#racer!reader

Jesse: bruh Jesse: if you wanted to link with her so bad you should have just asked her #rizzless Ellie: SEND IT Jesse: SENDING jfc

Ellie rakes a hand through her messy hair, the waves forming knots. The realization that you had definitely overheard her conversation with Tess hits her square in the chest. You know she’s trying to provide for herself and so you sent her your prize money. Ellie paces around her room while she waits for your number. She hates the feeling that carves itself into her chest. Ellie’s stubbornness convinces her that it’s plain irritation. Disdain for how you make her feel pitiful, like she needs saving.

In reality, the growing crater in her chest is equal parts guilt and shame. Guilt, that she’d been so childish on the tracks, a punch away from a fully fledged flight. Shame, knowing that you’d still saved her license at the expense of yours.

Not that she’d ever admit it.

20 minutes after your conversation with Jesse, your phone pings again. You read the message, dread pooling in your stomach.

Unknown number: why did you ask Jesse to send me the prize money

You roll your eyes, saving the contact

You: I don’t want it Ew: what do you mean? It’s your prize money You: didn’t you want the race annulled? Ew: clearly not anymore

You’re taken aback. Was she actually being reasonable? Accepting defeat? You peek outside, almost expecting to see pigs flying.

Ew: look Ew: I don’t want to owe you anything okay? Ew: just take it back

And there it was. Of course she’s refusing, not out of courtesy, but because she didn’t want to be indebted to you. You scoff. As if she already wasn’t. You were the reason she still had her license. A deep breath is taken to quell the wave of pettiness that rises up in you. She needs the money, she needs the money. You leave her on read and shoot Jesse a quick message.

You: she’s being difficult You: don’t let her send it back

And with that, you put your phone on do not disturb.

A week goes by, and you settle into your routine. College is a flurry of assignments, lectures and frequent bar nights with friends. The days pass in rapid succession as the foreign environment of the city fades into familiarity. It almost makes you forget about the events of the prior week. Almost. The sight of any black car sends you reeling, a flash of auburn hair makes you do a double take, only to realize it’s some other girl. Your eyes seem to look for her wherever you go. And you hate it.

To say that Ellie wasn’t faring well either would be an understatement. Your refusal to take back the money (aided and abetted by Jesse) still confused her. She found her mind wandering in the middle of class, the rock samples in the geology lecture blurring. Your last interaction with her over text had left that crater in her chest to hollow out further. The lack of competition to distract her was not helping. Due to the recent bust, Jesse had temporarily paused the street races. Racers and organizers alike were keeping a low profile, waiting for things to cool down. Ellie was on edge, energy thrumming through her without an outlet. One evening, she decides to give it somewhere to go.

You walk down to the road after your last lecture. Getting to and from college without a license was less challenging than you had expected; your friends gave you lifts in rotation, with Jesse and Dina doing almost half of the trips. You wait for Jesse’s car to come into sight.

Except it doesn’t.

“Are you going to keep staring or are you getting in?”

The sleek black of the GT500 glints in the setting sun. You remain rooted to the ground, stunned.  

Ellie huffs, turning the wheel to park the car on the side of the road. She gets out, keys dangling from her fingers. Good god, her fingers. The rays of ochre make the ends of her hair look brighter, glinting like the embers of a fire. You realise this is the first time you’re seeing her out of her racing gear. The white tank top exposes her arms, the jeans hanging low on her hips. Such a basic outfit and she still looks good. How is that even fair?

“Jesse said he can’t make it today.”

“And he sent you instead?”

“I may have volunteered.”

You splutter in disbelief. Ellie, even more surprisingly, has a sheepish look on her face. She raises her hand to scratch the back of her neck. “What? You can do me favours but I can’t repay you?”

Mistrust creeps up your spine. “You don’t seem the reciprocal type.”

Desperation begins to lace itself into her expression. “Just…just consider this an apology. And also a thank you…and a peace offering, and-”

“Ellie, shut up.” You walk up to her, looking her in the eye. The green that had looked poisonous that night now looks softer. “No, no let me say this.” She returns your gaze. “Dina helped me practice.” She mumbles that last bit, and you stifle a laugh.

She smiles nervously as well. “Not funny. Just listen, okay? I’m sorry for how I acted that night. I shouldn’t have tried to fight you and I should have been a lot nicer at the precinct, especially since you basically saved my ass. And the money...” Her voice grows softer. “I don’t know how much you heard outside Tess’s office, but I guess you heard enough. Thank you, for doing that for me even though I gave you no reason to.”

