"So do you wear pads or anything?" Liz asked
"When we're driving?" Maria asked, Liz nodded and Maria smiled
"No, we don't." Matt said
"But then how do they protect themselves?" Alex asked scared for his friends
"You just have to be really careful." Rick said smiling slyly, Michael didn't like this he grabbed Maria by the arm and took her out of the house. Max watched Liz with a sad face on, he took her into his arms and kissed her forehead, Alex followed his example with Isabel.
"What?" Maria asked Michael when they were out of the house.
"You can't do it." Michael said, shaking his head.
"Why?" Maria asked
"It's not safe, you're not safe and I'm not going to let you do something that you can die from." Michael said crossing his arms over his chest showing her he was serious.
"Michael, I'll be fine. Trust me I've been doing this for years." Maria said comforting. When Michael still didn't seem happy she continued. "I can have Matt show you the cars and the areas we're going to race tomorrow."
"Okay, just be careful." Michael said pulling Maria close to him. He knew he wasn't going to win this one.
"I will." Maria promised, they stayed that way for a while.
~~~~~
"So these are the cars they're racing?" Michael asked Matt, Matt nodded.
"But these are their cars, normal ones. Expensive but normal." Liz said.
"They're good cars, very good. Good speed, steering is easy but you feel in control and they're beautiful." Matt said touching Maria's car carefully.
"That's why they're so protective over their cars." Alex said the pieces falling in place.
"What do you mean?" Matt asked turning to them
"I was just waiting for Liz one day and I put my stuff on a car that happened to be Maria's. Anyway she saw me and freaked! The next day Isabel walked up to the three of us with Max and Maria and she freaked." Michael explained, Matt smiled
"That's them all right. One night these guys were screwing with cars in a parking lot of a club and one of the cars was Maria's. Someone told her what happened and she went out there and kicked their asses along with Max and Isabel, the cops came but we got out of there just in time." Matt said laughing to himself remembering.
"They told us about the time they ended up in jail over night and one of Maria's cousins came and bailed them out." Liz said, Matt smiled again.
"Yeah, Dave came and bailed them out. That was pretty funny!" Matt said laughing again. At that point Maria, Max and Isabel came outside.
"Hey what's up?" Max asked holding Liz's waist.
"Nothing just talking." Alex replied taking Isabel's hand.
"So. . .when does practicing start?" Michael asked.
"Today." Rachel said from behind Matt. Michael started to get worried again and pulled Maria as close to his body as he could.
"Let's get started!" Maria said excited.
~~~~~~
After one week of practicing it was the day of the race. Michael, Liz and Alex helped out in the garage fixing up the cars while everyone else practiced racing.
"Where are the races?" Michael asked
"There's one out in the open highway and another in the city." Tim answered
"There's only two?" Liz asked
"For these three. . .yes. For the rest of us they go on for two weeks." Rachel said
"So if there's only two races then whose going to do them?" Liz asked noticing there was three of them but only two races.
"There's two parts to the race in the city. Max and Isabel are going to do the one in the city and Maria is going to do the one on the open highway." Autumn answered.
"So which is first?" Alex asked as he watched the guys take the cars out of the garage.
"City." Was all Rachel said Michael, Liz and Alex watched their friends with worried expressions.
~~~~~~
"Okay listen Isabel you need to concentrate, understand?" Matt asked as Isabel got into Max's car. She rolled her eyes at the boy who became her older brother over time.
"Yeah, Matty don't worry." Isabel said smiling. She was good, real good but you always worried. Matt nodded gave her a kiss on the forehead and left. Maria and Max took over talking to Isabel.
"I love you Izzy." Maria said giving her best friend a hug.
"I love you too Ria." Isabel said, then she gave Max a hug.
"I'll be waiting Lizard." Max said, Isabel hated that nickname, but smiled. Maria and Max waved one last time and went to their other friends. Isabel called Alex over.
"Yeah?" Alex asked walking up.
"Nothing." Isabel said before she kissed him hard on the lips.
"Be waiting for me with Max." Isabel said before she went beside the car she was racing. A minute later the two cars were off down the busy streets of Chicago. Everyone else got into other cars and made a short cut to the half waypoint. Two minutes of waiting there seemed like forever, but Isabel's car came around the corner and pulled up with a screech. Max and Isabel switched spots in seconds and he was off before the other car showed up.
"We got it." Matt said before everyone piled back into the cars.
"What do you mean we got it?" Liz asked
"We won Lizzie." Maria exclaimed
"But it's not over." Liz reminded them, Maria smiled and shook her head.
"Max left before the other guy showed up. We got it in the bag, watch Max will pull up any minute." Maria said giving Liz a hug. Sure enough three minutes later Max pulled up smiling. Everyone on his side cheered, hugged each other and jumped up and down.
"So you guys said you raced for things, what'd ya win?" Michael asked
"$850,000 and two new BMW's." Matt said with pride. Liz, Michael and Alex's mouths dropped open. Max pulled Liz away from everyone else.
