25. LYCA
Chapter 25
LYCA
“ G o, go, go…” I cried out from the sidelines as I watched four or five cars make the final turn on the track.
The atmosphere at the Monaco Grand Prix was electric, the air buzzing with intense excitement. The stands were filled with cheering fans, their voices blending together in a cacophony of noise.
Our team's racers had all performed admirably, but it was Xander who had truly stood out. He had been driving like a man possessed, pushing himself and his car to the limit.
As the race neared its end, I spotted Xander's red car, locked in a fierce battle with a competitor from another team. Drake was not far behind, holding his own in third place. I could hardly contain my excitement, jumping up and down as I cheered them on.
You can do this, Xander.
For an instant, several images from the previous night flashed in my head.
Xander and I making out in the kitchen, Xander and I making love on the floor.
Xander and I having a “flour fight” and making a total mess, laughing our heads off when the cleaners shook their heads in disbelief.
Xander and I gently kissed under the moonlight on the balcony.
The screams and cheers around me jolted me back to reality. The final lap was a nail-biter, with Xander and his rival trading places several times. But in the end, it was Xander who crossed the finish line first, his car streaking past in a blur of speed. The crowd erupted into cheers, and I felt a surge of pride and joy at his victory.
“Oh, my god! Oh, my god!” I yelled, jumping up and down, a tear or two falling down my cheeks. “He won first place! He won!”
I rushed toward the racers who were just coming down from their cars. Immediately, I spotted Xander’s light brown hair and familiar profile. He looked absolutely stunning in his bright blue racing uniform, which was a stark contrast to his red race car. Surrounded by officials and media people, he glowed with confidence and joy like never before. Soon he was joined by Drake, Andrew, John, and a couple of our other racers. Someone took photos of them together. I was soaring with pride for all of them, but most especially for Xander.
His gaze swept the crowd, searching, until it found me. As soon as our eyes locked, we moved towards each other without a second thought. I jumped into his waiting arms, our lips meeting in a passionate kiss as the elation in our hearts reached its peak.
I could hear people around us cheering and whistling. Cameras flashed all around. The media was all over us at once, and I had a feeling this picture could make the front page tomorrow. But I didn’t care. I was too ecstatic.
“You did it, Xander! You won first place! You were so amazing out there!” I exclaimed when he finally put me down.
He cupped my face with his two hands and leaned closer to me. “We did it, Lyca. Your belief in me, it... it really saved me. It made me see my own potential, pushed me to go beyond what I thought possible.”
“Oh, man! Don’t I get a kiss too?” I heard John complaining. I turned toward him, but he was smiling at us. “Congratulations, Xander. And congratulations to the two of you.”
“What? We’re not —” I began to say.
Drake interrupted us. “I’m happy for you guys! Distracting Phoebe and making that tweak in the villa assignments was so worth it!”
“You did what?” I cried out. I couldn’t believe my ears.
He and Andrew laughed and exchanged a high-five. I gave him a good-natured slap on the shoulder, and he laughed even more.
Xander looked at him in disbelief and burst out laughing too, while shaking his head. Then he placed an arm around Drake’s shoulders. “Congratulations to you too, man. You placed third.”
“Oh, yeah! I did, didn’t I?” Drake had a look of pure bliss on his face.
The guys clapped him on the shoulder and gave him high-fives. I gave him a quick hug. “You deserve it, Drake. All your hard work has paid off.”
“Thanks, Lyca. Including that scheme, we set up for you and Xander. It was clear to me that you make a great couple.”
I chuckled nervously. Are we really a couple now?
Everybody soon got caught up in the awarding and press conference that followed. We ended the wonderful day with a bang, partying and celebrating together until the wee hours of the morning.