NEON STREETS
Elliana told herself she wouldn't go.
She stood in her room long after midnight, phone glowing in her hand, Leon's message burning into her thoughts.
Leon: Just watch. No races. No trouble. I promise.
Promises from fugitives shouldn't mean anything.
Yet here she was, pulling on a hoodie and slipping quietly out of the house, her heart pounding louder than her footsteps. The night air felt different—electric, alive—as if the city itself knew she was crossing a line she couldn't uncross.
The address Leon sent led her to an abandoned warehouse at the edge of town. Neon lights flickered in the distance, glowing against the dark like a secret invitation.
Cars lined the lot—sleek, modified, dangerous. Engines hummed low, impatient. Music thumped from somewhere inside, deep and pulsing.
Elliana hesitated.
Then she saw him.
Leon stood near a black car, the neon lights reflecting off polished metal. He looked at home here—untouchable, confident, dangerous in a way that didn't ask permission.
"You came," he said, surprise flickering across his face.
"Just to watch," she reminded him.
"That's how it starts," he replied, smiling.
Inside, the air buzzed with energy. People laughed, argued, revved engines. The smell of fuel and smoke hung heavy. Elliana felt like she'd stepped into another world—one her father fought every day without ever understanding.
Leon stayed close, protective but not possessive.
"This is my escape," he said quietly, watching the cars line up. "Out here, nothing else matters."
The race began without warning.
Engines screamed. Cars shot forward in a blur of light and sound. Elliana's breath caught as the crowd roared. Fear twisted with excitement in her chest.
Leon's gaze never left her.
"You don't belong here," he said softly.
"Then why bring me?" she asked.
"Because you already were," he replied.
Suddenly, distant sirens cut through the night.
Everything stopped.
"Cops!" someone shouted.
Chaos erupted. Engines roared back to life, bodies scattering, lights cutting out.
Leon grabbed Elliana's hand.
"Trust me," he said.
Before she could respond, he pulled her toward the car.
As they sped into the night, neon lights blurring past them, Elliana realized the truth with terrifying clarity—
She hadn't just stepped into Leon's world.
She was running in it.