Silver Lining ❥ daerin

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓: 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤

ℭ𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔞

I stood in front of the garage, staring at the Pagani. Freshly polished, its sleek black body gleamed in the sunlight, looking as pristine as ever. It was perfect—almost too perfect. My fingers twitched at my sides as I felt the weight of the keys in my hand, but I couldn't bring myself to move just yet.

The car was mine again. After weeks in the shop, repaired and restored like nothing had ever happened. But as I stood there, watching the light bounce off the car's surface, I knew something had changed. It wasn't the Pagani that was different—it was me.

"Ready?" one of the mechanics asked as he walked past, giving me a casual nod. He didn't see the hesitation in my eyes, the way my chest tightened at the thought of getting back behind the wheel. To him, I was the same Calista I'd always been—the fearless racer, the one who took risks and laughed in the face of danger.

But I wasn't sure if I recognised that version of myself anymore.

I glanced up at the bleachers, where Sage sat waiting. Her face was calm, her gaze steady as she watched me from a distance. She had been there through everything—the crash, the hospital, the long weeks of recovery. I owed her everything. But now, as I stood here, staring down my future, I didn't know if I could give her what she deserved.

I ran my hand along the Pagani's hood, the cool metal grounding me for a moment. It felt familiar, but foreign all at once. This car had been my sanctuary, my escape, my ticket to a world where nothing else mattered. But now, all I could think about was the crash. The sound of metal twisting, the screech of tires losing grip on the wet track, the weightless moment of impact before everything went black.

"Calista, you alright?" Sage's voice was soft but carried enough to pull me out of my thoughts. She had left her seat and was now standing by the edge of the track, her hands tucked into her jacket pockets. There was concern in her eyes, and as much as I wanted to pretend I was fine, I knew she could see right through me.

I nodded, swallowing hard. "Yeah, just... taking it in."

She gave me a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You don't have to do this today, you know. No one's expecting you to jump back in straight away."

I shook my head, turning my gaze back to the Pagani. "I need to, Sage. I have to know if I can still do this."

Sage walked over to me, her hand brushing mine as she stood beside me. "But why today? You've been through so much. It's okay if you're not ready yet."

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Because if I don't do it now, I'm afraid I'll never get back in the car again."

Sage was quiet for a moment, her fingers lightly tracing circles on the back of my hand. "I get that. I just don't want you to push yourself too hard too soon. You've already been through enough."

Her words were kind, but they only made the knot in my chest tighten. Racing was my life—my passion, my dream. But ever since the crash, there was this doubt that had crept in, this voice in the back of my mind whispering that maybe I wasn't as invincible as I once thought.

"I'm not sure if I'm the same anymore," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sage frowned, turning to face me fully. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged, my fingers trailing along the car's door. "Before the crash, I felt untouchable. Like I could handle anything. But now... I don't know. I feel fragile. And I hate it."

Sage's expression softened, and she stepped closer, resting a hand on my arm. "You're not fragile, Calista. You survived something that would've knocked anyone else down for good. That doesn't make you weak. It makes you stronger."