48: Project S.I.L.V.E.R.B.E.A.S.T (Chapter 12 coming later today)

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Autofreak4986

Autofreak4986

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Chapter 1
Battle of the Far East​

My name is Amanda Morgan. Everyone's been hush-hush about me. They've seen how mean I can be on the track. They've seen how dominant I can be. They know the myth behind the number 48. People have been left with a bad taste in their mouths in the Alpine Cup and the Sport Truck Race, as I leave them in the dust, decimating, and humiliating them. But that's not the whole story. My mission is to make it to the Gran Turismo World Championship (the last race in the Professional Events hall before anyone can unlock the Extreme Events), and hopefully take a prototype car (my favorite's the Toyota Minolta 88CV Race Car '88) with me to score a colossal upset. My race number, as you may have guessed, is 48.

"Amanda!" Michael Ryan, the crew chief of the mysterious Racing Team J.M.L. Racing called my name. Their mentor, Hornet Racing, had retired from the circuit by 2008 after defeating them in the Pan Euro Championship (European Events hall > Pan Euro Championship) when they were working for the Corporation, an evil force people are scared to tell the legend of. "Our road to the World Championship is under way. But, you get to choose which event you want to do first. Where are you?"

A beautiful young woman in her 20s (that's me) with brown eyes and medium-long brown hair walked by holding her silver and royal blue helmet that fit her size. I have on a rainbow-colored short-sleeved buttoned down shirt hiding a short white camouflage patterned tank-top, burgundy camouflage patterned racing gloves, silver bracelets, baggy dark denim blue jeans, and black (not monochrome) Converse All-Star high-tops--but with a black camouflaged pattern. I also have purple make-up around my eyes. I also have rainbow-colored fingernails; they were different colors on each nail using nail polish. But Michael started to worry about me. Obviously they're sometimes late to events because I keep checking out. They know I'm hot, but they don't want to miss any events. I also stand...about 5'6"-5'7". I'm a local Californian and an actress/model/reality TV star who hates people with bad attitudes on and off the track as well as people who repeatedly bash other car manufacturers when it comes to racing. I'm also laid-back and currently live in Laguna Beach, California. I also keep up to date with the latest fashion trends and never misses a beat. I often like to mix and match with her outfits (I often say that watching shows on MTV give her ideas on how to dress). As I put on my racing helmet, the real adventure was about to begin. Better hang on...

Speaking of team colors, bright silver and royal blue was the racing team's colors since they debuted in July 1996. I was only 10 at the time Team Nathan formed. When I was 12 (at this time, the original Gran Turismo hit U.S. stores in 1998), I had gotten strange dreams about the first Gran Turismo intro when a modified Skyline (probably the Nismo GT-R LM Road Going Version '95--a race version of the R33 GT-R) was seen before the garage closed (a dream like this would happen again in early 2004 before I turned 18). I often thought the people who raced this car were evil. And she was right. This unknown team was one of the many defeated by Hornet Racing in 2001 (Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec). Since 2007, when the evil racing team came back, it was revealed in a fellow driver, Steven Taylor, from that team's dreams (he was 21) that that team wanted the major sponsor Hornet had, which was Speedvision, or SPEED Channel. Hence, a rivalry began between Hornet and a friendly rival, Jeff (big sponsor is ESPN), was reborn since 1996 when they first met (Team Jeff came in August 1996, and they're retired as of 2008 as well). Though now 22 (I'm born May 21, 1986 in West Los Angeles, California), I may be a careful driver, but people can easily find out that I'm tougher than I look!

When Team Nathan was in the Corporation, their colors were strikingly similar to a boss enemy from an 8-bit arcade game colored blue, yellow, and red--before Hornet dealt the final blow. Out of the Corporation's grasp, the team has no problem rebuilding from scratch and is anxiously awaiting new challenges.

"Just a second! I have to try out this makeup!" I said. Michael (he's 20) growled, then muttered something that a crewmember overheard.

"Amanda...we don't have time for this! The Japanese Grand Prix starts in a week!" Michael shouted. "Are you ready or not?" It appeared as if I was ready after all.

I was assigned the mysterious Nismo Skyline R33 from a 1998 dream (and happened again early 2004) I had for the first round (Fuji Speedway '90s), when all of a sudden...a metallic gray NSX and yet another rival, a white Skyline R34 GT-R V-spec II '00 appeared.

"Amaya..." I growled, angrily, wanting no part of her. Car #21, driven by J-pop singer Amaya Kawamura, also 22 (born March 27, 1986)--the white Skyline R34--had a grudge with me, all because I was an American. I would not take this lying down one bit. I became so jealous of Amaya, I illegally took a shortcut and "Nathan" was moved to the back of the field in 6th place. At the start of the race, everyone became loyal to Amaya and took turns tormenting me just because I couldn't gain control of my car. This sneak attack by Amaya was short-lived; I got my revenge by the mid-point of the race and left everyone in the dust like I intended, using the car from my dreams in 1998 and 2004. I left an orange NSX behind and opened up a 5-second lead on the driver.

"That Japanese chick you were upset about finished dead last!" Michael laughed as my pit crew celebrated. But the championship wasn't over yet. I got 10 points while Amaya a measly 1 point.

The next round at Tsukuba Circuit had to be the longest, dreadful rounds in the championship, but I tried to dispose of Amaya--and successfully did while qualifying 1st place. I had felt as if the car was possessed like another urban legend from the Wangan Midnight series, the Devil Z--but managed to keep the R33 under control. I also did NOT like the fact that me and the other competitors had to race 10 laps. I had opened up a 6-second lead on one of my opponents, fellow German Wolfgang Schneider, the #45 Honda NSX Type S-Zero '97, an orange car. He became amazed and impressed by my skills and not thinking about a new rival I made since the first race in the championship. Behind Wolfgang was another American, Wes Mueller, 23 (born June 10, 1985 in Kinston, North Carolina), a semi-large (not obese) young man dressed like a skateboarder with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. He also had on punk bracelets on his left and right wrists. He drove the #22 Honda NSX Type-R '02. It didn't matter because California would triumph over North Carolina when I won the race. Wolfgang and Wes were somewhat racing side-by-side, intensely, battling over who would get the right to try to beat me.

Round 3 (Tokyo R246) saw me getting angry over the digital leaderboard, saying that Amaya had the fastest lap. Upset over officials sucking up to the deceptive Kawamura, I decided to change that. But just as I got my pole position...

"AMANDA! LOOK OUT!!" Michael shouted while I wasn't even paying attention. I hit the brakes so hard I nearly avoided a big tragedy.

