Eli returned to the track that night, the hum of the engines and the sharp smell of burning rubber filling the air. He hoped that being back here, in the place where he always found solace, might help ease the gnawing anxiety building in his chest. But as he stood by the pit lane, staring blankly at the cars as they zoomed past, everything felt wrong.
There was no thrill, no comfort. The roar of the engines only reminded him of Serena’s silence. The lights overhead cast long shadows across the asphalt, much like the dark thoughts that clouded his mind.
He tried to focus on the race, to distract himself, but Serena’s voice echoed in his head: I don’t want you anymore. I’m sick of this. The words replayed over and over, cutting deeper each time. And the way she looked at him—like she was d
