Luca's P.O.V.
I just stare, confused, at the door, she left through. The eyes of everyone at the table turn to me as if I would have the answers. I just shake my head, as bewildered as them. I get up and jog to the door in time to watch her car speed off down the road.
If you could consider me curious about her before, now I'm highly intrigued. She's as strange as it gets and I love it. It's really refreshing compared to the people I'm normally around. She's just got something about her that's off. Something that goes deeper than that nerdy exterior.
I just hope she comes back soon so I can find some more answers, she's entertaining.
I turn back to the table and shrug. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain her to them. I can't even explain her to myself.
<3
Nix's P.O.V.
I just drove around for a while and ended up parking at a dog park at the edge of town until late at night. When I thought everyone would be asleep, I headed back. I just needed space for a while. I guess my nerves just got to be too much for me.
I got "home" at about 12:30 am and noticed something odd. Neither Luca nor Nate's cars were in the drive. I assumed they'd be asleep now or at least tucked away in their room. They must be more like me than I'd originally believed.
I stepped out of my vehicle just as Nate was pulling into the driveway. I heard the engine cut off and his car door open. He stepped out as well and we made eye contact with me before I spoke.
"Hey, Nathan. Where were you at such a late time?" I questioned, curious if his excuse would be more interesting then mine.
"I could ask you the same. And call me Nate, I've always preferred the shorter version."
"Touché." I smile.
I guess Nate wasn't one for long conversations because he spoke again, "Well, night Phoenix," and jogged away to the front door. When I turned back around, Luca pulling in the drive as well. Honestly, perfect timing.
"What were you doing out so late?!" Umm... I feel like something is repeating... Except for this time a bit more hostile.
"Why do you care?" I ask him, glaring at him for his tone of voice.
"Because when you stay under my roof, I feel responsible for you. If you disappear, it's my fault. Emily already warned me of your tendencies to run off." He spoke strongly.
"Are you saying I'm a flight risk? Like one day I'll just up and leave?" For some reason, I felt insulted by that. I would never just ditch without warning. Well, at least I'd tell Emily and Bentley. They actually know of my plans to disappear as soon as I get my trust fund. I want out of this town and away from all these memories. They'll be the only ones to know of my disappearance, but Lucas would eventually find out form them.
"Definitely. I mean, you're already planning on being a pussy and ditching town soon as you get your fund anyway. Who's to say you won't do it early?" He growled.
"What did you just say to me?" I said slowly.
"You heard exactly what I said. Emily told me what you're planning to do; running away from all your problems like a coward. You can't just run away from everything bad in your life. That's not how life works. Any time you get remotely scared or nervous, you ditch." And how would someone who doesn't even know me know that?
"How dare you-"
He cut me off, "How dare I what? Point out the truth? I got it from pretty great source. Did you know your best friend has quite the mouth? Somehow that short conversation taught me quite a bit about your fight or flight response and yo-"
It was my turn to cut him off, "Screw you! You think you know me from one conversation with a friend of mine who doesn't even know the truth about me? She barely knows who I really am! Talk to Bentley for ten seconds and you'll know that's all wrong."
"I highly doubt that, Kitten. You couldn't handle a difficult situation without running even if someone's life was on the line." He growled.
The blood in my veins ran cold. He struck the one nerve in my body that could make me hate him for eternity.
"You're the devil incarnate, asshole." I'm done. I'm done trying to pretend. I can't keep acting like this is okay. None of this is okay.
He just glared. So just like he said, I ran away again.
☕️☕️☕️
Luca's P.O.V.
I didn't want to hurt her that bad, but it's true. Emily told me all the times she'd randomly just run off to blow steam. How she'd just get in her car and disappear ANd she did it again today in front of my family I don't care if I just met her, it's not okay and it makes her a coward. If she can't handle a tough situation without running, she'll never get anywhere in life.
I watched her do it again, throwing herself into the car and speeding away. I followed until I was out in the street, visible in her rearview mirror.
I know someone needed to say something to her, but did I really have to be that harsh?
I should go and apologize.
What the fuck?
I contemplated it even though it sounded insane coming from me and eventually landed on the decision that I should go find her, wherever she went. I pulled out my phone, scrolling to Emily's contact. I dialed her with the intention of asking where Nix would've gone, but when she answers, I change my question.
