Chapter 5 CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

YAEL

Aaron left hours ago, but his voice was still stuck in my head.

Don’t stay up too late, Yael.

Lock your door.

Don’t trust anyone with tattoos.

Yeah, thanks, Dad.

I was halfway through rearranging my bookshelf for the third time when there was a knock on my door. I opened it, expecting Aaron or maybe a delivery.

It was Maya, grinning like she’d just walked into Disneyland.

“Holy crap, this is your room?” she gasped, eyes wide as she stepped inside. “Yael, this isn’t a dorm room. This is a studio apartment. Who did you bribe?”

I laughed, closing the door behind her. “No one. My brother pulled some strings.”

“Some strings?” she turned in a slow circle, taking in the fairy lights, the soft gray rug, and the view of campus through the wide window. “Girl, he pulled a whole orchestra.”

I snorted. “Okay, that was a good one.”

She flopped onto my bed like she owned the place. “I’m serious though. Can I move in?”

“Sure,” I teased. “But you’ll have to pay rent in bubble tea and gossip.”

Maya’s grin slipped for just a second when her phone buzzed. She glanced at it, and I swear I saw her expression drop before she turned it off.

“You okay?” I asked, settling on the chair opposite her.

She smiled too fast. “Yeah! Totally fine. Just, uh… class stuff.”

“Maya,” I said softly, “that didn’t sound like class stuff.”

But she waved me off. “Forget it. You know what you need? Less serious face, more fun. Speaking of which—what’s your brother doing tonight?”

I frowned. “Why are you asking about my brother?”

“Because he’s fine,” she said dramatically, drawing out the word like a confession. “You didn’t tell me he looks like he stepped out of a mafia movie.”

I gagged. “Ew. Don’t talk about Aaron like that.”

“Don’t act like you don’t know,” she teased. “That man is walking danger in denim.”

Before I could respond, there was a sharp knock on the door. I raised a brow. “Speak of the devil.”

Maya mouthed, oh my God, fixing her hair as I opened it.

Aaron stood there, hands in his pockets, the corner of his mouth lifting. “You decorating or building an empire, Yael?”

“Both,” I said, leaning against the frame. “What’s up?”

He nodded at Maya. “Hey.”

“Hi,” Maya said, voice higher than usual.

Aaron’s smirk deepened. “New friend?”

“Yeah” I said flatly.

Maya, traitor that she was, smiled sweetly. “It’s nice to meet you. Yael talks about you all the time.”

“I do not,” I hissed.

Aaron chuckled. “Good to know she’s still my number one fan.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I might’ve seen the back of my skull. “Why are you here?”

“There’s a race tonight,” he said, ignoring my sarcasm. “Big one. I’m competing. Don’t wait up.”

“Race?” Maya perked up. “Like… cars?”

“Yeah,” Aaron said, clearly amused by her excitement.

He reached out, ruffled my hair. “Stay in, yeah? Study or something. Don’t get into trouble.”

“Me? Trouble?” I said, fake-offended.

He gave me a look. “Yael.”

I sighed. “Fine, fine. I’ll read.”

“Good girl.” He winked at Maya before heading out.

As soon as the door shut, Maya squealed. “Good girl?! Oh my God, I’m dead. I’m deceased. Your brother just winked at me!”

I buried my face in my hands. “I hate this timeline.”

“Do not hate it! That man could run me over and I’d thank him,” she said, fanning herself dramatically.

I groaned. “Maya!”

She laughed, flopping back on the bed again. “Okay, okay. But seriously—race night? We’re going.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Come on, Yael. You can’t live your whole life behind textbooks. Let’s go see some hot guys, loud engines, and maybe your brother winning something.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Absolutely yes,” she countered. “You promised to let me corrupt you a little.”

“When did I—”

“Just now.”

I gave her a long stare. She met it with the stubborn glint of someone who never takes no for an answer.

I sighed. “You’re impossible.”

She grinned. “Now, we need backup.”

Before I could stop her, she was already dialing. “Liam!” she said when he picked up. “You’re coming with us.”

On speaker, his voice came through, light and teasing. “To what?”

“The underground car race.”

He laughed. “Funny. I was literally just heading there. You guys need a ride?”

Maya and I exchanged a look. “Wait, you were going?” I asked.

“Yeah, my friend's in the lineup,” he said. “Get ready, I’ll pick you up in twenty.”

Maya fist-pumped the air. “See? Fate wants us to go.”

Twenty minutes later, I was standing in front of the mirror, regretting every decision that led me here. Maya had insisted on doing my makeup—nothing wild, just lip gloss and eyeliner, but I still felt weirdly aware of how I looked.

“Perfect,” she said, looping her arm through mine as we stepped out. “You look like main character energy.”

“I am the main character,” I muttered.

Liam’s car pulled up, sleek and dark. He leaned out the window, grin easy as ever. “Ladies.”

Maya climbed into the front seat. I slid into the back, still trying to convince myself this wasn’t a mistake.

The closer we got, the louder it got—engines revving, people cheering, neon lights flashing against the night. The whole campus seemed to be there.

“Wow,” Maya whispered. “This is insane.”

Liam parked near the entrance, flashing a pass that got us into the VVIP section. “Perks of knowing people,” he said.

We followed him to the front row, the perfect view of the track. Maya was practically vibrating beside me, scanning for Aaron.

“There!” she shouted, pointing.

Aaron stood near a glossy black car, adjusting his gloves, confidence radiating off him like heat.

“My brother’s ridiculous,” I muttered.

“Ridiculously fine,” Maya corrected.

I elbowed her. “Stop drooling.”

She just laughed.

And then I saw him.

Knox Hale. Helmet in hand, head tilted, talking to someone near the red car next to Aaron’s.

My breath caught before I could stop it.

“Yael?” Liam asked. “You good?”

“Fine,” I said quickly, eyes snapping away.

But my heart wasn’t listening

. It was thundering in my chest, betraying every ounce of logic.

Because Knox was here.

And somehow, I already knew—

this night was going to change everything.