The race started off a little slow, seeing that Wolfgang overtook me, but I instantly regained my spot...and managed to open up a 10-second lead on Wolfgang. The gap increased, however. It had turned to a 12-second lead, and I didn't insist on stopping anytime soon. Then it became 14 seconds...then 15...then 18 seconds! The "Demon R33" (nickname given to the Nismo GT-R LM Road Going Version '95 by urban legends and people who drove this car in races) didn't want to stop, though I didn't like this one bit. It's said in legend that people who race this car that looked like one of the Tokyo Xtreme Racer Wanderers or big bosses have either injured themselves or wound up in an accident. I had won a good race there too.

Round 4 (Twin Ring Motegi - Road Course) was too easy according to me. I had put lessons learned from a North Carolina racing school to the ultimate test in qualifying (the racing team often stops by Wilmington when the seasons change from winter to spring). It's where I met classmate Wes Mueller for the first time. I also managed to qualify 1st place without breaking a sweat, not even thinking about my rival, Amaya. In fact, things weren't going too well for her, either. Repeated 5th and 6th place finishes hurt Amaya's morale and made her surprisingly weak to be one of my rivals. Speaking of Wolfgang, I opened up a 13-second lead on him and my fellow classmate, Wes. This had easily become 15 seconds, but I led Wolfgang by 16 seconds and Wes by 17. Amaya would have a shocking confession by the final race...

"Amanda...I can't believe I'm saying this, but my first impressions of you were wrong from the start. You've gotten stronger at championship racing, haven't you? Can we call this a truce?"

The dreaded Suzuka Circuit (Round 5) was next. I had heard horror stories from Japan about this racetrack. It was said in one legend that some cars have even wrecked or spun out of control when they saw a section near the end of the course they weren't supposed to take. In fact, one person failed a Super License Test with a Xanavi Nismo Fairlady Z (Z33; JGTC) '04 (#22) in 2007 when he left the course, not forgetting that that dreaded section was there.

I, however, was NOT going to let that bother me. I had almost lost it at one point, but managed to overcome that dreaded section. I qualified first, but then Wolfgang and another Japanese competitor, Kazuya Kumakubo, who drove the #44 Subaru Legacy B4 2.0GT '03 overtook me badly. I overtook him before Wes made a running gag of being in 3rd to battle Wolfgang, who would then be overtaken by me, leaving him to defend 2nd place. Kazuya would be 4th. The "Demon R33" also had poor handling capabilities; by one of the laps, I was in danger of spinning out, possibly causing 2nd place Wolfgang to score the immediate upset. Instead, determined not to let that happen, I decided to open up a 7-second lead on him. I had stormed the Japanese championship race, scoring 50 pts. Wolfgang was 2nd with 30 while Wes 3rd with 20. Amaya and a British competitor, Jack Oliver, the #33 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 (J) '98 were back in 5th and 6th (Amaya scored a paltry 9 points while Jack a measly 6. Kazuya was 4th with 15 points).

I had also won $35,000 for winning the overall championship. I was slowly gaining knowledge of cars. Ever since I was 10, I had a passion for them when one of my cousins in Sacramento owned a PlayStation (PS1) and fired up Ridge Racer Revolution, saved to a memory card with the 13th Racing, 13th Racing Kid, and White Angel cars unlocked. In fact, he was amazed when I had won first place on the Novice course with the Angel car (#0) back when I played in 1996 in Grand Prix mode (12 cars, 3 laps), not knowing that a girl can race that good.

Team Nathan had also won a special car...while I received an invitation to race the All Japan GT Championship. New friends and rivals would be made there while I thought racing there would be a cool idea. But if I want to race in the World Championship finals (Gran Turismo World Championship), I must work harder.

(Chapter 2: California Problems coming soon...)

(NOTE: This story is fictional. Real-life locations ("Special" and "Clubman" Stages in City Courses/all Original Courses/Driving Park) in following chapters may be depicted, but is solely unintentional.)
 
I'm too tired and have a shot attention span right now, but I read half of it. Perhaps go into less detail in the future? I'll read the other half some day. It's not bad so far.
 
I got the idea for Amaya Kawamura after playing Burnout Revenge for PS2 when I got stupidly attacked by a white Criterion R195 DX on one of the Eastern Bay tracks (loosely based off Tokyo at night), causing me to get totaled and a new revenge rival. Unfortunately, she got away and won the race, leaving me to finish 2nd, if anyone's asking.
 
Chapter 2​
California Problems​

I did it! I had actually won the Japan Championship!

However, I was too emotional for words. When I did an interview with a nearby interviewer who covered the race, I had tears flowing down my eyes. I was almost about to cry. I could not believe I had conquered a big goal. The audience had cheered wildly as I held a gold trophy up. I had waved to them as well.

I had called my father on my cell phone (he's been racing at the track for many years in different leagues) and told him the good news. Michael, my crew chief, also consoled me, hugging me.

"There, there. That's what racing is all about." Michael said during our hug, patting me on the back to make me feel better. "You gotta put your mind at ease and leave your heart and soul in the zone." One of the Japanese officials even offered me a soft, clean napkin to dry my tears. I bowed in respect. All I ever did was have an amazing championship win.

On the flight back home to Los Angeles (Special Stage Route 5) via LAX, I had felt like I was a hometown hero. I just won a big championship, that's all. Plane ticket cashiers and nearby bystanders congratulated me as I walked by, as well as security officers. They could not believe what had happened.

They shipped the "Demon R33" back to our garage in nearby Long Beach, CA where Racing Team J.M.L. Racing Headquarters is. Michael had called our sponsors (SPEED Channel, MTV, The CW, FOX Network, Warner Bros., and so much more) to deliver the good news.

The next few days, I had some really bad thoughts because my agent booked me to go to a photo shoot with the Demon R33 in various places...the Grand Canyon, Brooklyn, Times Square...but when we got to the Grand Canyon, I breathed a sigh of relief. The photographer had run out of film. He had recently photographed a red tuner car at Sonoma (Infineon Raceway - Stock Car Course).

The Brooklyn photo shoot with the Demon R33 was my favorite ever--I had some friends that attended the New York Film Academy, and one of them dresses like a skateboarder like Wes from the Japan Championship I just completed (he's an American), but it's a girl, and unlike me, she's a blonde and had this trendy hat on every time I saw her (also she had on short shirts as well sometimes). I wonder if she's in the league too?

To show his gratitude, an Italian-American driver (translation: European Events hall > La Festa Italiana / Italian cars only / Standard or Sports Tires required) took me for a ride around the peaceful gardens of Hemet, California (Autumn Ring). He won the race there. Of all the California towns I miss, Hemet had to be one of them. He was also racing against Italian cars like the Alfa Romeo GT 3.2 V6 24V '04.

No matter what anyone says, I LOVE Monaco. That was his next stop in this Italian car festival. He started driving like I did, but he didn't feel as if his Pagani Zonda C12S '00 was possessed like our Demon R33. When I asked him if his Zonda was possessed...

"No, no nitrous modifications or illegal parts." he said. "Just beautifully hand-crafted engineering for the big leagues in Italian motorsports." I couldn't understand what he was talking about.

