you

³

As the race approached its thrilling conclusion, an unexpected surge from JJ propelled him into the lead, igniting a chorus of cheers and screams from the pogues.

In that electrifying moment, Laila locked eyes with her sister, a connection stark and poignant, reminding her of the long silence that had stretched between them. It had been ages since they had last spoken, and the weight of their unresolved tensions hung heavy in the air.

Laila could never bring herself to forgive Kiara for choosing the pogues over their family, for failing to make a sacrifice when she had given up everything for her sister.

She had sacrificed the potential future she could have had with Rafe, only to have it thrown back in her face like a bitter reminder of what could have been.

What stung even more was Kiara's loud judgment of her lifestyle, the way she seemed to look down on Laila as if her own decisions rendered her superior.

One day, Kiara had simply decided to embrace the pogue life, and with that choice, she acted as though it elevated her above everyone else. The resentment burned deep within Laila, a constant reminder of their fractured bond.

Laila's heart raced as the memories flooded back—every argument, every tear, every moment that had driven a wedge between her and Kiara. The cheers of the pogues faded into the background, and all she could hear was the echo of their last fight.

Kiara had always been the idealist, the one who believed in the power of friendship and loyalty above all else.

Laila, on the other hand, had learned the hard way that sometimes survival meant making difficult choices. When Rafe had spiraled out of control, Laila had done everything in her power to help him, while trying to maintain her bond with Kiara although it resulted in losing both of them in the process.

As the tension of the race grew, murmurs grew and the chaos of the whole moment was surreal.

Kiara had chosen the pogues, and Laila had embraced kooks. The gap between them felt insurmountable, a chasm filled with resentment and betrayal. In that fleeting moment of eye contact, Laila saw a flicker of doubt in Kiara's eyes, and for the first time, she wondered if maybe, just maybe, her sister realized the weight of her choices.

Their eyes drifted apart as the chaos of the crowd matched the chaos of the race, watching Rafe and JJ go down and Topper zoom past the finish line the kooks erupted in cheer running over to him.

"Told y'all!" he shouted, dismounting his bike and throwing an arm around Laila and Steph, playfully shaking them as their laughter filled the air.

"Hey Sarah, how's pogue life treating ya?" he asked, smirking as the kooks sauntered past the pogues, prompting more laughter from the group.

"Shut up, Topper," she shot back, rolling her eyes.

"Assholes," Kiara muttered under her breath, catching her sister's attention with her irritation.

"Sorry what was that?" Laila spoke emerging anger in Kie. She turned to face Laila, her eyes narrowing. "You heard me. You're just a bunch of spoiled brats."

Laila rolled her eyes, feeling the heat of indignation rise within her. "And what, you think you pogues are any better? At least we know how to have fun without pretending we're better than everyone else."