It was a warm afternoon when Kevin decided to go for a drive, not expecting to return anytime soon. He had a lot on his mind and didn't know what to do except the one thing that made him happy: driving through the hills and mountains. He never wanted to hurt anyone but himself. He was living a rough life—his mother had abused him for as long as he could remember. She taught him how to lie from a very young age and showed him things that no child should ever have to know.

However, Kevin did have a father. His father was dedicated to getting him out of that situation, but no matter how hard he tried, Kevin would listen to his mother. He did what she asked, scared of the consequences she had threatened. Kevin was afraid. He was bullied in school, didn't have many friends, and wasn't at school much. As Kevin grew older, he started to fight for himself. He thought the more fights he got into at school, the more experience he would gain to help him at home. Despite all his efforts to ask for help, no one ever believed him. As he got older, Kevin learned that asking for help would never make a difference. He began getting suspended, receiving detention, and enduring more abuse. His mother blamed him for everything, saying that he was the problem. She claimed that if it wasn't for him, her life would be better. Kevin tried as hard as he could to stay on her good side, but it was never enough.

Despite the chaos at home, Kevin and his mother did have some good moments, though they were few and far between. Kevin's mother was a woman who had a new boyfriend—or boyfriends—every day. Kevin grew up seeing this, and it affected him deeply. He saw her fight with these men and witnessed the constant arguments. From a young age, Kevin knew he wanted to grow up differently, far removed from the dysfunction he was experiencing. Kevin went through a lot at such a young age, even running away from home a few times. Once again, he tried to ask for help, but it led nowhere. One day, he met an officer in their town and told him what was happening at home. Unfortunately, the officer didn't believe him and just took Kevin back home. From that point on, Kevin gave up asking for help. He even considered becoming a cop, thinking that he could put people in jail—like his mother—for the things she had done to him.

When Kevin turns 13, his father was still fighting for custody. Kevin made a promise to himself that he would fight back against his mother. He wanted out, no matter what. Little did he know, the words he spoke as a 13-year-old would soon turn into dark thoughts. He didn't want to end his life, but the thought of living in that house forever felt unbearable. School was a struggle for Kevin, and he failed most of his classes. He never had time for homework; the moment he came home, it was straight to doing chores—something he hated. You might say that chores aren't bad, but for Kevin, they were unbearable. Once he got off the bus at 3:15, he headed straight to the barn to clean the horse stalls. There were about 15 stalls, and no one else ever cleaned them except Kevin. If he didn't get to it the day before, it would stack up. He hated it. He'd load the wheelbarrow as much as he could to try to finish faster, but it quickly became heavy, and the dump location was far. Kevin didn't hate the horses, but the hate started to build. It wasn't their fault, though. After the barn, it was on to the dog kennels. His mother was a dog trainer, but the "staff" she claimed to have was just Kevin. He cleaned the dog pens and fed the animals every day before his mother came home at 4:30. If he wasn't done by then, he knew what would happen.

Kevin was exhausted, and he didn't know what to do anymore. His mother was an interesting person. She never saw Kevin as a son, more like a slave. Kevin noticed that early on. He didn't understand a lot of things, but one thing was clear—his mother would lock up the cabinets and fridge, so Kevin went hungry many nights. He developed bad eating habits as a result, habits that still haunt him to this day. When she did allow him to eat, he'd devour the food as quickly as he could, knowing it wouldn't last long. Kevin did get a gift from his dad—a new Xbox 360. He loved it. When his mom would go on dates, Kevin would play Minecraft with his friends. He met a great friend named Junior Polk. They spent holidays together in their little world. Junior and Kevin loved playing survival mode and built farms inside the game to eat cake for the holidays—just like in real life, they had their cake and each other. They were best friends. At school, Kevin had one other friend, Max Rivers. They hung out a lot, especially when Kevin's dad came to town. They would race through the halls after lunch and jump like Kobe, trying to slap the door frames. They didn't care what anyone thought—they only had each other.