Your chest feels lighter than it has in weeks. “Dina’s a good coach.”

She elbows you, a grin of relief transforming her features. “Whatever, those were all my words.”

“Consider your apology-thank you-peace offering accepted then. Or is there more?”

She grins wider, opening the door for you. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

You laugh, still in disbelief as you get into the passenger seat. One hand goes behind your seat, her face close to yours as she tilts her head to reverse. The angle gives her neck a graceful arch, her green eyes sharpened in focus. You feel your face heat up as the edges of her hair brush your cheek. You almost feel disappointed when she faces the road. You tell her your address and she nods, driving off. Her phone connects to the speakers, the thrum of music playing over the lapse in conversation.

 Without the cover of the racing gear, you can see her tattoo clearly. The dark ink winds around her entire right forearm, the moth perched atop a fern-like plant. Ellie feels your gaze on her. Her eyes struggle to stay on the road, the temptation to glance over at you growing by the minute. Don’t be weird.

“I like your tattoo”

Ellie almost hits the curb. “Oh-oh thank you. I actually got it back home, before I moved here.”

“Jackson?” You ask lightly, not wanting to cross any boundaries. “Yeah, Jackson.” You notice how her fingers tense on the steering wheel. Silver rings glint under the light that filters through the windshield. You decide not to press, waiting for her to speak.

“My…dad came with me to get it. I was eighteen and I thought I was soo tough. At least until the tattoo gun hit my skin.” She chuckles, shaking her head.

“Overestimating yourself seems to be a consistent pattern.” The jab is risky. The peace between you two is refreshing but still young. Fragile. As soon as the words are out of your mouth, you hope she takes it well. Luckily, she doesn’t disappoint.

Ellie grins playfully, and the sight is so endearing you feel like you’ll combust. “I estimate myself just right. The whole tattoo is there isn’t it? I didn’t stop halfway.” You roll your eyes, fighting off a grin of your own. “You are so cocky.”

“Only because I have good reason to be. For example-” She takes a detour. “I bet I can show you the best view in the city. Let’s see if you still think I overestimate myself.”

“You sure you’re not just taking me to somewhere secluded to kill me?”

She laughs. “No promises, pretty girl.”

The nickname is sarcastic, and you know it. She said it that night on the tracks as well, so she clearly hadn’t meant it then either. You try not to think about it.

Ellie internally cringes. To her ears, the nickname had sounded far too sincere for comfort. Great, now she knows that I think she’s pretty. She must think I’m so weird! I should just jump out of this car while I can-

‘The best view in the city’ is a high bar. What’s this mysterious place you’re taking me to?” Your voice pulls her out of her internal spiral. The car glides into the city mall’s parking complex, ascending up the winding path to the top level.

“You’ll see”

Ellie drives up to the highest floor. It’s roofless, open to the sky and almost empty. Ellie climbs out of her side, the engine still on. The music from the car drifts through the air as she helps you out. She guides you to the hood of the car. You feel your breath still in your lungs, a gasp slipping past your lips.

 From this vantage point, the whole city stretches underneath you; self-contained and shining. The sun dips into the horizon, the darkness in hot pursuit. The city skyline glows as small squares of fluorescent light blink on in preparation for the night. Time seems to slow down, the only indication of the seconds being the low thrum of drums still gently drifting from the open car.

With great effort, you find your voice, eyes still on the horizon. “You weren’t kidding. This view is…it’s breathtaking, Ellie.”

“It really is.”

When you turn your head to face her, she’s not looking at the skyline. She’s looking at you.

The blood flushes hot in your veins. Unconsciously, you lean towards her. You can see every freckle on her cheeks, the slightly dazed look in her eyes.

Her voice is a soft rasp. “So? Did I overestimate?” The wide hood of the GT500 suddenly feels too small, pushing you together. Your words come out in a whisper.

“No, Ellie. I think you estimated just right.”

You can see the beginnings of a smug smile tug on her lips. She leans even closer, lips dangerously close to yours. She opens her mouth to quip back.

“Excuse me! No parking on this level!”

You two jump apart as a security guard comes up, waving you off. “Please move to the lower levels, there’s plenty of space down there.”

Ellie is the first to recover, clambering off the hood and tugging you down as well. “Sure! We’re going now.” She gets into the car, revving the engine and swiftly descending to the ground level. She looks over at you apologetically. “Sorry about that.”

