DarkOwl57

Ding Ding Ding!!! The Estes D12 Rocket motor with a 5-second ejection charge (Estes D12-5)

So today, we're starting rockets in physics. Easy. Freaking. Peasy. I go onto the design program we're using, make a basic PVC body, cardboard fins, and 3D printed nosecone with the provided engine, and go crazy. After tweaking, I managed to create a monster. 835m Apogee 177m/s max velocity But then, I ran into a problem. The motor we're using has a set charge time. We can't change parachute launch stats. *sigh* New stats: 644m Apogee 171m/s max velocity Errors: Chute is deploying at 47.8m/s. The apogee on the Raptor I is a stunning 2,112.9 feet. I think we might have to call the FAA. And get more durable chutes.

So it's been cold around here recently. And, today, it resulted in some little snow flurries. It's still kinda spitting flakes, but it's not cold enough to stick. Still, I think this is the earliest I've ever seen the first snow- especially in West Texas.

I don't know what I did to my side, but it hurts so bad. On Friday night/Saturday morning (After a football game in like 30º weather), I had a tiny little stitch in my side. Nothing too bad- tiny bit sore when I stepped down with my left leg, but it was fine after some water and ibuprofen. Wake up Sunday; it's all gone. Last night, I had some trouble falling asleep, so I walked around my room. Bent over, and OHMYGOD OW. Go to bed after about 30 or 45 minutes (At 1:30 am) trying to keep off my spot. This morning, everything's fine as I wake up. Brush my teeth, take my shower, step out, and OW OW WHAT'S HAPPENING. It feels like someone's jamming a fist into the left side of my back every time I breathe in heavy, walk, or shift in the slightest way. And, since the football team lost on Friday, we're starting Basketball today. A sport that relies on movement. $@#!

I got bored, decided to make a wiki over my A-10 replica- the A-11 Boar. No pictures as of yet, as it's unfinished. Wanna see it? Well too bad- you're seeing it.

From the wonderful land of school: So in history, we typically have to take notes over the weekend. This week, we had nothing. As I was happy, I kept waiting for our teacher to end my happiness and throw my hopes of a stress-free weekend down the toilet. She didn't. Fast-forward to today; English class I'm working on some English work about Julius Ceaser, when I hear something about history. I ignore it, wondering about why the final 3 paragraphs were important. Until I hear, "She assigned us stuff for tomorrow!" I hurridly check the website, and, sure enough, work. 26 pages of the book to take notes on by tomorrow. Now that might not sound that bad. But when the text is this big, IT VERY MUCH IS A PROBLEM. So for now, I'd like to thank you, teacher. I'm fine with doing the work. But giving us pretty much 0 time to do it, that's when I have a problem. I have half a mind to say screw it and ignore the assignment and pull the "You didn't give us time" card.

So prepare for a little tiny rant here. Context: I get migraine headaches extremely easy, and when I do, it's horrible. I have swimmy stuff at the edge of my vision, my head feels like someone's hammering a railroad spike into my forehead, and my stomach gets dizzy. Typically, throwing up once or twice as well as taking some Ibuprofen and an anti-nausea medicine helps me get better. ------ Rant: Yesterday, I was FaceTiming my girlfriend of 1 month, one week, and six days. I hadn't eaten much for lunch and was feeling the early signs of death migraines occurring (Trouble seeing the screen). I got off and had to go to a church youth group thing, where I just curled up in a ball and closed my eyes to keep it from getting worse. I took some ibuprofen as soon as I got home, and despite my pain (and the loss of some pizza from lunch), I hopped on the phone to call again. More context: I call her on my phone in the living room. Typically, I rest my phone up against a table leg, while I lay on my stomach with a pillow, so my arms don't die. Anyways, I call her. Throughout the call, I kinda curl up and lift my stomach off the ground. This gap in my stomach reminds me of how empty it is, which makes me hurt more, which makes me curl up, etc. Eventually, it's so bad I have to leave mid-sentence and dispell what's left in my stomach (Not going to go into the details). I head downstairs, and then, as soon as I'm about to say how much I love her (Which I bet would have just been so romantic coming from the dude who just threw up and who looks like crap), it's time for supper. I say that I'll be right back after a light breakfast of eggs and toast. I head to the kitchen, and it feels like the Hulk is pushing a flagpole into my forehead. I can't even eat the rest of the meal and just stagger upstairs to go to sleep. TL;DR: Felt terrible yesterday because I wanted to die, feel terrible today because I didn't give my girlfriend a goodbye.

"Yo, what's the wifi password again?"

No problem, bud. You've been so much of an influence in the writing style, it's the least I could do Also, a couple of days ago I got bored. So, I made this: Famous Corners of K1 (And their real-life counterparts) KSC Turns 7 & 8: Sakhir Circuit, Bahrain; Turns 9/10 Turns 13 & 14: Silverstone Circuit, UK; Turns 10/11 Tekkia: None Solaria (Introduced: 2037) Turns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain; Turns 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 Turn 7: Sochi Autodrome, Russia; Turn 3 Turn 20: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Turn 15 Owlia Turns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Turns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Turns 9, 10, 11: Circuit Spa de Francorchamps, Belgium; Turns 2, 3, 4 (Eau Rouge/Radillon Turn 12: Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; Turn 1, 2, 3, or 4 Turn 14: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Turn 15 New Baskay Turns 1-19: Monaco/Monte Carlo, France; The whole circuit Aquaria (Introduced: 2037) Turns 1 & 2: Suzuka Circuit, Japan; Turns 1/2 Turn 3 straight: Suzuka bridge Turn 9: Nagyar-Nagydij, Hungary; Turn 1 Turns 12 & 13: Sakhir Circuit, Bahrain; Turns 1/2 Turns 15 & 16: Circuit Spa de Francorchamps, Belgium; Turns 3/4 (Radillon) Turns 19, 20, 21: Mexico City Circuit, Mexico; Turns 13, 14, 15 Turn 25: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Turn 15 The Temple: None Halco Turns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6b, 7, 8: Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, USA; Turns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Turns 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21: Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, USA; Turns 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 Basil (Removed: 2038) Turns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11: Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Sao Palo, Brazil; Turn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fegeland (Introduced: 2038) Turns 1/2: Magny-Cours Circuit, France; Turns 1, 2, & 3 Turn 10: Magny-Cours Circuit, France; Turn 9 Turns 11/12: Nürburgring GP circuit, Germany; Turns 8/9 Turns 12, 13, & 14: Baku City Circuit, Azerbaijan; Turns 13, 14, & 15 Turns 15, 16, & 17: Magny-Cours Circuit, France; Turns 15, 16, and 17 If you want pics of the real-life turns, just use google I guess. I've not got the time (or get around) to make the circuits in KSP using KerbalKonstructs, so I've got my work cut out for me this summer I guess. A few more ideas are floating around in my head... I can't wait to show y'all