"Never mind." I sighed. Afraid I would start a conflict about American vs. European drivers, I decided not to say anymore and let this guy's driving skills do the talking.

But then, problems were afloat. Sonoma had came back to haunt me. The fourth-place driver hails from Bakersfield, California and has beautiful blonde hair like my New York friend. She had this bright red button-down sweater on with a zebra-printed skirt and black high heels. She always carried this zebra-striped purse with her as well. Oh yeah, and she was in her 20s just like me. Like Amaya (she says she caused the bitter rivalry but she learned her lesson and I believed her--she wasn't kidding), I also envied her. I was anxious to see what kind of car she drives besides an Alfa Romeo GTV 3.0 V6 24V '01.

"What is it that you don't like about Bakersfield, Amanda?" the driver asked me when we got out when the car was parked (Infineon Raceway - Sports Car Course).

"It's a long story, Sergio." I told him. "Everyone in the league from there is arrogant and self assured. They always bump and push you off the road to make sure you finish in last place and they win the race. That's just being cheap and unfair."

I had received an invitation in the mail for a coastal town race afterwards (Costa di Amalfi). Just then Michael honked the horn of the Demon R33 which sounded normal telling me that the car was ready. One of my opponents, a Toyota Celica GT-FOUR RC (ST185) '91 had no chance of catching up with the possessed Demon R33. I didn't like the upgrade to the wheels for the racing tires installed, either. They came off a Chevrolet Corvette GRAND SPORT (C4) '96. I mean, WHO would put Chevy wheels on a Nissan or NISMO?! The last thing someone would want to do to the Demon R33 is put in an LS7 V8 Corvette engine (which powers most C6 Z06s).

"Michael..." I said, "When this Capri Rally is won, I want these Chevy wheels gone. It's so unnatural to place Chevrolet wheels on a Nissan."

The next race was as sillier as usual; I had to complete the Greek course of Athens (Costa di Amalfi)...backwards! Now that HAS to hurt. I don't know a thing about reverse courses, so I decided to give it a try, when all of a sudden, I was right! Some buckshot from Bakersfield, California in the same Celica as my opponent (I think he got an invitation too) when I did the course forwards (the forwards opponent was red; the backwards was black) decided to get all arrogant and bump me to make sure I finished last! He soon realized he bit off more than he could chew when I opened up a 35-plus-second lead on him when the Demon R33 needed it most. It was like the Demon R33 was torturing the Bakersfield meanie until he tapped out. I screwed up on some corners, getting penalized by 5 seconds here and there, but I had a semi-flawless run. I feasted my eyes on a fat "Rally" car, but couldn't afford it. Our team isn't allowed to go rallying...yet...after my violent outburst about spinning out in an attempt to win a Suzuki Escudo. Ouch.

Then disaster struck. Just when I got through with a kid from Bakersfield in his 20s trying to wreck me, I get this strange dream about a red tuner Skyline R34 GT-R with that same driver from the Sports Car Course of Infineon that Sergei beat badly (she finished 5th). Just who was she? And what are her intentions?

(chapter 3 coming soon...)
 
I agree with the other guys here. Your story is bloody brilliant, but it needs something to add to it, some pictures or something. Pictures do a great job shortening what you have to type because, hey, they're worth 1,000 words! *slaps knee*

Moving past that horrible pun, all I have to say is, great story, but a little on the long side.

Maybe try cutting what you have for each chapter in half then posting them as 2 separate chapters? Could help with the suspense too! 💡
 
Maybe she can't post pictures. I couldn't until a couple months ago. 💡 I love the dialogue, it's so cheesy! And you're driving an R33--not some overkill car that ruins the story for me. :D

But I had the same thought as the others (before i even read their comments)--a little editing wouldn't hurt. Sorry, i know we're not supposed to interrupt the creative flow, but this is an interactive bulletin board...
 
Parnelli Bone
Maybe she can't post pictures.
Click to expand...

I (Autofreak) am not in the story... :lol: I put it in first person to let readers see everything in the eyes of young Amanda Morgan (she's 22), a character I created. Sorry if this confuses you, but I hope this clears everything up...

The "Demon R33" idea came from a dream I had late 2003-early 2004 of the Nismo GT-R LM Road Going Version '95 involved in an import (translation: Japan-only) racing game intro for probably the PS1 and Saturn...a game I had never heard of before and had dark effects like thunder, and dramatic, ghoulish music accompanied the evil car in the shadows (the bad guys who used this car were Japanese too). I do believe there was gameplay eerily similar to Gran Turismo's series mixed with the 1999 Japan-only game Racing Lagoon made by SquareSoft (now Square Enix), though. This probably led me to get a PS2 as a high school graduation gift. My first game bought: Test Drive (which was story-driven) by Atari.

You could actually max out the super Skyline in GT3 (I believe it's around 700-800), but I found the maximum you could tune up the super Skyline here in GT4 is 610.
 
Parnelli Bone
Maybe she can't post pictures.
Click to expand...

I (Autofreak) am not in the story... :lol: Sorry if this confuses you; the story is what young Amanda Morgan (she's 22), a character I created sees as she tries to make it to the elite GT World Championship.

The "Demon R33" idea came from a dream I had late 2003-early 2004 of the Nismo GT-R LM Road Going Version '95 involved in an import (translation: Japan-only) racing game intro for probably the PS1 and Saturn...a game I had never heard of before and had dark effects like thunder, and dramatic, ghoulish music accompanied the evil car in the shadows (the bad guys who used this car were Japanese too). I do believe there was gameplay eerily similar to Gran Turismo's series mixed with the 1999 Japan-only game Racing Lagoon made by SquareSoft (now Square Enix), though. This probably led me to get a PS2 as a high school graduation gift. My first game bought: Test Drive (which was story-driven) by Atari.

You could actually max out the Nismo Skyline in GT3 (I believe it's around 700-800), but I found the maximum you could tune up the silver Skyline here in GT4 is 610.

But then again, thank you for your comments!
 
Okay, that's cool. I just had a look at your Myspace page, it's one of the best i've ever seen. 👍
 
Chapter 3
La fille aux cheveux de lin (Part 1)​
In my dream I had, I was at the Nanzenji Temple in Kyoto and all of a sudden this red tuner Skyline GT-R I saw was parked near the steps of the temple. A piece of classical, quiet, and warm music plays in the background. All of a sudden my alarm clock rings. Tired and refusing to get up, I lie there with my head facing the pillow. "Tomorrow" by Lillix is playing on my CD alarm clock as well.
I decide to get up anyway. But as I'm taking a shower with gel by Roxy, putting face cream by Clearasil on and brushing my teeth with Crest in my bathroom, I gasp in disbelief as one of the radio DJs in Los Angeles are reporting that the Celtics destroyed the Lakers 131-92 at home in Boston to win the NBA Finals on the radio in my bathroom at home. Boston hasn't won a title since the year I was born, 1986 (my birthday is May 21, in case you didn't notice already). I was saddened to hear that, but I didn't shed any tears. The Celtics were the better team that night, I thought.
"I need to break out, get me some takeout...pick up the phone...nobody's home...", I sung to myself in one of those voices that would get you in the top 12 best of American Idol while I was putting on my Secret deodorant (the kind for women) and my Roxy body lotion.

