DREXEL GENESIS

"Say what now?" Zeke, Jed and Ayla stare at me with eyes as big as plates while I just wanted to join in with the monsters under the bed. Yes, being a bedtime story sounds about good right now.

"I tried to warn you..." Archer shrugs and the others immediately whip their heads towards him.

"What was he talking about?" Zeke demands.

Archer holds up his hands in defense and looks down at me from the corner of his eyes. "I don't know. Ask him." I rest my back against the edge of the bed, pulling my knees up to my chest as I mentally scold myself for being so careless. It's one thing for Archer to be aware of my feelings, as that's within my boundaries, but for the others to know about my crush is a different matter entirely.

The way the atmosphere in the bedroom felt, it was as if I was about to be put on trial. My friends were the opposing lawyers and judges, ready to ask me questions that demanded answers that could alter the course of my life. Maybe I was being a bit dramatic, but the idea of lying motionless on the road as cars drove over my body repeatedly seemed like a more appealing option.

"What are you guys doing here? Where is Rowan?" I finally manage to ask in the hopes of diverting the conversation and making them magically forget my previous words. But who was I kidding?

"She is at home because she has a lot of homework. But that is not the problem, Mister. What were you just rambling about?" Ayla inquires, placing her hands on her hips and eyebrows twitching and raised, one of which she tried to raise alone, but failed.

"Isn't it obvious?" comes the passive voice of Jed. "Boy's having a crush."

"WHAT?" Zeke shoots up from the chair and looks at me in shock. "On whom?"

Ayla spins Archer's chair towards her and exclaims, "Drexel has a crush? For real? Who is it?" Archer looks up at her blankly. "Ask him," he repeats. Ayla clutches her hair in exasperation and kneels in front of me and cups my cheeks. "Drexel, my handsome friend, please tell me you're crushing on who I think you are."

"Huh? Who do you think it is?" I ask dumbly and Ayla heaves in a loud breath. 

"Oh my god. Are you admitting that you DO have a crush!?"

Drexel, think thrice before you answer. "I am not-"

"My friend, Drex, has finally, finally grown up," she squishes me onto her chest and coddles me. Why is this a big deal? I just wanted some peace and a proper talk with Archer. Guess that's not happening tonight. "Can't ...breathe," I rasp out as I come up for air.

Archer eyes me as if it to say; 'Might as well spill the beans.'

With a sigh, I let my head fall back onto the bed. My persistent friends would not give me any peace, and avoiding the issue would only make it worse. I could already picture them trailing behind me in the school hallways, chanting like protesting workers; "Who's your crush? Who's your crush?" Their relentless questioning would eventually be joined by the crush herself, and I would be trapped and forced to flee the school and even the country to escape the humiliation.

I let out an exaggerated groan and slump my head onto my hands. 

"Yes," I mutter, leaving them to decipher the question that I had just answered. The room immediately erupts into a frenzy once more. 

"Yes? Yes to what?" Zeke presses.

"Yes to having a crush, dumbo!" Ayla hollers and with a twirl that could make ballerinas jealous, she once again plops down in front of me with a giant grin and eyes that had a hint of slyness in them. She leans forward and assesses me creepily. "Tell me...Is my ship sailing?"

"Ship?" Archer inquires in confusion. "What ship?"

Ayla disregards him and looks at me with stars in her eyes. "It's her, isn't it?"

I knew exactly who she was talking about. 

Zeke's face contorts with frustration as he glares at Ayla as if she were a host teasing the audience by delaying the announcement of the final winner of a competition. 

"Just spit it out already!" he snaps.

Jed lets out a bored sigh as he turns a page of a book that I just realized he was reading. "It's Crimson."

Zeke stills like a pole and fixes his eyes on my face, eyes diluted and lips parted in disbelief. I turn the other way and unfortunately, come face-to-face with Ayla's beaming eyes. Seriously, they might as well cage me, there was no escaping their probing gazes! "Yes!" she cheers and claps her hands gleefully, "I knew it!"

My eyes narrow at her and Jed in a muddle, "How did you know?"

"You suddenly started baking brownies after a long time, twice every week this month, and the first bite goes to Crimson," Jed affirms and Archer puffs out a laugh to confirm this statement.