Kevin met a kid around his age who raced dirt bikes. At the time, his mother was dating that kid's father. She enjoyed spending time at his house, and Kevin often went along. He got the chance to ride some of those dirt bikes, even though he didn't know much about riding. His mother didn't care where he went, so Kevin enjoyed it. One day, he went for a ride on the bikes and had an amazing time. He was by himself, but he didn't mind. As the clouds grew darker around him, Kevin knew he'd have to go home. But he kept riding, waiting until it started raining before heading back. He never once got rained on that day. He remained dry. His mother called him, telling him that it was pouring down at the cabin. Kevin disagreed, saying it wasn't raining where he was, but he'd head home anyway. His mother didn't believe him. She always doubted him and called him a liar. On his ride home, the rain cleared up, and Kevin made it home safe and dry. Little did he know, someone upstairs had been watching over him that day.

Kevin eventually got what he wanted—he got out of that house. He walked into the judge's chambers and broke down. He explained everything he could and pleaded with the judge to let him leave with his dad and never look back. Kevin knew that if the judge didn't agree, it would be a rough few weeks. But the judge listened, took Kevin outside, and handed him over to his father. They left the courthouse immediately. Kevin didn't even have to pack. He told his dad to step on it and get out of the state. It was a moment of freedom, and though Kevin got out, He was happy. Kevin moved to another state and went to school for two years. He lived a decent life, able to eat freely and actually go to school. There, he met one of his best friends, Eli Stone. They were both bullied, but they stuck together. They liked the same music, women, and always bought energy drinks from the vending machine. Eli was special—he was gay, something that was new to Kevin. But it didn't matter. They were still best friends.

They went on a school trip and decided to be partners, as everyone had to have a buddy at all times. Eli and Kevin stuck together the entire time, and on the way back, they knew other students were trying to fight them on the bus. Kevin stayed awake the entire trip home, making sure nothing happened. Eli fell asleep in the hallway, but they chose the back of the bus because they preferred it there. They listened to music and blocked out the noise. People used to call them "gay for each other," but Kevin didn't care. He started fighting back when people made fun of them. Eli knew Kevin wasn't gay, but Kevin thought that maybe Eli liked him. He never asked, and he didn't really care—what mattered was their friendship. However, Kevin's life took another turn when he had the chance to leave his school and go to a private one. He didn't want to, but his dad and stepmom wanted to move closer to this new school. So they did, and Kevin moved to another state. Once again, he had to leave his best friend Eli without saying goodbye. But life went on. Maybe it just wasn't the right time to say goodbye.

Kevin started at the new school, and his grades improved drastically. He went from failing classes to passing them with straight B's, and eventually, he was on the Dean's list. He was proud of himself. For the first time in his life, things were looking up. He had learned a lot from the people around him that first year, though things changed after that. He didn't fit in at the beginning or at the end, but he realized his grades were improving, and he didn't want to let his father down after everything he'd done for him. So despite the bullying and not fitting in, Kevin kept to himself. Kevin graduated from this school and moved on to college, which was near his high school. He never thought much about going to college, but his father wanted him to, so he did. Kevin decided to study criminology. While still in high school, he was able to take some college classes and enjoyed them. He wanted to become a cop, though he didn't need a degree for it. Still, he figured it would help him in the long run. So, he decided to pursue it and make his dad proud. Kevin went on to college and did amazing for the first year. He met new people and learned how to navigate college life. He was the designated driver for two of his girl friends who would go out drinking, earning him the nickname "Uber." Kevin loved it. He lived in the dorms and thought the experience was incredible. He met some girls, hung out with a lot of people, and made the most of it. Then, at the end of the year, tragedy struck—one of Kevin's close friends died in a car wreck before anyone could show up.

That brings us to the beginning of Kevin's second year. He was leaving campus to go on a drive. It was move-in day, and the campus was busy with people everywhere. As Kevin was navigating out of the center of campus, he saw a girl. Her name was Skarika, she caught his attention right away. Her straight, black hair flowed down her back, shiny and smooth. Her eyes, a warm amber, seemed to look right through him, but there was a softness to them that made him feel like he could trust her. Her face was beautiful—her cheekbones stood out, and her lips had a natural, inviting curve. She moved with ease, like everything she did had a purpose, making her seem both confident and effortless.

