Through the flames *MMG REVISION-COMPLETED✔️*

Chapter Two: Vroom Vroom

"Hanna!"

I froze, one foot on the stairs. My stomach twisted into a knot and my breath caught in my throat.

Slowly, I turned around and smiled. "Hello, mother."

"Where have you been?" She snapped, striding forward in all her glory. "It's almost curfew and you didn't text me to tell me you'd be out late! Who were you with? And you better not give me any bull like last time!"

I gripped the stairwell. My mother hadn't even changed out of her salmon pantsuit yet, and was already yelling at me. "With Rachel," I said slowly. "We were at the library."

She narrowed her eyes, and I held my breath. "Were you with anyone else?"

My grip tightened. "CJ..."

"Hanna!" I flinched. "You know what I think of that...that boy." She hissed, looking ready to spit venom.

I gritted my teeth. "Mom!" I took a defensive step forward. "He's my friend!"

"He's a menace! All of his kind are!"

"His kind? Mom he's poor, not a chimera."

She shuddered and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "But sweetie, you could have so many more better friends! Like Rebecca Walters from down the street, or -"

"I don't want new friends! CJ and Rachel are my friends!"

" - or perhaps Tony? Remember Tony Brown?"

"Mom...." I groaned, but I couldn't argue with her. I couldn't risk it.

When she continued to stare expectantly, I sighed and plastered a fake smile on my face. "I'll send Rebecca a message later, okay?"

The frown melted from her face to a perfect million-dollar-smile. The kind she used to trick the world into thinking we were perfect.
"Thank you," her voice was like poisoned honey. "And be sure to dress nice for your date with Adam on Friday. Alright, sweetheart?"

I closed my eyes, tilting my head towards the ceiling. God, I had forgotten about that. And I wish I had kept it from my mind. In a desperate attempt to force me back into the social circle of the rich, my mother's favorite pass time was to set me up with the many eligible bachelors of Hellmington. Adam Sander, who was a Freshman in college, was apparently the next on her list.
I was apparently the only one who saw a problem with setting a Junior in high school with someone who is one or two years over the legal age limit. Again, one or two years over the legal age limit. And my mom was totally okay with forcing me into dinner with the guy who she knew almost nothing about. With a guy one to two years -

Rushing up to my room, I was carful not to slam the door despite my rage and dove face-first for my bed. I grabbed a pillow and screamed into it, wishing there was someway to make it all go away. Wishing for a distraction. Anything to distract me.

The loud revving of an engine startled me from my thoughts. Frowning, I lifted my head and glanced at the window. It sounded like...like a motorcycle. My frown deepened. What was a motorcycle doing on our street? Rolling off my bed, I opened the doors to my balcony and peered outside.

A single sleek motorcycle purred past, the rider masked with a black helmet and visor. I tilted my head and leaned against the railing, watching as he glanced from house to house. From here, I could see a small Go-Pro strapped to his helmet. Must be new or something, I reasoned. All the people who lived in this street were old or with children to precious and behaved to ever think about climbing on the "devil machine".