Warning: Read at your own risk. This story may contain mature scenes, vulgar words and languages which may not be suitable for ages 15 and below. Viewer discretion is advised.
The night was thick with the roar of engines, tires screeching against asphalt as the racing competition reached its fever pitch. The air reeked of gasoline and adrenaline, mingling with the faint chill of the night.
Crowds gathered in tight knots under the glow of flickering streetlights, their voices rising in excitement and tension as the racers prepare for the highlight of the evening, the grandfinals, which all the spectators deemed as a classic rivalry between two big clans.
The two dynasties that dominated the underground racing scene, their rivalry as old as the tracks they ruled. For as long as either family could remember, their feud had defined their lives.
Victories had been claimed, machines destroyed, and alliances shattered, all in the name of loyalty. And yet, here they were again, thrown together by fate and the rumble of engines.
One was a boy, whose currently sitting on the hood of his blue sports car impressed everyone with his King-like presence. His unruly and disheveled black hair coupled with his black shirt are marked with the emblems of defiance and a life lived recklessly.
His gaze, sharp and calculating, lingered on the eye's of his competitor. He'd been taught to distrust everyone in this world, especially those who bore the wrong name.
The other was a girl, her lean frame can be observed against the neon glow of a nearby sign. Her black wavy hair danced together with the wind. She carried herself with a quiet confidence, her hands resting on the hood of her sleek, red Ferrari.
Her eyesâclear and unyieldingâ caught his attention. She, too, recognized him immediately; his face had been etched into her family's warnings for years. A smirk made it's way on her lips.
She stepped closer, her boots crunching on loose gravel, the crowd's energy swirling around them like a storm. For a moment, the world shrank to just the two of them.
The flashing lights, the cheering onlookers, and the ever-present danger of police interference all seemed to fade into the background. They stood at the edge of something uncharted, something as exhilarating as the race about to begin.
"Escalante"
She said, her lips curving into a faint, daring smileâchallenging him.
"Luzuriaga"
He replied, his words laced with caution rather than hostility.
"Funny how we always seem to find each other."
It's his turn to smirk. It's funny how her tone is so playful yet it still feels so distrustfulâpretty much like him.
"Are you sure you should be having this conversation with me?"
He asked coldly. He couldn't explain why he hadn't walked away, why he was still standing there, drawn to her in a way that defied everything he'd been taught.
"What? Are you scared?"
She said, scoffing, her voice carrying an edge of rebellion. Her gaze didn't waver, and for some reasons he couldn't name, he found himself intrigued.
He straighthened himself and faced her, crossing the small distance between them. His eyes glanced on her pink plump lips, then to her dark brown eyes, before whispering.
"What do you think?"
She smirked as her left eyebrow shoot up. She met his gaze. Nah-uh. She wasn't about to let this annoying guy in front of her get the best of her.
"I think you'll lose."
She winked at him and turned to enter her car and he did the same. The roar of their engines signaled the start of a new race, and both were anticipating the final step. A few seconds pass and the whistle was finally blew.
The race has started.