Your mind is still reeling from your previous proximity, but you manage to speak up. “That’s fine, don’t apologize.” You look at her. “Thank you for showing me that. You made my whole day. And week, actually.”

Ellie smiles. “Good. I hope it makes up at least a little for…how I’ve acted recently.”

“If that kind of behaviour gets me shown sights that alter my whole brain chemistry, feel free to keep going.” You joke around, trying to lighten the mood. Ellie laughs, exiting the mall and getting back on the road to your apartment. “Noted.”

The houses and lanes drift past. Ellie pulls up near your place. As the engine dies down, you wonder if you should bring up what happened at the parking lot. But you decide against it, terrified that one wrong word will upset this new dynamic. Before you can get out, Ellie speaks up again.

“I know you might not be interested right now but the street races are starting again soon. I’m…I have a race in two weeks, actually. Will you-” She trails off. You have to blink to make sure your eyes are working properly. Is she blushing?

“Will I?”

“Will you come and watch?” She blurts out.

“Yeah, of course I will. Where’s it going to happen?”

Ellie fumbles with her phone to share the location. Your screen lights up with the notification and she notices her contact name. She lets out a dramatic gasp. “Ew? You’ve saved me as Ew??”

You shrug playfully. “Those are your initials. Pretty fitting, don’t you think?”

Ellie’s face scrunches up in a mock pout. “Nope. Change it now.”

 “Fine, you big baby.” You decide to humour her, opening her contact and changing it to ‘Els’. You throw in a poop emoji for good measure. “There. Happy?”

She grins, highly amused. She opens her phone, adding a toilet paper emoji after your name. You roll your eyes, getting out of the car. “You think you are so funny don’t you?”

“I am.” She gives you a shit eating grin. “Good night. I’ll see you at the race.”

You wave. “Good night, Ellie.”

And with that, she drives off, blushing all the way to her apartment.

The two weeks pass and you find yourself back on a new set of tracks. The glow of strobe lights floods the streets with neon. The crowd is even larger than last time, clearly excited for action after the hiatus. Dina circles the front, hyping up the two racers. Your eyes linger on one.

Ellie has her hair in a half up-half down style. Her expression is one of dangerous charm, poised for victory and nothing else. Her helmet swings from her hand menacingly as she gets ready to get into the car.

“You’re staring.” Jesse pipes up, nudging you in the side. You nudge back, swallowing your words. Can you blame me?

“Ouch!” He rubs his side, giving you the side eye. “Staying for the after party? It’s going to be lit”

You hum, still distracted by the sight of Ellie. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

The crowd pitches up in volume as Dina raises the flag. Ellie’s hands tighten on the wheel. She tries to keep her mind off the spectators. One of them is more difficult to block out than the others.

The flag comes down. You and Jesse shout, cheering for Ellie.

Ellie flies at the speed of light, gaining an immediate lead. From where you are standing, you have a view of the whole track, allowing you to follow her every move. She spins and circles around the bends, dodging every attempt the other racer makes to overtake her. By midpoint, it’s clear that she’s won.

You and Jesse run onto the tracks as Ellie cuts across the finish line. Jesse thumps on the hood before pulling Ellie out, grinning from ear to ear. You feel pride blossom in your chest, the sight of Ellie glowing with adrenaline and happiness doing odd things to your heart. She turns to you and opens her arms.

You almost leap into them, hugging her tight.

“Congratulations, Williams.”

It’s hard not to feel bad for Dina and Jesse’s housekeeper. Red solo cups litter every surface, smoke and perfume hanging thick in the air. The speaker blares, groups of people from the races moving to the beat. Jesse has his head buried in Dina’s neck, greened out smile the only sign that he’s awake. Dina’s chatting your ear off about her plans to renovate their house.

“So, I’m going to replace those cabinets with some cute hampers. Can’t have this place looking like a man cave forever, right?”

You nod along. “No, noo”

Someone retches and throws up in the fireplace, interrupting Dina’s next spiel. Yeah, that housekeeper better get a raise after this afterparty.

Dina scrunches her face in disgust, getting up to tell the guest off. Jesse flops onto the couch. You adjust his head so it doesn’t sprain his neck. You stand up on wobbly legs. You’ve had a few shots, taken when Ellie got all of her friends to do rounds in celebration of her win. Friends. The thought leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. You glance over at the makeshift dancefloor.

