The world looked different at 2:00 a.m.Colder. Louder. More alive.
Vale Black tightened her gloves, the scent of gasoline and rubber thick in the air as engines purred like sleeping beasts. Her hazel hair, tied messily behind her neck, shone under the harsh lights of the underground track. No silver jewels tonight. No soft pastels or the girl who smiled too easily. Here, she was only a shadow.
"You're up next, V."Hanisha's voice cut through the buzz, calm as ever. She leaned against the hood of Vale's custom-built Mustang, dark eyeliner matching her no-nonsense vibe. "You sure you wanna race him? He's not the polite kind."
Vale's lips curved slightly. "Good. I'm not feeling very polite either."
The name Vale Black meant expensive prep schools, charity galas, and graceful manners. But down here, under the crumbling freeway overpass, she was just V. The masked driver with nerves of steel and a reputation for making engines scream.
She slid into the seat, fingers brushing the dashboard like an old friend. Her heart didn't race—racing was where her heart rested.
Engines roared around her. Lights blinked red.3...2...1...Go.
The world blurred. Vale shifted gears like music, weaving through challengers, the wind tearing at her jacket. A rush, a freedom, a truth—this was who she really was. Not Daniel and Sofia Black's perfect daughter. Not the girl everyone said would make a "perfect girlfriend."
She crossed the finish line seconds before the Mustang behind her skidded to a halt.
Cheers erupted. Money exchanged hands. Someone swore loudly. Hanisha raised a brow, holding out a water bottle. "You're getting faster."
Vale grinned, breathless. "Not fast enough. Not yet."
As she climbed out, helmet in hand, she looked up at the dark sky—her only witness.
A year from now, she'd meet someone who'd see the girl behind the engine.But tonight, Vale Black was a secret.