It was a hot day outside, so I put on some jean shorts. I'm a colorful person, so I always like to wear bright colors. I'm also a fan of collecting ox and high-top Converse All-Star sneakers (well, they are classic) in different colors,
but I decided after I put my socks on, to put on the same black high-tops with the camouflage pattern. To complete my outfit, I put on my black, white, and green American Eagle Outfitters baseball cap (the eagle is outlined in green, the front is white and the outside is black).

When I went back to New York by plane...all of a sudden these street racers were waiting for me. It looked as if they wanted a piece of the Demon R33. Especially this tuned Ford Focus RS and red Toyota Supra RZ that I may have seen in the league before with a race number of 18.

"Dang, this Amanda chick is too strong!" the driver of the Ford Focus RS said. As I won the race and $5,000 cash (Professional Hall > Race of Turbo Sport), that same blonde girl from Bakersfield that Sergei dismantled in La Festa Italiana got up from her seat and angrily walked to her car. What was her problem?

(Chapter 4 coming later today...stay tuned...)
 
Chapter 4
La fille aux cheveux de lin (Part 2)​
Later that night, I had another dream when I got home. The famous red car, a C5 Corvette Z06 by Chevy who defeated the Corporation millions of times had done a 10-lap front-engine, rear wheel drive challenge near Cleveland, Ohio (Apricot Hill)...and then this driver with a striking resemblance to WWE star and president of New Media, Inc., Shane McMahon, in a TVR Tuscan Speed 6 passed him twice before the Corvette Z06 sent him crashing into a sidewall--TWICE, losing grip AND speed! He later lost the race to the Corvette (finished 3rd behind a silver Corvette Z06).
"HEY, THAT'S NOT FAIR--HE SPUN ME OUT!" the driver of the Tuscan Speed 6 shouted in protest. The first time he sent the Tuscan into the sidewall, his car spun out near the 5th lap. He caught up when the driver thought of something on TV that upset him and the Tuscan arrogantly passed him before he got pushed off the course and sent into the sidewall AGAIN when he hit the brakes and the Corvette was approaching fast.
"Wow, he must really be mad." the Tuscan driver said when he got sent into the sidewall, wrecking again. Whenever the Corvette driver gets mad according to myth, he has Paul Phoenix's arcade stage music from the 1995 Namco arcade smash Tekken 2 loaded up in his portable MP3 player, ready to wreck the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible for making him VERY angry until they finish dead last. "It's like the scene from Air Force One all over again where the terrorists got blown up." When the Tuscan hit the wall hard, I wake up unexpectedly. Was this how the Demon R33, who was once defeated, was accidentally resurrected after 4 years?

I later had another dream where I was in Seattle, Washington (Seattle Circuit) where I saw a young woman with blonde hair like the woman Sergei and I saw at Infineon (Infineon Raceway - Sports Car Course), but this one drove a red Cobra with no stripes and had glasses. She had a long sleeved shirt under her short-sleeved shirt, kind of like kids dressed like skateboarders. I tried to wreck her, but the other 4 racers pass me as if nothing happened. Suddenly, the Demon R33 gained so much power, it got revenge on the skater punk girl that got away...the same way the Corvette Z06 did to the Tuscan Speed 6 in Cleveland (she too finished 3rd behind a Viper GTS). Even Drew Carey would realize the Corvette driver was clearly upset about something. But in this dream, she didn't get mad. Instead, she said...
"Now that 48 is what I call a genuine racer! Cool! What's her secret?" Instead of angrily going after me, she complimented me! It's obvious she hates guys, and she was surprised to see me, a girl, drive the Demon R33.
When I finish the race with the Demon R33, I wake up again. Then my cell phone rang. What did Michael want (seeing that he called me at 8am)?

(Chapter 5: La fille aux cheveux de lin (Part 3) coming soon...stay tuned!)
 
Chapter 5​
La fille aux cheveux de lin (Part 3)​

"Amanda, I have some news for you." Michael said on the other line. "Someone told me that you were startled by a red tuner Skyline?"
"Wait--wha--how'd you know that?" I asked. "How did you know about the R34? She's merely unavoidable."

So I went out to practice on Infineon Raceway's Stock Car Course, when all of a sudden...the paparazzi (ugh!) were snapping photos of me driving the Demon R33! I had felt so embarrassed. I started driving all erratically until Infineon security showed up. It turned out it wasn't the LA paparazzi...a car magazine wanted to do an article on me and the Demon R33. Who would've known a Japanese import attracted their attention (seeing that I won a Japanese championship of 5 rounds with the Demon R33)? Then my cell phone rang again.

"My name is Courtney and I'm coming to beat that Demon R33!" a young woman said over the line. Then it hit me. Was this the girl from my dreams trying to make a statement? I had pushed the red button on my cell phone to hang up. I had pulled up my address book (you know it's dangerous to talk on the cell and drive at the same time) and selected Michael from my list. I had spun the Demon R33 out to a curve that leads to the finish line in 1 turn just to talk to him.

"I got a threatening call by this girl named Courtney." I said to Michael. "She wants a piece of the powerful car. Courtney was parked outside the track in a red 350Z. How can she confront me if she's outside the stadium?

"You are aware that this Courtney girl is from Bakersfield, right?" Michael told me on the other line. "This is a man-hating racer and she won't stop until she's the victor."

Courtney must have it all wrong. Of all people, they expected Racing Team J.M.L. Racing (that's us)'s driver to be a man. But how am I going to tell her that she was horribly mistaken?

So I gained speed from the curve and continued on. I told myself that I would do 5 laps on Infineon Raceway's NASCAR course (GT4: Infineon Raceway - Stock Car Course) and then head back to the garage. But then disaster struck. An unexpected pit stop. So I went to use the bathroom during the time my tires were being changed. I washed my hands thoroughly with soap and rushed back to the car after drying them out. One more lap and I'd head back to the garage. I received an invitation to race the Tuning Car Grand Prix (Professional Events hall > Tuning Car Grand Prix), but I was a little nervous when I heard Courtney got an invite too. Then I had to go to this wheel shop where I actually fell in love with some used Chevelle wheels. I wanted to use them for racing tires. Even Michael agreed. I even had my oil changed at the shop and my car washed for free.

Round 1 was in Drew Carey Country in Cleveland, Ohio (Apricot Hill), but seeing that Courtney had pole position made me envious. I had exactly no idea who she was. I was trying for pole position, but did I get it the first time?

