CRACKS IN THE CALM
Elliana started to believe the world had finally slowed down.
The whispers at school faded into background noise. Rhea stayed quiet. Even Austen kept his distance, though she often felt his eyes on her when he thought she wasn't looking.
And Leon… Leon became her escape.
They met in stolen moments—early mornings at a quiet café, late nights sitting in his parked car, talking about nothing and everything. No races. No chaos. Just them.
"Tell me something no one knows about you," Elliana said one evening as they shared fries in the car.
Leon smirked. "I hate thunderstorms."
She blinked. "You? The fearless street racer?"
"Don't laugh," he said. "I grew up with a roof that leaked. Thunder meant water everywhere."
Elliana smiled softly. "That's… kind of cute."
He rolled his eyes, but his lips curved upward. "Your turn."
She hesitated. "Sometimes I pretend my mom is just on a long trip. Like she'll walk through the door any second."
Leon's smile faded. "That helps?"
"Some days," she whispered.
Leon reached for her hand without thinking. She let him.
But calm never lasts.
At school the next day, Samantha cornered her at her locker. "Ellie… have you seen this?"
She held up her phone.
A blurry photo filled the screen—Elliana sitting in Leon's car. The timestamp from last night. The location tagged near the overlook.
Elliana's stomach dropped. "Who posted that?"
"Anonymous account," Samantha said. "But people are sharing it."
Elliana scrolled down. Comments flooded in.
Chief's daughter with a criminal?
Guess she likes bad boys.
Wonder what her dad thinks.
Her phone buzzed.
Dad: We need to talk. Now.
Fear wrapped around her chest like a fist.
That evening, her father stood in the living room, the photo open on his tablet.
"Tell me this isn't you," he said quietly.
Elliana opened her mouth… then closed it.
Silence answered for her.
His face hardened. "You're seeing him."
"I—"
"Leon Blakk," he snapped. "After everything I told you?"
"He's not who you think," she whispered.
Her father laughed bitterly. "I know exactly who he is."
"No, you don't," Elliana shot back. "You see a criminal. I see a person."
"A person who ruined lives!" he shouted.
The room went still.
Elliana flinched. "Whose life did he ruin?"
Her father froze.
For a second, his eyes softened with something dangerously close to grief.
Then he turned away. "Go to your room."
Elliana did.
But as she lay in bed later, her thoughts spiraled.
What wasn't he telling her?
And why did Leon look so haunted every time she talked about her mom?
The cracks in the calm were spreading.
And something terrible was waiting underneath.