Ellie sways to the beat of some 2000s club classic in the middle of the crowd, drunk smile wide on her lips. She’s changed out of her gear, now sporting a black leather jacket over a top and ridiculously low waisted jeans. She’s surrounded by girls, as she usually is after a race. Or in general, really. Your chest burns at the sight, and you blame the alcohol. Yeah, no way I’m going up to her right now.

You take out your phone, thinking of who you can call to come pick you up. Ellie said she’s staying here for the night, and it’s far too late for a cab. You sigh, opening a contact you never thought you’d text. Definitely not for this.

You: haii I’m so sorry to bosher you but I rembered u’d be on night shift You: this ish girl with the likence suspension, btwww

You wait for a response. It comes after a minute or so.

Abby: hi, yes I’m at the precinct Abby: are you drunk? Is everything okay? You: canm you pick me up? No rideee Abby: otw. Stay put.

You giggle to yourself, walking over to Dina. “Dinaa I’m going home.” Dina turns away from the mess in the fireplace, hugging you goodbye. “Do you have a ride?”

You smile stupidly. “Yeah, on the way.” Dina gives you an odd look, but doesn’t pry. You say goodnight to her and a few other friends, heading for the door.

As you do, Ellie catches sight of your retreating figure. The realization that you are leaving the party alone and tipsy cuts through her drunken haze. She starts to crawl through the gaps of the crowd, trying to get to you. By the time she gets through the thicket of people and makes it to the porch, you have already gotten into a car she does not recognize. Ellie squints, unable to believe what’s in front of her eyes.

It isn’t a police car, but the precinct sticker gleams on the windshield. She sees a flash of blonde hair in the driver’s seat, helping you into the passenger side. Anger flares up under her skin, egged on by the vodka. Before she can call out your name, the car turns and drives out of her field of vision.

Ellie stands there for a moment, disbelief, anger and betrayal creating a hellish combination in her chest. Tears prick her eyes as she storms back into the house, slamming the door. A single word echoes through her mind.

Traitor

a/n:  sorry about that you guys the narrative demanded it (I’m evil) Next chapter will be the finale :,) also #justice for Jesse

taglist:

@machetegirl109 @satellitespinner @elliezlils11utt @turtleturtleturtleturtleneck  

@a-little-bit-of-everybody@womenlvrrr

@elliewilliamsbelovedwife

@soupycloud

@plutolovesyou

@emmabrown73010

@marsworlddd

@slut4els

You push yourself off the polished red exterior, helmet swinging from your hand in a practiced motion.

Who do you think?

Her eyes narrow further, an incredulous sound escaping her lips. She looks around, searching for someone in the crowd. You wonder who it might be until a lanky figure jumps over the makeshift barricade, landing on his feet on the asphalt. Jesse. Of course. The mastermind behind the street races grins, betting sheets rolled up in his hand. His cigarette carves smoke into the dark as he walks up to the two of you. A bomber jacket clad arm puffs up in the cold wind as he places it on Ellie’s shoulder.

“No need to get so worked up Ellie. She’s the new competition, just moved into the city for college. I’m sure you’ve heard.” As he introduces you, her frown mellows out slightly. She had in fact heard about a new racer in the freshman batch. She just hadn’t expected you to race within the first week. Let alone against her, of all people. Her thoughts are interrupted by Jesse’s playful voice as he questions you.

“So, you think you can take down this champ?”

“Of course I do”, you reply. “Wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.” Ellie wears a bemused expression. “Then you’re more delusional than I thought.” She sits down, man spreading over the hood of her car. Her nimble fingers snatch Jesse’s cigarette, her lips curling around the base. Irritation flares up under your skin, but you choose to ignore her. “What’s the prize money looking like?” A wolfish grin takes over Jesse’s face. “10k right now. Will be 20 by midpoint, just wait and see.” Ellie’s eyebrows shoot up so fast, it’s almost endearing. “Dude what? 20k? How many people are betting?” Jesse makes a triumphant flourish across the road, covering the large groups gathered on the sides. “I know right? People can’t wait to see this one in action.” He ruffles your hair and you can’t help but smile. Ellie frowns. “What? Is she some kind of celebrity?” Jesse laughs at that. “Not yet. But taking you down will definitely make her one.”