I'm sorry for the kind of slow-down in chapter releases as of late. I've just not had the free time I typically do, and it's reflecting in my release times a bit. I hope y'all are still into it though- I know I am. Here's Chapter 31- the actual race part of the Aquarian GP. Hope everyone enjoys! Chapter 31: The Aquarian Grand Prix 12:30 pm, 3 days later. Round 6 of 10: Aquaria. Circuito internacional de Acuario; Nomlas, Aquaria. “2037 has been a year of nothing but excitement, as we get set for the Aquarian Grand Prix. After victory in Baskay, Max Kerman and OTech are looking to start where they left off- on top. However, after a blistering qualifying lap yesterday, fellow OTech driver Jebediah is looking to end those chances. As the stars of K1- and the world- prepare for the start of this race, so do we. This incredible 3.7-kilometer circuit has seen the lap-times go from fast to even faster, and now it’s time for the start. So, as the teams get ready for the start, we ask you to sit back, relax, and enjoy! After a month of waiting, it’s time for the start of the Aquarian Grand Prix. … I stepped onto the tarmac and put on my sunglasses in the bright sunlight. There was barely a cloud in the sky, and I looked around at the teams all getting set up with various reporters around the place. I walked to the car and talked with Andy for a few moments before the national anthem started playing. As it finished with a little bounce, fighter jets blasted overhead- shrieking through the sky with blue, yellow, and white smoke. The crowd roared with approval, and the cameras clicked and rustled as we got prepared for the start of the race. I could feel the anticipation in the air- everyone waiting to see the cars out on track again after the impossibly long summer break. Max and Claire were talking about something over in their second-place grid slot, and I walked up to Andy. “Anything I should know about,” I asked, sipping water. Andy removed his headphones and looked at the car briefly, making sure everything was okay. “Nothing really. One-stop, same as before… As usual, just get a good start and we’ll work from there.” I nodded, and smiled before stepping up to the sidepod and grabbing my helmet. Just before I put it on, I heard Alexis shout, “Good luck,” making me smile and wave back before stepping up into the car. The car was quiet as the team worked on last-minute checks- monitoring telemetry and tire pressures before I got buckled in. Finally, the engine roared to life- rumbling and yelping as I blipped on the gas pedal. “Everything’s good up in here,” I called out to Andy as the team lowered the car down to the ground- holding the blankets on the tires before I had to get out. Finally, we were released onto the formation lap, and I leaped out of my spot. The rears gripped into the track, and I got a perfect launch on the run down to Turn 1. The crowd roared as we drove past, and I tried to keep my focus. I weaved down the straight to get some heat up, and went up through the gears to save the engine wear. I went down to Turn 1 and darted to the inside- laying down a rubber stripe on the track right next to the grass. I opened up the visor just a bit and got hit by a wall of cold air. I started going through a mental pre-race warmup throughout the lap- waving my hands inside the cockpit and weaving around. After my warmup, the car dropped through 23 before leveling out in 24. I watched the track ahead of me and dove into the final turn at max speed- testing the limit of the tires. I went into Launch mode and waited in my grid spot. The rest of the field pulled in behind me. Finally, it was time to go. One. Breathe. You got this. Two. I pushed in the clutch- my heart racing. Three. The revs started to build- growing louder and louder as-… Four. Exhale. The car was yelling as the rev lights blinked on my wheel. Five. The lights went out, and I blasted out of the grid slot. There was a tiny puff of smoke as the wheels spun just a bit, but I kept the car under control as I got away fairly clean. Max was getting a good launch, and I cut down to cover the inside down into Turn 1. He tried to look around the outside, but slotted in before we started going through the fade. I went into Turn 1 at maximum speed, and felt the car bounce over the track before 2. I heard a shout from the crowd as we passed, but I ignored them- flying over the curb at Turn 2. The car felt light as I went over the crest, but stayed planted to the ground on corner exit and on the run down the hill. Max was right in line with me, and we both stayed right with each other through Turn 3. I flew into the tunnel and through Turn 4- wiggling the car a bit as the rear lost grip on the tarmac. The car gripped amazingly into Turn 5, and I went just a little wide over the white line before cutting down. We went through the chicane, and Max was still right on top of me down the straight to Turn 9. Max darted to the inside, and I dove down to block off the attack. He feinted left before going back to the right- getting up my inside. I squeezed him all the way down right next to the grass, and the crowd roared. I looked in my mirror and saw a Monster fast approaching on my outside, and I went up the track to give Max space as we broke for the hairpin. The Monster behind us tried to look up my inside, but was too far back as we pulled around the apex. Max was through up the inside, but I held behind him through the quick Turns 10 and 11. The tires were on the absolute limit of grip in the mid-corner, and we both seemed to scream through the turn. Max got a stellar run over the Turn 12 apex, which sent him flying away from me. I got up just a little bit out of Turn 14, and used the slipstream to get right up close to him. He went over the grass just a little bit in Turn 15, and I followed- spitting up a couple blades with a puff of dust. The cars bottomed out at the bottom of the hill, but I kept the car together as we crested over the top of the hill. The car got light before I hit the brakes- the tires regaining the grip as I slowed right behind Max. We got down to a near-crawl as we drove over the tight double-apexes of Turns 17 and 18. The crowd roared as we went through the stadium that surrounded us on both sides. The right rear slid over the Turn 21 hairpin’s curb, and I saw Max struggle to put down the power. I tried to catch up, but I had to spend the time re-connecting the car- leaving us about level where we were. We went down a small hill before braking again for Turn 22- a tight 90º right-hander. We flew down the Turn 23 hill and Max’s car sparked on the ground as we went down the straight. Micheal was still hovering at around a second back- looking anxious as we fought. I keyed the radio. “Just to let you know, Micheal’s getting a little close for comfort.” Max was a little slow to respond, and we pulled out of Turn 25 before I got a reply. The car yelled as I put the power down and came out of the apex. “Copy,” He replied as he started getting away from me a little bit down the straight. I held in the slipstream down the long straight- keeping within the little window and closing in. I darted to the inside of Max and he came down to block- making me go up the track to attempt a move around the outside. I got right next to him into Turn 1, and out broke him into 2. I swooped around the outside and ran clean over the curbing- keeping the car under control without a lockup. The crowd roared as we passed, but Micheal was still right in our mirrors. We blasted down the hill at maximum speed down into Turn 3- the car throwing sparks into the air as it bottomed out. Max looked up my inside, but I dove onto the curb. The car bounced a little bit as I sliced him off, and we flew out of the turn. We went under the tunnel and Micheal tried a run up the inside of Max- getting his nose in through Turn 4. Max gave space on the exit, but Micheal locked up into 5- running into the side of Max with a puff of smoke. A chunk of debris blasted up into the air with a spark as Micheal’s car hit the left-rear and Max flew wide with a hop, while the Monster spun off the track backward in a cloud of smoke. Max went way off track but just got back before the chicane. His line was heavily compromised entering the corner, and I took advantage. The left sidepod had a nasty mark on it, with a huge scrape along the back edge. The tire markings were faded on the left-rear, and the entire left-rear looked pretty scuffed up. “Max has some damage on the left-rear,” I said into the radio as I got onto the straight. “SL/FR flap might have some damage- something flew up when they hit. Just thought you’d like to know.” The radio was silent as I blasted down into Turn 9- turning into the apex just right. The car felt like it was on rails, and I could throw it into the corners like the car was glued to the ground. The rears stayed planted in Turns 10 and 11, despite me not slowing down. The tires were right in their sweet spot, and I could put all my confidence into the car. Max was still behind me, and wasn’t appearing to suffer from any kind of grip problems. In fact, he appeared to be going faster on the straights. I came out of Turn 17 and flew into the Stadium. The car flew over the curbing and Max was still with me- looming behind like a storm cloud. He was still behind down into Turn 25- looming, but not a threat… yet. “DRS active this lap,” Andy said as I flew past the start line. The speed climbed- 150. 160. 170. 180. 190. We flew into Turn 1 and flowed straight into 2- Max staying right behind me on exit. We stayed that way for the next 7 laps- Max right behind me until Lap 9, when I pulled in for my pit stop. I broke hard for the pit entry, and just managed to slow it down for the speed limiter. I drove past the rows of pit boxes, and went around the pit hairpin before heading to the OTech box. The team was perfectly on cue, and I was lifted up the millisecond I stopped. 4 tires on, 4 off- Fuel in. We waited for the 10-second timer to count down, and I blasted out of the stall in a trail of smoke. Louie blazed past on the track, and I got out of the pit lane- accelerating up to speed. “Great stop, guys,” I said before braking for Turn 1- getting behind the black Monster and applying the pressure into 2. The cold tires made me skitter a bit into the corner, but I was able to keep in through the apex and get right on top of the car- scooting past up the inside of Turn 3. I flew into every corner and braking zone- trying to make sure Max didn’t complete the over-cut to perfection. As I came through Turn 22, Max had just pulled into the pit lane and I pushed as hard as I could. The aero shoved the car down into the ground and I pushed like crazy- sparks flying off the rear in a beautiful trail. The car turned into the final corner with amazing ease while the crowd roared as I passed. Max had just gotten out of the pit lane, and I got right along-side him down the straight. As soon as the white line ended, Max started pushing me up the track- forcing me farther up the line as we neared Turn 1. I hit the brakes hard and switched over to the inside- sticking my nose in and forcing Max a little bit wide on the apex of the corner. I went for the gap and stormed up the inside into Turn 2- keeping ahead by a slim margin. I went down the hill to Turn 3, and Andy’s voice came over the radio. “Jeb, be careful,” He warned as I went over the apex. “We don’t want contact here- stay calm.” I almost went wide over the exit curbing and popped over the grass- sending a tiny puff of brown dust into the air as Max closed. “Don’t talk,” I said before heading under the bridges. “I almost wrecked in Turn 3 right there- no talking in the corners.” There was silence from the other end and I kept on-track through Turn 4 with Max hanging with me. He gained a ton through Turn 5, and I was put under a ton of pressure in the chicane. With the slipstream down the straight, Max gained a ton. I went up into Rich mixture to defend, but there was no chance as he closed. I darted inside to defend and he followed me down almost to the grass before I swept up to get a run into the corner. I thought he was going to follow me, but Max stayed right on the track’s border and shot up my inside. The outside car wavered with the intense braking and he flew up the track- almost hitting me as I avoided. I got back up the inside through 9, but he was along my left- the inside for Turn 10. I was grinning beneath my helmet as we dueled- Left and right practically glued together through the flat-out turns. Max got past in the tight Turn 12. I tried to catch up through the high-speed Turn 14 and down the back straight- DRS helping me get a run. I flew through 15 and 16 practically on the tail of Max as we blasted under the trees and past the fans with dirt getting thrown up from us being so close to the edge of the track. We went up the hill and I tried to get a hole into Turn 17, but the car felt too light and I didn’t want to risk a spin. Max and I drove over a couple skid marks from past incidents (Practice likely) and went through the tight turns of the Stadium Section. I was still on top of him throughout the collection of corners, and rumbled over the curbing out of Turn 21. I kept up the pressure through 22, and the cars sparked as we dropped on the ground out of 24. I opened up DRS and darted to the inside down the straight. The car flew past Max on the inside of the track, and I managed to get it slowed down in time for the apex of Turn 25. Max tried to cut back to the inside, but I was there on the apex- defending the line to perfection. He had DRS down the front-straight again, though, and I was helpless as he flew past around the outside down the hill to Turn 1. The crowd was loving the fight, and yelled as we passed. I slotted into line with Max through the double-apex, and we raced through the turn. I could feel the energy as the laps ticked down. I tried an attack throughout the lap- the chicane, the Stadium- everywhere. I put the pressure on Max into every braking zone and every apex on the track; trying to force a mistake. On Lap 15- 4 to go- we encountered traffic in the worst possible spot- the Stadium. “Lap cars ahead,” Andy called out to me in Turn 14 as I opened up DRS. The engine yelled as I gained the speed up the hill- sparking off the dip at over 160 miles per hour on the rubber tire tracks. I was about to cut to the inside, but saw a bright red car in the way. I had to dart back to behind Max before I hit, and we both drive around the outside in Turn 17 and 18. “That was close,” I said as we went through 20 and 21. “That hill’s just blind heading up; I almost ran right into the back of that car. Blue flags or something.” Max was stuck behind a LakeFront through the tight hairpins, and I managed to close in to right on his diffuser before the slow car moved out of the way. Max waved his arm out at the orange and white car- expressing his anger as we got past. This little slow-down allowed me to resume the attack on Max throughout the next couple of laps. I was able to put the pressure on Max throughout the laps, and with just 2 to go, I was right there. I got in the slipstream down into Turn 1, and tried to dart outside. Max saw the move just as I made it, and closed the door into the braking zone. I shook my head and bared down. The cars dropped down the hill before lifting up, and I could feel the forces on my body as we went up and down. Max got a little bit of wheelspin on the exit, and I was right on top of him down the straight. I almost hit the diffuser, but we avoided contact. I made a little hole up the inside into Turn 3, but Max didn’t leave enough room for me to get there. Instead, we both missed the apex and backed each other up before I faked a move right. Max took the bait and blocked, before I swung around to the left. Max wasn’t able to get there in time, and we went side-by-side through Turns 4 and 5. The crowd was loving it, and Max got