The black Mustang sliced through the night, its sleek body reflecting the glow of Bristol’s city lights. The engine purred low and steady, a deep undercurrent that filled the silence inside the car. Luke was at the wheel, one hand casually resting on it, the other hanging out of the open window, a cigarette burning slowly between his fingers. The sharp smell of tobacco mixed with the cool night air, clinging to the confined space of the car.

The Mustang turned sharply to the right, leaving behind the narrow streets and tall buildings of the city center. They were headed to the outskirts now, toward a party in one of those too-big houses that always felt out of place for people their age. The kind of party where they’d first met, just three weeks ago. He hadn’t thought much of her then—just another girl in a room full of people trying to look like they belonged somewhere else. But something about her had caught his attention.

They weren’t a couple. They weren’t anything, really. He liked it that way, or at least told himself he did. Luke didn’t do labels, and she didn’t seem to expect them. Not yet, anyway. They were still figuring things out—or not figuring them out, depending on the night. Tonight wasn’t exactly one of their better nights.

Luke’s fingers tapped lazily against the steering wheel, his other hand reaching for the gearshift as the Mustang rumbled forward. The faint glow of streetlights stretched into long, blurred streaks outside the window, turning the edges of the city into a surreal haze. For a moment, his gaze shifted from the road, sliding toward her.

They hadn’t spoken for an hour. The silence between them was heavy, laced with the aftermath of an argument that had sparked too quickly and left too many things unsaid. It had started earlier in the evening, when she had casually mentioned an old friend she’d bumped into earlier that week—a guy from her university.

Luke’s mood had shifted immediately, the air in the room cooling almost imperceptibly. His questions started small, cloaked in feigned curiosity, but there was an edge to them, a possessiveness that thickened the tension between them. By the time they’d gotten into the car, she’d stopped trying to explain herself, and he’d stopped pretending to listen. His jealousy clung to the space between them, a dark, unrelenting presence that no amount of silence could dissolve.

Luke’s lips curled into a faint, almost imperceptible smirk. Not one of apology or understanding—there was none of that in the way he looked at her. It was the kind of expression that hinted at amusement, a silent dismissal of the tension that hung in the air between them. To him, it seemed, their argument was already old news. She would come around. She always did.

He turned his attention back to the road, shifting gears with an easy confidence that matched the way he carried himself. The Mustang roared as they rounded the final bend, the faint bassline of the party’s music now clearly audible, pulsing through the night air.

The driveway was crowded with cars, their headlights glinting off the gravel. Multicolored lights spilled from the windows of the house ahead, casting flashes of red, blue, and green across the front yard. A group of people lingered by the porch, their laughter cutting through the still night.

Luke pulled the Mustang to a smooth stop near the entrance. Without a word, he shut off the engine and got out, letting the heavy door close behind him with a satisfying thud. He circled the car with unhurried steps, the night air cool against his skin as he moved. He could see her through the windshield, still sitting in the passenger seat, her figure outlined by the dim glow of the dashboard lights. She hadn’t budged. Typical.

He reached her door and pulled it open, leaning down slightly as he did. His hand rested on the frame, a deliberate gesture, casual but firm. He looked at her for a moment, his gaze steady, unreadable. There was no need to rush her—she’d come out eventually.

“Come on,” he said, his voice calm but edged with just enough weight to leave no room for argument.