Before Ellie can respond, the sharp trill of a whistle cuts the air. “Alright alright! Everyone get off the road! Race starts in 5!” The flag girl waves her acrylic fingers, shooing spectators off the tracks. She swings around on her heels, giving Jesse a wink. Jesse grins even wider, slinging his hand around her waist. “This is Dina,” he tells you. “Prettiest girl on the tracks, resident flag bearer, my wonderful, amazing girlfriend….I can go on-“

“Please don’t.” Ellie fake gags, earning a laugh from Dina. Dina comes up to you and offers you a hug. “Hey, I’ve heard so much about you!  You give this one hell, okay?” She points at Ellie. You smile wide. “I definitely will.” Ellie smirks around the cigarette, finally taking a proper look at you. Her eyes probe every crevice of your body, shamelessly raking over your gear, your hair, your lips...It takes herculean effort to resist the urge to fidget under her gaze.

“Give me hell, huh?” She shucks the cigarette on the road, her boots smearing tobacco on the track. The movement flashes her wrist, exposing the curling ink tendrils of a vine...or is it a fern? “We’ll see about that, pretty girl.” She slides into her seat, revving up the engine. The interior of her car hums to life, red LED washing her in an intimidating glow. Everything about her exudes confidence, from the striking cut of her red and white gear to the arch of her eyebrows, the elegant lines of her jaw...you tear your eyes away. You can already tell this won’t be an easy race, not by any measure.

Jesse pats you on the back, breaking you out of your haze. “Ready, rookie?” You nod, getting into your own car. “Yeah, I’m ready.” He gives both you and Ellie a thumbs up, moving off to the side of the tracks. Dina walks in front of your cars, checkered flag in her hands. She moves slowly, deliberately allowing the suspense to rise to a fever pitch. You pull the visor of your helmet down. The roar of the crowd fades into the background, their faces blurring into a collage. You can feel Ellie’s eyes burning into you from her side. For the sake of your sanity, you keep your eyes on the road, its winding black broken only by the occasional street light.  Come on. Focus.

Dina raises the flag. “All set!”   Your grip on the wheel tightens. “Ready!” The flag cracks through the air as it’s brought down. “Go!”

Both cars fly onto the road like bullets shot from the chamber. Ellie gains momentum, zipping past you. You glimpse her eyes through the visor, her expression cool and confident. The sight sets your nerves on fire, and you speed up too.

Ellie observes you from her rearview mirror, noticing how you’re gaining ground. We can’t have that, can we? In a swift maneuver, she spins her car around. The cars are suddenly hood to hood, bumpers only inches apart. Ellie’s in front, driving backwards. The sheer cockiness of the move causes your irritation to boil up to fury. Ellie grins, revving the engine loudly. She lives for this. The thrill of the chase, the way she has you literally backed up against her, the glory of her imminent victory as the cars approached the midpoint. She couldn’t wait to gloat after this. Did you really think you could beat someone like her? That prize money was going to be so useful too- You twist the wheel around at the turn, moving sharply to overtake Ellie at the midpoint bend. The move catches her off guard, forcing her to screech to a halt to avoid a crash. Her hand tightens on the gear, quickly spinning around to follow you. But you’ve gained enough ground, the finish line already in sight. Ellie seethes, going at break neck speed. The crowd roars. Jesse’s mouth hangs wide open. Dina holds up the flag up again, ready to bring it down when the winner crosses the line.

The red of your car contrasts against yellow as it drifts right over the line, Ellie trailing inches behind. 

At first, all you can hear is the thrum of your own heartbeat in your ears. You release a breath you didn’t even realise you were holding.

“DUDE! That was awesome!” Jesse almost jumps into your car with excitement, pulling you out of the seat. A delirious grin breaks over your face. Oh my god. I actually did it. You look around, taking in the groups of spectators cheering loudly, money swapping hands and Dina’s dazzling smile as she congratulates you. I actually beat Ellie Williams. Wait, where’s-?  Your eyes trail over to the GT500, and your heart drops.

Ellie emerges from the seat, pulling off her helmet. The anger in her eyes is palpable, her hands shaking with fury as she storms up to where you are standing. She speaks to Jesse, but her eyes never leave yours. “Rematch. Now.”

Jesse speaks slowly, clearly unwilling to piss her off even more. “Els, you know we can’t do that.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Annul this round, and let me race against-”, she gives you a scathing look. “Her, again”. You struggle to control the anger in your own voice as you speak up. “So, on top of being insufferable, you’re also a sore loser?” You walk closer to her, inches away from her face. “Pick a fucking struggle, Williams”. Ellie’s eyes narrow dangerously, her features twisting into a scowl. She takes a step closer too, the gap between you two now non-existent. Fear prickles under your skin, but your pride prevents you from backing down. The crowd is gathering around, clearly anticipating a brawl. Jesse waves his hands around, trying to get everyone to disperse. Dina’s pleas for Ellie to stop and move away fall on deaf ears as Ellie clenches her fist. “You really have no idea who you’re messing with do you?”