by in Turn 6 at the chicane. I was still there in Turn 7, and we ended up about equal out of 8- going down the straight at max speed. Max had DRS but I had the better run out of the turn, and we were level down the entirety of the straight. I tried to get the braking down into Turn 9, but accidentally out-broke myself and ran a bit wide- allowing Max to get a window up the inside. I defended in Turn 10, but he swept up the inside through the high-speed Turn 11. I let him go and didn’t risk a crash into Turn 12, but I was right back on top of him down the backstraight- aided by DRS and slipstream. I cut inside but I did it too late as Max went into Turn 15 and 16, and I had to wait up the hill. We didn’t dare risk anything too crazy as we went into Turns 17 or 18, and the circuit was too tight for a move in 19, 20, or 21. The crowd roared as we passed by them, and I could feel the energy with each passing second. I darted inside down the run to Turn 22 and got by clean around the inside, but Max blasted past on the straight with the help of some DRS. I tried an attack into Turn 25 but locked up just a bit- keeping me behind before the apex. We crossed the finish line to start the final lap. “Andy, don’t talk,” I asked as politely as I could as we blazed down the straight. I had DRS and slipstream down the straight, and Max started chasing me up the track to the left. By the braking zone, we had apparently decided the racing line didn’t exist as we were practically on the grass. I slammed the brakes early, and Max flew past me on the inside with a massive lockup that obscured the racing line. The apex was covered in smoke, and I had to trust myself to turn in at the right moment. I flew through the massive cloud and ran over the curbing- whips of smoke trailing off the wings and wheels in a beautiful loop off the rear end of the car. I flew out of the corner and went into Turn 2- leaving Max high and dry on the outside into the tight hairpin-like corner. I simply held my line around the corner, and left Max to run himself wide on corner exit and into the runoff before turning back down behind me. Max fought hard behind me, but I made the rear as wide as possible through Turns 4 and 5- stopping any kind of attack in the sweeping corners. Max flew wide on the exit of 5 and used the momentum to get up my inside into 6. He locked up the right-front (again), and we both missed the apex. I turned in a little too early and we collided. A tiny puff of smoke popped up into the air as the tires hit and a bang shook the entire car. The Shark Fin shook from the contact and we both tried to get each other through 7- neither wanting to give in. The crowd roared while we passed them down the 8-9 straight while we dueled for the lead. Max had DRS but had a horrible run out of 8, and only just managed to keep the hole open for Turn 9. I swung around the outside of the corner and managed to get a wheel past before Turn 10, and swooped past Max in the high-speed turn. He tried to lunge up the inside through 11, but I was far enough ahead that the challenge wasn’t effective. I went into Turn 12 with Max right behind, and lost a little bit of time off of some nasty wheelspin off the curbing. Max caught up and I felt a bump from behind before the car lifted up a little bit. The engine yelped like a dog and I had to wheel the car around- managing the torque to keep it from spinning around. In my mirror, I saw Max’s nose had a little bit of damage on the frontal intake without any real damage to the front wing assembly. We went through Turn 14 and Max tried a move with DRS, but couldn’t manage a look into Turns 15, 16, or 17. My heart was racing as we flew into the Stadium for the final time. The crowd screamed and yelled while Max looked everywhere- going as far as diving up the inside of Turn 20. We made more contact and the car jumped up into the air with a loud smash. I looked and saw a piece of aerodynamic sidepod fall down to the ground, while Max had a nasty black scuff on his car and a chunk of bargeboard missing from the right front. “I think I have left-side damage,” I said as we flew down the hill out of Turn 24. “I think the SL Flap is gone, but I’m feeling okay at the moment.” Max was far behind but was hell-bent on making an overtake- flying through the slipstream. I darted inside and he cut right, trying to sweep around the outside. I held the defensive all the way through the hairpin turn, and Max was stuck behind me on exit. I sighed as he fell back. 100 meters. Almost in slow-motion, the crowd began to rise and cheer loud enough that I could hear them through the helmet. 75. The team got up on the wall and started pumping their fists in celebration. 50. The checkered flag started waving as Max coasted to the line- not mounting a challenge. 25. I started weaving in celebration- sticking my fist into the air and getting right next to the wall with the team. 0. Fireworks blasted into the air and the crowd roared- becoming a sea of jumping fans. I pumped my fist a few times and flipped up the visor- letting the cool air hit my face. “WOOOOOOHOOO! YES, GUYS! Oooh gosh, that was one heck of a final lap. Amazing strategy all day long- thanks for the car y’all gave me this week.” Andy chuckled over the radio as loud claps sounded from behind him. “Great drive there, Jeb; stellar work. You kinda had us all going through that final lap. Next time let’s try to avoid the contact?” I couldn’t help but laugh while I waved to the fans. “I’ll see what I can do,” I chuckled. “That was one heck of a race.” The crowd was a sea of every color imaginable, and as we pulled into the Stadium for the Podium, I felt the energy just flowing off the stands. The rest of the cars drove around the track, but we pulled off into the massive runoff space and stopped. I got myself unbuckled and stood up to a roar from the crowd. I got up onto the nose and leaped off the front with another cheer- air horns joining in the mix as the crowd celebrated with me. Max got up and dropped off of his car before running at me. He practically body-slammed me and I started trying to get free before he broke off- laughing under the helmet. “What the heck, man,” He grinned as we walked to the cooldown room- waving to the crowd on our way. I laughed while we went up the steps to the room- Micheal following us up. “What’re you talking about,” I asked back. “You’re the one who hit me!” Max waved his hand and got a water bottle before sitting down on the couch. “I wouldn’t have hit you if you hadn’t gone so slow! You were blocking me like crazy the whole last lap!” We joked around for a little before Micheal walked in- a scowl on his face. “Damn,” He muttered before leaning up on a wall and getting his hat. “What was that all about?” Max looked up at him and shrugged. “Dunno,” he sighed before drinking some more water. “You tell me.” “I had the line and you just turned in on me like I wasn’t even there!” Micheal’s voice rose a little bit in either anger, annoyance, or a mix of both. “No no no, buddy, I gave you room! You went for the hole and ran right into the side of me! I don’t see why you’re mad at me for your mistake.” Max made a little recreation with his hands as he spoke- his left hand slamming the side of his right and throwing both up into the air. “My car’s not on rails, Max, you’ve got to give more room! If it didn’t happen on the apex, you would have squeezed me on corner exit and the same thing would have happened. I tried to avoid you but there’s only so much grip in the world.” I shook my head as the crowd outside cheered as loud as ever. Finally, it was time for the podium. Max and Micheal were still bickering as the announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers. “Hola a todos, ¡y bienvenidos al podio para el Gran Premio de Aquarian de 2037! Desde Monster Race Team y el tercer lugar en el podio, ¡bienvenido, Michael Kerman!” The crowd cheered as Micheal walked out. “En segundo lugar, para OTech Race Team, Max Kerman!” Max winked at me before jogging out to the podium to cheers and whistles from the crowd. “iY, con el primer lugar en el Gran Premio de Acuario de 2038, ¡Jebediah Kerman!” I jogged out to the podium and the crowd roared- the noise blasting through me as I bounced up onto the podium. I saw clouds of blue smoke as the fans waved ginormous flags- bearing everything from the Aquarian national flag to the OTech logo. The massive crowd hushed only for a second, when it was time for the national anthem. However, as soon as the anthem ended, they were cheering again as we sprayed the champagne. “Aquí para dar el podio a las entrevistas de hoy; ¡El ex piloto de K1 y 2 veces campeón del mundo Juan Kerman!” There was an even louder cheer as Juan walked up to us with a smile as the champagne spray finally eased up. He picked up a mic and turned to the crowd. “Hola, Aquaria! ¿Cómo están todos hoy?” The crowd cheered and whistled as Juan addressed them. “Qué carrera acabamos de ver, qué carrera. ¿Qué pensaron todos ustedes de eso?” Now, the crowd roared as the air horns came back out. After recovering from the massive amount of noise, he turned to me. “So, Jebediah, first off, amazing race! How do you feel capturing your fourth race win of the season?” “Well, it was really tough,” I replied truthfully. “Max put up one heck of a fight all race long, but I hope y’all enjoyed it as much as we did.” Juan turned to the crowd. “¿Disfrutaron del espectáculo?” The crowd roared, and I continued after a brief pause. “This track, it’s just so much fun to drive on. It really makes you work for every last second of time. Honestly, this was probably the most physical and tiring final lap I think I’ve ever had in my entire career.” “And what was your favorite part about the race here today?” “Definitely the fans,” I chuckled as the crowd cheered. “They’re just so passionate, loud, and loyal, I couldn’t ask for anything better. It’s just so cool to see this massive sea of color entering Turn 1 at 200 miles an hour.” I turned to the fans to deliver a little message to the fans. “Muchas gracias a todos los fans aquí hoy. Es genial tenerlos a todos aquí y hacer un espectáculo para todos ustedes. Tuvimos una carrera increíble todo el día, y me encanta cómo nos apoyas.” The crowd roared insanely loud this time, and I laughed. Before each race weekend, we’re given little pre-made messages like that one to say to the fans- this one was a little bit more challenging since it wasn’t Standard. I think I did pretty good though. “And what about your next race- the Temple?” I grinned. “I can’t wait.” 8:00 pm. Aeropuerto Internacional Nomlas, Aquaria. The terminal was filled with chatter as we walked down to our gate- a couple eager fans trailing Max and I as we went to maybe get an autograph or a photo. The occasional PSA message disrupted me from my music. “Por favor, avise a la seguridad de cualquier paquete desconocido o sospechoso. Gracias.” “Es ilegal fumar dentro o alrededor de la terminal en cualquier momento.” “Todas las mascotas deben ser reportadas a los oficiales de vuelo antes de la salida. Gracias por tu cooperación.” I signed another autograph and looked for our gate- A10. I finally saw it and we sat down with about two or 3 minutes left before boarding. Honestly, I was surprised that we had gotten here on time. The metal trophies typically made transport a massive fit, but it was apparently okay this time. “I’m going to miss you,” Max muttered to Maria as I took a selfie with a fan. “We will be able to call each other,” Maria said back as the rest of the team got seated around us. “It is not that far of a distance- maybe we can visit.” Max nodded. “All OTech Race Team members, the flight deck is now open for boarding. Please make your way to the jet bridge.” As we stood up, the fans gathered on the sides of the path- snapping pictures and handing us notepads to sign before we left. Except for Max, who was still talking to Maria. “Max!” I turned as we entered. “Max, get over here!” He ignored me. I rolled my eyes and walked over to him. “Buddy, it’s time to go. Come on!” They kept on talking. Finally, I had enough and grabbed the back of his jacket and basically lifted him up out of the seat. “It’s been really nice to meet you,” I nodded to Maria as Max struggled. “Hey!” I ignored his protests and waved to Maria. As we walked down the bridge, I let him go- a crucial mistake. He bolted in the opposite direction, and he almost got away before my fingertips grasped at the back of his jacket- throwing me forward and almost knocking us both to the ground. Following the little incident, I had to lead Max down the bridge like a prisoner. Once we got inside the plane, I was finally able to let Max go. “Get your head in the game, man,” I muttered to him as we sat down. “If you don’t, I swear; it’ll cost both of us in the end.” 5:25 pm, 1 Week later. K1 Race Hub Studios; Bradley, Owlia. I sat in the studio- waiting for the show to get away from the commercial break. Max and I were both sitting at the chairs in the studio, waiting for the interviews to get back going. Finally, I heard the music kick back off. “And welcome back to K1 Race Hub- joining me here today are OTech drivers Jebediah Kerman and Max Kerman getting ready for the start of the Temple Grand Prix. Thank you both for being here today.” I nodded and Max smiled before the anchor continued on. “So our first question is for Jeb- Congratulations on the win in Aquaria by the way.” “Thanks. Max really put up a fight there at the end, but we managed to hang on.” “So, Jeb, as we all know, this is going to be the first race at the Temple since 2036 in the race that almost cost you your life. What kind of emotions are going on right now heading into a race that’s not only important to the championship, but also your own mental state?” “Well first off,” I smirked as Max tried not to laugh. “Nothing’s wrong with my mental state. But I’d be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn’t a little bit nervous with the race. Kerenna is probably going to be a lot faster than it was last year, which is going to make it a lot more exciting- but also more dangerous if something goes wrong. I’ve got faith in my team, though, that an incident like last year won’t happen again. Honestly, it was just an accident. Plain and simple.” On the screen that showed the live feed, I saw my car from last year explode in a massive shower of carbon fiber before looping around and slamming into the wall with a cloud of dust. The camera shook from the force of the impact, and I swallowed a little bit. “We know a lot more about the car and the track this year over last, but it’s still going to fall down to simple practice. We’ve got to get confident in the car, get confident with the track, and just try to build it up all over again.” “And Max, what about you? Despite not really having much in the way of injuries from the accident last year, there’s still got to be a little bit of nerves floating around in there.” “I must admit, I am a little bit anxious. Even though I wasn’t the one directly involved in the wreck, I still was involved. It just kinda goes to show how fast this sport reaches out and grabs you.” I nodded. I thought back to the accident- watching the car spin around from the cockpit in my mind all over again, and I shuddered a little. “Jeb, you’ve got a 10 point gap with four races left in the season. Are you feeling any pressure from Max, or is it just smooth sailing?” I chuckled as Max rolled his eyes. “Honestly, I’m just taking it one race at a time. Focusing on the future just puts more stuff in my head and doesn’t leave room for my job. But if I had to choose one, I’d say that Max is definitely putting some pressure on me to perform.” Max smiled. “And do you think the race at the Temple is going to be close?” Max and I both responded at the same time, with “No,” before laughing. “Who do you think will win?” Max and I both raised our hands. At the exact same time.

