I start my Sunday morning routine with a cereal breakfast, a cartoon episode, and a video call from my parents. Race day ready.
“Good morning!” Mabel’s cheerful voice breaks my trance on the TV.
“Good morning!” I reply, looking at her and smiling. I can’t help myself.
“Ready for the day?” she asks, setting down her laptop near her collection of devices and getting a coffee and toast for herself.
“Yup. Ready and able,” I reply.
She sits down next to me and asks, “So, do you have to watch this one episode, or just the series in general?”
“Only the series in general. I’m not that superstitious,” I say, trying to sound like I'm joking. Iampretty superstitiousabout my Sunday pre-race routine. There are far more extreme routines other riders follow both on and off-track.
“Noted.” She nods as she lifts the toast and continues to eat. I stare at her a little too long before she looks over at me. “Something on my face?”
“No, you’re all good,” I say, and force myself to look at the TV while she finishes eating before we need to be down in the lobby.
It's going to be unusual not rooming with her next month. I like having her around.Wonder if we can arrange for our rooms to be next door to each other for the tracks we can’t get a two-bedroom room.Then we can see each other whenever. I’ll have to chat with Koby and Rayna on that.
“Riley?” Koby’s voice breaks through my daze. We're in the Ghostly Flux shuttle bus, and I've zoned out.
“Yeah?” I reply, rearranging, sitting in my seat and straightening up to face Koby.
“You all good? You getting into the zone early?” he jests.
“Nah, just thinking. Takes effort for me.” I wink. “Any chance you and Rayna can arrange for Mabel and I to have our hotel rooms next to each other when we can’t get a two-bedder?”Can’t hurt to ask.
Koby pulls out his phone, rubbing the start of stubble appearing on his chin. “I’ll see what Rayna and I can do. Should be okay to arrange as long as Mabel is sweet with it.”
“Great, yeah, no worries. I’ll let her know I asked and if she wants it, too.” I pull out my phone this time.
I’m in a playful mood…
Yo! Long time, lol. I chatted with Kobs and he said he and Rayna could try to arrange our accomm next door to each other where they can, if you are keen on it. Just let Rayz know?
You again, LMAO. Sure! If they can organise it, that will be fun.
Great! I’ll let Kobs know. See you at the track.
See you there.
Pocketing my phone, smiling to myself, I look up at Koby, staring at me.
“She’ll chat with Rayna, too. She’s onboard,” I inform him and settle back into the seat. The chatter of the team around comfort me for the rest of the ride.
Fleur is a blur of red as she takes me on the inside corner, but I have my bike set up to take the next corner on the outside and overtake her. We have been swapping positions more times in this race than I can keep count. Javi and Cole were close behind for the first half of the race, but now they've dropped behind.It’s just me and Fleur fighting it out for first. She is relentless, keeping me at bay, not giving me an opening when she makes it in front. I let her Aprilia lead for a few laps while I wait for a new opening. Javi and Cole eat up time and tyres, fighting it out between the two of them. I can hear the rumbles of their bikes fall further back. Fleur and I stay in first and second for the last half of the race. We break away in front. Even if it’s a few tenths of a second, it all counts.
Last lap; this is my time. I speed up, putting pressure on Fleur. I’m right behind her. The roars of our engines intertwine. She’ll be able to see the white of my Ducati in her peripheral as she turns into a corner. It causes her to hesitate, lift her bike up slightly, but that’s all I need. I slide it in front of her and keep my lines tight, hitting the apex every time. Every corner. Every exit point. I'm right on it and I make it stick. She doesn’t push. Her tyres are probably shot. Losing traction. We pushed hard all race. Hearing her still behind me, I know I can’t make a mistake. She will be right there to cross the finish line in first if I bungle any of the last corners. Third last corner, tight right. Second last corner, sweeping left. Final corner, another exaggerated left before I blast down the straight and pass the black-and-white checkered flag.
Inhaling deeply from the top step, the smell of petrol and burnt rubber is still fresh in the air. The blaring Victorian afternoon sun beats down, causing me to swelter in my leathers. Fleur and Javi are standing up here with me, which makes it feel even better. We push each other to be better, both on andoff the track. Glancing out towards the gathering of teams and fans, Mabel is easy to spot with her stunning smile. I'm sure she is smiling because Javi is up here next to me taking third, but a part of me hopes she is smiling at me.
The three of us step down and head into an empty room to wait for the crowd to disperse. “What a race!” Fleur exclaims, placing her trophy and helmet down to grab three waters and pass it to us all.
“Hell of a battle!” Javi agrees, taking a long gulp.
“Many more of that waiting for you lot this season! Weather threw everything at us today,” I add. It was a mixed bag of drizzle, warm sun, and then cold breeze on the Island. I’m looking forward to a shower back at the hotel.
“I’m sure it’s going to go off tonight at the hotel,” Fleur says with a big smile across her face.
