A dark, heavy SUV, and a sleek sports car that felt similar to the car she had just competed against, though it felt different. That was what Sharon came back to see at the beginning of the track, before she slowed down to go down the path leading outside of it, back to the spectating crowd.
She was only welcomed by Glenn, with the greater part of the crowd's focus on the incongruous combination on the track she passed by earlier. Rising to her feet after the butterfly door opened, the excitement and the tension bled out of her as she glanced at the giant screen displaying the scene on the track from above, before she turned to her redhead friend and manager:
"What is going on?"
Glenn grinned and raised her hand holding the drink she had walked over with to extend a finger at the screen. She opened her mouth but didn't get to explain before she got interrupted.
*Vroom~! Vroom~!*
It was the Ferrari Spider arriving. As the girls turned around, Ron turned off the engine and came out of the sports car, his face lacking the previous charming smile, or any smile at all. He looked down at his ride, his expression not quite emotional, nor really melancholic, but somewhat subdued.
After passing a hand over its frame for a fleeting touch, he turned to Sharon, and without much expression on his face, threw the key in his hand over:
"It's yours now."
Then, he left. He turned and walked away without lingering at all. The sight left Sharon quiet as she held the object she had caught and looked at his back.
Right after, she looked back at the car she had won and smiled brightly, making Glenn look at her and shake her head with amusement.
Right then, the atmosphere started to heat up, and the crowd started to cheer. The noise made Glenn look back before she held Sharon by the arm and shook her while shouting through the returning noise:
"Alright, don't start drooling yet! The race is about to start, we can't miss it!"
A flash of helplessness passed through Sharon's sapphire blue eyes as she rolled them and threw a glare at Glenn. But thinking about the two cars she saw on the track, she suppressed her retort and turned to the giant live feed.
Looking at the paradox of heavy and light, black and white, Sharon leaned toward Glenn and asked loudly:
"So, Alex Lenner and Kris Lenner are…?!"
"Cousins who don't see eye–!"
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE THE BIGGEST BET OF THE NIGHT ABOUT TO BE PLAYED ON ONE RACE, THE RACE OF THE NIGHT, AND IT WILL BE WILD~!!! TWO COLLECTIONS OF LUXURIOUS CARS, FROM A CADILLAC FROM ALMOST A CENTURY AGO LIKE THE V16 TO THE MUSCLE CLASS CAMARO SS FROM 1967, MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AGO! FROM THE 70s EL CAMINO TO THE MORE RECENT BUGATTIS, VEYRON, CHIRON, MISTRAL OR EVEN TOURBILLON. BENTLEY, MERCEDES, ASTON MARTIN, MCLAREN, EVEN ROLLS ROYCE, YOU NAME IT! A BET THAT CAN BE VALUED AT DOZENS OF MILLIONS, ALL ON ONE RACE, ONE BATTLE, ONE WAR! THE YOUNGER LENNER, KRIS, DOESN'T WANT PITY, DOESN'T WANT JUST ONE CAR, HE WANTS THEM ALL, AND THE OLDER LENNER, ALEX, HAS SET OUT TO CHOP OFF THE OVERREACHING PAW OF HIS UNDISCIPLINED COUSIN! NOW EVERYONE COUNT DOWN WITH ME! FIVE…! FOUR…!"
Lance was back on the stage, his grin brighter than ever as he waved wildly like a harbinger of chaos. And his enthusiasm received an even hotter response from the fired up crowd:
"THREE!!!"
"TWO!!!"
"ONE!!!!!"
*BEEP~* *VROOM!!! VROOMMM!!!*
The smaller and sleeker Stradale took off with a sharp sound, but the heavy SUV was not left behind. It jumped forward with just as much grit, its imposing presence clinging onto the asphalt like an engulfing shadow, keeping the Ferrari on a tight leash.
In barely two seconds, they reached the first bend, and they dove right in, one like a sharp swordfish, the other like an agressive black shark.
*Screech!!!*
"Hey!"
Tyler, his arms crossed, took his eyes off the giant screen to glance at Ron who had arrived beside him, then moved his attention back to the race while calmly greeting back:
"You are back."
Ron didn't mind the lackluster response, nor was he surprised. He also turned his attention to the feed of the race while acknowledging in a self-deprecating tone:
"Yeah, and I lost. Alex got a new ride. Must be from Kim, right?"
Tyler's expression froze, but only for a second. Without any other reaction, he fixed his gaze on the two competing cars, especially the SUV.
"Everyone, look at that! We all thought Alex would be left behind, but it seems his custom-made SUV is not just badass in look, but also under the hood! He doesn't let his younger cousin take any advantage at all! He keeps him locked right by his side like a true little brother! Weight doesn't matter! With power and skill, he can make everything work!"
"YEAH!!!"
"Come on, Kris, don't remain a little brother!!!"
"Show your cousin you have grown up!!!"
"Come on!!! Kris!!! Kris!!! Kris!!! Kris!!! Kris!!!"
"Kris!!! Kris!!! Kris!!! Kris!!! Kris!!! Kris!!!"
As if he heard the encouraging shouts from the starting line, Kris could be seen on the screen gritting his teeth and suddenly changing his style. From steady and controlled, he went wild, and he let loose all the resentment that had been swirling inside him in a show of ruthless recklessness. Right before the approaching bend, he did something that left the crowd breathless.
Looking at the oppressive darkness at the side, and imagining Alex's casual, jarringly effortless expression as he sat comfortably inside his SUV right beside him, almost as if he could see it, Kris gnashed his teeth, then shifted gears, and harshly pressed down the accelerator to jump forward instead of slowing down.
With a savage glow in his eyes, Kris swung the Ferrari with a wild turn of the wheel while playing with any lever his feet and his hands could reach to plow his way through the bend.
*Screech~~~!!!*