AFFINITY (slow Update)

Ch 24: Race

"I am going to show you something; you might be surprised," I told her as we got in the lift.

"Let me guess," she tapped her chin, thinking, "you have a collection of cars in the basement."

"It's not a collection; we only have four, one for each member. You made a close guess, but it's incorrect," I told her as the lift descended and came to a halt. Slowly, the door opened, and we stepped out. It was dark, but after sensing our presence, the whole basement lit up, revealing the sight before us.

"OH MY GOD!" Her eyes went wide, and she covered her mouth with her palm. "Isn't it Kawasaki Ninja H2R?" she said, taking me by surprise.

"You know about bikes," it was my turn to be shocked.

"A little bit, Waliyah is into biker guys," she said and slapped her mouth at the slip of the tongue.

"Pretend you did not hear the second part," she added.

"Well, I already knew she was into biker guys; she used to drool over Yasir on their every encounter," I teased her.

"No, she did not," she possessively denied.

"Your denial won't change the truth," I shrugged. The good and the bad part of our relationship was we have known each other for too long, so we almost knew everything about each other except the revolutionary ten years we were separated.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. For my dear life, I bit back the smile that was threatening to escape. I knew she won't hesitate to punch me if I teased her more.

I got on the bike and started my bike, twisting the right handle, and the engine roared in silence.

"Get on," I told her.

"Why?" She took a step back.

"See me off till the main gate; I will drop you off at the main door," I looked at her innocently.

"Fine," she gave in and sat behind me. I grabbed her hand and wrapped it around my waist.

"If I had not made a commitment, I would have taken you for a ride," I told her.

"No problem, we can go some other time," she consoled me.

"In sha Allah," I smiled and rode the bike out of the basement. I pressed the brake in front of the main door.

"Not going to lie, this was thrilling," she said excitedly, and I grinned at her enthusiasm.

"It's not even the trailer, baby," I told her and winked.

"Be safe," she said, picking up the helmet from the tank and putting it on my head. I held her hand and pulled her closer, encircling my arm around her waist.

"Ziyad!" she protested, looking around as her cheeks turned crimson.

"Miss me," I whispered in her ear and kissed her cheek. I loosened the grip around her waist.

"Inform me when you reach there," she said, still under the spell.

"Yes, ma'am," I grinned and saluted, revving the engine back to life. "Take care, Fe Aman Allah."

"Hmm, Allah Hafiz," she waved her hand, taking a step back. With a nod, I rode off; the gate opened automatically, and I came on the street. When the gate closed, I stopped my bike and signaled the gatekeepers to stay alert. With that, I rode off towards the racing track.

----

There was a large crowd present at the track. They were cheering for the riders showing off stunts on their bikes. The track was charged; bustling with cheers of people, loud music, and the roar of engines. I acknowledged the familiar faces and rode towards them. I bro-hugged my guys.

"Congratulations on the wedding, mate," Harry greeted with his charming smile.

"Thanks, bro," I appreciated with a strong handshake.

"Who got married?!" A high-pitched voice hit my eardrum, and I rolled my eyes.

"Hi, Lilly," I turned towards her and greeted her with a formal smile.

"You got married!?" she asked, ignoring my greeting.

"Shall I had asked you before getting married?" I asked, looking at her squarely.

"How can you do that to me?" Tears brimmed her eyes. I had just arrived here, and the drama had already begun. I looked around in search of the Devil who had invited me to this hell of a place.

"I never led you on, Lilly; it was always one-sided. I have repeatedly told you to get over your feelings, and I am not interested in you. Haven't I told you that you will be left with a broken heart?" I politely told her.

"Who is the bitc..?" She snarled, but before she could finish her sentence, I took a dangerously close step towards her, standing a few inches away while my eyes threw daggers at her.

"Say a word about my wife, and I will chop your tongue," I said through gritted teeth.

"Woah, what's happening here? Calm down, guys." Pearl, Lilly's best friend, interrupted our argument. I shook my head at Lilly in disappointment, throwing her a last glance, I walked away. My mood turned sour because of her. I excused myself from the group. Suddenly, I felt so useless, and my presence felt unnecessary.

"Where the heck is Adam?" I said aloud to myself.

"BRO! I KNEW YOU WOULD COME!" He jumped on me from behind, hanging on my back in the form of a piggyback.

"Get down, Devil," I told him strictly. He hopped down and pulled me in a hug as a greeting and patted my back. It was his signature way of greeting. After we broke the hug, he looked around me.

"Where is your wild cat?" he asked me.

"I told you I won't bring her here," I told him.

"Possessive, are we?" he wiggled his brow at me suggestively, and I lightly punched him in the gut.

The first siren went off, interrupting our banter. Taking this as a cue, the riders left their groups and started joining the starting line.

"Wish me luck," Adam said eagerly.

"Best of luck; I know you will be the winner," I told him with sincerity and patted his shoulder. We did our bro-hug, and he ran towards the starting line.

"BREAK A LEG!" Harry encouraged him.

"BUT NOT LITERALLY," I shouted alongside.

All the riders gathered, and the whole crowd cheered loudly at the top of their lungs. Every group hailed their chants, encouraging their riders. There was so much energy and a rush of adrenaline. The riders roared their motorbikes, suppressing the noise of the surroundings.

"LET THE RACE BEGIN!" The announcer's energetic voice emerged from the speakers.

****