Kevin had been helping people out around campus and decided to stop and ask if she needed a ride. She had three bags with her, so he didn't mind giving her a lift. After dropping her off, he headed back to the dorms. Kevin didn't know why he felt a sudden change in heart, but something about that girl left an impression on him. A few days later, Kevin got a call from someone he knew to stay away from. He hesitated but picked it up, knowing the possibilities of what it could pertain to. What happened next, though, was a curveball. One of their mutual friends needed an Uber, and Kevin, being available, agreed and asked what time they were leaving. To his surprise, it was her—the girl he had noticed the other day. Kevin drove her to the airport, and they had an interesting conversation during the 3-hour drive. What he didn't know was that this trip would become a regular thing for the next year. It didn't bother him, though. On the drive back, Kevin casually offered to pick her up when she returned. She agreed, and when she got sick shortly afterward, Kevin offered to bring her home and keep an eye on her. She accepted, and that's when things started to change. They grew closer, and Kevin, who had been in relationships before, found himself liking this girl more than any other. He wanted to tell her, but he was afraid of rejection. He just knew she didn't feel the same way.

One night, Kevin finally confessed, and shortly after, they started dating. Kevin was overjoyed, and his adventures with his new-found love became something he cherished deeply. He loved her like no other—she was different. She dressed uniquely and had a beauty unlike any other girl he had met. However, Kevin didn't know how to express his emotions or his problems. Throughout his life, he had silenced his feelings. Though he knew he wanted to do more for her, there was always something holding him back. Why? He never thought the worst of her. They went on little adventures, like road trips and hiking—something Kevin hated, but he went anyway because he wanted to stay by her side and keep her safe. He couldn't shake the worry of something happening to her if he didn't go. They enjoyed dates, had fun eating together, and even got into a little trouble along the way. Kevin knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to marry her. Every time he looked into her eyes, he saw a future with her. She would often ask why he stared at her so much, but he never told her the truth. It seemed like they were the perfect match—at least that's what Kevin thought.

The problem was that Kevin didn't have much self-confidence or any way to properly show his emotions. So, when things started to get tough at college, and life became increasingly stressful, Kevin began to push her away. He was worried: would she help him, or would she be like everyone else? He had always seen her as a perfect girl, different from the rest. She wasn't a social media type, which made him trust her even more. But when she started hiding her phone from him, Kevin tried not to worry. He told himself she wasn't like that, but a small seed of doubt began to grow. She was always on her phone when she was at his place, and Kevin tried to ignore it for as long as he could. But eventually, it caught up with him. Over time, his trust began to fade, and though Kevin didn't understand why, he felt like something was wrong. One night, she went to a party and didn't text him back for a few hours. Despite his trust in her, Kevin couldn't help but overthink the situation. She began acting differently, when they were on the phone. Kevin started to feel like maybe there was someone else, though he didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to think that she could be cheating on him. But the doubts kept creeping in. They started fighting more, having arguments constantly. Kevin reached a point where he hated hearing that familiar notification sound on his phone—it was always her texting him. Though when they were together in person, things seemed fine, Kevin realized she didn't understand his overthinking. She might have known about it, but she didn't know how to help him. And quite frankly, neither did Kevin.

Kevin never wanted to open up about his thoughts. He feared she might think he was overbearing, and he didn't want to risk being let down again. He had been hurt before, and the thought of being hurt by her was too much for him to bear. So, he never asked for help. He tried to talk to her and work things out, but they were living two separate lives in different states. Despite everything, Kevin truly loved her, and he couldn't help but wish things would be different. Kevin weighed his options for weeks, trying to find a new path—a different way forward. He didn't want to continue down a road that would ruin everything he had. He tried talking more, but with the stress of college drama piling up, his patience ran thin by 9 a.m. Late one night, unable to sleep, he texted her. He missed her, and he still loved her, but he knew, "If I can't find some solution , I have to end this she doesn't deserve this. "It killed him to say those words. He hated arguing with her over the phone. It was always over text when they fought; when she was with him, there were never any problems. He wished she was there with him because he truly thought they could work things out—at least, that he could hug her. That's all he ever wanted. Kevin was never shown affection at a young age, but she used to play with his hair from time to time, and he loved it. He remembered a moment at the beginning when he was lying on her and she looked down at him, playing with his hair. That was when he knew he felt something for her.