"What's Bentley's number?" I ask quickly. Phoenix herself said Bentley knew her better so I'm going to guess there's a good shot he knows where she'd go when she's mad.
Her tired voice answers my question with a question, "I just need it. Please."
"Um, okay..." And with that, I hear a few taps on her side before she lists off a number. I type the number into my notes, thank her, and hang up.
I feel bad for just hanging up on her like that, but I'm actually beginning to be somewhat worried about Phoenix. Emily made it seem like when she runs off like that, she sometimes comes back hurt or just in bad shape. Emily said Nix would never explain what happened, but that it was obvious it wasn't normal.
I copied and pasted the number into my phone and dialed. It rang twice before he picked up, "Who is this?" He didn't seem happy.
"What, no hello?" I may need his help but that doesn't mean I'm gonna be all friendly with him.
I just hear a sigh from the other side of the line, "What do you want? It's bad enough Phoenix is with you, do you really have to call me too? I'm sorry but my best friend spot is full and I'm not looking to make new friends."
"Look, I'm not calling so we can braid each other's hair. Phoenix is gone. She got home late and we got into an argument about how she runs away from all her problems an-"
"You're a moron." He just says calmly.
"Excuse me?" What the fuck just happened? I'm trying to look out for her and he just calls me a moron out of nowhere? Am I missing something here?
"She doesn't run from much of anything. If she left, it was to blow off steam, not to run away from her problems. No one thinks well with a head of anger, she only left to blow off steam. She'll show back up eventually."
"How can you be so calm about this? She drove off down a suburban street at some 70 mph. That's not normal or safe! She could get herself killed!" I don't mention that I'm worried because I need to apologize.
He just chuckles, "There's so much you don't know yet, back out while you can. I love her and she needs somewhere to stay, but I don't think you can handle her if something as small as that is worrying you."
"Small?! Did you not hear me at all? I'll say it again, driving like that gets people killed! Can you get that through your head?!" I practically yell into the phone.
"She's not going to get in a wreck, I promise." He's so calm like he knows something more than he's said.
"What do you know?" I growl.
"I know where she is and I know that her driving is the least of your worries."
"Where is she?" If he knows, why can't he just tell me so I can hang up the phone?
I'm practically crushing the phone in anger when he speaks again, "If I tell you, will you drop it?"
"Yes," I say quickly.
"Probably downtown, in the bad parts." He answers.
"Where exactly?" I ask. Downtown in the bad parts isn't near specific enough to be of much help to me.
"Doesn't really matter, if you head down there you'd find her. But you said if I told you, you'd drop it, so drop it." He seems to start getting fed up.
"Yeah, I'd drop it with you but I'm not dropping it completely. If I'm being completely honest, I'm actually worried about her."
"I can tell," he spat, "but you have no reason to be. She can handle herself."
Why would I trust him? With her in a car like that, not thinking, she's in danger. I don't give a shit if he thinks it's fine, it's not, "I have no reason to believe that. I'm going to find her and I'm going now." I said, angrily.
"Bad idea, man." He seemed a little worried then, "She will be beyond pissed at you if you show up there. Not even Emily has been able to see that side of her."
"You make it sound like some suspenseful action movie." It was getting on my nerves.
I hear him sigh, "I have a feeling you're stubborn and won't be dropping this any time soon."
"Bingo."
"Fine, I'll pick you up and show you just how much of a moron you are."
"What? I don't need you to pi-"
"Trust me, you there alone is not going to be a good idea. It's not your scene, pretty boy." He speaks like I'm some kid.
"Can you ju-" I start in but the line goes dead.
I consider just leaving on my own, but Bentley only takes five minutes before he shows up outside my house.
☕️☕️☕️
Nix's P.O.V.
I hate how I do this all the time. I'm not necessarily running away though. I'm just trying to get out my anger without totally blowing up on someone. Plus, this reminds me of Cody which is a calming effect.
I know it's not safe, but I'm good.
It's been a while since I did this. I've been trying to stop after what happened to Cody, but I guess Lucas and his dumb face bring out the bad side of me. I know this isn't okay, you don't have to tell me. I already know. I've known since Cody's death just how bad this scene is.
I pull the car into the garage I keep my baby in. I would just take Cody's car, which I usually drive, but I'm not as good in it. It comes naturally to me in my own car.
My 1970 Boss 302, Rayne. She's a beautiful black with two white stripes. A gift from whatever gods are out there.
