Kai made his way through the busy campus, he felt the brief interaction with Georgianna linger in his thoughts. It wasn't that they had discussed anything profound, but her calm, understanding demeanor had left an impression. He wasn't used to people being that perceptive without prying. Most of the time, people either wanted to idolize him or push him into being something he wasn't. Georgianna seemed different, though—she wasn't pushing for answers or labels.
Later that afternoon, Kai headed toward his dorm, the campus slowly quieting down as students filtered into their rooms or gathered in small groups around the common areas. The weight of the day's events began to settle on his shoulders, but Georgianna's offer of a listening ear played back in his mind. He wasn't sure why, but he found himself tempted to take her up on it, if only to break the cycle of isolation he had fallen into since leaving Azuria City.
As he neared his building, his phone buzzed in his pocket again. Another message from the group chat.
Evan: "Yo, Shadow! What's good?"
Kai clenched his teeth. Even over text, the nickname grated on him. He hesitated before replying, knowing they wouldn't drop it easily.
Kai: "Not much. Just trying to survive class."
Ricardo: "Man, forget class. When are you coming back to race? We've got a meet this weekend, and it won't be the same without you."
Kai stared at the message for a long moment, his thumb hovering over the reply button. Racing. It felt like a different life now, something he couldn't quite touch anymore. As much as he missed the rush of adrenaline, the sense of freedom, he didn't want to be dragged back into the same identity.
Kai: "I'm not sure. Got a lot going on here. I'll let you know."
There was a pause before the next message popped up.
Mia: "It's cool, Kai. You don't have to push yourself. We're just checking in."
Kai appreciated Mia's gentler tone. She always seemed to understand when he needed space. But it didn't change the fact that his friends still saw him as The Shadow, the invincible street racer, the son of the Phoenix.
He shoved the phone back into his pocket, feeling frustration and fatigue wash over him. He didn't want to be known by those names anymore, didn't want to live up to someone else's legacy. Not here, not now.
When he finally got back to his dorm room, he sat down on the edge of his bed, staring at the wall. The pressure of it all—his friends, his past, his attempts to start fresh—it was overwhelming. Maybe Georgianna was right; sometimes it was better to keep people at a distance.
His thoughts wandered back to her. She had her own secrets, her own baggage she didn't want others to see. He wondered what her story was, but he knew better than to ask outright. If she was anything like him, she'd tell when she was ready—or maybe not at all.
Lying back on his bed, Kai felt the tension in his muscles ease slightly. He wasn't sure what was going to happen next or how he was going to move forward, but for the first time, it didn't feel like he was entirely alone in figuring it out.
There were still shadows, but at least now, there was a hint of light cutting through.
As Kai made his way across campus the next day, he spotted Georgianna sitting on a bench outside the library, chatting with another girl. Georgianna noticed him almost immediately and waved him over, her usual cool demeanor lightening for a moment.
"Kai! Over here," she called out.
He hesitated, not entirely sure if he wanted to get drawn into more conversation, but something about Georgianna kept pulling him in. As he approached, she gestured to the girl next to her. "Kai, this is Maria. Maria, meet Kai."
