Call Me Milo (boyxboy)

Chapter 20

"Ready...Set...Go!"

Fifteen small go-karts speed down the track, their engines loud and sound as if they're popping, as the exhilaration of the race fills everyone's hearts. Chance leads the pack, occasionally bumping into other karts despite it violating the rules while Dizzy closes in behind him. The unfortunate part of the race, however, is that Tucker unluckily chooses the slowest kart available and finds himself cruising in the back, taking a joyride rather than participating in a race. It wasn't that he was terribly unskilled at racing, he just truly drew the short straw when it came to karts. He used to win against Dizzy all the time as kids which of course, would anger the short-tempered boy. And let's just say, nothing has changed.

Chance, currently in the lead, takes a quick glance behind himself as the wind blows his hair back and grins widely at his friend who purses his lips and stomps hard on the gas as if it would make his kart drive faster. Dizzy rides close behind Chance, the front of his car slightly bumping into the back of Chance's.

As they make a right turn to head to the finish line to complete their second lap, they come up behind Tucker who is still trying to complete his first. Dizzy rams into Tucker's car as it is blocking the path that he needs to pass through in order to catch Chance.

"Woah," Tucker says to himself as his car rams into the bumper on the side of the track. He isn't mad at the contact because he knows Dizzy has a competitive spirit. It's also the first time he's doing so well in a race and the first time he's going to beat Tucker. Still, Tucker cruises along as the fourteen other cars zoom ahead of him.

The race ends after the third lap is completed by all of the karts with Chance as the final winner. Tucker doesn't expect anything less of his step-brother and watches as he slings an arm around Dizzy, the one who holds the title of second place.

"Good try," Chance says, smiling at his friend. "You were so close."

"Yeah," Dizzy says and shrugs off Chance's arm from his shoulder. "At least I didn't lose to you again," he says to Tucker who inhales suddenly at the realization that Dizzy is talking to him.

Tucker laughs and resists the urge to reach over and fix Dizzy's curly hair as it has become wild due to the wind. "You're lucky that my kart was a piece of junk."

Dizzy laughs as well and Tucker releases a deep sigh, glad that he was able to cheer up his friend along with his step-brother.

The three boys exit the track and head over to Chance's car once again and this time, Dizzy gets into the passenger seat as Tucker enters the backseat before him. They're quiet for a while as Chance drives to Dizzy's apartment to drop him off until Dizzy speaks up.

"Thanks, guys," he says with his usual deep, raspy voice.

Chance places his hand on Dizzy's shoulder for a brief moment and smiles. Tucker looks over at the two and quickly averts his gaze.

"It was Tucker's idea to come here," Chance says.

"I know," Dizzy replies. "Thanks, Tucker. It's been a while since we've been there."

It's been a while since the two have hung out as friends, let alone go go-karting.

"Yeah," Tucker says shortly.

And with that, their busy Wednesday comes to an end.

---

Finally, Friday rolls around. The day of Tucker and Alfie's "date" that isn't actually a date, at least to Tucker.

Dizzy's eye is still bruised, though it's healing painfully slow. The purple and black mess that surrounds his eye makes him look like a real gangster to the rest of his classmates but they don't know the truth behind Josiah Frazier, Dizzy's crazed father who lashed out at his son.

Chance starts up a conversation with the guys around him, those who belong in Xapt Calibur of course. It's rare for them to speak to outsiders though Tucker defies those odds. Their conversation is cut short however, when Ms. Reyes enters the classroom and makes a few remarks about the upcoming week. And as always, she leaves the last four minutes of the period to her students to converse, read, complete homework assignments for classes they haven't done yet, or do whatever they want.

And as always, Alfie turns to Tucker and smiles at him before speaking to him.

"You didn't answer your phone last night," Alfie says and Tucker feels his stomach drop. He feels guilty that he neglected to call Alfie back.

"Sorry," Tucker says, unsure of what else to say.

"It's alright, you must've been busy," Alfie offers to which Tucker takes the bait and says, "Yeah, I was out with some friends."

Alfie raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms across his chest. "Friends?"

As far as Alfie knew, Tucker didn't have many friends. He never really spoke to anyone so that surprised him.

"Yeah, some friends," Tucker repeats, not understanding what the big deal was.

"From our school?" Alfie asks. "Or were they girls?"

Tucker scrunches his eyebrows. "They weren't girls. And yes, they go here."

Though, Tucker is reluctant to give the specific details of who he went with and why.

The inevitable question unfortunately escapes Alfie's mouth as he asks, "Who?"

Tucker sighs and begins to pack away his materials. There's about two minutes left until the next period and he doesn't want to be late. It was a one time thing that he was late with Dizzy and he promised himself that it would never happen again.

"Why?" Tucker asks.

"Well," Alfie says slowly. "I'm just curious. Maybe we can all hang out sometime. I'm always up for meeting new people, you know."

Tucker doesn't find any reason not to tell Alfie and plus, he trusts the seemingly kind-hearted guy.

"Dizzy and Chance."

Alfie drops his pencil as his mouth hangs agape for a few seconds until he closes it.

And he whispers something to himself so softly that Tucker fails to hear it.

"Dizzy, that fucker."

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