Eli felt a strange emptiness, yet a faint determination began to stir inside him. Nicole and Arietta were right—he couldn’t keep spiraling. But moving forward didn’t mean abandoning the hope of seeing Serena again. It just meant finding himself while he waited for life to run its course.
Days turned into weeks, and Eli slowly began reengaging with his world. He started visiting the track more often, though he avoided big races. The familiar sound of engines roaring brought some comfort, yet every lap he drove felt hollow without Serena watching from the sidelines.
One evening, after a quiet test run, he leaned against his car, staring at the setting sun. Arietta approached, a coffee in hand.
“You’re improving,” she said, handing him the cup.
Eli gave a small smile. “Feels different. Li
