DRAG - [h.s. au]

4

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And you know

We're on each other's team

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BENTLEY

"I don't give a fuck anymore. I'm not playing it classic anymore. Call them. Now." I tell Apollo.

It had been three days since I tied with Harry Styles. There's another race in two days, and I hadn't gotten any less angry. I didn't show up to work either, especially considering I knew Luna would be around to gloat.

Her and her little imported driver could choke.

I was angry.

I never did well when I was angry... I'd fall back into old habits, and I am way too young to even have old habits.

"Bentley, listen to yourself. You never wanted to have the tech involved in racing... remember? You tied, you didn't lose-"

"I fucking lost Apollo!" I yell. "Not winning is losing."

"You're too competitive for your own good, and you know you're going to regret it if I call them... I love them and I'd love to see 'em but you don't need the tech to get ahead. Bringing those two here would be a mistake."

"It's allowed, and I made the decision not to use it. I can't be embarrassed like that ever again. If tech is what it takes, then give it to me. Call them. End of fucking story." I grit, standing up and walking away from Apollo towards my kitchen. I needed a drink.

"Bentley, stop. I'll call, just don't drink right now." He says, standing up and moving to the counter. He sits down, tattooed chest exposed. I put the beer down, and look at him.

"Thank you." I say, opting for another diet coke.

"Before I do... please, think about this." He tells me, and I bite my tongue. I had a knack for snapping at people I cared about when shit doesn't go my way. Apollo knows this, and he sticks around, and he pushes. He's a pusher, and I let him do what he wants to an extent. "B, you just had a bad night. You don't need the modifications that the Lions and some of us have. You win without them." He tells me.

He was right, but I was desperate.

And impulsive.

I couldn't do the modifications that I wanted, they were way too advanced. Required electrical engineering skills and that was something I didn't have and couldn't afford. If I didn't hate Luna as much as I did right now, I'd probably just ask for a favor or an exchange of my services as a mechanic to use her guy. I can't use the Lions' engineer and he wouldn't serve me anyway. They're too petty anyway.

Allegra could probably do some of the modifications, but she'd need help. Not to mention, modifying my old mustang would be so fuckin' expensive and time consuming that we wouldn't be done trying to figure it out by ourselves in time for the next race. Even if we started tomorrow, I wouldn't be able to use the Mustang for the next race, I'd have to use my dad's old Pontiac. I had only raced in it twice when I was younger and had just started racing, and I won both times, but I couldn't bring myself to use it after he died.

One race with it wouldn't hurt, and if we really couldn't upgrade the Mustang, I'll just have to invest in another backup car. I could afford it, that's not the problem, the issue was that buying a new car would show that I'm feeling threatened. So hopefully if we are able to work together and get everything fixed properly, I won't have to worry about that.