...NO!! I had put the power of the Demon R33 to work this time and it paid off. Unfortunately, like Amaya, Courtney qualified in last place. It looks as if Courtney was once again too weak to be a rival of mine. A yellow Porsche-like car, the RUF CTR2 was close enough behind me, but...the driver spun out and he or she dropped to 4th. When I saw the yellow car in my rear view, I realized this was a handsome young man. He's 5th with 2 points right now while I have 10.

The Demon R33 was unstoppable at the '90s version of Fuji Speedway, however. When I qualified pole position, the cute guy passed me once the race started! But here's the shocker...I had lost to him!

I was so frustrated after losing at Fuji Speedway, I had bumped my rival so bad, "Nathan" was moved to the back of the field in 6th place. I had gained positions like wildfire, though, in Tokyo (Tokyo R246). To blow off some steam, the Demon R33 went fast, and decimated the yellow RUF CTR2 by 7 seconds.

Bad karma had struck again by the time I reached Yosemite National Park (El Capitan). The Demon R33 had a mind of its own and we were moved to the back of the field in 6th place AGAIN. It was a half-spin, which is NOT tolerated during qualifying efforts. Spinning out in any way gets you moved to the back of the field with no chance of re-qualifying to fix the mistake. Oh, and I won there too. I had gotten two telephone calls by the next race in Tsukuba Circuit (which I qualified pole position there, too)...

"Uh, am I no match for you?" Courtney asked. "So let me get this straight, you're a woman, not a man? What? Did I challenge wrong person? I am so sorry about that! Can we just pretend that this rivalry never happened?" She found out the hard way that me, a girl, was driving the Demon R33, not a boy.

"Wha...are you the one Trevor talked about? Hi there. I'm Andrew." the driver of the yellow RUF CTR2 '96 said. "Sorry about what happened at Fuji Speedway--Courtney was after me and if I didn't speed up, she'd overtake me. I just needed to shut her up, not knowing that you were in first place. I...uh, hope you're not mad or anything..." Oh, yeah--Trevor was one of the racers in New York I beat the other day in the Ford Focus RS. But as for Andrew, he was shy when he talked to me, explaining what had happened at Fuji. It's like he has venustraphobia (fear of beautiful women like myself) or something. He's afraid that if he talks to a girl like me, something bad will happen to him. I'm not mad...I'm just shocked he pulled off the upset at Fuji Speedway.

However, that was another championship wrapped up. I had received $20,000 for winning the overall championship. No perfect 50, but I got 46 and Andrew got 30. Courtney, like Amaya, finished last with only 5 points. In front of her was (get this) a midnight blue Spoon S2000...kinda like what you would see in most of your import racing magazines.

I had flown back to Los Angeles a hometown hero again...only to go to bed that night, dreaming and about to receive the biggest curveball in my life.

(Chapter 6: Andrew's Requiem coming later today...stay tuned!)
 
Chapter 6
Andrew's Requiem (Part 1)​

I had a dream later that night that when I went downtown the next day, I couldn't believe it. The cute guy I beat in the Tuning Car Grand Prix was talking to his guy friends. I am an actress, and I know talent when I see it.

"You know, this is not going to work." One of the young men replied. "I mean, he knows how to race--but he doesn't know how to talk to a girl?" a young man who resembled Scott Michael Foster (that's what I can remember) from the ABCFamily comedy Greek replied.
"We gotta find that girl who did this to him." A young man resembling James Lafferty from the CW's One Tree Hill said to him. "There's no excuse to cause venustraphobia like that."

Now I know venustraphobia has absolutely nothing to do with the next race, but I know there's no excuse to zoom off like a coward in a race, either. That's exactly what happened to me in Round 2 of the Tuning Car Grand Prix (Fuji Speedway '90s). The yellow RUF CTR2 '96 the cute guy was driving took off and won the race. He could've at least told me his problems.

A few scenes later, I'm at the would-be venustraphobia victim's house, which is a few blocks from mine in Los Angeles. He was about ready to go out.

"You see, Amanda," the cute guy resembling Kellan Lutz from the films Prom Night, Amusement and Twilight paused, nervously, "it seems like every time I talk to a girl..."--my alarm clock woke me up, and he couldn't finish his sentence.

I did my daily routines, but there were no events planned this week. So, I went to the local arcade playing Ridge Racer 2 (it's an arcade game released in 1994) when all of a sudden, the cute guy from my dream last night sits next to me. I could smell his fragrant cologne he put on everywhere. He's blonde and has blue eyes, graphic tee bought from PacSun, camouflage chino shorts, tan flip flops--this guy...could this be Andrew? (Oh, yeah, he beat me one time like at Fuji Speedway and when we played again, I beat him in 3 laps.)

Whoever this guy is, he invited me to watch him race in the Muscle Car Competition (American Events hall > Muscle Car Competition / cars MUST be made up to 1980 / Standard or Sports Tires required). We didn't have any muscle cars yet, so Michael and I boarded a plane to New York City (New York Normal) and went over to his garage. Inside was a 1962 Buick Special...with C5 Corvette Z06 wheels for normal tires! It's obvious he's a Chevy fan.

"Remember, show no mercy!" a crew chief resembling One Tree Hill's James Lafferty...hey, wait a minute--what does HE know about cars?

Inside that car was a 628-hp V8 engine. The league had once banned the Buick Special in 2005 because people were complaining about their favorites being humiliated in a bad way whenever the Special won the races in Muscle Car Competition. They uplifted that ban one year later when someone actually tamed the car in the form of a 1967 Shelby Cobra--and scored the upset. The driver put his emerald green helmet on, and switched from tan flip flops to his new white, silver, and blue Adidas "Microbounce" athletic sneakers--without any socks on! Is he a southerner? Oh, and his race number was 65.

He had seen a duplicate Buick Special (race number 33--and driven by another woman). Once he took the lead, he simply ran off. He had opened a 3-second lead on the faker. The gap was so bad, when he won the race, he didn't realize he crushed a woman's hopes of winning the race by 7 seconds. He also crushed a Racing Team J.M.L. Racing Shelby Mustang G.T.350R '65. But he was scared to pick up the gold trophy because he thought a woman at the podiums presented it to him. It was the opposite sex instead.

"See, Andrew? Do that every time, and we'll be home free." That same James Lafferty-like crew chief said.

"Andrew...", I thought, dreamily.

By the next race, an old rival who challenged me rather poorly sat next to me in the front row in Sonoma (Infineon Raceway - Sports Car Course). The Special driver, car 65, was a bit nervous. Yes, some women were driving in this race as well. There was a pink Dodge Charger 440 R/T '70, a sea blue Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L46 350 '69, and a burgundy Mercury Cougar XR-7 '67 all occupied by young women. If he could get past his weakness, he could win! And so, the race began.

