Neon Nights

Chapter 7. Breezy Night Conversation

Luke leaned back against the trunk of his car, gazing up at the stars from the driveway leading up to the paint and body shop. Checking his phone it was nearly 8pm now, and Violet was late to meet him for their weekly walk to the late-night food truck parked once a week down the road.

It was one of his most favorite things in the world, taking things slow to have a nice relaxing time with his best friend outside of work. No racers lounging around in the parking lot of the shop outside his office, no paint fumes burning his nostrils, and nothing stressful whatsoever besides idle chitchat and amazing burrito wraps.

They would sit down on the sidewalk by the truck, just far enough to where they couldn't be heard by anyone else and vice versa. The wind, just like it did to him now, would ripple through their hair and clothed while they enjoyed each other's company, sitting near one of the freeways leading into town and watching the blurring lit up traffic fly by all the while.

"Wonder where she is..." he worriedly frowned to himself, his finger tapping against his pants pocket that held his phone in a nervous twitching motion, wanting to pull it out and call her. He was about to grab it out when headlights on the street before him suddenly veered onto the driveway, shining brightly in his face to where he had to full on close his eyes.

He grumbled slightly, squinting once the brights were turned off and the car pulled up to and next to his own. It was a model he couldn't make out in the dark, something sleek and fast that he only knew by memory since his eyes were now failing him. A slight jolt of surprise had rushed down his nerves upon fully making it out, as well as watching the person who climbed out the driver's side door.

Luke's eyes opened up more to take in the sight, watching the door close and the man come back and across the car over to him at the back of his own. He could see the nearly 270lbs of muscle dressed in torn jeans and a leather jacket stride over to him, looking far more intimidating than anyone else Luke had ever come across in his life.

Luke's posture straightened, coming forward off his vehicle and turning to the tall, dark-haired man staring over at him. "Kegan? You're still in town?" He spoke first, his voice giving out a slight gasp of surprise.

The biker gang looking man was none other than Violet's fiance, a professional racer like no other that hardly ever came back home here. It would've been the same if Violet had decided to go professional like he did, she had the requirements to do so, but ultimately gave up racing to pursue art at the same time Kegan furthered his own career in it.

Luke had always remembered something Violet had told him back when they first started working together: Kegan could race circles around her. Someone with that kind of talent was mortifying to comprehend, yet, Kegan was just one of many racers in his league.

The thought of it itched at the corners of Luke's mind, wondering what a life like that entailed. He felt envious at the least.

"Just for another day," Kegan came up to him, eyes glancing over Luke as his voice spoke in a deep and slightly tired tone. "She wanted me to come to this get together with y'all and said she'd already told you."

The two shared a glare at each other.

"Ha," Kegan whipped his head away towards the street, eyes glimmering in the reflections of the streetlights. "That little trickster. Sorry, Luke, I didn't meant to intrude with you and her."

"Violet is the one needing to apologize after being so sneaky and lying," Luke smiled softly. "Not you dude. I'm actually happy to see you, I had wanted to hang out with you for a bit a couple nights ago after the race."

"The race-?" Kegan looked back at Luke, more perplexed now. "You went with Violet?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm.." The man studied the visible parts of Luke's face, looking for any signs of lingering emotion over the memories going through the smaller guy's head of that night. "What did you think about it?"