He wanted her so badly and told himself he'd try until he couldn't anymore. But in the end, he ended it with her. The breakup was messy, and it was still hazy for him because he couldn't do it sober. He hated himself for weeks after, and the night he broke up with her, he went up to their spot on the mountain. Kevin planned on never coming down that night. He hated himself for not being able to fix his own problems—he was always helping others with theirs, but this was different. It killed him to not have a solution. Despite the stress, he didn't want to be fighting with the love of his life. But he knew they wouldn't be able to fix it, and he knew his stress wasn't an excuse for his actions. He also knew she deserved better. She didn't deserve a boyfriend like him. She was moving forward with her studies, and he could see that. He knew she should focus on that, not on them. He wasn't going to keep trying to fix it so close to when her classes were starting back up. She said she was going to commute to see him every weekend, but Kevin told her not to, that it wouldn't work. She didn't listen at first, but she figured it out soon enough.

Now, don't get him wrong—she was still perfect in Kevin's eyes. But she did things he wasn't sure she would ever understand—the things she said, the way she brought up his memory being terrible. Kevin knew he was under a lot of stress, and it pissed him off. He used to have a sharp memory, but the pressure had changed that. Kevin loved her, even though she had moved on. He was living his life one day at a time, but his inspiration and motivation were gone. He wanted to disappear. And that's what he did. After they broke up, a few months later, she came back to pick up her things. She spent almost a week with him, and Kevin enjoyed every second of it. They hung out, and he wished he could go back to that time shortly After. But it made him realize something—she still liked him when she came back. Kevin tried to be a gentleman and slept on the couch while she took the bed. He knew he still had feelings for her, and it seemed she did, too. They ended up spending some time together, and Kevin did things for her he'd only ever done for her. He thought maybe they could fix things, but in reality, he just wanted to spend time with her one last time. He knew, deep down, that after she left, she would be gone for good, but somewhere in his heart, he held onto the hope that maybe things wouldn't end. She acted like they were still dating, and for a short while during her stay, Kevin was happy again. But when she left, he thought about how the week had gone, and he tried to convince himself that what if they could talk and fix what had broken. He waited a little while, then reached out to her, wanting to chat about what happened. Then it hit him—harder than anything he'd felt in a long time.

Kevin sat down beside his s14, reading her message. He read it at least 200 times before he understood it. She had rejected him before he could even speak to her about it—over text. He wanted to explain everything he'd been carrying, the things weighing him down for so long. He just wanted to hear her voice one more time. The voicemails she left him were painful to listen to; she had been upset, and he couldn't bear to keep hearing them. Kevin was in shock. Just friends? "I don't want to get back together right now or anytime soon." He felt used, like he had misread the whole week she spent with him. He still didn't believe she had used him, but his overthinking never stopped. "Did she use me? I deserve this, though, don't I?" he asked himself. He still loved her, but he was terrified she had moved on. Maybe she had someone new now. Maybe he had lost her forever. He always wanted to run out to hug her at the airport before she left, but he never could bring himself to do it. He couldn't say goodbye. Hoping if he never did it she'd come back to him. She came into his life so unexpectedly, and she was perfect in his eyes. Even after everything, he still went to pick her up when she needed her stuff. Kevin didn't know what to do anymore. His mind was battling so many different thoughts. Should he fight for her? Should he try to win her back? Or should he just move on? Did she use him, or should he just accept it and get over her? He thought about it for days, which turned into weeks. He didn't want to give up like he had before, but he didn't want to bother her either. He knew how busy she was. Eventually, he disappeared in the night, never to be seen again by her. He loved her, but she deserved better, and she had moved on. Kevin couldn't keep talking to her, not knowing if she was playing with his feelings or not.

