Keifer's POV
"If we get arrested tonight," Yuri said calmly, "I'm blaming Felix."
Felix looked offended immediately. "Why me?"
"Because this entire situation started with you saying 'that alley looks interesting.'"
"That's called curiosity."
"That's called stupidity," Calix corrected.
Ci-N pointed ahead excitedly. "Guys, hurry up!"
The loud sound of engines echoed through the night streets.
Rory's eyes widened. "Okay wait… this actually sounds serious."
Endrix adjusted his glasses dramatically. "I smell illegal activities."
David sighed. "You say that like you're excited."
"I AM excited."
I stayed quiet as we followed the noise deeper into the city.
Neon lights slowly appeared ahead.
Then crowds.
Huge crowds.
People cheering loudly.
Motorcycles lined everywhere.
Music blasted through the air.
Felix stopped walking.
"…Why does this feel like a Fast and Furious audition?"
Ci-N's jaw dropped. "BRO THIS IS AN UNDERGROUND RACE."
Yuri looked unimpressed. "And how exactly did we end up here?"
"Destiny," Felix whispered emotionally.
"Idiot," David muttered.
A loud cheer suddenly erupted from the crowd.
Then everyone started shouting the same name.
"MJ!" "MJ!" "MJ!"
Rory frowned. "Who's MJ?"
A racer beside us laughed.
"You new here?"
Felix nodded immediately. "Unfortunately."
The racer smirked proudly.
"MJ owns this place."
Another racer spoke. "She hasn't lost a race in almost a year."
Endrix blinked. "…She?"
"She?" Ci-N repeated.
Before anyone could ask more—
The crowd suddenly moved aside.
And a black motorcycle rolled forward slowly.
The rider wore:
black racing boots
black gloves
black jacket
black helmet
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
Even experienced racers stepped aside respectfully.
The crowd went insane.
"MJ!" "MARIANO!" "QUEEN!"
Mariano?
Something about that name felt oddly familiar.
The rider stopped near two guys leaning against another motorcycle.
One had silver earrings and messy dark hair.
The other had blond streaks and tattoos on his arm.
Both looked completely exhausted.
The blond-haired guy pulled off his cap dramatically.
"MJ," he groaned, "please tell me you're not actually racing tonight."
The rider removed one glove lazily.
"Luke," a girl's voice said under the helmet, "I literally came here to race."
All of us froze slightly.
That voice…
The silver-earring guy sighed heavily. "Your dad almost caught us last month."
"Correction," MJ replied calmly, "he caught YOU."
Felix frowned. "…Why does that voice sound familiar?"
Ci-N slowly pointed. "No because WAIT."
Luke crossed his arms. "I'm serious, Jay."
Everything stopped in my head.
Jay?
The silver-earring guy, Jeff, groaned. "If Uncle Angelo finds out again, we're DEAD."
MJ laughed.
Actually laughed.
Not the sarcastic school laugh.
Not the annoyed one.
A real laugh.
Warm.
Playful.
"I told you both already," she said lazily, "my dad likes me more."
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT," Luke shouted.
Jeff pointed dramatically. "Your father chased us with slippers, Mariano Jayjay."
Felix nearly choked.
"…MARIANO JAYJAY?!"
Ci-N grabbed Rory violently. "THAT'S JAY."
Rory screamed quietly. "THAT'S ACTUALLY JAY."
I stared silently at the rider.
No.
Impossible.
Meanwhile Jay leaned casually on her motorcycle.
"You two are dramatic."
Jeff looked offended. "DRAMATIC?"
He pointed at himself emotionally.
"I almost died."
"You tripped over a flower pot," Jay said flatly.
"IT WAS A DANGEROUS FLOWER POT."
Luke sighed tiredly. "Please just race safely tonight."
Jay tilted her head.
"When have I ever raced dangerously?"
All three boys stared at her silently.
Then Jeff burst out laughing. "You almost drove THROUGH a food stand last week."
"The turn was sharp."
"YOU WERE DRIFTING."
The boys behind me looked completely shocked.
Because this version of Jay…
felt completely different.
Relaxed.
Funny.
Alive.
No walls.
No cold attitude.
Just… happy.
And somehow…
I couldn't stop staring.
Then suddenly Jay pulled off her helmet.
