friday.

18| in da den

"okay champ, get in, buckle the fuck up and start that damn engine."

as promised, friday had spoken to her friends the following week. thomas was perplexed; he didn't know if he was happy to finally see her or pissed to see her with jennings. his blood had been hot the entire week, jennings had made it his duty to post friday every time he was with her, and that was everyday for the past week.

while everyone gathered around friday to greet her, emmanuel and thomas laid back. emmanuel was far too engrossed in his phone to notice the commotion.

his face contoured in anger before he locked his phone and shoved it deep into his pocket. he watched his friends, turned to thomas, dapped him up and left.

thomas only mumbled a goodbye, not moving a muscle from his spot, his eyes trained on the hand that held the small of friday's back. anger, an unsettling amount of it gathered at the pit of his stomach, upsetting. made his teeth grind and fists clench.

"okay, settle down," thomas' attention turned to the tower, where japhethe had made his way to and was already in control of hosting. "last week's races were a flunk because someone, not pointing fingers, but i'm watching you seth waterson," mumbles were heard across the den, all in agreement.

"by now everyone knows how you almost got us all arrested for trespassing," japhethe's irritation can be heard through the microphone, "you're gonna have to pay a fee for that. next time keep your blabber shut."

"you talk too much japhethe," wilma, co-host and student body president at dredgewood east, said through her own mic. "as a mix up, some racers were too pussy to show up today, so who's up for a random race? new comers only!"

the crowd roared, and thomas' heart thumped at the chance of racing.

"i'm down," he stepped forward. and japhethe immediately noticed.

"balls itching for a race chancellor?" he asked and thomas simply shrugged with a grin firmly planted on his pretty face as all eyes fell on him. friday was shocked, she had never thought about thomas racing, so she stepped forward to lean on the stands to watch. "fal, get this man a car!"

falon shook her head, her friends' safety is her top priority, so taking eager and uncertain steps towards thomas she sighed as she noticed the way he looked at jennings. this wasn't about having a new experience, but rather proving a point.

"well, i obviously can't talk you out of this. emmanuel's car is available, i'd give you japhethe's but it's too risky, his car is faster," she pulled a helmet off the branch of the nearby tree, handing it to him. "it's not about speed, it's about handling the car and staying in control, the speed will come later on."

thomas nodded in understanding, taking the helmet from the shorter female before walking to the starting line with her.

"it's not a full lap, just a four hundred meter race. do not turn the corner, and slow down immediately after you cross the finish line," she said sternly.

"got it mom," thomas gave her a thumbs up and she flicked him across the head before grabbing his helmet and placing a kiss on it. elise made her way over and did the same, holding it out to friday who watched with empty eyes.

to thomas' surprise, the girl pushed herself off of the stand and made her way across, slowly taking the helmet from elise and stood in front of thomas. she gave it a peck that lingered linger than her friends' did and then gently placed it on thomas' head.

"be safe." was all she said before she walked away.

"okay champ, get in, buckle the fuck up and start that damn engine." falon grinned and patted him encouragingly before whispering in his ear. "she'll come around."

thomas nodded and his gaze found friday's and she turned away.

"since the bomb squad is sending in someone, it's only right that i do too," jennings emerged from the crowd with a younger boy beside him. he looked like a younger version of him, and much more serious. "my little brother, jarius will be defending d.e's homie tonight."

the dredgewood students cheered as the boy entered the car, giving aiden the opportunity to walk over to thomas.

"good luck kid," he smirked and leaned into the window to speak in whispers to thomas. "would be a shame if you lost this race. i mean, you've already lost your girl, and i must say; she's always been a prize of mine." jennings winked tauntingly at friday and thomas watched as she gave him a wave.

his knuckles tightened around the steering wheel, jennings knew how to get under his skin. so, as the race began, all thomas felt was the vibrations from the engine and the roars from the crowds. everything was a blur, the speed, the sound the lights.

his heart accelerated, and he howled in excitement from the thrill. in under a minute, they passed the finish line. close ending, neither of the drivers knew who won.

coming out of the vehicle with sweaty palms, he watched jarius. the boy had no clear expression. completely calm, and looking down at the starting line, he noticed friday grinning and that's when it dawned on him; he won.

"didn't think chancellor had it in him," wilma's voice was heard in the intercom. "his first race, hopefully it's not his last."

"that's my fucking dawg!" japhethe howled "that's my motherfucking dawg! lessgooo!"

before he could've cheered for himself, his body was colliding with another. elise's tiny body clung on to him, and so did fal's. love and pride were radiating off of their grins.

"you won!" elise chuckled and hopped off of him and hugged falon. "ima be honest; i didn't think you would've."

thomas chuckled. he loved his friends.

looking around for friday, he came up short. the young woman was nowhere in sight, and her car was gone.

"i won."