 "You call her 'Scarlet,'" Ayla helpfully (not) offers. 

I scornfully laugh at them, "Seriously? That's the best you can think of? I used to call her that even when I had not entertained any feelings for her. That is just a ridiculous reason."

"You didn't let me finish. You call her Scarlet almost all the time, especially when you pettily fight with each other. You don't know it but I've caught you gazing at her quite a few times. You even let her sit in the passenger seat at the front when we go back to her place after school at times!" she seems victorious at her revelation, only a round of applause lacking to back her up.

Archer flashes me a grin now that the cat is out of the bag and he is no longer questioned. "I was actually planning on reaching out to Crimson before you came in like a bat out of hell. But we can always call her later. Anyway, you seemed distressed. What's wrong?"

As I ponder over whether to tell everyone in the room what happened, I realize that they would probably extract the truth out of me eventually. Ultimately, I decide to open up, describing how I encountered Crimson at the hospital and divulged information about my uncle and mother to her. Despite my initial reluctance to share, I go on to reveal that our farewell involved a lengthy embrace, which left me feeling conflicted.

Ayla sucks in a breath; it seemed that she had held her breath as she listened intently to my narration. "Whoa... I think she would consider your feelings when you decide to confess."

I whip my head towards her with my eyes popping out. "When I decide to confess?! No, I don't want to."

"Huh? Why?"

"He is scared of rejection. He shakes like a leaf every time I bring it up," Archer says and I scowl at him. 

"I don't shake like a leaf. I'm just...I'm just conflicted I guess." 

Ayla gives me an encouraging smile like she understands my thoughts somehow. "Why are you conflicted, Drex? Is it because you don't know whether she mirrors your feelings or not?"

"Yes," I say, my voice hoarse for some reason. "I don't want to confess and I'm not courageous enough to do that. I feel like it is too soon. But at the same time, I do want to tell her my feelings and see where it goes. I'm not sure anymore..."

Jed observes me thoughtfully; his book closed and today, his hair was a beautiful shade of magenta, "I think there is more to it. Is there anything else you are scared about?"

Trust Jed to hit the nail right on the head every time.

"I...I just feel that I wouldn't be good enough for her..." I mutter, lightly rubbing my neck as I try not to look at the others. 

"Huh? What was that?" Ayla probes, poking my shoulder. 

"It's nothing," I mumble, my fingers unconsciously moving toward my neck, seeking out the familiar warmth before halting halfway by the realization that there was nothing left to feel anymore. 

Sigh, I really wonder what happened to my necklace. 

Archer rolls his eyes and chimes in, "Drex is feeling insecure."

Ayla bursts out laughing, "What? You, the King of racing, feeling insecure? What could you possibly be insecure about?"

"That's just it, I have nothing!" I retort, chuckling humourless with my hands raised up. "And besides, 'King of racing' is a lame name. Crimson comes from a higher social standing than I do. You've seen her house and her lake. I'm no match for that. How can I make her happy when I have nothing to offer?" I lay it all out on the table, revealing the thoughts that have been consuming my mind.

Archer furrows his eyebrows and his tone turns stern. "Drexel, we've already talked about this. You don't know what Crimson wants or needs. It's up to her to decide if you're worth it or not. But how can she make that decision if you don't even talk to her? It's been two months nearing three since we became friends with her. That's plenty of time to develop a crush, so stop spouting nonsense."

"He's right, but that doesn't mean you have nothing to offer. Crimson is a simple-minded, sweet, and caring girl who isn't demanding at all. Remember how she stayed with you for an hour at the hospital today just to keep you company? Despite being wealthy, she's not high-maintenance. And let's not forget that you have friends who are willing to help you out anytime. As long as you and Crimson are happy, that's all that matters." Ayla stands in the centre of the room with her arms extended toward the ceiling, her hair slightly tousled, as if she had declared she found how to bring rain down during a drought.

I look at the girl in reverence, "That...that was actually insightful."

Ayla sits back down with a satisfied grin. "I know right? Now, what is left is your confession. What was it that you said? That you didn't dare to confess? You lack the courage?"

