Page 57 of One Last Time

“Racers!” Tyrone, our old school council president and commentator for the day, yelled over a microphone. “Take your marks!”

We all got into our karts, some with a little more difficulty than others. There was a crackle in my ear as the microphones and earpieces in our helmets came online.

Lee’s voice crackled through, drowning out the cheering crowd. “Princess to Plunger One, Princess to Plunger One,chhh,we are a go for race day. I repeat, we are a go for race day!”

“This is Donkey Kong to Princess, DK to PP, you don’t need to make thechhhnoise.”

“Plunger Two to Donkey Kong, let it be noted that my boyfriend will make thechhhnoise if he wants to.”

Rachel’s comment was met with a series ofchhhs from the rest of us, mimicking radio static and dissolving into giggles. I collected myself, flexing my fingers around my steering wheel.

A buzz sounded across the track. A red light lit up, hanging over us.

“Plunger One to Toad, what’s with the change of heart?”

“What, I can’t support my girlfriend?”

“This is Bowser. Plunger One, Toad, take your relationship drama off the track. This is a race, notPride and Prejudice.”

Before either I or Noah could bite back, or anybody else could make a jibe over the radio, the buzzer sounded again, and an amber light showed up. I caught my breath, inhaling sharply, suddenly hyper-focused.

Lee and Elle’s Epic Summer Bucket List

19.Do a real-lifeMario Kartrace

Tick,complete.

One more buzz.

Green light.

I floored it. Our karts swung to life, engines growling furiously. I was vaguely aware of Jon Fletcher cursing down the headsets, his kart stalled at the first post—but I was already yanking on the wheel, twisting around the first bend in the course.

Lee’s kart drew up beside me. I saw him raise a red balloon. “Enjoying first position, Shelly?”

“Princess Peach, you don’t have to yell when we have headsets,chhh,over,” Ashton/Yoshi told him with a laugh.

As Lee raised his balloon, a blue one soared forward, smacking into the back of his helmet and smearing green slime everywhere. He howled, dropping his own balloon and drenching himself in water as it burst on his lap.

He fell back and Rachel/Luigi took his place.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to focus on the track while fumbling in my foot well for a can of silly string I could hear rattling around.

There was grunting over the radio. Cussing, muttering.

I took the corner too quickly, skidding around. By the time I righted myself, I was in fifth position. Jon Fletcher was still lagging behind in last place, his giant Bowser suit weighing him down. Ashton/Yoshi had fallen back, and Amanda/Donkey Kong was just edging out in front of me. I gripped my can of silly string.

But then a black water balloon burst against Amanda’s helmet, whipped cream exploding out, splattering across her face and the car, making her shriek. “Who did that? Who did that? Fear the wrath of Donkey Kong!”

“Woohoo!” Ashton/Yoshi yelled, punching the air again as he shot past both me and a whipped-cream-covered Amanda/Donkey Kong. Rachel/Luigi had fallen back, too, she and Lee/Princess Peach vying for third and fourth as we started our second lap.

And out in front—

I winced as Noah’s kart smashed into Levi’s.

Levi jerked sideways, smashing right back into Noah.

Somewhere in the background, Tyrone was narrating the whole thing, talking about Wario and Toad going head-to-head in a vicious fight for first place.