"You're okay." Liz said stating the obvious.
"Yeah, of course. I wasn't going to die without kissing you again." Max replied before kissing her deeply.
"So when we get home next week, movie date?" Max asked, Liz smiled and put her arms around his neck to kiss him again.
"Only if we have dinner too." She said teasingly, Max nodded and kissed her.
~~~~~
"So this is the last one for them?" Alex asked looking at the pretty deserted highway. Everyone nodded; Michael watched Maria and some of the others checking the car for the last time before the race. One of the guys from the other team came over and started talking to Maria, Michael could see that it wasn't good.
". . .I will get you." Michael heard the guy say as he walked over to his girlfriend.
"Really?" Maria asked not afraid.
"Yeah, watch yourself." He threatened. He watched as Michael put his arms around Maria, the guy glared at them one last time before he left to his car.
"What was that about?" Michael asked turning her around in his arms so she could face him.
"Nothing, last year I was racing his brother. His brother's car freaked out and he died, but he's always blamed me cause I won the race. I was far ahead of the guy, I didn't do anything." Maria said sadly, she felt bad for the guy he was pretty nice, but she was pissed that he kept blaming her.
"It's okay; we're out of here tomorrow." Michael said kissing her forehead.
"Ready?" Dave asked walking up with Michelle.
"Yup." Maria said, she gave Michael one last kiss.
"Be waiting." Maria whispered with their lips touching. Michael nodded kissing her one last time before he walked over to the others. Maria hugged her cousins, Isabel and Max and got into her new car.
"Be careful." Maria said mockingly when Matt opened his mouth.
"Funny." Matt said giving her a kiss on the cheek. Maria turned on the music loudly and started to sing with it.
"Her boyfriend he don't know anything about her, he's too stoned to know. . ." Everyone smiled and shook their heads and she kept singing.
With that the two cars lined up and got ready. One of the guys fired the gun saying it was the start and the two cars took off down the road. Everyone else jumped into other cars and took the short cut over the hills, once there they could see the whole "track" looking through binoculars. They were pretty close, Maria a little ahead of the other guy. All of the sudden a semi came around the curve and everyone held their breath when it headed straight for Maria, but Maria quickly went under the semi with no problem. They went around the other cars that came in their way, when they saw that it was almost over everyone got back into the cars and went to the end point. They could see the two cars coming from a distance, out of nowhere (literally) a car went in front of Maria and wouldn't let her by. Something caught Maria's attention and she lost control, her car hit the on coming one and flew over and down.
"When we're driving?" Maria asked, Liz nodded and Maria smiled
"No, we don't." Matt said
"But then how do they protect themselves?" Alex asked scared for his friends
"You just have to be really careful." Rick said smiling slyly, Michael didn't like this he grabbed Maria by the arm and took her out of the house. Max watched Liz with a sad face on, he took her into his arms and kissed her forehead, Alex followed his example with Isabel.
"What?" Maria asked Michael when they were out of the house.
"You can't do it." Michael said, shaking his head.
"Why?" Maria asked
"It's not safe, you're not safe and I'm not going to let you do something that you can die from." Michael said crossing his arms over his chest showing her he was serious.
"Michael, I'll be fine. Trust me I've been doing this for years." Maria said comforting. When Michael still didn't seem happy she continued. "I can have Matt show you the cars and the areas we're going to race tomorrow."
"Okay, just be careful." Michael said pulling Maria close to him. He knew he wasn't going to win this one.
"I will." Maria promised, they stayed that way for a while.
~~~~~
"So these are the cars they're racing?" Michael asked Matt, Matt nodded.
"But these are their cars, normal ones. Expensive but normal." Liz said.
"They're good cars, very good. Good speed, steering is easy but you feel in control and they're beautiful." Matt said touching Maria's car carefully.
"That's why they're so protective over their cars." Alex said the pieces falling in place.
"What do you mean?" Matt asked turning to them
"I was just waiting for Liz one day and I put my stuff on a car that happened to be Maria's. Anyway she saw me and freaked! The next day Isabel walked up to the three of us with Max and Maria and she freaked." Michael explained, Matt smiled
"That's them all right. One night these guys were screwing with cars in a parking lot of a club and one of the cars was Maria's. Someone told her what happened and she went out there and kicked their asses along with Max and Isabel, the cops came but we got out of there just in time." Matt said laughing to himself remembering.
"They told us about the time they ended up in jail over night and one of Maria's cousins came and bailed them out." Liz said, Matt smiled again.
"Yeah, Dave came and bailed them out. That was pretty funny!" Matt said laughing again. At that point Maria, Max and Isabel came outside.
"Hey what's up?" Max asked holding Liz's waist.
"Nothing just talking." Alex replied taking Isabel's hand.
"So. . .when does practicing start?" Michael asked.
"Today." Rachel said from behind Matt. Michael started to get worried again and pulled Maria as close to his body as he could.
"Let's get started!" Maria said excited.
