Chapter 27
Raven
The night air felt electric against my skin as I made my way back to where Leo and Maya waited.
Their faces lit up when they spotted me emerging from the darkness, Leo practically vibrating with excitement while Maya's relief was palpable.
"There you are!" Leo bounced on his heels, eyes wide. "We thought you'd been kidnapped by racing groupies or something! You just disappeared after crossing the finish line!"
I shrugged. "Had to check something."
"You're trending!" Leo exclaimed, shoving his phone in my face, thumb scrolling frantically through social media posts. "Look at this—'Mystery Female Racer Destroys Racing Legend on Mulholland!' There's already like five different videos from different angles. Nobody knows your name yet, but everyone's losing their minds trying to figure out who you are!"
I allowed myself a small smile as I glanced at the blurry footage of me crossing the finish line. This wasn't the first time I'd made headlines. Though usually, the stories read more like "High-Profile Politician Found Dead" or "Billionaire CEO Assassinated by Unknown Assailant." The only difference was that this time, people were celebrating rather than mourning.
I caught myself and shook my head slightly. "Whatever."
Maya glanced up from Leo's phone, her expression shifting from excitement to concern. "Most people would be freaking out right now. Either terrified or ecstatic. But you just look... I don't know. Calm?"
"I'm fine," I said, cutting her off before she could follow that train of thought. "Just hungry."
Maya and Leo exchanged glances—the kind people share when they think you're not paying attention. But I was always paying attention. Always calculating.
"What?" I raised an eyebrow.
"It's just..." Maya hesitated. "You seem different. Not upset or shocked or... anything."
I almost laughed. Shocked about what? That I'd eliminated an obstacle with surgical precision? That was Tuesday for Phantom. But of course, to these teenagers, a deadly car accident should warrant some emotional display.
"Would you prefer I burst into tears?" I asked dryly.
"No!" Leo interjected. "We think it's badass! Right, Maya?"
Maya nodded slowly, clearly less convinced than Leo but unwilling to push further.
I studied them—these strange creatures who seemed genuinely happy for my success without expecting anything in return. Their excitement was infectious, even to someone like me. It felt... novel. Pleasant, even.
"Let's celebrate," I decided, surprising even myself. "I'm buying dinner. There's a taco truck off Sunset that's open late."
"Hell yes!" Leo pumped his fist. "Victory tacos!"
As we piled into my car, I found myself smiling—a genuine expression I hadn't felt in longer than I could remember. The race had been child's play compared to what I was capable of, but their enthusiasm made it seem significant.
The taco truck was parked in its usual spot, surrounded by plastic tables and the diverse late-night crowd that made up Los Angeles after dark. The smell of grilled meat and corn tortillas hung in the air as we claimed a table and ordered enough food for twice our number.
"To Raven," Leo raised his horchata in a toast, "the baddest racer on Mulholland and the future queen of Westside Prep!"
I rolled my eyes but raised my drink anyway. "To hundred thousand dollars."
"That too!" Leo laughed.
We were halfway through our meal when familiar voices drifted toward us. I didn't need to turn around to recognize them.
"God, what kind of losers are eating street tacos at 1 AM on a school night?"
Maddie's nasal voice cut through the night air like a dull knife. I continued eating, savoring my barbacoa taco with deliberate slowness as I felt Tyler and Maddie approach our table.
"Well, if it isn't the social rejects club," Maddie continued, tossing her blonde hair. Her cheerleading uniform had been replaced by designer jeans and a top that probably cost more than David's monthly income. "Celebrating what? Finally learning how to tie your shoes?"
Leo bristled beside me, but I placed a calming hand on his arm. This was my game now.
"Just a small victory," I replied, my voice honey-smooth as I finally turned to face them. "Nothing that would interest you."
Maddie's smirk was predictable. "The only victory you could possibly have is if the school burned down with all evidence of your pathetic existence."
Maya flinched slightly, but I remained perfectly still, studying Maddie like a particularly uninteresting specimen.
"Actually," Tyler cut in, his arm draped possessively around Maddie's waist, "we just came from Mulholland. The Midnight Run." He emphasized this as if dropping the name of an exclusive club. "Five thousand a ticket. Worth every penny to see real driving."
"Really?" I took another bite of my taco, chewing thoughtfully. "I heard it was quite the show."
"Eh, disappointing actually," Tyler shrugged. "Some chick in a Nissan. Can you believe that? A fucking Nissan against a McLaren?"
I dabbed the corner of my mouth with a napkin. "And how did that work out for the McLaren?"
Tyler's brow furrowed. "What?"
"The race," I clarified, my voice dripping with false patience. "Who won?"
Maddie answered before Tyler could. "How would we know? We left early. Those events drag on forever, and the outcome was obvious."
"Was it?" I asked, smiling now. "Because I heard the woman in the Nissan absolutely destroyed Jax Crowe. Left him in the dust."
Tyler's expression shifted, a mixture of surprise and disbelief. "No way. That's impossible."
But as he studied my face—the confidence in my eyes, the slight curl of my lip—something changed in his demeanor. He leaned forward, suddenly intense.
"Wait... are you serious? Someone actually beat Jax?" His voice dropped to an almost reverent whisper.