Karera | [ Stacey x OC (F) ]

C34 - Her

Louise's POV

Arriving at the venue with Javi, I couldn't help but feel a mix of nostalgia and unease. The roar of engines, the smell of burning rubber, and the buzz of the crowd brought back memories I thought I'd buried. As we stepped out of the car, I saw that everyone else had already arrived, including Aiah and Fons.

"You came, huh?" I asked Aiah, raising an eyebrow.

Tumango s'ya at tinuro si Kai. "Blame him. He said it'd be fun."

Fons chuckled, shaking his head. "So, we're all here dahil kay Kai?"

Javi facepalmed dramatically, muttering something about Kai always being the instigator. I just shook my head with a small smile.

Scanning the venue, my eyes unexpectedly landed on Mikha. She was here too, standing with a friends none of us recognized. Her presence caught me off guard, but I quickly dismissed it. Wala naman akong pake kung sino mga kasama n'ya.

Nakita kong nakita rin ni Kai si Mikha. He waved enthusiastically and made his way over to greet Mikha. After a brief exchange, Mikha glanced in our direction as Kai pointed us out. Our eyes met for a split second, and she waved. I returned her gaze for a moment before looking away, uninterested.

Gwen and Fons, however, waved back, while Aiah gave a small wave from my side. Habang si Javi at Colet,  ginaya lang din ang ginawa ko.

Kai returned shortly after. "Alright, upo na tayo. May naka reserved satin malapit sa track."

We made our way to the bleachers, a prime spot with a clear view of the track. The announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, introducing the event and acknowledging the presence of former racers, including us. They even mentioned Mikha, who was seated nearby with her friends.

"Enjoy the race!" The announcer concluded, his enthusiasm palpable.

As the engines roared to life and the race began, I couldn't help but notice how much had changed. The racers were different, the atmosphere felt new, yet there was still an undeniable thrill in the air. I found myself lost in thought, comparing the past to the present.

When the race ended, Kai was already planning the next move. "Kain tayo guys! Merong malapit na restaurant bar dito. Libre ko na, bukas busy nanaman tayo."

Everyone agreed, knowing hindi papayag si Kai na may humindi.

After saying our goodbyes to a few familiar faces at the venue, I headed back to my car. Aiah was standing nearby with Fons, talking animatedly. I glanced her way, and she must've felt my gaze because she turned to look at me, confused.

I gave her a look and subtly motioned toward my car. She seemed to understand and smiled before saying something to Fons. Moments later, she jogged over to me.

"You're riding with me." I said simply, opening the passenger door for her.

She raised an eyebrow as she got in. "Why so sudden?"

I shrugged, starting the engine. "Gusto ko lang."

"Just say you missed me." Asar n'ya habang tumatawa.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help chuckling. "You wish."

The drive to the restaurant was quiet but comfortable. Aiah hummed along to the music playing softly on the radio while I focused on the road.