"Do you guys have any hints of Crimson liking Drex back?" Archer wonders out loud instead after I give a nod in answer to Ayla's question. 

The room goes silent. 

See? This is what I'm worried about. 

"She seems happy around you?" Ayla helpfully offers. "She might like you, I can tell," comes in Jed's voice. Since this was Jed who spoke, I immediately held him by the shoulders. 

"How do you know? How can you tell?"

"She cares about you and always invites you to visit the lake, right? But I have a feeling that she's not very open about her feelings. She's friendly with everyone in the same way she is with you, so it's hard to tell if she sees you as just a friend or something more."

"I completely agree with Jed," Ayla responds. "Crimson is the kind of girl who will only answer questions you ask. She was never the one to open up first. She needed a reason. We only found out she moved back from Korea and that her family owns the lake and lives on the lone hill only because we asked her about it. She wouldn't have mentioned it if we hadn't met 'Uncle Josh' that day. If we don't ask her anything, we won't know what we know now."

At that moment, I realised that my friends were right. Crimson was not someone who would willingly open up about herself. She had a mysterious aura around her, and it seemed like she wouldn't reveal her story to anyone unless asked. This made it difficult to analyze her feelings towards me since she was closed off. I couldn't just go up to her and ask if she had any interest in me. As I mentioned before, I wasn't courageous enough to take that step. 

How shamelessly I admit that fact is way out of my character.

"In that case, it is all up to you, Drex. As I always say, you like her? You tell her." Archer seemed incredibly proud of his tedious catchphrase that I didn't have the heart to tell him to shut up.

"That is the problem. He needs the courage to confess," Jed snickers.

"Be careful, Drexel. Even if you realize your feelings early on, someone else might make a move before you do," Zeke's sudden comment made us all turn our heads in his direction. Zeke, my cheerful and talkative friend who enjoyed cracking silly jokes, had been so quiet throughout my ordeal that I completely forgotten that he was even in the room.

"What do you mean?" Archer inquires and Zeke shrugs after a thoughtful pause, "Just that... doesn't Kash like her too? He seems to be like Archer's 'you-like-her-then-tell-her' kind of guy, don't you think?"

I quickly process this new information in my mind and my eyes widen in shock. Kash Grater? What were the chances? Ayla nods in agreement with Zeke, looking deep in thought. "He's right. I've seen Kash trying to talk to Crimson a lot lately. And to make things worse, they share a class - Photography. None of us take that class."

I remember Crimson mentioning her disinterest in virtual arts and her choice of photography as an elective. Although she didn't share the class with any of us, she unfortunately had it with Kash. Why did he have to interfere in my personal life too? As if racing and school weren't enough, he had to meddle with the one time I showed an interest in a girl.

"He's planning to confess his feelings to her," Zeke announces, sending a wave of horror through me.

"What did you just say?" I ask breathlessly.

"You heard me," he shrugs his shoulders.

"How do you know that he is going to confess?" Ayla inquires, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I overheard him making plans with his friends. Kash is trying to get closer to her in the photography club. Then he will confess to her, preferably next week."

"...Whoa. That's fast," Archer exhales and looks at me with retrieving eyes.

"We can't let Kash get to her before Drex!" Ayla exclaims.

Feeling dejected, I let my head fall back onto my bed and let out a deep sigh. There was no way I was going to let Kash confess his feelings to Crimson before I did. 

"Can someone please give me some advice or a way to motivate myself to confess to her before that pea-brain does?" I ask desperately, hoping that my friends would have some helpful suggestions.

"Oh? Now you want to confess to her? Just the mention of Kash has you spiralling. That is enough motivation," laughs Archer.

"I still get the jitters whenever I think about confessing though," I tell him, visibly shuddering.

Ayla suddenly pops up with a sly grin and gestures towards me. "I have an idea!" she declares. "You're trying to find the courage to confess and get your rival out of the way, right?" I nod cautiously, unsure of where this is going. Ayla sometimes takes things a little too seriously and her plans can be a bit scary.

Ayla stands up straight, scanning each of us with a determined expression. "So, let's think about what really drives Drexel to take action?" Ayla asks and when we all wordlessly blink at her, she continues, "From what I've seen, Drexel is someone who only makes big moves when he has something to lose, or when he has a lot to gain."

