twice what the Stratos did.
Desmond: So you’re actually catching up? In a Brera no less. Incredible.
Hitomi: We’ve got the better top end Yuka! Just keep your speed up and we’ve got him!
Hitomi: Yuka?
Desmond: Crap! I misjudged the entry speed! She’s pressuring me from back there? No! I can’t crumble under pressure! Not like this!
Hitomi: He hit the wall! What a careless oaf. Now there’s no space for him to make a single mistake, or we’ll get him. Right Yuka?
Hitomi: You’re doing that silent thing again aren’t you?
Hitomi: Have I told you how scary you are when you do that?
Desmond: I’ve taken a hit, but it appears you’ve not been able to capitalise on it so far. Good, stay that way.
Hitomi: Come on Yuka…
Hitomi: He’s left the inside open! Go!
Yuka: Okay!
Desmond: How is a Brera that agile?!
Desmond: No! I won’t let you take victory from me on the final lap!
Hitomi: Nice to have you back cousin!
Yuka: We’ve not won yet Hitomi!
Desmond: Ha! My acceleration is superior!
Hitomi: Get him!
Desmond: Damn that top end of yours. I can’t block you!
Hitomi: Show him what this Brera can do!
Desmond: You crazy woman! This is no time for heroics!
Desmond: You’ll kill us both!
Hitomi: He’s forced to the outside, floor it Yuka!
Yuka: And sit down, sir!
Desmond: Damn! She’s insane! Using such a large car to pull a dive like that!
Hitomi: That’s it! We’ve done it Yuka!
Yuka: Thank frig for that!
Desmond: Damn those girls. They’re too talented.
Hitomi: We did it!
Yuka: I think I like this Brera even more.
Hitomi: I admit I had my doubts, but now? None.
Yuka and Hitomi arrived back at the pits after a comfy victory lap. Hitomi got out and approached the podium. Yuka immediately bolted towards the front of the Brera, giving it a big hug when she got there.
Yuka: Oh I love you so much!
Hitomi: Yuka stop molesting the car and come receive this prize money with me.
Yuka: Oh yeah, prize money. Sorry…
Hitomi: Typical you, falling in love with cars more often than actual people.
Yuka joined Hitomi on the podium, with a disappointed Desmond showing up beside them, bowing his head a little.
Yuka: Hey Desmond! Nice racing out there! You really gave us a fight!
Desmond: Thank you Yuka, but the end result is that I’ve lost more than just this race.
Yuka: What do you mean?
Desmond: Confidence. The moment you overtook me, I lost every bit of confidence I once had. I had the superior car, the home course advantage, everything. Yet I still lost.
Yuka: From my view, it looked like you crumbled under pressure. You made the same mistake twice in the same place. It was like you had no time to think about your mistake for the entire lap between them.
Desmond: I suppose you have a point. It’s rare that I am given such formidable opponents, so the amount of pressure you applied on me was something I was not used to.
Yuka: You should leave the Stratos at home and use something that’ll make you the underdog. It sounds strange, but it’s easier to focus when you constantly have to push the car.
Desmond: I can agree with you there. Before the Stratos, I had a Fiat Coupe with a larger turbo, tuned for mid-range power. It was a true underdog, requiring all of my skill to achieve victory in it.
Yuka: You should go back to it, if you still have it.
Desmond: I don’t have it anymore. Can you believe my second ex-wife took it as part of the divorce agreement? My first ex-wife takes my first car, a Fiat Panda and then my second ex-wife takes my second car, the Coupe. As you can imagine, I am not looking for a third wife just yet.
Yuka: I can imagine!
Sullivan, the president of the European Racing League, appeared on the podium to award the racers with their prizes. He awarded the driver of the Alfa Romeo Spider his prize and a bronze trophy. To Desmond, he awarded a silver trophy and a slightly larger wad of cash. He then stood in front of Yuka and Hitomi, who were sharing the first place step.
Sullivan: Ladies and gentlemen! Behind me stand the girls that have taken this entire league by storm! Fighting not only their fellow racers, but also used car salesmen! Driving unfamiliar cars on unfamiliar tracks, these girls have shown the whole of Europe what they are capable of! So to these fine women, the fearless Yuka and her cousin, the beautiful Hitomi…
Hitomi: Is he hitting on me?
Yuka: Shhh!
Sullivan: …We at the European Racing League award you with 12,140 Euros, this gold trophy and the best of luck in your last race at London. If you win there, you will have won everything we have to throw at you, securing your places as two of the greatest racers this entire organisation has ever seen!
The crowded cheered wildly as Hitomi and Yuka received their prizes and waved to the crowds.
Hitomi: I feel like a damn celebrity!
Yuka: Yeah! One more to go!
Hitomi: Yep! Oh and Yuka…
Yuka: Hmmm?
Hitomi: Payback, bitch!
Hitomi popped the lid from her champagne bottle, shook it up and shoved it down Yuka’s back, drenching her entire backside.
Yuka: Hitomi!!!
Hitomi: Now you know how it feels!
Yuka: Oh I’m going to get you!
Yuka shook up her bottle of champagne and popped the lid, aiming the stream of champagne at Hitomi’s face.
Hitomi: Yuka! Not the face! Not the face!
Yuka: Yes, the face! The face!
Later on…
Yuka emerged from the hotel bathroom wrapped in her towel, after washing all of the champagne off from her body. Hitomi was already lying in bed with her pyjamas on, counting their purse so far.
Hitomi: 321,540 Euros so far. Took me a while to count all that.
Yuka: I’m sure you had plenty of time while I was washing myself off…
Hitomi: Oh yeah. You took your time in there. I thought you slipped and hit your head but then I heard you cursing me so I knew you were fine.
Yuka: I wonder why… Well anyway I used up all of my shampoo so I had to use up yours too.
Hitomi: Hey! It’s not like I took your shampoo the last time we had a champagne fight!
Yuka: I had no choice, you made it smell like champagne down there.
Hitomi: Oh true, the smell sticks to hair pretty tight so you would need more shampoo than me. Maybe you should go Brazilian?
Yuka: No.
Hitomi: Come on, I’ll help you.
Yuka: No.
Hitomi: Just a trim then?
Yuka: I’ve already… I mean, no.
Hitomi: Ohhhh, I see how it is. My Yuka is growing up so fast!
Yuka: I hate you.