Kevin loved her, but he failed. He was the problem. He failed his own promise to himself. She didn't deserve that, though he didn't deserve some of the things she did either. But despite it all, he never stopped loving her. They both had their flaws, but Kevin never noticed or cared about hers, because in his eyes, she was flawless. He had been lied to so many times and played by so many people throughout his journeys, with her he didn't know what to believe anymore. He knew he had too many flaws of his own, and he tried to open up to her for help. But Kevin was scared. He didn't know how she'd react. They had made some questionable decisions together, especially at a young age, but Kevin was ready for anything she would've thrown at him. She wanted to become a mother, and for the first time, he thought about being a father. He even started taking steps to plan for a child sooner than he had expected, but she never knew that. If he was going to bring a kid into this world, he was going to have to move. He was going to make a family like no other. Kevin had grown up in a split custody battle, and he never wanted his child to go through the same thing. But despite all his planning, he messed up—real bad. And deep down, Kevin didn't even think it was fixable anymore.

From that day on, Kevin was a ghost.

Or so he thought. Kevin believed he was strong enough to let go, strong enough to never text her again, strong enough to walk away. But deep down, he wasn't. He kept trying. Again and again, he reached out, hoping he could somehow rewrite the past, to undo the pain he had caused, to fix what had been broken. For the rest of his life, Kevin knew he'd be the backup plan. The one she could always turn to when no one else was there, but never the one she truly wanted. He had messed up, had ruined his chance, but still, there was a tiny flicker of hope that maybe—just maybe—things could be different.

But as time wore on, reality settled in. It was clear now. It was set in stone. There was no more "maybe," no more waiting for a door to open. The chance had passed. It was over. Moving on wasn't something Kevin wanted to do, not by any means. The thought of moving on felt like giving up on everything they had shared, every moment that had made him feel alive. But he knew, deep down, that if he truly cared for her, the right thing to do was to let her go. She deserves someone who could give her the life she wanted, someone who wasn't tangled in his own mess of self-doubt and fear. It was time to move on, whether he was ready or not. The hardest part wasn't saying goodbye—it was realizing that he wasn't enough. That realization would haunt him for a long time, but it was something he had to face, even if it felt like a dagger to his heart.

She had been the light in his darkest moments, the dream he thought he had lost but hoped to regain. He had spent nights replaying their memories, convincing himself that love could be salvaged. When she returned, it felt like fate had granted him a second chance. But fate, as it turned out, had a cruel sense of humor. The revelation shattered him. She had been toying with his emotions while someone else held her heart. The girl who once made him feel invincible had become the reason he felt utterly defeated. His dreams of rekindling their love crumbled into nothing but painful reminders of a past that could never be rewritten. Kevin stared at the stars and trees, their silhouettes swaying gently in the night. He had lost her—the one person who made him feel alive. The realization sank in: she was never his light; she was just a passing flame, beautiful yet fleeting, leaving him in darkness once more.

He wandered through the empty roads, driving for miles, his mind racing with a thousand questions he would never get answers to. How could she pretend to love him while giving her heart to another? Did she ever truly care, or was he just a temporary distraction? The pain gnawed at his soul, an ache that no amount of time could numb. Kevin tried to move forward, but her presence lingered in everything—the places they had visited, the songs they had shared, the scent of her perfume that seemed to haunt him. He couldn't escape her ghost, no matter how hard he tried. Each night, he drowned in memories, searching for the moment when everything had changed, hoping to find a sign that might have warned him of the inevitable heartbreak. Weeks passed, and he threw himself into work, into mindless distractions that numbed the agony. Yet, in the quiet moments, when the world slowed and he was left alone with his thoughts, the pain resurfaced with a vengeance. Love was supposed to heal, to uplift, to bring warmth. But all he felt was the cold emptiness left in her wake.

