Imani
“Are you nervous?” Daymir asks.
“Never. This is what I do,” I respond, all smiles.
I’ve been smiling since I pulled up and realized that this is a race. He found this for me and brought me here.
Today started off great and now this. I woke up this morning with six figures in my bank account.
My severance package was deposited and even after those disrespectful taxes, I got a nice lump sum.
I paid the remainder of my lease up and paid off the remaining six months on my car insurance policy.
I’m really good with my finances so I should be fine with taking six months off to decompress.
Truthfully, I should have taken time after Imari but I didn’t.
I was in too much of a hurry to get out of Diamond Cove but now, I can rest, relax, and do something fun.
There’s a cooking spot in town, On the Table, that offers interactive cooking courses and I’ve been interested in its six-week Elevate your Palette course for a minute now.
A wonderful morning and now a great ass night.
I’m so excited; I can barely hold it in. I didn’t realize how much I missed this and I had no idea that they even raced here in Crescent Falls. I thought I left racing behind in Diamond Cove; I’m glad I didn’t because nothing beats a race, nothing.
The racing scene is always full of adrenaline, egos, fast cars, and loud mouths.
Drivers are here to stunt, prove a point, and leave victorious and the spectators are here to soak it all up.
I’m here for it all. My heart is pounding with excitement.
My hands are itching to control my steering wheel and the pads of my feet are tingling. I’m ready to drive and drive fast.
“You race a lot?”
“No. Driving is what I do, racing just adds another layer of excitement. It’s been a minute though. I haven’t raced in a year so I’m stoked and ready. But are you nervous?” I ask because he looks hella anxious. Things popped off in the races ahead of mine.
The winner from the first crotch rockets race was so amped that he paid extra to hop in the third race.
I don’t know if it was his ego or what but at the start of the race, he accelerated too fast. His rear wheel lost grip and snapped back.
He was thrown from his bike and landed on the shoulder.
The race between the two crotch rockets was eventful too.
After the driver of a white mustang lost miserably to a clean matte blue charger, the driver of the Mustang jumped bad but Blue Charger shut it down quick.
We heard a gun was pulled. Egos and men always start shit.
“Nah. I’m straight,” he assures.
“Good because I got this. Trust me. I’m going to win your money back,” I assure him.
“I’m not worried about the money. That smile on your face is worth it already.” The bull horn sounds; I’m up. He leans over my middle console then kisses me with so much passion. “Good luck,” he says before getting out of my ride.
“With this loud nigga, I don’t need it,” I assure him. Then, as I do each race, I grip my brother’s chain that’s hanging from my rearview mirror, close my eyes, and say my quick prayer. “Dear Heavenly Father, take me fast from start to finish and keep me safe the entire way,” I pray.
When Juice matched me, my opponent talked mad shit.
He complained about racing a girl like this isn’t the twenty-first fucking century.
I ignored his loud ass and let his words roll of my back but Daymir was getting heated.
I had to stand in front of him to keep him off this nigga’s ass.
I can’t wait until I dust him and leave his little royal blue NISMO in my smoke.
The ATV pulls in front of us and the girl behind the driver stands.
For the actual races, she has white bandanas in each hand.
She raises them up and we both rev our engines.
My hand is firmly planted, ready to shift into drive as soon as she drops her hands.
Seconds later, she does and I’m off. Focused only on the railroad tracks ahead, I accelerate and make it there in less than forty seconds. He crosses seconds later.
“Shit! Yes!” I scream as I release my foot from the gas. My baby starts to slow but my heart doesn’t. It’s beating as fast as I was driving and I’m on cloud-fucking-nine. “Yes!”
I ride a little further, U-turn, then pace back to claim my money and talk shit. NISMO is already back at the start when I pull up. Daymir is standing by Juice with a smile on his handsome face. When I shift into park, I see NISMO get out and start walking my way. So, I get out, ready to talk shit.
Juice walks over with Daymir right behind him. When he hands the money to me, NISMO tries to knock it down. A few bills fly away but Juice’s grip saves the rest.
“Show some fucking respect, lil nigga,” Daymir barks.
“Mase, chill before this is your last race.”
“Juice, fuck that and fuck this cheating bitch! She p-”
Mase’s words are cut off by Daymir’s fist under his chin. It lands so damn hard I swear I hear something crack or crush. Mase’s body slams back on the road and something flies out of his mouth.