"Man, something's wrong with that guy." Courtney said. "Why is he scared of beautiful women?"

"Tell me about it..." I said to Courtney. "Whenever he sees a young woman in the race drive any car, he'll just run off and open up a big lead. I'm starting to think he's got venustraphobia, which is the fear of beautiful girls or women. Michael and I heard online what the phobia is."

...HE DID IT IN ONE SHOT!! But he ran away like a scared little girl on the second lap in his Buick Special, opening up yet another 7-second lead on yet another woman. I became a little worried about his tactics of trying to escape the opposite sex when it came to racing. He led another young woman by 15 seconds as well. He managed to keep his nerves in check when he was presented a trophy by a woman. He didn't scream or anything. He took a deep breath, even though he didn't want to.

When we got to Seattle, Washington (Seattle Circuit--I raced the Demon R33 in a dream I had), he ran away again when he saw that a red Dodge Charger 440 R/T '70 was occupied by a local young woman from the area. He opened up yet another 7-second lead on her. He decimated that same Racing Team J.M.L Racing Shelby Mustang G.T.350R from New York. But ran off again, mistaking the trophy presenter for a woman. There were women on the staff, but nobody lower than 35 years of age. Now how was I going to talk to him?

(Chapter 7: Andrew's Requiem part 2 coming soon...)
 
Chapter 7​
Andrew's Requiem (Part 2)​

My weekend was less than great. My grandmother's birthday was then, and one of my guilty pleasures was watching Lifetime movies. There was this one based on a book by Joy Fielding called The Other Woman that that kid in the Buick Special '62 wouldn't like after what he did at Infineon in the Muscle Car Competition (Infineon Raceway - Sports Car Course). I've heard rumors that he may be suffering from venustraphobia, the fear of beautiful women. Other films over the weekend were Nightmare at the End of the Hall, Tell Me No Lies, The Haunting of Sorority Row, and Face of Evil--all of which contains beautiful women (plus one teenage protagonist). Next weekend they'll show The Tenth Circle. I've heard he keeps a journal around as well.

Then disaster struck during The Price Is Right this morning--my friend's a CBS Page who works at CBS Television City, Studio 33 during the day, and has her own racing team in the league--and she races a car that resembles the 2003 Audi S4 I had lost to several months ago. Some jokers put up a violent promo for a summer crime drama Flashpoint which contains an evil sniper. Oh, and there was another dreaded Double Overbid, in which nobody won their Showcase. She gets VERY upset when this happens.

Speaking of Flashpoint and evil villains, a West Coast detective and an East Coast State Trooper (down south) were joining the league with a black Chrysler 300C '05 with an engine tuned by special forces including the FBI to catch a notorious criminal with ties to California and North Carolina.

"You know," the N.C. state trooper said to the LAPD detective, "it'd be nice if I drove this time."

"Nope. Don't even think about it." The LAPD detective said. Their car was decked out with golden BBS wheels. Maybe the FBI and Interpol used this as their corporate and racing car. They were probably in their late-20s-early-30s, I'd say.

They went (with an unmodified car!) to Boston, Massachusetts (Clubman Stage Route 5). They, like cops, "busted" (or blew past at 100+mph) people who had a striking resemblance to NASCAR Sprint Cup contender Kyle Busch (a yellow Mazda RX-7 Type RS-R (FD) '97) and SCCA SPEED World Challenge driver Brandon Davis (a black Mercedes 190 E 2.5 - 16 EvoII '91) in 3rd and 4th, respectively. I went with Michael to see the event. Some Celtics fans were there as well. They were proud of their hometown favorite, who drove a Nissan Skyline GTS-t Type M '91, colored in Boston Celtics colors. The officer and detective decimated THAT one as well. But they understood. They lost the race to the detective. Double whammy.

"$3,000?! We get a measly 'ol $3,000 for winning that race?" the N.C. state trooper shouted in protest. (translation: Clubman Cup: Professional Events > Clubman Cup, Standard or Sports Tires required)

"Well, put it this way," the LAPD detective paused, "We get to tune up our car with the cash we won." They walked to the garage until they stumbled across an emerald green Buick Special '62. The N.C. state highway patrol officer gasped in awe as it was kept clean, but also had Corvette Z06 C5 wheels.

"Hey, wait a minute, Jack," the officer said.
"What is it, Randy?" Jack said. Jack was the L.A.P.D detective. Randy, his assistant, is an NCSHP officer. Jack stopped quickly. "What's this...it's the 1962 Buick Special! My girlfriend and I were looking for this for years! It's definitely a crime these aren't cruising the streets of L.A."
"Or any cities in North Carolina, for that matter." Randy added. They exited slowly with their 300C, but the image of the Buick Special with a race number of 65 would not leave their minds.

(Chapter 8: Andrew's Requiem part 3 coming soon...)
 
Chapter 8​
Andrew's Requiem (Part 3)​

As soon as the detective and the state trooper left Boston, that was that. The guys in their cars resembling Kyle Busch and Brandon Davis couldn't believe they lost badly to an unmodified mid-size V8 sedan like the Chrysler 300C '05. The mysterious emerald green racing team pushed their Buick Special '62 into the car trailer that most racing teams use for professional events and traveled back to their hometown of Seattle, Washington (Seattle Circuit).

I soon started to have a dream about the young driver in the Buick Special '62 when I went back to Los Angeles on the West Coast. This red muscle car comes chasing after him, presumably a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L46 350 '69--driven by a young woman with blonde hair (not Courtney).

"Panic...what do I do?" the young man asked in the dream.
"You don't do anything. I'm going to cross the finish line first." the young woman taunted. "Prepare to get beaten by a girl."
"NO! Don't come any closer!" he shouts. "I've heard all about you girls with blonde hair! You always ruin races for boys! I'm not giving in an inch!" He screamed for his life before she pushed him and suddenly I wake up. Just who was that girl messing with #65?

There was an event at Infineon Raceway I wanted to go to. Then all of a sudden...

"Oh--hey there, Amanda." a young man resembling Kellan Lutz (literally!) said, but dressed like he was from California, ready to put his emerald green racing helmet on. "Remember me? I'm Andrew. Andrew Landon." Just then that young woman with blonde hair from my dream last night walked by. It was in a ponytail, however. She had blue eyes and stood about 5'8". She had faded denim jeans and tan flip-flops. The jeans looked as if they were torn, but not torn completely. Andrew's blood started boiling and he started getting a little nervous about his performance. When that young woman possibly from a city in California in my dream last night walked by, Andrew's venustraphobia just HAD to be the deciding factor.
It was a battle of the sexes in the Muscle Car Competition (American Events hall > Muscle Car Competition: Standard or Sports Tires required, car MUST be up to 1980) at Infineon Raceway (sports course). Of course the young woman was in the first place position (Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L46 350 '69).