He thought about reaching out, demanding answers, closure—anything that might ease the torment. But he knew better. She had moved on, and he was just another chapter she had left behind. There was nothing left to say, nothing left to salvage. The only thing he could do was learn to let go. And so, he made a choice. He wouldn't let her ghost haunt him forever. He would rebuild, piece by piece, until he was whole again. It wouldn't be easy; the scars would always remain. But he would not let the past define him. Kevin took one last look at the stars and trees, inhaling deeply as he allowed the pain to settle. It was time to turn the page, to step out of the darkness and into whatever future awaited him. He had lost her, but maybe—just maybe—he would find himself again.

As the days went by, the weight of it all sank deeper, and Kevin couldn't shake the thought that he had never hugged her when she left. He had known that hugging her would be the same as saying goodbye, and he could never bring himself to do that—he never wanted to say goodbye to her, not truly. It was a simple gesture, one he'd never get to make, and it stung more than any farewell ever could. The months blur together for Kevin. Work becomes a distraction, a way to keep his mind off the wreckage of his life. He drinks to numb the pain but never too much—not to the point where he'd lose control. But it doesn't matter. No amount of alcohol, fights, or long hours on the jobs can fill the emptiness gnawing at him. Every day feels like he's just going through the motions, distanced from the people who care about him, but unable to stop pushing them away. The car, the S14, is the only thing that still feels like it has any real meaning. Every drive is an escape, a chance to feel something other than the weight of his past and his mistakes. But even that isn't enough to drown out the thoughts. He keeps pushing himself, each night a little deeper into his own isolation. Then comes the night of the crash.

The pain has been building, and Kevin is desperate for release. He takes the S14 for a spin, not drunk, but emotionally numb, pushing the limits as if the faster he drives, the faster he can outrun everything. But it's too much. The car skids on a sharp turn, and in an instant, it's over. The S14 is wrecked—crumpled metal, shattered glass, a twisted reminder of everything Kevin's been ignoring. For the first time in months, he's forced to stop. He sits in the car, the engine dead, the silence overwhelming. The wreck is more than just the car—it's his life, spiraling out of control. He's lost everything he loved, and now even the one thing he thought he could hold onto is gone. Kevin spends that night in the car, too numb to leave, too ashamed to face anyone. He falls asleep in the wrecked S14, the twisted metal surrounding him like a prison. He wakes up the next morning with a headache and a sense of emptiness that's worse than anything he's ever felt. But something's changed. For the first time in months, he sees clearly. He can't keep doing this—he can't keep running from himself.

The next few weeks are a blur. Kevin goes through the motions, but his mind is always on that wreck. It's a constant reminder of how far he's fallen. But slowly, things begin to shift. He starts working less, using the time to face his feelings instead of burying them. He gets rid of the alcohol—at least for a while—and starts forcing himself to deal with the guilt, the shame, and the loneliness he's been running from. It's not easy. Some days, it feels like too much. But he's starting to realize that change isn't going to come overnight. The S14 is still in the garage, the wreckage a constant reminder of where he's been. But now, every time he sees it, it feels different. It's not just the end—it's the beginning of something else. Kevin doesn't know where it will take him, but for the first time in a long time, he feels like he has the chance to start over. After months of battling his demons, Kevin knows he can't stay where he is. The wrecked S14, the constant reminders of his past, they're all still there—haunting him. He can't keep running in circles, suffocating under the weight of memories he can't shake.

So, one day, he packs up his 2018 Charger, throwing what little belongings he's gathered into the trunk. He takes a deep breath, knowing this is the moment he's been avoiding for so long. He's not sure what lies ahead, but he's certain of one thing: he needs a change, and he needs to leave it all behind. Six states later, he pulls into Long Beach, California. The coastal city stretches before him like a blank canvas, vibrant and alive, offering a new start. The bright city lights at night don't feel suffocating like they did back home. The ocean breeze carries something different—hope, maybe. Or maybe it's just the sense that he's finally free from the shackles of his past. The first few weeks in Long Beach are a blur—finding a small apartment tucked away from the busy streets, settling into a new job, learning the rhythms of a city that's alive at all hours. It's an adjustment, but it's an adjustment Kevin's ready to make. He's still haunted by his past, but for the first time, the memories don't choke him with the same intensity. They're quieter here, as if the city is telling him to take a breath and move forward.