So I realized that besides the trebuchet, I hadn't posted much here. Time to change that. Sep. 30: My first date. I was pumped up (For a date), and it was our first time seeing each other since the football game (She goes to a different school, but she's in the band, and our schools played each other). I had asked her out a week beforehand (With a cheesy paperclip ring), and she said yes. It wasn't that bad; Pizza Hut is always a win. And the best thing is how amazing we are. Her passcode for her phone is the day I asked her to be my girlfriend. If that's not true love, I don't know what is right there. ------ Oct. 8: District Track Meet. It had rained the night before, so the course was wet and muddy. However, I ran it okay (Besides almost doing a backflip as they do in the cartoons when someone slips on a banana peel). Final result: Pretty good. Me: 6th, Freshman #1 (T): 9th, Freshman #2 (A): 10th. WE'RE GOING TO REGIONALS!!! We leave on the 21st (Sunday), get to Lubbock that night, carb load, run the 22nd (Monday afternoon). ---- Oct. 19: Our school is facing off against the big scary in the district. A school that's almost 3A, we're not favored in our second home game of the district schedule (We were supposed to play there, but it's been raining for about four days, and their grass field is worse for wear compared to our fancy astroturf). But I won't be there. Coach told me not to do anything to get myself sick, hurt, or in any other way damaged, and I don't think that sitting at a football game- at night, in the rain, in cold temperatures, in a West Texas wind- would necessarily help out with keeping myself from getting sick.