And the world genuinely stopped moving for a second.
Jeff snorted loudly. "You almost hit three red lights."
Them jay place her helmet back on.
"They were suggestions."
Luke looked exhausted already. "One day you'll say that in court."
Felix whispered beside me, "…I think I'm in love."
Yuri smacked the back of his head. "Focus."
A tall racer suddenly stepped forward from the crowd.
Black bike.
Heavy build.
Cocky smile.
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
Several racers started whispering.
Rory frowned. "Who's that?"
The racer beside us answered immediately.
"That's Raze."
Jeff muttered under his breath, "Great."
Luke clicked his tongue. "Not tonight."
Raze stopped in front of Jay's motorcycle.
Then smirked.
"Well, well. Mariano Jayjay."
The boys beside me froze again.
Even hearing her full name out here sounded strange.
Raze tilted his head slightly.
"You finally decided to show up."
Jay's voice stayed calm under the helmet.
"You talk too much."
The crowd immediately: "OOOOOOOOOH."
Felix grabbed Ci-N dramatically. "I LOVE THIS PLACE."
Raze chuckled.
"You still acting arrogant after almost crashing last race?"
Jeff immediately stepped forward. "That wasn't her fault."
"Jeff," Jay said calmly.
He stopped talking instantly.
Then she slowly looked back at Raze.
"You racing or crying tonight?"
The crowd LOST THEIR MINDS.
Ci-N screamed. "SHE COOKED HIM."
Even Yuri laughed quietly.
Raze's smile disappeared slightly.
"Big words."
Jay started revving her engine slowly.
Dangerously.
"Then try keeping up."
The atmosphere became electric instantly.
Luke rubbed his face. "She's in that mood tonight."
Jeff looked nervous now. "That's not good."
I frowned slightly. "What mood?"
Jeff glanced at me for the first time properly.
Then blinked.
"…Wait."
Luke turned too.
Both their eyes widened.
"Hold on," Jeff said slowly.
"Aren't you…"
Before he could finish—
Jay looked toward us.
And froze.
Not fully.
Just enough.
Her helmet tilted slightly in our direction.
Then toward me.
Silence.
Even from this distance…
I could feel her panic.
Felix waved excitedly. "HIIII JAY."
Ci-N waved too. "YOU LOOK EXPENSIVE."
Rory looked amazed. "BRO THIS IS ACTUALLY HER."
Endrix already recording everything. "This is historical footage."
Jay slowly removed one glove.
Then showed all of us her middle finger.
The crowd exploded laughing.
Felix clutched his chest emotionally. "She acknowledged us."
Jeff looked horrified.
"YOU BROUGHT SCHOOL PEOPLE HERE?!"
Luke looked equally stressed. "Oh we're dead."
Jay groaned loudly under the helmet.
Then pointed directly at us.
"You."
Even through the helmet…
I could hear the threat.
Felix pointed at himself proudly. "She remembers me."
"You're not surviving tomorrow," Yuri told him.
Jay suddenly drove closer to us.
Fast.
VERY fast.
The motorcycle stopped inches away from Felix.
Felix screamed.
"I WANT TO GO HOME."
Jay removed her helmet halfway.
"What," she said calmly, "are all of you doing here?"
Ci-N pointed around excitedly. "Discovering your criminal side."
"This isn't criminal."
Luke coughed loudly.
Jeff looked away.
Jay glared at both of them.
"Traitors."
Then her eyes landed on me.
And for one second…
her expression softened slightly.
Just slightly.
"You shouldn't be here," she told me quietly.
Before I could answer—
A loud voice interrupted.
"RACERS TO THE LINE!"
The crowd erupted again.
Engines roared everywhere.
Raze smirked from across the track.
"You coming, MJ?"
Jay looked toward the track.
Then back at us.
Luke sighed heavily. "Please don't kill yourself tonight."
Jeff nodded immediately. "And remember Uncle Angelo has connections everywhere."
Jay rolled her eyes. "You two sound like worried parents."
"Because somebody has to."
Then suddenly she looked directly at me again.
And smirked slightly.
"Watch carefully, president."
Then she put the helmet back on.
And instantly…
MJ returned.
Cold.
Untouchable.
Dangerous.
She drove toward the starting line.
And for the first time in my life…
I genuinely felt nervous watching someone race.