“Fuck! His teeth,” somebody yells.
Daymir steps right over him and crowds my space. He looks down at Mase with rage. “Watch yo’ fucking mouth, my nigga,” he warns with a menacing scowl. His expression immediately softens when he turns to face me. “You good?” he asks.
“I’m great. I won.” I smirk then smile. “And once again you save me.”
Juice nods back towards his truck and the curvy flag girl blows the bullhorn. She walks it over to him then Juice speaks into it.
“Enough of this shit tonight. Leave the damn egos off the road. We race here. That’s it; that’s all. If you can’t take losing, don’t fucking come to my starting line. Next race in ten. Who’s in?”
He hands me my cash then motions for me to move my ride. Daymir insists on moving it, so, I let him. After he just stepped behind me, I have no problem letting him drive.
A few men come over to Mase. Two help him up and another gets into his ride and drives it to the side.
Then as if nothing even happened, two more cars pull up to race, a Corvette and Mustang and I move out of the way.
That’s when I spot a pretty ass wine Hellcat with dark boys on the windows.
A pretty, short sistah that looks kind of familiar is leaning against it and she’s standing next to the driver of the matte blue charger.
He walks off as I approach. Her Hellcat caught my attention first, naturally, but her face is making me approach her.
“Hey,” I say.
“Great race. Congrats,” she says.
“Thanks,” I say.
“Hey don’t think I’m crazy or nothing but are you Imani?” she asks.
“Why you ask?”
“Breezy told me that one of my Hellcat Barbie sisters lived here and drives a bad ass orange Hellcat.”
“Fire orange,” I say with a smile. She’s a Hellcat Barbie; I knew I recognized her face. I just don’t know her name because we’ve never actually met. “But yes. I’m Imani.”
“I’m Dash,” she says and it hits me.
“You we’re the DJ at Breezy’s engagement party. I remember your face.”
“That was me,” she confirms, smiling.
“What are you doing in Crescent Falls?”
“I just moved here. Could stay in Diamond Cove anymore, you know?” she says with words I’m much too familiar with.
“Yea. I know exactly how you feel. Well, I’ve only been here for about ten months. I haven’t learned everything about Crescent Falls but I imagine I know more than you.”
“True,” she says while nodding.
“We Hellcat Barbies have to stick together. Let me give you my number,” I say and she pulls her cell out of her pocket. After unlocking it, she passes it to me. I enter my number and hand it back. “I do know a nice chill spot, Day Lux. Hit me if you want to go.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“I’m about to go. I have a big man waiting for me,” I say while smiling. Daymir bringing me to this race is everything and I can’t stop thinking about how sweet this was. “I’ll stay if you’re racing.”
“You can go take care of your man. I’m not racing tonight.”
I’m definitely going to take care of him.
“Alright. I’m out. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will.”
We hug then part ways. She walks towards the Mustang driver and I head back over to Daymir. He’s standing outside of my ride and his eyes are fixated on me.
“Are you ready to go?” I ask him as soon as I reach him.
“Are you?”
“I am but can you drive?” I ask and he pulls me into his big, muscular body.
“I thought driving you was a privilege.”
“It is but you’ve earned it. Tonight was amazing. Even if I hadn’t won, it still would have been absolutely the best night. You found a race and brought me here. You did good with this. Thank you.”
“You welcome.” After leaning in and kissing me, he opens my passenger door and I slide in.
He gets in next and he backs out and heads in the opposite direction of the races.
We end up bending a curve and going down a two-lane road before we are back on a highway I recognize.
“Do you want something before we get to your crib?”
“Breakfast. Late night breakfast is always good after a race or ride.”
“It’s almost midnight. Not much is open. There’s a twenty-four-hour taco place that has breakfast burritos.”
“No. I’m talking pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausage.”
“I know a joint but it’s bout an hour from here.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
“You really want this breakfast,” he comments.
“I do,” I admit then smile. “My brother would always take me to breakfast after a night race,” I reveal.
“Your brother?”
“Yeah. My twin brother.”
“I thought you were an only child like me.”
“I am now,” I utter. It still hurts every time I admit that out loud. I miss Imari every day.
“Oh, baby, I’m sorry. What happened?”
“Somebody killed him last year. That’s the real reason I moved here. The hospital was the second reason. I needed to get away from the place that took him from me.”