About two minutes ago, Robert had snuck into the power room, his heart racing with excitement and a hint of mischief. He had been watching the race from the sidelines, and when he saw his friend, Jacob, falling behind, he knew he had to act fast. With a quick flick of his wrist, he switched off the power, plunging the auditorium into darkness before rushing back out.The sudden blackout caused a commotion, with students gasping and whispering to each other. The judges' faces turned red with anger and disappointment, while the regulatory officials rushed to the power room to investigate what had happened, but they were too late.Robert slipped out of the power room, trying to blend in with the crowd. He made his way back to the next stand instead of where he was with Ben, as he didn't want Ben to know what really went down.Within the next few minutes, the light came back on, and whispers and gasps filled the air. Everyone fixed their eyes on the athletes. Some of them were already out
Robert watched in awe as Jacob shot off the starting block like a bullet, his strokes powerful and precise - unlike the first time where he was slow. This time was very different. He was determined to make up for lost time, and Robert knew that he had the skill and talent to do it.In the first minute of the race, Jacob was on the same frequency and speed as the other top two swimmers, while others followed suit. They kept keeping up with each other for the next minutes, but the opposing team's captain, a tall, muscular boy with a cocky grin, was not going to let Jacob get ahead without a fight. He swam with a fierce intensity, his eyes fixed on Jacob as they battled for the lead.What?! Gasps filled the auditorium as Jacob and the last best swimmer went neck-and-neck as they swam back. They couldn't hide their surprised faces on seeing that Jacob was really doing better than he had just done in the last time."Oh my god, isn't that Jacob?" one of the students exclaimed in shock. "How
As Jacob walked into the locker room, waving his school flag, the space erupted in a deafening roar of triumph. His teammates, overcome with joy and pride, swarmed around him, cheering and chanting his name. Their faces were filled with excitement, and the smell of sweat and victory hung heavy over the room as both men and women jumped around.The team's coach, a towering figure with a booming voice, grabbed a megaphone and began to lead the chant: "Jacob! Jacob! He's our man! If he can't do it, nobody can!"Initially, Jacob was shocked to see his coach now siding with him after what had happened at the beginning of the match. But he just waved it off and continued to jump around and celebrate his win.Soon the team joined in, their voices growing louder and more frenzied with each repetition of Jacob's name. They started to jump up and down, creating a sea of bobbing heads and waving arms. The sound was like rolling thunder, shaking the very foundations of the locker room.As the chan
Robert's face turned red with anger as Mr. Jones' words cut deep. He knew exactly what the coach was trying to do - shame him for being poor. The crowd around them grew larger, sensing the tension. It wasn't the first time he would throw jabs at him for being poor. He had experienced it with him before, but it seems today would be the last straw of it. In the past, he had insulted him at any little chance he got for the most slightest thing ever, so it was only fair to say that Mr. Jones doesn't like him."So, that's what this is about?" Robert spat, his voice low and even. "You think you can just mock me for not having enough money to buy a new sports car? That's rich coming from you, Mr. Jones, with your fancy car and your country club membership."His words were laced with sarcasm and it cut deep into his teacher's skin. He felt like he had been punched in the gut. He actually thought it was just him who knew a few things about Robert, but he also didn't have a car nor wore fancy cl
Inside the locker room, all the students who were going to be racing in the next twenty minutes were getting dressed. Some were outside warming up their rides and making sure everything was in order. The air was filled with anticipation. They had been revving their engines for this moment for weeks, and finally, the day of the big race had arrived. The room was a flurry of activity as everyone quickly got into their respective racing gear.Robert wore sleek, fire-resistant jumpsuits in their team colors, adorned with sponsors' logos and his name emblazoned on the back. He paired these with sturdy, protective helmets, gloves, and shoes, making sure every piece of safety gear was securely in place before he went out for the race.As they dressed, the drivers chatted nervously, discussing their strategies and goals for the race. Some did last-minute checks of their gear, while others visualized the track and their competitors. Ben and Jacob were also in the locker room, helping Robert wit
As the drivers prepared to start the race, they all entered their cars and strapped themselves in. Each of them was tense as they waited for the green flag to drop. The coach, stood at the starting line, gun in hand, ready to begin the race.But just as the drivers were about to put their cars in gear, the coach suddenly raised his hand, stopping Robert from proceeding."Hold up, Robert!" the coach shouted above the din of the revving engines. "Who asked you to join the race?" Robert's heart sank as he wondered what was wrong. He looked at Ben, who shrugged and mouthed "don't worry."The coach walked over to Robert's car, his eyes scanning the sleek Nissan. "What's going on, coach?" Robert asked, feeling a sense of unease. The last conversation they had was that if he got a car, he would join in the race, so what was he trying to say now?"Is this your car, Robert?" he asked, his eyes fixed on him."Yes, sir. It's mine!" came the confident reply.Mr. Jones scrutinized the car again, a
Mr. Jones quickly apologized. "I am sorry, sir. It was a misunderstanding, and it won't happen next time.""It better not!" Mr. Stanley hissed and walked away.Mr. Jones' face flushed with embarrassment as he stood there and watched the vice chancellor walk away. He couldn't fathom how he could come and just support Robert that way. Taking a trip down memory lane, he could remember vividly that the vice chancellor doesn't like Robert either, so why did he just come out now and even threaten to fire him? He breathed in and out before turning to his students so they wouldn't know he was really going through it now.Everyone heard what the vice chancellor said; the tone he used was also condescending.Mr. Jones smiled. "So all of you, I want a very square and fair match. No cheating, please be very, very careful while you race and don't bash your cars. Do the needful as I have taught you all, and come back here with good news. I'm not supporting anyone or rooting for anyone until the rac
"What do you mean they had an accident?" She was shocked. "What kind of accident? What really happened, ma'am?""I don't really know the details, but they need urgent attention now. Maybe after the race or when we get there, we will know what happened."Lily moved closer, her mind racing with different thoughts. "Do you know which of the students had the accident? Which of them, I mean - do you know their names or the numbers?"The lady nodded. "No, ma'am, I don't really know. I heard it's over-speeding that caused it."Lily's eyes widened in horror as she grabbed the lady's arm, her grip tightening with desperation. "Oh no, oh no, oh no...please tell me it's not Robert. Please tell me he's okay." Her voice trembled with fear, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.The lady's expression softened, but she hesitated, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I really don't know. I just heard it was one of the drivers. I don't know the name or which car it was. I'd advise you to just