Sorry that this update took a while! I had to deal with a few personal issues and no ideas were coming to me on how to continue this fic. So here is chapter 12 of Falling! (I know the name of the fic isn't that great, so would anyone be kind enough as to suggest a new name for this? I'll give credit!)
It hit Cruz in the side glass.
Cruz felt something hit her side glass, but dismissed it as a stray pebble. It really didn't matter, as whatever it was didn't break her window, and it would be pretty embarrassing if her interior was seen on live TV and by her very straight, very male peers. She finally decided to move in to pass Storm. They were now at the 100th lap. She went through turn 1, right behind Storm, and when they got to the straightway, she slingshotted past him. This time, however, Cruz noticed Storm didn't yell out and try to pass her. He was just there, driving...
Ace stiffened when it hit her side glass, worried that her glass breaking would set off alarm bells in the minds of the other people down below. He finally relaxed when she ignored it and probably dismissed it as something from the track hitting her glass. Her stats finally appeared on his phone, and he knew that all of them would be saved by the app and the readings would also come with a timestamp, giving him another boost to prove, at least to him, the fact that Storm was falling for Cruz and vice versa.
Ace noticed that Cruz passed Storm with apparent ease, but Storm, unlike at the other races he'd seen, didn't even try to fight. He was just there, driving... His eyes looked like he wasn't really concentrating, but instead thinking deeply about something. I wonder what Storm is thinking about...
"Well, look at that! Ramirez has passed Storm on the straightway!"
"Well, Darrell, Ramirez has been stepping up her game ever since her debut in Florida. And from the looks of it, McQueen is having a blast!" The camera briefly panned from the race to get a closer shot of McQueen, who was now smiling and saying something into his headset.
"Nice work, Cruz! Now you can leave Storm in the dust and make a break for it!"
"OK, Mr. McQueen!", yelled Cruz enthusiastically as she floored the pedal. She heard Lightning suddenly start singing, "GAS GAS GAS! I'm gonna step on the gas! Tonight I'll fly and be your lover!" Sally glanced over when he sung the last sentence. "Sorry Sal, got carried away.", apologized Lightning as she sheepishly smiled. Sally held her stare before bursting out laughing. "Stickers, why'd you do that for? You know what, I'm not even gonna question it, but YOU, an anime fan?!"
"Don't ask, Sal. Please don't."
Cruz deadpanned as she mock scolded Lightning, "Mr. McQueen, please leave your singing to when you're in the car wash."
"Well, lookie here, Bob! Looks like McQueen is tryna get the Initial D vibe going for Ramirez! Could it be a new training strategy?"
"Well Darrell, either way, Team Dinoco is gonna deny it, cause hey, they gotta keep their rep!", replied Bob in a mock stern tone. At this point, the spectators were now cheering even louder, many of them cheering for Cruz.
Ace was busy viewing the vitals on his phone when he heard Bob and Darrell commenting on something involving Initial D.
Uh, OK? Whatever... Let's just keep the vitals in view. Although, now I can get off this roof so yeah, let's pack up... Ace started to pack up the sniper and put it away.
He made his way down the ramp leading to the ground level.