I run my fingers along the side of her. It's been a few months since I even saw her, let alone drove her. I remove the keys from my pocket, unlocking the driver's side door and sliding onto the leather seat. The familiar grooves of the seat and grip of the wheel bring back so many strong memories, especially of the night everything changed.
I took a moment to just relax and get used to the feel of being in her again before I slid the key into the ignition, turning it. She purrs to life with ease, even after all this time sitting idle.
I don't know how I managed to stay away from her so long, but I'm thankful to be back.
I pulled out of the garage, speeding down the road, letting the adrenaline of being back in my own car fill me. I don't know how someone can feel so much happiness and pride over an inanimate object, but this car makes me feel home. Home is anywhere this car is to me.
So many thoughts surged my mind; why I'm doing this, if I should turn back, what Cody would do if he knew I went back (Would he be proud of me?), and the most present in my mind was that of Luca. Did anything he said matter to him? Did he understand the level that stuff affects me?
Yeah, I've got a lot of problems, but who doesn't. Mine just show themselves more physically than that of other people. I can't help it. I grew up around guys with bad tempers and girls with no morals. I can't help but take on attributes of theirs. I wish I could, but whether or not we want to or not, we follow those we're around in one way or another.
I scowl, I can't even figure out why this is affecting me like it is. Maybe it's because Luca reminds me of Cody. Cody once told me the same thing. I hated Cody when I first met him but he grew on me and then, in the end, I got hurt and it was all my fault. When I met Cody, I was quite a bit younger. I couldn't just run off in my car at that age, so I'd run off and sat on the swings. He'd come over eventually, swallowed his pride, and we were friends from then on. But we were kids, kids don't hold grudges like teenagers with mental issues.
Not to mention, Luca won't be apologizing. He won't know where to find me even if he wants to. I mean, I'll go back there tomorrow, but by then, I doubt he would care anymore even if he cared now.
Why would he care?
Now I'm just rambling. My mind is a mess and I can't get out of it.
I drove into the deep parts of the downtown area, the parts that there aren't enough cops to cover. It's perfect for us, really. Slowly, the crowd came into view. At the sight of my car, they stepped aside, making room for me to pull through and park next to Aiden.
It's been so long since I've seen him. Charlie is on his arm, smiling and laughing. That was me once. It saddens my heart but at the same time, it makes me feel stronger. I miss it, but I can stand on my own. He didn't teach me all of this only to watch me fall when he died.
I step out of my car.
"Shit, Phoenix! It's been so long, where you been, man?" Aiden steps away from Charlie to walk around his car. He leans on the passenger door, looking at me. Charlier turns her attention to the guy standing next to her, one of Aiden's roommates I believe. Aiden is the head of the household Bentley lives in. He sort of runs their group.
"I was trying to quit actually," I answered honestly.
He knows the truth of what happened and gives me a sad smile, "He wouldn't want that."
I just chuckled, "I guess you're right." Everyone knew Cody's home was here on our little makeshift track.
"I miss him too. I'm sorry."
I just nod, I'm tired of hearing that over and over again. No one could possibly miss him the way I do, but I guess I understand Aiden is just trying to be nice.
"You're here to race right?" He smiles.
"Nope, I'm here to spectate," I say sarcastically, "Of course I'm here to race."
<3
Luca's P.O.V.
"Why couldn't you have dropped it?" Bentley asks, annoyed, "Curiosity killed the cat."
"But satisfaction brought it back," I responded as Bentley turned a corner down a back alley.
He rolled his eyes, "I doubt this will be satisfying. Of all emotions this will bring, satisfaction will be the least present."
"Whatever," I say impatiently.
A crowd comes into view, bringing out confusion in me.
"Figured it out yet, genius?" Bentley asks, amused by my facial expressions I think.
"Can you stop treating me like a child?" I scowled.
"Around here, you're practically a newborn. You might be a badass when you walk the school halls, but here that reputation will get you nothing but laughed at."
"Did I ask your opinion on my reputation? No. Now just find Phoenix in this crowd so we can leave." I respond.
"Oh, she's not in the crowd." The people part for Bentley's Charger, letting him through.
How is she not in this crowd? If she's not in the crowd, why are we even here? What is even going on? This just gets more and more weird with each foot taken. Why is Bentley being so ominous about it all? I just want to get Phoenix and go home.