"I'm not sure I follow," I say, frowning in confusion.

"What Ayla means is that if you feel like there's a real chance you could lose Crimson to Kash, you might be more willing to take a risk and confess your feelings to her," Jed chimed in, finally catching on.

"Exactly!" Ayla exclaims, grinning triumphantly. "We just need to make Drexel see that the stakes are high, and he'll be motivated to take action."

Huh? Where is she going with this?

"What is Drexel's greatest strength? What is something he gives it his all to?" she continues, encouraging us to answer her questions with wide eyes and overthrown arms.

"Family," Zeke answers which makes me smile his way 

"Post-Crimson chocolate brownies," Archer adds.

Jed rolls his eyes as Ayla droops her shoulders, "You guys...It's his street racing!"

The others' eyes widen in realization as they nod their heads in agreement. "Yes definitely, but what does that have to do with confessing?"

Ayla's lips tug into a smirk, "Want to get Kash out of the way forever? Want to find the courage to confess to Crimson? Win a race against Kash."

The room falls deathly quiet before it shreds into pieces.

"That is it!"

"That is quite a good idea."

"If you can beat him on the streets, you can beat him in matters of the heart!"

"Call me Queen Ayla."

Zeke looks at me with questioning eyes, but I feel a smile spreading across my face. Ayla couldn't help but laugh victoriously. "I'm amazing, right? Drexel will race Kash! If you win, you'll confess to Crimson. If not, well, Kash will confess to her and you will friend-zone yourself."

I laugh in disbelief. "That's ridiculous. I might as well just confess to her outright when I know I'll beat Grater. It's common sense. He's never beaten me."

"Drexel never backs away from a serious race. If you know you'll have to confess to Crimson if you win, you'll definitely do it with the adrenaline rush and joy of the victory pumping through your body. It's not courage he needs, it's the epinephrine of a challenge and the push he needs to confess," Jed adds, although I had no idea what 'pine shine' or whatever meant.

Archer's excitement was palpable as he proposes, "Why not ask Kash himself to set the conditions, choose the location, and type of race? He might want to beat you with something he specializes in, making it an intense and challenging race. He wouldn't give up easily knowing he has an advantage, and neither will you when you pride yourself on never having been beaten by him. It would be a fair race that no one would want to miss, and the adrenaline rush alone would be worth it."

As I ponder over Archer's suggestion, a wave of excitement washes over me. A race against Kash on his own terms, with the stakes as high as they could be, was an opportunity I couldn't miss. It would be a chance to prove myself, to show Crimson my worth, and to finally confront my feelings head-on.

Jed looks impressed with Archer for the first time, while Zeke slowly nods his head silently and thoughtfully.

"What if Kash asks why I'm challenging him? I don't want to tell him that I have feelings for Crimson. I want to keep his focus away from her," I ask instead, looking to the others for advice.

"Well, there haven't been any races for a while, right? Since Kash knows that you live and breathe racing, he wouldn't question it if you told him you were bored and itching to race. Say it's been a while since you felt that rush and excitement, so you challenged your greatest rival to a race. Easy," Archer suggests.

"It's not the best plan, but it could work," Jed says.

The others nod in agreement and I can feel the anticipation building up inside me. The thought of racing Kash, my rival, in a fair and intense race is enough to make my heart race with excitement. And the added incentive of confessing to Crimson if I win only adds to the thrill.

This may be the push I need to finally confess my feelings to Crimson, and I am ready to give it my all.

Guys, I wrote this race and I.AM.SHOOK. It is probably one of my favourite chapters to write PLS I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL I PUBLISH THE RACE CHAPTERS

THAT IS IT. 

****Fun fact; I wrote this draft to chapter 17 last year, 2022. I already had the plot in mind. So my impatient ass started writing the draft for 2nd book just after I drafted this chapter before anything else. I was too excited that dropped this book and wrote 3 new chapters in the 2nd book in 2022, lmao. 

Damn I can't wait until I finish this book lol. I wanna jump into writing the 2nd one ASAP ASAP ASAP.