Breaking the Grid

Lily

Kimi won't stop calling me—even though he's miles away, his persistence is somehow still here with me, buzzing through my phone. I ignore it, sighing as I try to settle in. The heat's uncharacteristic for England, and the track is busy, the smell of rubber and gasoline sharp in the air. It's my first time being near a track since the accident, and I can't pretend it doesn't bother me. The sounds and scents tug me back to that day—my car flipped, the screeching metal.

I snap out of it as I hear a familiar voice calling my name. "Blair! You came! Dad, look!" I look up, finding Lily with a huge smile, her father standing a few steps behind her. She beams at me, but her excitement falters as she studies my expression.

"You okay?" she asks, her tone quieter, more cautious.

I realize how tense I must look. I quickly plaster on a smile, hoping it doesn't look as forced as it feels. "Of course, I'm fine!" I say, trying to set a good example.

Lily seems reassured and comes closer, wrapping her arms around me in a hug that's surprisingly firm for someone her size. I freeze for a moment, taken off guard.

Her dad clears his throat. "Lily, you know better. You should ask first."

But I shake my head, smiling softly and giving her a small squeeze in return. "It's okay, really." The hug is so comforting, so genuine, that I don't want to let go. Just for a second, everything feels a bit lighter.

Then I sense a pair of eyes on me. Glancing toward the door, I spot Alicia with her phone up, taking a picture of us. She smirks, raising an eyebrow as if to say caught you.

Alicia lowers her phone with a grin, striding over to us with that all-too-familiar, mischievous glint in her eye.

"Well, if this isn't the cutest thing I've seen all day," she teases, holding up her phone as if to show me the evidence. "I knew you were soft, Blair, but this might be new levels."

I roll my eyes, though I can't help but smile. "Let me guess, you're sending that picture to Kimi so he can tease me from afar?"

Alicia laughs, shrugging innocently. "He's already blowing up your phone, so why not give him something to work with?"

Lily looks up at me, eyes wide with curiosity. "Who's Kimi? Is he your boyfriend?"

I snort, unable to hold back the laugh. "Oh no, Kimi's just... a friend. A friend who happens to enjoy making my life difficult."

Alicia smirks, crossing her arms. "And a friend who definitely thinks you need to be reminded that he's just one call away—again."

I sigh, and Lily giggles, clearly amused by all of this. "He's probably worried about you," she says sweetly.

"Yeah, yeah, maybe," I reply, ruffling her hair. "But let's not give him too much credit. I think he just likes annoying me."

Just then, Alicia hands me her phone. "Here, you might as well look at this gem before he gets it."

It's the picture she just took: me hugging Lily, a rare soft expression on my face. I try to keep the moment light, but there's something about it that makes me pause. I hand the phone back, muttering, "Fine, maybe send it. But tell him if he calls me one more time, I'm blocking him."

Lily tugs at my hand, bringing me back from my thoughts. "Come on, Blair! I want to show you my kart!" she says with such excitement it's contagious.

Alicia gives me a little nudge. "Guess you're in for the full tour. Go on, superstar." She winks, motioning for me to follow Lily.

I walk with Lily toward the track, the sounds of engines revving around us. The smell of fuel hits me again, but I try to push past the feeling. She leads me to a small, bright blue kart parked along the side, painted with her name and a small sticker of a cat on the side.