He parks next to a black Mustang. A light brown haired girl leans against the driver's door, her beautiful waves hanging down her shoulders. I'm out of the car in seconds, jogging around and to her. Bentley doesn't even leave his car, he just sits there smirking. The guy really gives me the creeps. He's weird as hell.
"Nix! Fuck, what are you doing here?" I ask, coming closer to her so that I'm standing a mere foot away.
"Luca?" She seems startled, standing up straighter. "I could easily ask you the same question. How did you even find me?"
"Bentley," I said, quickly.
"Bentley told you to come here?" She looked disbelieving.
"No, he drove me here himself." I gestured to his car behind her.
She turned and her expression immediately darkened. She glared at him. He just laughed. She turned her attention back to me, "Well, I'm busy, so go home. After all, I can't run away from my problems if they follow me wherever I go." She implies that I am her problem and it makes me feel even worse.
That's when I realized what was going on. All the cars and people. The engine revs and the girls dressed in skimpy clothes, this was a street race. Was Phoenix going to street race? So that's why Bentley was adamant that she wouldn't wreck, she's well practiced.
I step closer so that the guy she was talking to can't hear me and encase her in my arms and her car. "Phoenix, please. It's not safe here, this is dangerous, Kitten."
I thought she'd tell me off or something like that, but she didn't even push me away, "I'm not in danger here, I promise. You don't need to follow me around and watch over me." I'm not sure what about this conversation caused this, but my heart rate spiked.
"Please just come with me. I don't care if you think this is safe, it's not." I spoke quietly because of how close I was to her, but loud enough for her to hear me over the sounds around us.
"Why do you care anyway? You showed your feelings of me just fine back at the house." I can clearly see how much that hurt her. I'm an idiot. I just keep fucking up. Why can't I keep my mouth shut?
I sighed, "Okay, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean all of that. I was just frustrated and worried and I took it too far. Now, please, can we go."
She put her hand on my chest, pushing lightly which gave me my queue to back up, "I'm fine. You can go home." She said roughly.
"I'm staying until you leave," I responded.
"Suit yourself."
Just then, an announcer stepped up and called out her name as well as a couple others. SHe started to get in her car and I made the stupid decision to quickly launch myself into the passenger seat. "What are you doing? Get out!" She shouted, looking extremely pissed off now.
I took a glance at Bentley who had a look of surprise on his face. Surprise, amusement, and...was that also admiration?
"No, I'm not getting out. If you're staying here and making dumb decisions, I'm staying too."
The announcer called again and Phoenix clearly didn't have time to argue. She just grumbled to herself and pulled away from her spot, lining her car up with the others. The guy she was talking to was next to us, but the girl that was with him had stayed behind. Maybe I should've done the same, but I'd hoped that me getting in would get her to leave. Boy was I wrong.
I hate to admit it, but she's actually making me nervous. She stopped speaking and was now staring dead ahead, a look of concentration taking over her expression. I stayed quiet, nerves still getting at me. I'm not sure what's making me nervous, how serious she's taking it or the fact that it's her behind the wheel. I'm not scared of the cars or the race, in fact, I've raced before.
I take the moment to stare at her. The more I watch her, the more I realize how beautiful she is. Her eyes are so bright and shimmering. She has these adorable freckles scattered across her face. As I stare at her freckles, I notice a small scar on her cheek. It looks old and it's faint, but it's cute. A little flaw that I actually find to be perfectly placed on her.
She's tense, her hands gripping the wheel like it's life or death. The announcer is speaking to someone for a moment before he starts the face so I use the time I have to try and calm her down. I slide my hand across her thigh and rub small circles with my thumb. I know how this looks, but I'm not trying to be sexual so get your mind out of the gutter.
"Relax. You won't be able to focus if you're so tense." SHe doesn't speak, but I watch her body visibly relax in her seat.
I don't move my hand away until the announcer has a flag in her hand and is standing in the center of the road. I'm not sure what the track is, but all the drivers seem to know.
The flag goes up, engines rev, and then it drops. One second we're still, the next my heartbeat has stopped and we're going 60 mph down a city street. Phoenix's hands and body register everything as though it is purely by instinct. She shifts and the car smoothly speeds up.
We drift around a corner, side by side with the car driven by the friend of hers, the other two cars trailing behind. Slowly, I start to relax enough to study what's going on.