Still raining. Still cloudy. Still cold. Still bored.

No ballistias. Trebuchets or Catapults only

Nope

It is a really exciting challenge- I'm just a bit nervous that I'm going to find a way to screw it up. Unfortunately, slingshots, air cannons, or anything that has to do with air pressure or explosives is illegal in the projects- it's pure swinging motion. The limits are when the "arm" is fully cocked back, ready to fire. When the arm's firing, it can go as big as we want. My uncle works at a big place where they build a lot of stuff, and he's got a good bit of wood lying around. I'll probably ask him when he gets back from England this weekend. According to the Juniors, this is an amazing project. Unfortunately, can't use rockets, gunpowder, etc. (See the response a couple quotes above)

So we've been tasked with building a catapult in Physics class. Size limits: 3m x 3m x 2m (LWH) Cost limits: $20 Timeframe: Oct. 15 - Oct. 29 Projectile: Tennis Ball Self-doubt: High Also during Physics: Our class learned how to flick pennies by snapping. I'm taking cover behind my desk as tiny WMDs land all around me. I fear for my life.

Aight didn't get to submit my K1 track... Time to send in the super-racers. Car #1: K1OTR2038; the 2038 version of my K1 race car (Used in my story, Life At The Top). Car #2: FKOTG2038; the 2038 version of the Formula K car (Same as the K1, but like a junior series. Still quick though.) Prepare to have y'alls times crushed

*Debating sending in an upgraded version of @Azimech 's IndyCar, complete with extra flaps, a 3rd engine mixture, Shark Fin, and DRS*

Hearing your warnings are making me really glad that I'm living in West Texas, about 400 miles inland.

I've got one track in my head, but no pictures as of yet (I've been busy with other things). I can get y'all a track map either tonight or tomorrow depending on how my Cross Country meet goes this afternoon.

Thank you very much! I took a lot of inspiration from both your inputs as well as the history that I know for Aquaria. And I just HAD to add the AS-1 to the story- it's too cool to leave out. Also, the current in-game year is 2037, which would be about the in-canon time that the fighters would be used (If Aquaria existed at that time, which it didn't because no-one existed). Long way of saying, "I just had to add it." I mean I've had like four months to write up this chapter- this was going to be amazing.