~~~~~~
After one week of practicing it was the day of the race. Michael, Liz and Alex helped out in the garage fixing up the cars while everyone else practiced racing.
"Where are the races?" Michael asked
"There's one out in the open highway and another in the city." Tim answered
"There's only two?" Liz asked
"For these three. . .yes. For the rest of us they go on for two weeks." Rachel said
"So if there's only two races then whose going to do them?" Liz asked noticing there was three of them but only two races.
"There's two parts to the race in the city. Max and Isabel are going to do the one in the city and Maria is going to do the one on the open highway." Autumn answered.
"So which is first?" Alex asked as he watched the guys take the cars out of the garage.
"City." Was all Rachel said Michael, Liz and Alex watched their friends with worried expressions.
~~~~~~
"Okay listen Isabel you need to concentrate, understand?" Matt asked as Isabel got into Max's car. She rolled her eyes at the boy who became her older brother over time.
"Yeah, Matty don't worry." Isabel said smiling. She was good, real good but you always worried. Matt nodded gave her a kiss on the forehead and left. Maria and Max took over talking to Isabel.
"I love you Izzy." Maria said giving her best friend a hug.
"I love you too Ria." Isabel said, then she gave Max a hug.
"I'll be waiting Lizard." Max said, Isabel hated that nickname, but smiled. Maria and Max waved one last time and went to their other friends. Isabel called Alex over.
"Yeah?" Alex asked walking up.
"Nothing." Isabel said before she kissed him hard on the lips.
"Be waiting for me with Max." Isabel said before she went beside the car she was racing. A minute later the two cars were off down the busy streets of Chicago. Everyone else got into other cars and made a short cut to the half waypoint. Two minutes of waiting there seemed like forever, but Isabel's car came around the corner and pulled up with a screech. Max and Isabel switched spots in seconds and he was off before the other car showed up.
"We got it." Matt said before everyone piled back into the cars.
"What do you mean we got it?" Liz asked
"We won Lizzie." Maria exclaimed
"But it's not over." Liz reminded them, Maria smiled and shook her head.
"Max left before the other guy showed up. We got it in the bag, watch Max will pull up any minute." Maria said giving Liz a hug. Sure enough three minutes later Max pulled up smiling. Everyone on his side cheered, hugged each other and jumped up and down.
"So you guys said you raced for things, what'd ya win?" Michael asked
"$850,000 and two new BMW's." Matt said with pride. Liz, Michael and Alex's mouths dropped open. Max pulled Liz away from everyone else.
"You're okay." Liz said stating the obvious.
"Yeah, of course. I wasn't going to die without kissing you again." Max replied before kissing her deeply.
"So when we get home next week, movie date?" Max asked, Liz smiled and put her arms around his neck to kiss him again.
"Only if we have dinner too." She said teasingly, Max nodded and kissed her.
~~~~~
"So this is the last one for them?" Alex asked looking at the pretty deserted highway. Everyone nodded; Michael watched Maria and some of the others checking the car for the last time before the race. One of the guys from the other team came over and started talking to Maria, Michael could see that it wasn't good.
". . .I will get you." Michael heard the guy say as he walked over to his girlfriend.
"Really?" Maria asked not afraid.
"Yeah, watch yourself." He threatened. He watched as Michael put his arms around Maria, the guy glared at them one last time before he left to his car.
"What was that about?" Michael asked turning her around in his arms so she could face him.
"Nothing, last year I was racing his brother. His brother's car freaked out and he died, but he's always blamed me cause I won the race. I was far ahead of the guy, I didn't do anything." Maria said sadly, she felt bad for the guy he was pretty nice, but she was pissed that he kept blaming her.
"It's okay; we're out of here tomorrow." Michael said kissing her forehead.
"Ready?" Dave asked walking up with Michelle.
"Yup." Maria said, she gave Michael one last kiss.
"Be waiting." Maria whispered with their lips touching. Michael nodded kissing her one last time before he walked over to the others. Maria hugged her cousins, Isabel and Max and got into her new car.
"Be careful." Maria said mockingly when Matt opened his mouth.
"Funny." Matt said giving her a kiss on the cheek. Maria turned on the music loudly and started to sing with it.
"Her boyfriend he don't know anything about her, he's too stoned to know. . ." Everyone smiled and shook their heads and she kept singing.
With that the two cars lined up and got ready. One of the guys fired the gun saying it was the start and the two cars took off down the road. Everyone else jumped into other cars and took the short cut over the hills, once there they could see the whole "track" looking through binoculars. They were pretty close, Maria a little ahead of the other guy. All of the sudden a semi came around the curve and everyone held their breath when it headed straight for Maria, but Maria quickly went under the semi with no problem. They went around the other cars that came in their way, when they saw that it was almost over everyone got back into the cars and went to the end point. They could see the two cars coming from a distance, out of nowhere (literally) a car went in front of Maria and wouldn't let her by. Something caught Maria's attention and she lost control, her car hit the on coming one and flew over and down.