Phoenix no longer looks tense at all, she is smiling ever so slightly and with each increased mph, she seems to grow even happier. Despite the situation, I find myself smiling.
It's over all too soon as her car pulls ahead of the others, crossing the makeshift finish line first and skidding to a halt. She turns to me, smiling, and laughs.
"I won!" She's so childish in her happiness. The giddy feeling from her spreads to me quickly.
She unbuckles and leaps across the seat, hugging me and still laughing. I took her into my arms for a few moments, enjoying her happiness, before she pulls away. When she pulls away, I see all the people that have crowded her car. She calms herself in seconds and steps from the car with a dead face, putting on a show like it was totally easy making me chuckle. Bentley walks up, slightly smiling.
I step out of the car and walk around towards her to hear his words, "He'd be proud of you, y'know." A warm, almost thankful, smile spreads across her face as he pulls her into a hug. It seemed like a brotherly hug but I still felt a wave of jealousy wash over me at the sight.
I shook my head at the thought, what's wrong with me?
Sirens suddenly sound and red white an blue lights flash. "The cops!" I hear someone shout.
Phoenix's eyes go wide as the crowd starts to become a mess. She parts ways with Bentley in seconds and I watch him take off. I didn't see him again after that. She runs to me, grabbing my hand, "Get in the car! Now!"
I know this is a serious situation and all, but her hand is so soft in mine. Weird thing to think about, right?
We were in the car and speeding away soon after. It was a maze trying to dodge people and get away from the police. There were so many cars, it's as though it was all planned. The cars were spread out far beyond just the area of the race, all waiting to catch people.
"I need to Get Rayne off the road. If they see her, they'll recognize me. I've got a slight reputation with the cops." She says quickly with a small laugh, eyes darting around, clearly somewhat nervous but yet at the same time, this part of it seemed to be her favorite. She was jittery and it was easy to make her smile right now.
"Rayne? Who the hell is Rayne?" I ask, confused.
"My car, Einstein." She says sarcastically, eyeing me out of her peripheral vision.
"Oh," I just can't stop smiling at her.
"What are you staring at, dumbass?"
"Are you only ever going to call me insulting names?" I shoot back.
"You can't answer a question with a question." I'm having deja vu here.
I smirk, "Well, if you must know, I was staring at your boobs. They'd look cute in my hands."
She shot me a glare, "Could you for two seconds not think like that?"
"I could, Kitten, but that wouldn't be any fun."
There's silence for a bit before she speaks again, "No, I don't only plan on calling you insulting names. Just when you deserve it." I can tell she's hiding a small smile.
"You're cute when you smile, don't hold it back." I say, still staring at her.
She looks taken aback, "W-what?"
"I said you're cute when you smile."
"Oh...thank you." I actually didn't expect her to just accept the compliment. I figured she'd argue like most girls. But not to be cliche, I guess she isn't most girls.
Phoenix pulls her car into the parking lot of the local lake beach, parking it near some dark trees. Aside from it's white stripes, it's fairly hidden among the shadows.
"How long should we stay here?" I ask.
"I'm not really sure. That was a lot more cops than normally show up for a race." She replies, stepping out of the car and walking towards the sand.
I nod, following her. We're quiet for some time, just walking the beach together until she kicks off her shoes, throwing them aside and plopping down in the grains of sand.
"May I ask where you learned to race like that?" I ask, "Those sort of skills don't just develop." I was curious about this earlier but have only just not gotten the chance to ask.
As she thinks of a reply, I pull my cigarettes from my back pocket as well as my lighter and light one.
She ignored my question and focuses in on the cigarette, "Those will kill you."
"No shit, Babe? I had no idea." I rolled my eyes, taking a puff, "Now back to the subject. You can't just ignore a question you don't like."
She sighs, "My ex taught me."
"Who might that've been?" I pry.
"Bentley's brother. I don't know if you remember him. His name was Cody." She won't look at me.
"Yeah. I think I remember him. He was a year older than us, right?"
She nods. I wait for her to continue speaking, but she stays quiet.
"What happened there?" I don't know what made me want to ask, but I did.
"You mean why we aren't together anymore?" She asks and I nod, "He's dead."
My voice got quieter, "oh, I'm sorry...how?"
She just looks out at the lake, I can tell there are tears in her eyes. It breaks my heart to see a pretty girl like that in tears.
She takes a breath before she speaks again, "It's a long story."
"I think I've got time."