Oh, I forgot to say this at the start, but thank you to @MiffedStarfish. His KerbalPowers nation (Aquaria) is where this race is being hosted. I've taken a lot of help from him over the course of writing this, and it's (Hopefully) paid off. He's helped me out with the culture of Aquaria, the language- just helpimg me out and make sure I get everything just right. Thanks buddy. Chapter 30: Aquaria 5:00pm, 1 Week later. Near Nomlas, Aquaria. The pristine Baskay waters shimmered beneath us as the sandy coastline blurred. The loud drone of the propellers drowned out pretty much everything, but because this was a shorter flight than normal, I didn’t mind too much. The plane was one of the older ones that served in an old war far beyond my time, but it had been refitted for short-distance transport. It could be used for longer ranges but was horribly uncomfortable, so we only used it for the trip to Aquaria and Basil respectively. I looked out the window and saw nothing but blue. Alexis was taking a power nap in the seat next to me, while Max was checking his phone. Andy and Claire discussed notes in hushed tones. I was really looking forward to the race. The track surface had just been finished a week ago, and according to some WEC drivers I talked to, the type of surface (A new, smoother asphalt seen at the Baikerbanur endurance race) was incredibly grippy. Andy had been super-secretive in his office for the last couple of weeks, which meant either something really good or really bad. This week, the Regulations got changed again for 2038, but not too massively. The diffusers were going to be a lot smaller but just as effective- reducing weight and drag but possibly aimed at minimizing air effects. Also, rear wings had been lowered for the cars, and less aerodynamic stability parts would be allowed than before- reducing the “Dirty Air” effect and hopefully allowing for closer racing. The cars were meant to be thinner in the side-pods, but lower to the ground. In the power-plant aspect, not much was different- 100 extra units of electricity would be granted for the cars to use for EPB (Electric Power Boost) or EED (Emergency Electric Drive). The cars were meant to be lighter, but again, nothing was finalized yet. On the schedule front, a couple changes were being made and finalized. First, two new Pre-Season Testing venues were on the calendar- A trip to a new KSC layout and to Dell, Delras on a brand-new circuit. Both were optional, so, of course, Andy and Claire were making us go. “Optional” my left toe. Also, a contract for the Basilian Grand Prix went down in flames, and the K1 World Championship was en route to the brand-new Feguesean Grand Prix. Max loved the circuit, and went into a day of mourning when he heard the news. Oh, and also on the schedule front, the commercial deal fell through. However, Alexis had gotten something better. Formula K was looking for a guest driver commentator for the KSC pre-season test, and Alexis had ended up getting me the deal. With the new regulations, the cars were going to be either incredibly exciting or horribly boring. Either-or. (The cars were going to be a lot less stable though, so I’d imagine it was the former option instead of the latter.) I looked out the window at the beautiful ocean, and exhaled. I wonder how long this water has been here. Longer than anyone has- My internal, “State-of-the-universe” train of thought was cut off by a tiny glint of sunlight bounced into my eye. I turned to the odd shape and saw a small fighter jet (a fraction of the size of ours) trailing off the right wing. I could see through the clear canopy and looked at the pilot, whose head rested underneath a glowing yellow ball of the reflecting sun. The pilot was looking up at our plane and smiling- giving us a quick wave. As I waved back, the pilot grinned and did a quick roll before speeding up to get on our wingtip. As he spun over a second time, I caught a look at the fairly lethal-looking missiles located on the wings. “If you’ll look out your windows, you’ll see two members of the 88th Air Wing escorting our aircraft to Nomlas.” I noticed a lightning decal behind the canopy, as well as a cluster of tiny dots underneath the pilots name (which I couldn’t read). The pilot seemed to be having a lot of fun as he bobbed and weaved around the wingtip- performing tricks for us. I turned to the aisle and saw both Claire and Andy watching the plane on their side earnestly. Probably trying to take some designs. Max, on the other hand, was very intently staring out of his window. I was about to get up and walk over to him, but as soon as I unbuckled, the pilot came over the intercom. “All pilots, prepare for landing.” The engines made it so I couldn’t yell without looking like a doofus, and as we lurched down I realized that I’d probably get killed if I didn’t sit down. The landing was uneventful, and I watched as the blue water changed to white sand to brilliant green grass. The engines roared as the ground changed to grey tarmac, and we set down with a lurch before coming to a fast stop on the runway. Everyone was forced forward against the seatbelts, but we finally stopped. The small jets flew ahead of us before landing just in front- parachutes billowing in the wind as they came to a stop. “Welcome to Nomlas, Aquaria, home to Round 6 of the K1 World Championship, as well as the OFL and WSL team: The Nomlas Dolphins. Current air temperature is a cool 74º, with a sea breeze coming in out of the Southeast at 5 miles per hour. Local time is 5:15pm. We’ll be arriving at the gate shortly.” The electric motors of the wheels whined as we drove out to the gate area, and as we pulled to a stop, the other planes- AS-1 Vultures according to the internet- pulled up beside us. “I wonder why we got an escort,” I thought out loud as we got our bags from the compartment above us. “I heard that the GPS transponders were knocked out in the storm,” Andy replied with a grunt as he got his bag down. “They probably escorted us.” He pulled and knocked into me- forcing me forward. “Geez, what’s in there?” I asked with a laugh. “A bowling ball?” Andy didn’t answer and we walked to the front. Max was still looking out his window, but as soon as the door opened he was out like a bullet. I walked down the platform and followed Max, who was waiting behind the front landing gear as the left pilot got out. “Hola,” Max muttered as the pilot got out. As the pilot took off the helmet, long, sandy brown hair tumbled down to her shoulders. Max sucked in a breath as the pilot turned, revealing a face that looked like it had spent a long time on the many beaches of Aquaria. She bunched her hair up into a bun and Max’s mouth dropped open. She didn’t look much older than Max and I- maybe a year or two at most. Max inhaled, seemed to give himself a mental pep-talk, and began walking to the plane with a confident look on his face. I walked up to the front landing gear to watch. “Hi there,” Max said happily as the pilot stepped down off the ladder. The pilot jumped a little bit before whirling around- a surprised look on her face. Then, she seemed to relax. “Ah, hello,” She said with a thick accent, seeming to try and catch her breath. “I just wanted to thank you for guiding us in for the landing and making sure we were safe… I’m Max, by the way. Max Kerman.” He extended a hand and the pilot smiled before shaking back. “Maria Carmen de Rosa Kerman. And gracias.” Max blinked and seemed to do a double-take- stepping back about a half step before shaking his head. “That’s… One heck of a name,” He sighed, making Maria laugh. Max seemed to melt a little bit for a split-second, but Maria didn’t seem to notice. I guess that’s one of those things you pick up after 15 years with someone. “I suppose,” Maria replied as she brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. I have to give it to him; Max was trying super hard. I saw his ears go bright red. “How long have you been a pilot?” At the word “pilot,” Max’s voice cracked- squeaking and making Maria sheepishly smile and making Max go a nice fire truck-red. “Three years,” Maria said. I leaned up on the gear and Alexis walked up behind me. She was about to ask something, but I shushed her with a grin on my face. “Here we see the wild Max engaging in a cautious and subtle courting ritual,” I whispered in an accent- imitating a nature documentary. “Typically this creature isn’t cautious in its actions, but this new species and the sudden change in habitat appears to have startled the once- care-free creature.” Alexis snickered and we turned back to the conversation. “It’s so much fun,” Maria sighed with a smile. “Looking down on the world from 5 kilometers up… You can’t see borders, or nations. You just see endless land. And when you fly through the clouds, it’s just pure, unending white. Like you’re the only one in the sky.” She trailed off before looking at Max. “So what is it you do?” “Well, I’m a K1 driver. We race on the fastest, most technical, incredible racetracks in the world- blasting around the track at amazing speeds. Our cars go through months- almost years of testing and designing before we all go out and compete just inches from one another. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.” It was Max’s turn to fade away with a thoughtful smile. “It sounds great,” Maria said, thinking. “I’ve never really been able to watch a race- being a pilot tends to get in the way of that. I’ve got a pass for this weekend though- I might be able to watch the race.” Max’s eyes lit up. “I’ve actually got an extra garage pass with no-one’s name to them… Would you like to join?” Maria looked surprised. “Oh no, I can’t, really. I just couldn’t take the pass from-“ Max cut her off. “Please? If you don’t take it, the passes are useless.” Maria raised an eyebrow, thinking. “I’m the first one you’ve asked, correct? I don’t want to be the person who gets invited just because no one else wanted it.” Max nodded, and I rolled my eyes. Max had tried to ask every single one of Kim’s teammates, as well as a few of their friends. He was shot down by every single one. Maria thought for a couple more moments before answering. “Okay,” She nodded with a smile. “When does the race start?” Max smiled and seemed to bob on his feet. “Awesome! Practice is tomorrow and the next day, with qualifying that afternoon. Then it’s on to the race at the end of the weekend. I promise, you’re going to love it.” “I cannot wait,” Maria said, smiling warmly before remembering the fighter jet behind her. “Do you want to maybe eat out somewhere? I know a terrific place around here.” “Really? I’d love that!” Max seemed to beam as he replied. Maria smiled again, and I thought about how that would kill my face muscles if I smiled for that long. “I’ll take this to the hangar and meet you out front.” Max looked worried. “What if we lose each other?” Maria got a marker out of her pocket and patted around for a piece of paper. She finally seemed to give up and just grabbed Max’s arm before scribbling something on his wrist- making Max blush a little bit. “My number,” Maria explained as she finished writing. “Call me if you can’t find me, okay?” Max nodded with a dopey-looking grin. “Okay,” He replied a bit late as Maria walked up the ladder to the cockpit. “I’ll see you!” Maria smiled and waved before the canopy closed. The engine gently rose in volume as the plane started departing back towards the hangar. Max started walking over, and Alexis and I struck up a quick, “Look natural” pose that had us leaning on the nose gear. As soon as Max saw my (admittedly failed) attempt to cover up a smile, he pointed menacingly at me with a scowl. “Shut it,” He growled, making me laugh and extend my hands out in protest. “What?!” I asked in a defensive tone- still trying (in vain) not to smile. “I didn’t say anything! I was just standing here. Last I checked, I have the right to stand wherever I please!” Max fumed as we walked to the baggage claim. “Yeah, well you were going to,” He said angrily as he grabbed his bag from the rack. This got the attention of Andy, who walked over. “When did Max get a new girlfriend?” Andy chuckled as Max whirled around. “She’s not my-“ He was cut off by the laughter of the team, which made him turn a shade of red that would have made a tomato jealous. “She’s not,” He said in disgust as he waved his hand- sitting in a chair. “Writing her number on your wrist, making you go beet-red at the very mention of her, and going out to dinner with her,” Alexis listed off with a smirk. “Face it- you like her.” Max sat in his seat with a sour mood before Maria walked out about about five minutes later. She was wearing a T-shirt with some kind of foreign writing on it (I didn’t understand it), with some jeans. Max gulped and stood up; looking like he was about to pass out. “Are you ready,” Max asked with what looked to be a very nervous smile. I couldn’t believe my eyes! Ever since we’d been old enough to know what dating was, Max had been on the lookout for every pretty girl within a one-mile radius. During the early years of high school, that range was extended to around 3- giving him the nickname “Radar” (for his ability to find anyone). But right now, instead of the confident, devil-may-care Max, a shy and timid Max was on display. What the heck? “Si,” Maria replied with an almost relieved smile. “I must admit, for a second I thought you would forget me.” Max looked surprised. “Why would I do that?” Maria shrugged, looking doubtful. She was about to answer, but saw Alexis and I. “Oh, hola! Are you Max’s friends?” Max turned, and, almost faking surprise, looked at us as Maria came over. “Hi there,” Alexis said, shaking Maria’s hand. “I’m Alexis.” Maria nodded and I stood up- giving my own handshake. “Jebediah Kerman; lead driver for OTech and Max’s… Teammate. Friends is kind of a loose term I’d guess.” Alexis playfully hit my shoulder, and I looked straight over Maria’s head and right at Max. “And the current points leader.” Maria tilted her head, confused. “So there are two drivers in a team?” We went to her bright-yellow car before I answered. “Yes, two drivers. And currently, I happen to be leading.” Right then, Max appeared to be overcome by a coughing fit, with the last cough sounding surprisingly like, “Solari!” I felt the need to retaliate. “Owlia,” I coughed back as the car started. Max fired back. “Baskay!” “Tekkia!” “Cheater!” “Didn’t cheat,” I wheezed. “Same car.” Maria was about to interject- likely to offer us a cough-drop- but Alexis cut her