Chapter 12: On The Edge Of Victory

At Vajra Racing Circuit,

Race day:

(Kiara adjusted her gloves, pulling the straps tighter as she stepped out of the changing room in her sleek black-and-blue riding gear.

Her boots thudded softly against the ground, her helmet dangling by her side.

She was about to head toward the pit area when she almost collided with someone.)

Kiara: arrey aaram se... lag jaayegi!!! (she looked up and froze in surprise) Niyati chachi??? Aap yahaan???

Niyati: (gives a wide grin, pulling Kiara into a hug) Haan, mujhe Delhi mein ek meeting attend karni thi... toh Aryan ne kaha ki woh bhi saath chalenge.... Sabse milna bhi ho jaayega.... (smiles). And jab mujhe pata chala ki tumhaari race bhi hai, so I scheduled my meeting accordingly.... I wanted to see your race, live. Aryan toh waise bhi apni Toofani ka fan hai.... He is more excited than you!!!!

Kiara: (laughs, running a hand through her ponytail) Aryan chachu toh mujhe zaroorat se zyaada hype kar dete hain.

Niyati: (smiles and gestures toward the stands) Chalo, sab wahaan private viewing box mein baithe hain. aao, sabse mil lo.

(Kiara hesitated, glancing toward the direction of the riders' lounge.)

Kiara: Abhi nahi, chachi. It won't look professional. Main abhi baaki riders ke saath baithne jaati hoon.... I'll meet everyone after the race, pakka.

Niyati: (nods her head, impressed by Kiara's discipline) Theek hai, fair enough. Waise bhi tumhaari focus zaroori hai. (places a hand on Kiara's shoulder) All the best, Toofani. Hum sab tumhaare liye upar se cheer karenge!!!!

Kiara: (grins, her confidence soaring) Thank you, chachi!!!

(Niyati smiled warmly and stepped aside to let Kiara pass, watching as the young racer walked toward the track, her aura brimming with determination.)

.

.

Later,

In the private viewing area:

(The private viewing box buzzed with energy, offering a panoramic view of the sunlit race track below.

Purab leaned forward, his elbows resting on the railing, his eyes glued to the track. Bhoomika sat beside him, her hands clasped nervously.

Aryan stood by the window with his arms crossed, while Niyati sipped her coffee, occasionally stealing glances at the leaderboard.)

Aryan: Yeh circuit hamesha unpredictable hota hai naa??? Aur aaj competition bhi kaafi tight lag raha hai.

Purab: hmmm.... but Kiara ki training strong hai.... Woh pressure mein aur achha perform karti hai.

Kiaan: (approaches them) she's always been competitive. Lekin aaj first place toh pakka hai.

Purab: (smirks) Don't underestimate the others, Kiaan. Racing is unpredictable. Lekin ek baat toh pakki hai—tumhaari behen apni Toofani wali reputation zaroor maintain karegi.

(The commentator's voice blared through the speakers, announcing the start of the race. The riders revved their engines, the sound roaring through the circuit.)

Commentator: And they're off!

(Kiara, in her signature black-and-blue gear, launched off the starting line like a bolt of lightning.

She swiftly maneuvered her bike through the initial turns, holding her position in the top three.)

Bhoomika: (her eyes light up) There she is!!!! Dekho, kaise smooth hai uska control.

Naina: Haan... uski technique perfect hai.... Lekin abhi yeh straights pe, speed mein aage badhne ka chance milega.

(As the laps progressed, Kiara fought fiercely against the leading rider, a seasoned racer known for his sharp turns.

The gap between them was minimal, and the crowd erupted every time Kiara closed in.

The vibrant energy of the race filled the air, but a tense silence lingered between Purab and Naina as they stood on opposite sides of the private viewing box.

Purab stole a glance at her, catching the faint crease of her brows as she watched the track below.

She hadn't looked his way once since they'd arrived, and the weight of his words from the café gnawed at him.

Aryan nudged Purab, his voice low but firm.)

Aryan: Purab, baat kar lo. This tension is unnecessary, aur yeh din spoil mat karo.

Purab: (hesitates, rubbing the back of his neck) Pata nahi, Aryan... she's still angry. Shayad abhi time—

Aryan: (interrupts) Time perfect kabhi nahi hota.... Go.

(Reluctantly, Purab approached Naina, clearing his throat awkwardly.)

Purab: Nunu....

(She didn't respond, her focus fixed on the screen displaying the riders.)

Purab: Mujhe tumse baat karna hai.

Naina: (glances at him briefly, her expression cold) Main abhi busy hoon, Mr. Goswami.... (Purab was taken aback a little) Kiara ka race chal raha hai... can I concentrate on that?

(Her dismissive tone stung, but Purab couldn't blame her. He nodded slowly, stepping back.)

Purab: Theek hai.

(his voice was barely audible over the commentator's excited narration of the race. Aryan watched from the side, feeling bad for them.

Purab leaned against the railing, his attention drifting back to the track. But the tension in the room was impossible to ignore, and he silently resolved to try again—when the moment felt right.

Niyati then realized that the riders were in their final lap. She moved closer to the large glass window.)

Niyati: (cheering) Come on, Toofani!!!! She's so close!!!!

(Aryan leaned slightly closer to the glass, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a hint of anticipation.)

Aryan: Bas ek perfect move chahiye. She's waiting for the right moment.

(On the penultimate lap, Kiara overtook the leading rider with a breathtaking overtake on a tricky corner, drawing cheers from the private box.)

Kiaan: (jumping from his seat) Yes! That's my sister!

(But the lead was short-lived.

In the final stretch of the last lap, the rival racer used the slipstream to regain his position.

The two bikes raced neck and neck toward the finish line, their engines screaming in unison.)

Commentator: And it's... oh, so close! Ladies and gentlemen, the winner is Shaurya Oberoi, with Kiara Sabharwal taking a brilliant second place, just milliseconds behind!

(The room fell silent for a moment, the tension palpable. Then Purab clapped, his expression a mix of pride and understanding.)

Purab: I know that she didn't get the gold.... (smiling) but what a race!!!! Neck to neck tha, competition!!!! But, Kiara ne apna best diya!!!!

Bhoomika: (pride in his eyes) Haan!!! She's incredible.... And It's not always about first place. She's shown everyone what she's capable of.

(Aryan turned toward Kiaan, a knowing look in his eyes.)

Aryan: Tumhaari behen ki consistency unbeatable hai. Second place aaj hai, kal first zaroor hoga!!!

Kiaan: haan chachu... hoping for the day when she gets the gold medal!!!!

(They all smile. They all stood together as a family united in pride and love, ready to stand by Kiara, no matter what the finish line held.)

___________________________________________

Author’s Note:

Oh no!!! Kiara missed the gold medal by just a few seconds! That was SO close—but hey, this isn’t the end for her. She has a long journey ahead, and I know she’s not giving up!

But wait… what’s going on with Pogo and Nunu? They’re BEST FRIENDS, for God’s sake! Why can’t they just talk it out?

Ugh, don’t you hate it when misunderstandings ruin great friendships?

Have you ever had a major fight with a friend? How did you fix things? Or… are you still waiting for them to make the first move? If so, here’s your sign—go talk to them before it’s too late!

Don't ’t forget to smash that ⭐ vote button if you’re loving the story! Your support keeps me going and brings the next chapter even faster! ❤️