The Charger sits in a parking space outside his apartment, the last reminder of who he used to be. It's no longer a symbol of escape, but a steady companion as Kevin slowly rebuilds himself. There are days when the temptation to spiral is there—when the loneliness creeps in, and the old habits try to pull him back. But every time Kevin starts to falter, he goes for a drive. Not to escape, but to clear his mind. The roads of Long Beach feel like they're his to explore, each turn a small victory in his quiet battle to regain control. One afternoon, after a long day of work, Kevin sits on the beach, staring out at the ocean. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore feels grounding—reminding him of how far he's come. There's still so much to figure out, still so many unanswered questions about where his life is headed. But for the first time in months, he feels the weight lifting. He can breathe without the heaviness of the past pulling him down. It's not perfect. There are still days when he feels lost, when he wishes he could undo the damage he's caused or take back the things he's said. But here, in Long Beach, he feels the possibility of a fresh start. And for Kevin, that's enough.

The Charger is parked in front of his apartment, but the road ahead is wide open, full of choices, full of freedom. Kevin knows that it's no longer about escaping. It's about building a life he can live with. He doesn't know what comes next, but the future doesn't seem so frightening anymore. For the first time in a long time, Kevin feels like he's finally heading in the right direction. But that change doesn't come easy. Kevin spends another few weeks slipping through the motions of life until a seemingly random opportunity comes into his orbit. One night, while driving through Long Beach in his Charger, Kevin spots a Toyota Supra sitting at an impound lot. He's always loved the car—the raw power, the potential it represents. It's an itch he's never been able to scratch. Something about the Supra feels different. It's a chance to start over in a way that doesn't carry the weight of his old life. The Charger has always been a symbol of escape, but the Supra? It feels like a challenge, a statement that he's ready to rebuild from the ground up. Without much hesitation, he makes the decision—he trades in the Charger. It's a clean break, a new piece of the puzzle he's trying to put together.

With the Supra parked in front of his new apartment in Long Beach, Kevin begins to piece together the life he's been avoiding. It's not an easy transition—moving across the country, adjusting to a new environment, and finding new connections. But he's in a place where the weight of the past doesn't follow him everywhere he goes. Not long after settling in, Kevin gets a call that could change everything: an offer for a new job with the LAPD. He's hesitant at first, unsure if he's ready to take on a role that could pull him back into the world he's trying to escape. But something clicks in him. Maybe it's the fact that the job represents a step into something stable, a way to take control of his future, to be part of something bigger than himself. Maybe it's the pull of the badge, the idea of standing up for something real. Either way, Kevin takes the job, and it feels right. The work is demanding—challenging in ways he didn't expect—but it gives Kevin a sense of purpose. It's a steady rhythm in his life, something he can rely on as he adjusts to being in Long Beach. He still holds onto his part-time welding job, working evenings on projects that bring him peace. The welding is the physical connection to his past—the things he's built with his hands, his craft—but the LAPD job gives him the stability he never had before. Together, they make him feel like he's starting to build the life he's always needed but never knew how to create.

The Supra, his new car, becomes a symbol of this shift in his life. It's not just a new car—it's a representation of a new Kevin, one who's ready to stop running, to face the consequences of his past, and to rebuild from a place of strength. Every drive through the streets of Long Beach feels different, like he's carving out a new path, one decision at a time. He doesn't drive recklessly anymore; it's no longer about escaping—it's about moving forward. Kevin's journey isn't easy, and he still has his moments of doubt. He misses his old life at times—when things were simpler or when the chaos felt like it made sense. But as the months pass, he starts to realize that the pieces of his life are finally falling into place. The people he's met in Long Beach, his work, the Supra—everything is a part of the life he's been building. And most importantly, he's starting to believe that he deserves this life. He deserves to move forward, to grow, and to leave the darkness behind.