off with a shake of her head. “It’s okay,” She said with a sigh. “Just being stupid. Always trying to one-up each other.” Maria put the drop back in her bag before pulling away from the stoplight. “Do they do this often?” Maria raised an eyebrow from the drivers seat, which (for whatever reason) was on the right side of the car. “Only every other day or so,” Alexis half-joked. “I’ve learned it’s better to ignore them and let them tire each other out instead of get in the middle of it. They usually stop when someone notices, 45 minutes, 5 series, or the first-thrown small food.” She sighed and tapped my shoulder. “Hungry?” I looked at her, and thought for a moment. “Yeah, sure,” I replied as Max was bent over into an actual coughing fit- giving me a slight break from the historical assault and sounding like he was coughing up a hairball. Or a lung. Or a combination of the two. Max let out one final cough of, “Tekkia ’36,” which made me glare daggers at him. “So Maria,” Alexis said, trying to distract her from the inevitable bloody murder that was about to occur in the back seat of her stylish car. “I can’t help but notice that you speak really good Owlian.” Alexis sounded like she was stepping on hot coals, but Maria just nodded. “Si. My mother was actually Owlian, and I went to University of Owlia-Angel City for my abroad studies during University. I guess I picked up a little bit when I was there. I’ve also served a couple of weeks of deployment in Liberty- beautiful town. I guess it’s just been easy to pick up after so long.” Max seemed to recover but didn’t dare say anything after my Glare of Doom (™). We finally turned into the parking lot. “What’s this,” I asked as the car came to a stop and we all got out. “The best quesadillas in the country,” Maria responded. “And fajitas. Basically anything jalapeños. Trust me, you will love it.” We walked in and I was instantly attacked by noise the place was filled with dinner customers, and I could see at least 80 people in this one room. “Ah, I see a spot,” Maria said, leading us to a booth. A waitress came over and Maria started up a conversation. I tried to follow along, but I just couldn’t keep up with the rapid-fire language that was Aquarian. At one point, I heard, “Max and Jebediah Kerman,” and “OTech,” and the waitress looked at us. She then asked something, and Maria turned to us. “What would you like to drink?” Maria asked, relaying the information. We all asked for water, and Maria repeated the response back to the waitress who nodded, scribbled something down on a notepad, and walked off. Max was looking at the menu and considering what to eat- pointing at something and asking Maria what it was. Maria looked at the menu. Then at Max. And then back to the menu- almost like she was watching an invisible tennis match. “Really?” Maria asked, looking cautious. “It’s a bit hot- even for me…” Max shrugged. “I can handle it,” Max replied confidently. Maria smirked in a, “Just you wait,” look as Max continued. “I love spicy food- eat it all the time back home.” I sighed and began eyeing a tasty-looking taco. As the waitress came back, we all ordered. When Maria said Max’s order, the waitress looked at Max- an eyebrow raised. Then, she leaned down and muttered something to Maria. Maria just shook her head- a confused yet interested look on her face. As the waitress departed, I could see her shaking her head. “So, Maria,” I started after sipping my water. “What’s Aquaria like?” “Oh, it is just beautiful,” She answered with a smile. “In the summer, when the birds come in, the trees are just filled with colors. And the beaches- they are all just so… perfect. It’s just amazing to lay down on the sand for hours and hours and just listen to the waves. You almost lose yourself in the beauty of it all.” She sighed wistfully. “So what is Owlia like? I have heard the west is amazing.” “Well,” Alexis said, smirking. “In the summer, the weather’s hot but kind of tolerable. In the winter, it’s impossibly cold. We typically get 2 or 3 inches of snow thanks to the North Lake. But the city life is just amazing. There’s so much to do everywhere, and everyone is just so amazingly nice. You should visit some time.” “I hope I can,” Maria agreed, nodding. “Normally when I get a break I hang out on the beach or watch KClips at my apartment. I must admit, I am kind of what you call a ‘Couch Potato.’” Max looked surprised. Maria saw him and laughed. “Yes, yes, I know. I’m just a massive Renegades fan though. If I am not careful, I end up watching the show all the way until the next day.” She chuckled. “I know that it sounds silly, but my friends always joke that if being a fighter pilot does not work out, I could become a professional TV watcher.” We all laughed and Max smiled. “I love that show,” He exclaimed, smiling. “What season are you on?” Maria thought for a moment before answering. “Season… three, I think,” She replied. “Anna almos-“ She was cut off as Max covered his ears. “Spoilers,” He yelled, making Maria smile. “Okay,” She smirked. “No spoilers; just for you.” The waitress finally came with our food and Max cautiously uncovered his ears. “Oh, finally,” I said- preparing to bite into my taco. “This looks so good.” I was about to bite in, but Maria gave me a stern look that just oozed,”Try it.” “First,” She said, grabbing Max’s hand. “We should give a prayer.” I was a bit confused, but went along with it and held Alexis’s hand. The prayer was in Aquarian, so I couldn’t understand it very well, but I got the feeling that goodness was being thrown our way instead of bad vibes. It sounded pretty, though. I bit into my taco and (I’m not ashamed to admit) melted a little bit inside. Alexis was seeming to enjoy her fish, and Max… Max coughed and I looked up mid-bite to see that his face was bright red. Maria looked over and he nodded- giving a pained smile that reminded me of the time he accidentally swallowed a bee in the 6th grade. “Tastes good,” He choked. I tried not to chuckle as I kept eating. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Maria smirking as she bit into her food. When I looked up a couple minutes later, Max’s face was even redder, and I could see a couple of beads of sweat on his forehead as he sipped down some water. He took one more bite, but his mouth couldn’t take any more. “HOT!” Max’s eyes bugged out as he bent over and spat a pepper back onto his plate and grabbing his water glass. He started chugging it down- ice cubes and all. Maria couldn’t help but laugh and patted Max’s back as he panted for air. I slowly finished chewing, and, in a very calm voice, attempted to hide the fact I was rolling on the ground inside. “Feeling okay?” Max didn’t have the energy to answer as he picked the rest of the apparent death peppers out of his food. Maria gladly took them as she gave him a sad smile. “It is okay,” she said in a soft tone as Alexis looked like she was trying really hard not to laugh- grinning down at her food. “It is one of the hottest foods on the order. Max looked like he was blushing, but I couldn’t really tell any difference from his already red face. We kept on eating a little while longer, before we were all done. Maria took the check before I or Max could get a grab at it, and when I tried to get it back, she shook her head. “I insist,” She protested. “You all have been so kind to me, it is the least I can do.” I looked at Alexis for help, and she shrugged. I sighed and put my wallet back in my pocket. “Fine,” I sighed, before exclaiming, “Dibs on the tip!” Max threw his napkin on the table. “Come on! That wasn’t even fair!” Maria raised an eyebrow, and I explained. “It’s kind of an honor thing between drivers,” I said. “Whoever pays is typically the guy everyone likes the most or who is considered the ‘Good Guy’ in a team. Max and I always go at each other for it.” Maria nodded and put some bills in the folder. “Fine,” She smiled, before muttering, “Good luck figuring out the conversion anyways,” in a hushed tone. My mind went into overdrive, and I took a quick peek at the check to figure out what the heck I was doing. Finally, after figuring out a number that worked, we all got up and I slipped some extra bills in the folder. “Gracias,” Maria waved to the hostess, who said something back as we stepped out. The sky was already dark, and cars honked on the streets as they drove past. “Well that was fun,” Alexis said as we went out to the curb. We got out to the curb and a valet went out to get Maria’s car. (What a funny word; Valet. Kind of just rolls off the tongue.) “Yeah,” I agreed, smiling. “We got to eat some new food, introduce ourselves to a new culture, and watch Max go up like a volcano.” Max fixed me an angry death glare. “Overall, pretty good day.” Maria smiled and held Max’s hand- making Alexis smile and Max blush. I raised an eyebrow with a smirk, but Max didn’t respond. “It is getting a little bit late,” Maria said as the car pulled up. “Would you mind joining me at my apartment, Max? Maybe we could catch up on Renegades.” Max looked to be incapable of speech as the car came to a stop in front of us- either still being affected by the jalapeños or by Maria’s question. “Uh…” Max’s mind seemed to go blank. He looked to me and Alexis. I just shrugged, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Alexis give an almost imperceptible nod. He turned to Maria and shifted on his feet as he stepped up to the curb. “Yeah, sure,” he replied, watching the street. Despite the coastal setting, the air was crisp and cool. Alexis gave an almost silent squeal- similar to the noise you hear whenever someone says, “You like someone,” in high school. Max turned back to us as if he hadn’t just asked us for our opinion five seconds ago. “Is that okay with y’all?” He somehow looked both apologetic and incredibly gloating at the same time- a special talent. “The bags should already be at the hotel. I’ll be back… Maybe.” I swear I saw him wink to me. “Yeah sure, go ahead,” I said, waving as Maria stepped into the drivers seat (On the right side of the car). “Just remember; Claire wants to hold the team meeting a little earlier- we’re all supposed to be at the trailer at nine tomorrow morning, just a couple hours before FP1.” I gave Max a low high-five and pulled him in close. “I swear if you’re not there, Claire’s going to kill you.” Max shoved me away with a chuckle, and I stepped back to the curb as a yellow cab pulled to a stop right behind. Maria waved before pulling out from the curb- Max in the passenger seat. “I hope he’ll be okay,” Alexis said in a cautious tone as we got into the cab. I handed the cab driver the address to the hotel and we pulled away from the restaurant. I shrugged and pulled out my phone- checking the results of the WSL Stars game (A disappointing 2-1 loss against the Arrows). “He’ll be fine,” I said. “He’s probably going to be there 5 minutes, do something stupid, get hit, and then take a taxi back to the hotel.” Alexis sighed and shrugged. “I’m calling it now; he’ll be back before midnight; one if he can’t find a taxi.” —— I was watching some TV- Renegades- and did my best to try to understand it. The year is 2055. The Eastern States of Owlia have broken away from the United Territories of Rivera- the last remnants of the old Owlian Union. Now, the fires of war have never been as fierce, as- “Okay, so hang on,” I said to myself- pausing the show and talking aloud. I considered for a moment, before resuming. -the forces square off toe-to-toe in the apocalyptic River City. River City: 2039. 16 Years earlier… “That sky is just gorgeous, isn’t it, Cal?” “Amazing…” [Loud droning] “What the..?” “I’m getting locked on! Evasive maneuvers!” “Watch out, he’s on your tail!” “Yeah, I see him… Trying to shake free.” “These are Angel City planes! We’re getting fired on by our own troops!” “I’m hit!” [Lead plane explodes] “Control, this is Gregory Kerman- We’ve been fired on by our own aircraft! I repeat, we’ve been-“ [Secondary plane explodes] I paused it again and rubbed my eyes. This makes no sense, I thought to myself. I sat still for a few more moments, before sighing and hitting play. I kept watching before a knock at the door interrupted me. I paused the show and got up- rubbing my eyes and yawning. I looked out the little view hole and saw Alexis standing at the door, looking anxious. I sighed and opened the door. “It’s 2am,” I said, sounding about as tired as I felt. “Is he back yet?” Alexis looked about as tired as me. “It’s 2am,” I replied, leaning on the door frame and scratching at the back of my head. “Doesn’t change the question,” Alexis replied, crossing her arms and giving a half-angry, half-exhausted frown. “Doesn’t change my answer.” Alexis threw her hands up as we went into the room. “Well can’t you call him?” She sounded like a worried parent as I closed the door. “I already have!” I flopped onto the bed- bouncing once before settling back where I had been. “Five times!” Alexis sighed. “If he doesn’t want to pick up, I can’t do a thing about it!” She shook her head. “Well, it’s late. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” Alexis gave me a quick kiss, before I hugged her back. She got up and went to the door- turning and waving. “Goodnight,” She said before the door clicked shut. “Night,” I responded quietly with a smile of my own before turning the TV off and shutting off the light. 