RACERS

CHAPTER SEVEN: Curiosity Has a Price

ISABELLE'S POV

I had a problem.

Actually, I had two.

The first was that I couldn't stop thinking about Axel Moretti.

The second was that I was beginning to suspect there was a reason he hated talking about his past.

And naturally, my curious mind refused to leave it alone.

"You're doing it again," Mia announced as she dropped into the seat beside me during lunch.

I looked up from my phone. "Doing what?"

"Staring at your screen like Axel is going to magically appear inside it."

I nearly choked on my drink.

"Can you stop mentioning that boy?"

"Which boy? The one with the midnight-blue car or the one you've been asking questions about since yesterday?"

I stared at her.

She grinned.

I hated my best friend sometimes.

"Look, I'm just curious," I explained. "He left school, and when I mentioned it, his whole attitude changed."

"Maybe it's personal."

"I know that, Mia."

"Then why are you investigating him?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

Fair question.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a good answer.

After school, I decided to visit the automobile accessories shop again. I told myself I was going because I wanted to look at some magazines.

I was absolutely not hoping to see Axel.

Not even a little.

The shop was quieter than it had been the previous time. I browsed through a few magazines before an older man behind the counter recognised me.

"You're the young lady who was here with that Moretti boy, aren't you?"

My head snapped up.

"Axel?"

The man chuckled. "So you know his name."

"Unfortunately."

He laughed at my response.

"He's been coming here for years. Used to come with his father, back when things were different."

His father.

Something about the way he said those words made me pause.

"What happened?"

The man's expression changed.

Then he shook his head.

"That's not my story to tell, young lady."

Before I could ask another question, the bell above the door rang.

I turned.

Axel walked in.

His eyes landed on me, and his expression immediately became suspicious.

"You're kidding."

I folded my arms. "Believe me, I'm just as disappointed."

He glanced at the magazines in my hand.

"Following me now?"

"Please. I was here first."

"Of course you were."

He exchanged a brief greeting with the shopkeeper before turning back to me.

"Can I ask you something?" I said.

"You just did."

"Axel."

Something in my voice made his teasing expression fade.

I hesitated.

"Why did you leave school?"

For a moment, the shop seemed unusually quiet.

His jaw tightened.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I asked a question, and you looked like I had insulted your entire family."

He stared at me.

I immediately regretted the last part.

"Forget it," I muttered. "You don't have to answer."

I turned toward the door, but his voice stopped me.

"My father died."

I froze.

Slowly, I turned around.

Axel wasn't looking at me. His attention was fixed on a magazine lying on the counter.

"He died when I was younger," he continued quietly. "Things changed after that. I had responsibilities, and school stopped being my priority."

For once, I had absolutely nothing clever to say.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

He gave a small shrug.

"Don't be. You didn't know."

The silence between us felt different now. There were no insults, no teasing smiles, and no competition to see who could win the conversation.

Just two people standing in a small shop, trying to figure out what to say next.

"I'm not going to pretend I understand what you went through," I said. "But I shouldn't have made assumptions."

Axel finally looked at me.

Something unreadable passed through his eyes.

"You're not what I expected, Isabelle Carter."

I managed a small smile.

"Good. I hate being predictable."

A faint smile touched his lips.

There he was again. The arrogant boy who seemed determined to get under my skin.

But now I knew there was more to him than I'd realised.

And somehow, that made everything more complicated.

As I stepped outside, Axel followed me to the doorway.

"Isabelle?"

I turned.

"Don't go digging into things you don't understand."

His voice wasn't angry. If anything, it sounded like a warning.

I held his gaze.

"Then stop giving me reasons to be curious, Moretti."

For a second, neither of us moved.

Then I walked away.

I didn't know whether Axel was trying to protect himself or warn me away from something dangerous.

But I knew one thing.

I had only uncovered the smallest piece of his story.

And I had a feeling the rest would change everything.