"Collinsport only has two more laps to go! But it looks like Angel Prep is making up for lost time!" Dean Stoddard declared.
"Outta the way, you fuckin' losers!" Nick and Eileen said in unison.
"Oh man, we're falling behind." Adam cried as he skated beside Ramona. "What do we do?"
"I have an idea." Ramona said before reaching out her right leg to her teammate. "Grab my leg!"
"Why?"
"Just do it!"
Adam hesitantly grabbed Ramona's outstretched limb and in response, she violently kicked it in front of her. Adam was then flung right across the track like a lightning bolt… and he ended up crossing the finish line before Eileen and Nick.
"What a finish!" Dean Stoddard cried excitedly as the Collinsport students cheered.
"That was awesome!" Adam exclaimed, giving Ramona a high-five.
"Yeah it was!" Ramona said.
The moment Adam crossed the finish line, everyone cheered; Ophelia and Ben were signaled to start the final leg of the race along with Joe and Ava from Angel Prep. They whipped the reins and the four horses burst out of the stables and down the track, jumping over hurdles and going around barrels while trying to stay ahead of the other team.
As she rode her horse around the dirt track, Ophelia did her best to cover her skin from the sun. But then, a squirrel ran onto the track and it spooked Ben's horse so much that it reared up which caused Ben to fall off of the horse's back, but thankfully he safely landed on a large patch of soft grass. Ophelia looked back and gasped as her eyes widened.
"Ben!" She cried, turning her horse around to go back.
"What's this? It looks like Ophelia from Collinsport is going backwards!" Vice Principal Hoffman announced.
"What on Earth is she doing?!" Dean Stoddard asked.
"Damn, Ophelia; I hope you know what you're doing out there." Isabelle said to herself as she sat in the stands with the other Collinsport students.
Ben looked up and saw Ophelia riding towards him. She reached out her gloved hand and snatched Ben off of the ground and hoisted him onto her horse like it was nothing. Then her horse turned around and ran the track again.
"Ophelia, what was that? Why'd you come back for me?" Ben asked.
"I am not leaving my teammate behind." She replied.
"Well, whatever you're doing, keep doing it! We can still win this! You can just drop me off at this next hurdle!"
"Are you certain?"
"Yeah, I'm just slowing you down this way."
"Alright; I shall do as you say, for Collinsport."
Ophelia whipped her reins again and just as she was about to jump the hurdle, Ben climbed off of the horse's back and safely landed on the track, standing right beside Ava who was still on her race horse.
"Go, Ophelia!" Ben cheered. "Whoo! You go, girl!"
"Don't get too cocky." Ava said. "Joe's gonna run that pale bitch right into the ground faster than you can say 'Bob's your fuckin' uncle'."
"Clearly, you don't know her." Ben said, proudly crossing his arms over his chest.
Ophelia whipped her reins until she finally caught up with Joe. She looked at him through her dark sunglasses, only to see Joe giving her a dark glare.
"You're going down." He grumbled.
"On the contrary, you are the one who is 'going down'. I must admit, you are a worthy adversary and I admire that." Ophelia said before her horse gained speed.
From the archery and speed skating courses, Isabelle, Massie, Ramona, Adam, Noah, and Alex watched the race in awe, cheering for Ophelia all the while.
"Go, Ophelia! I know you got this! Go, go, go!" Isabelle screamed.
"Yeah! Go, Ophelia!" Massie yelled.
"You can beat him!" Noah added.
"C'mon, you go, Miss C!" Adam shouted.
"You got this in the bag!" Ramona added.
"Whoo! Yeah, Ophelia! You can do it!" Alex exclaimed, jumping up and down.
When she heard Alex's voice cheering for her, Ophelia smiled and squinted her eyes as her horse continued down the track with Joe coming up from behind her.
"You can do it, Ophelia. You can win." She said to herself.
"Oh, things are getting really interesting now!" Miss Stoddard said.
"They're almost at the finish line!" Vice Principal Hoffman said.
"It's Ophelia!" Stoddard said.
"It's Joe!" Hoffman said.
"It's Ophelia!"
"It's Joe!"
"It's Ophelia!"
"It's Joe!"
"It's…"
And with that, Ophelia and her horse zipped across the finish line just before Joe.
"…Ophelia! Collinsport wins the Relay!" Barnabas exclaimed through the microphone.
The Collinsport High students cheered loudly and clapped their hands in applause while the students of Angel Prep grumbled in anger and frustration.
"Attention, students; please proceed to the gym." Principal Bouchard said through gritted teeth into the microphone.
The students from both schools left their seats and made their way to the gymnasium in an orderly fashion. Isabelle, Massie, Adam, Ben, Ramona, and Noah came running towards Ophelia with excited grin on their faces, Alex running up behind them.
"Ophelia, you did it!" Adam cried.
"We won!" Ramona exclaimed.
"That was amazing, Ophelia!" Massie yelled, wrapping her arms around her friend in a hug.
"You were fantastic out there, cuz!" Isabelle added as she joined in on the hug.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you all." Ophelia said humbly before she took notice of Alex coming towards her and she smiled at him.
"That was spectacular! I knew you could do it!" Alex said before giving Ophelia a hug.
"Oh, thank you, my dear friend." Ophelia said, hugging Alex back.
"Uh, Ophelia? Do you really know this guy?" Adam asked.
"Indeed I do, Adam." Ophelia said proudly. "Everyone, allow me to introduce a close friend of mine, Alexander of Angel Prep Academy."
"He's from Angel Prep?" Ben asked.
"What are you doing with him?" Ramona asked.
"No, no! It's okay; I mean no harm, honest." Alex said reassuringly.
"Wait, aren't you the guy who was struggling on the archery portion of the race?" Noah asked.
"Yeah." Alex answered, nodding his head.
"Guys, it's cool." Massie said. "If Ophelia trusts Alex, then I trust him, too."
"Me too." Isabelle added.
"Ah, my dear Ophelia." The Collinsport Headmaster's voice said.
Barnabas came up from behind his niece and hugged her tightly. Massie, Isabelle, Adam, Ramona, Ben, Noah, and Alex looked at them with worried expressions.
"Children, you have all done wonderfully during this race and I commend all of you. I could not be any prouder." Barnabas said proudly before turning his attention to Alex. "Ophelia, is this the Alexander you have spoken of?"
"Yes." Ophelia said. "Alexander, this is my Uncle Barnabas Collins."
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Collins." Alex said politely as he shook the Headmaster's gloved hand. "Your niece is a great friend."
"I know she is, my boy." Barnabas said with a kind smile. "And Ophelia has told me that you are a wonderful young man, Alexander. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Thank you very much, sir."
"Headmaster Collins, please report to the gymnasium immediately!" Dean Stoddard's voice called over the intercom.
"Excuse me, children. Principal duty calls, as they say." Barnabas said before briskly walking back into the school.
"Hey, I think we should follow his lead and head over to the gym, too." Alex said, gesturing towards the door.
"Good idea." Massie said as she and the others walked back towards the school, Principal Bouchard darkly glaring at them from afar.