9:00am, The next day. Practice for Round 6 of 10: Aquaria. Circuito internacional de Acuario. The next morning, Claire and Andy walked into the briefing room. Claire looked at the table and tilted her head in confusion- seeing only me at the table. The room itself was really nice- white interior, clean looks, glass table- it looked incredibly modern. Claire set her stuff down on a desk. “Where’s Max,” She asked- making me look up from my phone and shrug. “Probably out with Maria,” I replied in a disinterested tone before going back to my phone. “Who’s Maria?” Andy set his stuff down and sat next to me. “Max’s new girlfriend,” He responded- making Maria’s eyes bulge out a little bit and her nostrils flare out. I looked at him and shook my head. “I’d say more of a crush,” I replied- prepared to offer my argument before Claire slammed her spiral on the table with a loud and sharp crack. We both turned and Claire closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and exhale anxiously. “Damnit, Max,” she mumbled quietly before getting out her laptop and getting the track briefing set up. Just then, Max burst into the briefing room- practically flying into his chair and almost rolling across the room. “Hey guys,” Max exclaimed happily- beaming. “What’d I miss?” His hair was all… everywhere, and I saw what looked like a fain outline of something red on his cheek. Claire’s face was absolutely furious, but I swear I could see something different in her eyes. Almost like hurt. “About time,” Andy muttered with a smirk- looking at his watch as Claire started. The screen changed to a satellite view of the track- zooming in over the beach before showing the track itself. Stats flashed up on the screen, and I let myself be distracted for a moment as the track layout formed. Nomlas, Aquaria Turns: 25 Length: 3.72km (2.31mi) DRS Zones: 2 (T14-17, T25-1) Laps: 19 “This track is unlike anything that’s ever been made,” Claire said as the screen changed again. The track formed up, and zoomed in on the start line, which showed a simulation. The sim started going along the straight. “The front straight is the longest and widest on the entire track, so a good run out of the final corner is crucial. About a quarter of the way down the straight, the straight starts to turn away to the right. Over there bridge, there’s a tiny bump, but it won’t affect you too much. “Now, entering Turn 1 is a real struggle. On braking, the track slides downhill on you just a tad, and you’ve got to go downhill, brake, and turn at the same time. Into Turn 2, you’ve got the track leveling out on the hairpin apex- brake early as you go uphill a tiny bit and carry the momentum all the way up the corner. Then it’s hard downhill run- braking late for Turn 3. “There’s grass on the exit but despite how it looks you can take a lot more speed than you’d think. Then, into the underpass, the light can mess with your eyes a bit, but it ends fast. Going through 4, keep the throttle planted- flying up to brake for Turn 5. Don’t slow down too hard, but snap back and sacrifice the exit to get the chicane right. It’s almost a carbon-copy of the Temple- mount the curbs and fly through. Attack the curbing to get a good run down the straight into the Turn 9 hairpin. You can take Turns 10 and 11 flat-out… We think. The car’s going to get really light on the direction change, but don’t let the car get the best of you. Worst-case, you get a tank slapper and get onto the runoff. You go up a tiny hill, and the next turn is 12- a real pain. The corner is kind of like a hairpin, but it’s got a kink right after. Don’t take the curbing in 13 but you can take a little bit in 12. “Fly into 14 at max speed, and run over the curbing to get max speed. DRS right on exit as you start heading uphill just a little bit- really high speeds in 15 and 16. Huge hill in the middle of 16- the cars are going to bottom out, but not enough to do real damage to the floor. Brake hard for 17 to make 18 and 19. The car can definitely take on the curbing at low speeds, so get right on top of them in the technical section. “Tight apex at 22 before the downhill Turn 23 and 24. On 24’s exit, you get DRS again on the second-longest straight. Walls right next to the track, but it’s wide enough to not be a problem. Then over the bridge, you’ve got to be brave on the Turn 25 braking zone. Get on the curbing around the stands, and then don’t lose the traction.” The sim passed the start/finish line, and went dark. “Sound good?” We nodded and Claire unplugged her laptop- sitting down next to me, across from Max. Andy stood up to start talking about the car setup and the car design for the race. “This week, we experimented around with a more open setup in terms of aerodynamics. We’ve done away with the I-wing because, if you read the report like I told you to last week-“ He shot us an annoyed glare before continuing. “K1 decided it was too extreme and told us to get rid of it. So, of course, we did. You shouldn’t feel too much loss of downforce, but don’t be surprised if the car catches you out just a bit.” Claire looked like she was trying to focus, but couldn’t handle it. “Excuse me,” She whispered as she picked up her laptop and papers. She quickly wiped her eye before opening the sliding glass door- closing it with such a force that the fogged glass cracked with a loud slam. Max jumped up and looked around, startled. “Sorry, I tuned out,” He said- looking at the door with a red face. “What happened?” I rolled my eyes and Andy jogged out to check on Claire- carefully closing the door to not throw glass everywhere. Max sighed and closed his eyes- resting in the back of the chair. About five minutes later, Andy popped his head in. “Hey guys, Claire’s not feeling too good. Practice starts in a couple hours, so go ahead and get something to eat while we wait.” He grabbed the laptop and took it with him as he walked away. Max and I sat for a few moments before I got up with a sigh. “You were late,” I said as we walked out of the hauler. “What happened, overslept?” Max shrugged as we got down the steps to the paddock- going a little red around the cheeks. We got past the other teams haulers as other mechanics took the cars out of trailers and down to the garage (Ours was carried in by truck yesterday). “Okay,” He muttered with a shrug as he showed the guard his pass. I rolled my eyes, and we stepped out of the gate and into an infield parking lot. “Come on, just ‘okay?’” Max shook his head, trying not to laugh likely. “Give me a hint at least,” I said, smiling as Alexis walked over to us- a bag and cup of coffee in her hand. “Hey,” she smiled- giving me a hug. “Quick briefing, huh?” I nodded. “You could say that,” I replied- flashing a glance at Max. Alexis handed me the bag and cup. “Doughnuts and coffee,” she said as I opened the bag. “The breakfast of champions.” I smirked and took a sip of quite possibly the best coffee I’ve ever had in my life. “So how was last night?” I almost choked on my coffee as Max rolled his eyes. “Well, we went to the apartment, watched some TV, and I fell asleep on the couch. That’s it.” His eyes gave it away. “Uh huh,” Alexis nodded with a smirk as she crossed her arms. “Suuuuuuure.” “Really,” Max protested as a canary-yellow sports car pulled up into the lot. “I was only late because the alarm went off late. I planned to get here on-time, I promise.” Alexis smirked before grabbing his shirt and turning him- looking at a spot around his cheek and grinning. “Hey!” Max tried to wriggle his way out, but I looked. There was a faint red outline that looked suspiciously like lipstick. I chuckled and Max broke away- whirling around. I backed off and laughed while taking a defensive stance in case he threw punches. Just then, someone got up behind Max and covered his eyes. “Hola, Max,” Maria said with a smile as Max turned around and gave her a kiss. “Hey babe,” He smirked as they parted. “You were right, the taxi’s faster.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as we walked out to a grassy hill next to the track. Maria noticed us and smiled. “Hola, guys. How was the night?” I shrugged. “Tried to watch Renegades, but didn’t really get it. First episodes weren’t that good in my op-“ Max whirled as Maria glared at me. “What?!” “Don’t you dare insult the best show in the history of the universe,” Max said, sounding like I had just offended his mother. “How could you ever say such things,” Maria asked- a look of hatred and infuriation on her face. I shook my head and took another sip. “How was y’alls night,” Alexis asked in an innocent-enough tone. I almost spit out my coffee as Max turned red and Maria’s cheeks went pink. She’s got to stop doing that, I thought to myself- choking down the coffee. “Good,” Maria replied- trying to play it off. We all sat down on a park bench and I looked out at the track. The officials hadn’t allowed anything out on track yet- no recon vehicles, no safety crews- no-one could even walk on the track yet. It bugged me to no end. I walked up to the fence and sighed at the perfectly smooth surface. I felt Max walk up behind me. “It looks so perfect,” I whispered, staring at the Turn 10 and 11 section. “So grippy and smooth… I wish we could get some laps in- just get a feel for it, you know?” Max nodded and seemed to be studying the track for a moment or two. “How fast do you think we can go,” Max asked in an equally quiet whisper. “One-forty? Two-flat? I’d say under two-ten for sure.” I nodded. “Forty or fifty. All depends on that technical section, I’d say. Turn one’s going to be awful- downhill, off-camber…” We talked for a few more moments, and watched while planes and birds flew overhead. I felt a buzz in my pocket, and pulled out my phone to check the message. “Hey, Andy just texted- we’ve got to head to the garage and suit up.” Those two hours had gone by fast, and we rushed back to the garage. As Max and I slipped on the firesuit, Maria pulled up a chair in the garage. The garage was set up in a standard way, except for a large blue tarp covering where the cars would normally be. The garage was empty (Except for Maria and Alexis), and I got on my hands and knees to get a peek under the tarp to see my car. “Oooh gosh,” I sighed- getting up and putting the tarp back. “That’s quite possibly the best livery we’ve ever had,” I said- sitting at the telemetry desk. Max, with a raised eyebrow, went over to his car and tried to look under. However, just as he pulled up the sheet just a little bit, Claire burst in and shouted, “Hey!” Max turned. “What?!” He extended his hands out like he hadn’t done anything wrong- resting on his knees as Claire snapped the tarp back down into place. “Quit,” She snapped- throwing as much hatred as she could into the single word. Max looked like he was about to protest, but the death glare made him kind of shrink back. Max sighed and got up as Claire went over to her laptop. “Claire, I’m sorry for being late this morning,” he said, as Claire turned. “It was extremely rude, inconsiderate, and unprofessional. I apologize.” Claire looked surprised, and Max coughed a little bit before going on. “Also, I’m sorry if I hurt you in any way. It wasn’t my intention at all. I promise that from now, I’ll keep my personal life out of my driving.” He extended a hand. “Deal?” “Uh… sure,” she replied, shaking Max’s hand. “I apologize for storming out of the briefing. It was childish, stupid, and idiotic. I hope that this doesn’t affect our relationship.” She turned and saw Maria, before walking over. Max looked like he was bracing for an explosion as Claire went over. “Hi there,” she said as Maria stood up. “I’m Claire- Max’s engineer. You must be Maria, I’ve heard so much already.” “Ah, so you’re Claire! Max said you are the best engineer on the grid, yes?” Claire went a little red at the ears and smiled sheepishly. “Really?” Maria nodded, and I saw Claire puff her chest out a little with pride. “So are you planning to stay the whole weekend? It’s probably the best seat in the house if I’m honest with you.” Maria smiled and nodded. “I hope so,” She said- watching as the rest of the team started to file in. “Max promised that it would be a great race.” Andy came in and closed up the garage door- whistling sharply for attention. “Alright, listen up!” The call made everyone look up from their job. “Practice starts in 15 minutes, so let’s get set. Go ahead and uncover the cars and let’s get started.” The team got all set up around the car, and Max and I got in front of the cars. In unison, Andy and Claire pulled the dark blue tarp off the cars. I was stunned as I saw the beautiful livery for the first time in full. The cars body was a wonderful midnight blue, which glowed in the spotlights above us. On the shark fin, a pearly white paint gleamed- light reflecting off the bright, almost Crome finish. My number was the same midnight blue as the rest of the car, which stood out boldly and sharp against the fin. “It’s beautiful,” Max whispered as he rubbed his number 33 softly. “Spent a full week working on it,” Andy said, smiling admiringly at the cars. “We were thinking about a throwback livery, but with 500 coming up next season, we decided to leave it for Basil onward. You’ll take the classic from Basil through to next season to OTech’s 50th season in K1. I’m thinking maybe running the full classic in practice only, but that’s for Matty to decide.” Max turned, and Andy sighed- holding up a photo and handing it to Max. He looked for a few moments- in absolute awe at the picture in front of him. “Holy crud,” Max sighed, running his fingers over the paper. I went over to take my own look. The car was a light sky blue, with white accents that rendered it near-invisible on the white background. I noticed that the rear of the car and the front wing was marked out with scribbles and notes as Andy dealt with the rule change proposals. Near the edge of the shark fin (which was basically just a dashed line with various design proposals), there was a yellow number 50- with Golden SL/FR flaps on the barge-boards. “Not too shabby,” I said, nodding at the picture. I was about to ask what our design was going to be, but my watch went off. 5 minutes until practice. The team got the tires onto the car, and everything was set. “Well, that was fun and all,” I sighed. “But it’s go-time.” I put on the gloves and got up into the car- laying down in the cockpit and getting set up. “I’d really like to be the first one out,” I told Andy over the radio as the timer ticked down. “Just saying.” The doors opened up and I got set down while Andy waited out at the entrance to give me the go command. Finally, I got out, and went down the pit lane to the end of the line. The lights were pure red, and I stopped where I was- waiting for the timer to tick down. The engine hummed, and my radio crackled to life with a chuckle. “Look behind you,” Max laughed from behind me. I checked my mirror and couldn’t help but laugh as I saw the train of cars behind us. Everyone wanted to get out on the new track, as seen by all 20 cars out in the pit lane waiting for the session to start. I chuckled as the lights went green and I peeled out of the pit lane. This race was going to be a fun one.

*Sets 300 part limit* *Makes it literally 299 parts* I kid of course- fantastic build!

So homecoming is Friday, and of course, the standard problems of who's asking who is comign up. I was going to ask one girl- she's good at sports, fun to hang out with, and (best of all in my opinion) on the same intellectual level as me! I was going to ask her today after lunch- I had a speech and everything. "Was." She got asked during lunch... By a senior... And she said yes... God I hate school