"No. I will NOT let you beat me. This year belongs to the girl. Watch her and learn." the young woman said before Andrew caught up to her. He was nervous at first, but then began to overtake her. She giggled evilly until he successfully pulled off the defeat. "What?! Beaten by number 65 already? Have I been defeated?" When Andrew took first place, she stopped laughing. She felt embarrassed and thought she bit off more than she could chew when Andrew actually won the Battle of the Sexes competition. Andrew felt a little sorry for her, and nervous when he tried to congratulate her. He was awarded the $7,500 for winning, though. His heart was already warming up. He could feel butterflies in his stomach--an unwanted feeling. It's quite obvious he doesn't know how to talk to a girl yet, but this could be a quick start.

"Hi...I'm Andrew." He said to her, shook up and very nervous. "What's...your name?" Michael and I groaned in awe as he asked.

"Lindsay." The young woman with the red-orange Corvette Stingray replied. Her helmet was red. She turned out to be really beautiful once she took off her red racing helmet. Andrew gasped in awe. Lindsay was about Andrew's age but could be a little younger. I think Andrew is 23, in case I forgot to tell how old he was. Lindsay was about 21 or 22. "Where are you from?" she asked Andrew.
"Seattle, Washington. I'm planning to move to California in a few weeks. And you?"
"Sonoma--but I'm originally from San Mateo. I moved to Los Angeles just a month ago. I'm trying to find a house in Laguna Beach." Lindsay giggled. It's obvious she likes him. It appeared Lindsay wasn't taken, either. Andrew didn't get what was so funny, either.
"What? She's FLIRTING with him?" I asked Michael. "He has venustraphobia. Why would she be talking to him?"
"Well, summer is the best season to fall in love--I think." Michael told me, unsure. "Wait...or is it spring?" Andrew was still a little nervous and shaky when talking to girls, but Lindsay was actually impressed by his driving style. As days went by, she would follow Andrew wherever he went. She started in third place the next time Infineon called--this time it was a race for cars with NA engines (Professional Events hall > NA Meeting: Standard or Sports Tires required; car MUST have NA aspiration). This time she drove a Proto Motors Spirra 4.6 V8 '04 (made in Korea) before that famous Racing Team Sonic Team Chevrolet Corvette GRAND SPORT (C4) '96 passed her. Andrew decimated that and a teal Camaro SS. Andrew thought of something funny when he played at an arcade in Seattle. "Oh, no. Not Tag Tournament again. Gotta stay focused." he thought when he overtook the SS '00 he thought had the same color of the third outfit Jun wore in Tekken Tag Tournament, released by Namco for the arcade in 1999.
Well, tough luck for the Camaro SS '00--Lindsay overtook "Jun" badly by the 3rd lap and finished second. She became more and more impressed with Andrew's racing each day. She was determined to take their friendship to a new level, but where would they go? She could hear "Take Me Away" by Fefe Dobson in her head as she got to know Andrew a little better.

(Chapter 9: Lindsay's Dream part 1 coming soon...)
 
Chapter 9
Lindsay's Dream (Part 1)​

Us and the Demon R33 being out of action for a few weeks left us bored. Then came our chance at redemption. We had to watch crime fighters Jack, a detective of the L.A.P.D. and Randy, a State Trooper from the NCSHP dominate racers with striking resemblances to NASCAR Sprint Cup and SCCA SPEED World Challenge GT drivers and watch one of my best friends, Andrew, prove to me and himself that he can get through his mild fear of beautiful women by winning a race at Infineon, though one Corvette Stingray L46 350 '69 tried to stop him, but it was to no avail and she failed miserably. But...she became so impressed with his driving skills that she raced with him around whenever there was a race in the States. Our chance came on a track on beautiful Asheville, North Carolina (Mid-Field Raceway) - one of the two circuits from the Tar Heel State in the League. However, the race was limited to cars with Turbo engines--and without a doubt the Demon R33 was in (Professional Events hall > Race of Turbo Sport > Turbo engines only, Standard or Sports Tires required)--no rules about "production cars". When it started, Trevor from New York was 5th while (surprise, surprise) Lindsay got the pole.

Lindsay gasped when she saw me passing. She couldn't stand up to the Demon R33's power. We had recently chose wheels that were off a Chevrolet Silverado SS Concept '02 for our sports tires. The Silverado, I heard, is part of the "most wins in NASCAR history" when it came to Chevy. Lindsay was 4th overall. I had won $7,500 for my personal bank as well for winning that race.

Luck came for Andrew, however, when Lindsay had shown up again in the twisty Drew Carey Country--Cleveland, Ohio (Apricot Hill Raceway)...in the pole position like my race in Asheville with Turbo engines. This time, her team raced a Pontiac GTO 5.7 Coupe '04--in red like their Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 (J) '98 in the Turbo race when she lost to me (she finished 4th). As luck would have it, Andrew overtook everyone including a yellow BMW M3 '04--racing team from Miami, Florida. Lindsay, however, had a tough time battling a supercar for 3rd place--a blue Callaway C12 '03, racing team from Halifax, Nova Scotia. And the Canadians are out. His race had NA engines only (Professional Events hall > Race of NA Sport, NA engines only, and like the Turbo race, Standard or Sports Tires required), and Lindsay continued to be impressed with him, despite the fact she finished 3rd. She continued to follow Andrew (he kept winning), but a Japanese driver in a Proto Motors Spirra 4.6 V8 '04 (a female) tried to stop him once. She failed badly.

Back home in Los Angeles (Special Stage Route 5, obviously), Lindsay was driving the same car the Japanese woman was driving on the Twin Ring Motegi Road Course. The other woman's was white while Lindsay's was red. She almost wiped out, though. It was an all-out battle between two BMW M3s (original and CSL). Andrew had overtook a student RT J.M.L. Racing driver in the CSL that was silver. Life can be rough sometimes, and we have to accept defeat if it comes at a bad time, like that time when I lost to him ("him" as in Andrew) in a Tuning Car race in that championship. The student and Lindsay were in 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

When Andrew came home to Seattle from upstate New York (Trial Mountain Circuit, obviously), decimating an NYPD detective (Jack and Randy would NOT like that) in a white Chevrolet Camaro SS '00 with his Buick Special '62, the "Emerald Green Warriors" (Andrew's team's nickname affectionately given to them by race spectators) had exciting news.

When Lindsay came home to Los Angeles, however, she and Andrew shared a dream that would be too difficult to understand...

(Chapter 10: Lindsay's Dream part 2 coming later today...)
 
Chapter 10​
Lindsay's Dream (Part 2)​

"Hey, Andrew! Come take a look at this!" one of the "Emerald Green Warriors" said when Andrew walked by the garage in Seattle. It was a German sports car with a boxer engine...made after a famous car designer who also designed the old Volkswagen Beetle in the '30s...colored dark green. But like the Buick Special '62, they put C5 Corvette Z06 wheels on the sports and racing tires. But it wasn't from a Seattle dealer. It was from a Sacramento dealer that has Porsches and sometimes RUFs.

"How many horses does it have?" Andrew asked.
"A special designer tuned it up to 548. We purchased an extra turbo kit that brings it up to 693 horses." The team's crew chief replied. Andrew had received a threatening phone call in the tone of a young woman. A special exotic race in Seattle was under way (City Courses hall > Seattle Circuit > Difficulty: 0). He had floored her. And won the race, too.

They had needed the extra turbo because there were horror stories in the Race of Boxer Spirit (Professional Events hall > Boxer Spirit > Impreza/CTR/BTR, etc. allowed, Standard or Sports Tires required), starting with the dreaded Hong Kong (well, the city's pretty like Tokyo) Circuit. But before Andrew could do anything, some black Impreza decided to cut him some slack. A tough, violent challenger like the one that threatened Andrew on his cell phone would NOT be racing on Hong Kong. Instead, whoever he or she was, he or she managed to take first place. Obviously he or she had a beef with the competition, mainly the young woman that taunted Andrew. Just who is she, and where is she from? I'm going to have words with her if she ever taunts Andrew like that again and I'm around.

By the time he or she had went up to the countryside raceway up in Lynchburg, Virginia (Deep Forest Raceway), the thought of the young woman that taunted Andrew made him or her really mad. I don't even know who this mystery driver is, by the way. But whoever he or she is, he or she wants the young woman humiliated badly...and fast. He or she got sick and tired of the young woman's taunting so bad, he or she went NASCAR 08 on her--overshooting the corners so she would pass, but at one point, when she hit the brakes, he or she hit her so bad, she half-spun and hit a wall. He or she also angrily bumped her and took the lead--and opened up a 10-second lead on her by the end of the race. Meanwhile, back to Andrew's team, they installed a Stage 4 turbo to balance out the car to race once again--where also he met Lindsay--at Infineon (sports car course).

The taunting strategy didn't work for her here, either. Michael and I watched as Andrew stumbled a bit on some corners. Michael kept calling the CTR2 a "993 Turbo". The rivalry had ended between Andrew and the young woman. Just then his cell phone rang.

"Wow! I heard all over the news about your win at Infineon!" Lindsay exclaimed. "However, I sense something just isn't right. That girl in the CTR Yellow Bird you raced was also in a dream I had last night. I don't know her name, but I've heard nasty rumors that she has the looks and personality to make all the boys want her around California." Well, is that so? It's a good thing I didn't race her. She would've been humiliated by the Demon R33. So that's another female racer full of herself down. But who was she? It seemed only Andrew had the answer to that...and partially Lindsay. A week later...

"Lindsay! What happened?" Andrew asked.
"I just had another dream about that girl you beat at Infineon." Lindsay replied, nervously. "Can...you beat her for me?"
"Whoever she is," Andrew paused, "she's not going to get away with it as long as I'm around! Nobody messes with my friends like that!" Andrew exclaimed. Straight, and to the point, too. I haven't even met her or Lindsay, but I have yet to find out who the former is. Lindsay, who Andrew met, seems like a nice girl to me. And as for that "Yellow Bird"...

(Chapter 11: Who's That Girl? coming later tonight or tomorrow...stay tuned!)
 
Chapter 11
The Midnight Story​

The next few weeks left very little to be desired. My friend in Los Angeles had just received the shock of her life - one of the sponsors on her team will be one less executive producer at the company she works at. Just then I had a dream about those same guys with striking resemblances to Kyle Busch and Brandon Davis that Jack and Randy raced against wreaking havoc on one of the courses...this time only to be beaten by a fully-modified Mitsubishi 3000GT MR '98, colored red. My dream thinks their actions may have upset my friend, so the red car got lethal on them, sending one spinning out in Cleveland and the other pushed off the course by the 3000GT driver fueled by anger and rage. As the yellow car hits the wall with a loud crash, I suddenly wake up.

Then when I went to Cleveland (Apricot Hill Raceway) with Michael to see the race, the exact same thing happened. Yellow and black cars in the Clubman Cup tortured by that red 3000GT. Beaten by off-duty law enforcement officers (+1 detective) and then...WRECKED? My dreams are trying to get tough and violent on antagonists. But ordinary people with striking resemblances to professional race car drivers? If I had the power to outlaw something like that in my dreams...well, yeah, that would be on my list.

That would all change when I wound up dreaming about a race in New York. Every time this white car passed by, this person wound up making a mistake and they kept bullying this person by passing him or her, making life more difficult in a Toyota 2000GT '67 (Driving Missions hall > Mission 11: "3 Lap Battle: New York" > International A-Spec License required).

...and it happened. Not only were the vicious enemies there, the girl Andrew beat in a race viciously was there.

"Uh, how rude!" I exclaimed when the "Yellow Bird" driver's friends sat next to where I was sitting, blocking my view of the race. "Michael, let's sit somewhere else." They said something rather mean after that.
"I TOLD them not to show up again!" the usher said, referring to the girls blocking my view. It seemed they were kicked out after causing too much noise one time. "Security?" None ever showed up. It seemed I would have to do this the hard way. If it's one thing I can't stand, it's people who act like spoiled, arrogant, stuck-up rich kids from Orange County. Those girls were no exception back there, either.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, the white 2000GT spun out and the driver threw in the towel. Whenever this person gets mad, it's said that he or she has this hidden rage inside him or herself. However, when another event in New York started, she got medieval on the enemies as explained earlier. It's obvious when she's around - they're not welcome.

"I can't wait to ask her to--OOP!" Michael said before tripping. This was intentional. The driver took off his or her helmet, revealing that the driver was a woman in her 20s with light brown hair and brown eyes, standing 5'7". She taunted Michael by slicking her hair back as he got up. She played with it even more. "Oh, come on! Why don't you watch where you're going next time?!"

"Why don't you watch where you're going?" the young woman retorted, pointing at Michael. "I'll take you and your driver out on this race track right now. I've heard--" I covered her mouth.

"Amanda!" Andrew exclaimed. "Are you OK?"

"Is this the girl you were talking about?" I asked. He shook his head no.
"The girl we're looking for drives a CTR Yellow Bird '87." Andrew replied. "You can uncover her mouth now--though I'd...better step away now."

"I am so sorry about that!" the young woman said. "Whenever I get mad, my rage builds up to the point where opponents get tossed around. Hi there. I'm Michelle. Before any of you ask, I'm from Seattle...but where did that blond guy go?"

"You mean Andrew?" I asked. "I think he went somewhere. And if you're not driving that Yellow Bird...then who...is?" I asked. Michael, Michelle and I saw a young woman with a striking resemblance to actress Leighton Meester get into the car and drive off. Now what's Andrew going to tell Lindsay?

(Chapter 12: The Midnight Story part 2 coming later tonight...)
 

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