“A toddler who can’t handle losing a race? Is that who-”. Your voice breaks as you hurtle backwards from Ellie’s shove, stumbling as you manage to stop yourself from hitting the ground. Ellie grins, but there’s no humour in it. It’s sharp and menacing, egging you on. You grit your teeth, raising your fist.

Your swing is cut short as the blare of sirens cut through the chaos. The tracks are suddenly swathed in red and blue light. Your hand wavers in the air, confusion overtaking your features. Spectators are running in every direction. You, Jesse, Dina and Ellie being right in the middle of the tracks, find yourselves surrounded. Ellie swears under her breath. The last thing you see before you’re manhandled by a pair of strong arms is the badge on the woman handcuffing Ellie.

Servopoulos

“You’re all under arrest”

The woman scoffs, leaning back in her chair. There’s a notable lack of a badge and a police uniform; the only identification is an ‘A’ initial necklace hanging down her black turtleneck. Definitely not a cop. She crosses her arms, biceps bulging through the black fabric. You try not to stare. She looks at you, blue eyes so intense you feel as though she can see right through you. “Don’t be difficult. These are not felonies, they’re misdemeanors. You and your friends-” She gestures vaguely at the main waiting area and at the police chief’s office, “-can get out of this with a few fines and license suspensions, if you cooperate.”

Your mind races, desperately thinking of a way out of this. You could say it was your idea, pay the fine and remove the blame from Jesse and Dina…from Ellie. Annoyance flashes through you. Why were you even considering covering for her? It’s not like she’d ever do the same. If the cops hadn’t showed up, she’d be brawling with you on the tracks right now.

The woman interrogating you sighs deeply, cutting your train of thought. “Listen, the night shift is busy, and I’m in no mood to keep all of you here for a second longer than I need to.” She leans forward, elbows on the table. “Are you going to cooperate or not?”

“Why are you allowed to interrogate me? Are you even a cop?” You arch an eyebrow, trying to throw the woman off her tracks. Buy time, buy time. Think, dammit.

Her blue eyes flash with annoyance. “I’m interning here. The chief wanted me to question you. Not that it’s any of your business-” She glances at your file, reading out your name. As she speaks, your eyes travel around the room. Filing cabinets line the walls. A few colourful vintage book covers break through the mass of grey and black. You see the opportunity, and take it. “Agatha Christie? You have good taste”

The woman looks taken aback at the sudden comment, glancing at the titles. “Oh…thank you, I guess.” She spins a pen in her fingers, relaxing slightly. “Do you read her work?”

You lean forward on the desk, intentionally sweetening your voice. “Yes, of course. It’s timeless. I love the Poirot series.” Meanwhile, your mind is hurtling at 1000 miles an hour, formulating a plan to talk your way out of this mess. A genuine smile tugs at the woman’s lips, but you can tell she’s controlling it. “So do I. I’ve read them since I was small.”

“Is that what got you interested in law enforcement?” You mirror her smile. Strangely enough, the woman’s enthusiasm is slightly infectious. A surprised chuckle escapes her lips. “Well, you could say that. But cops are notoriously ineffective in her novels, so I guess I have something to prove wrong when I graduate.”

“I’m sure you will. If your insistence on getting me to answer you is anything to go by”

She snorts, going through the files again. An odd sense of familiarity settles over the two of you. It’s out of place in the stale air conditioning and the obvious tension in the room. But you welcome it, desperate to convince this intern to take it easy on you and your friends. She shakes her head slowly, a single strand of blonde hair falling across her forehead with the movement. “You’re trying to distract me.”

“Is it working?”

She smiles again, but this time the gesture is calculated. She opens her laptop, rapidly typing something. Finally, she turns it around, showing you the document.

“Let’s make a deal”

Ellie’s never believed in god, but right now she prays for the floor to open up and swallow her. The interior of Tess’s office is depressingly familiar; the oak table, the assortment of wall hangings, the plaque that reads ‘Police Chief: Tess Servopoulos’. Each item conjures a memory, mostly from better times. She keeps her eyes off the portrait frame on the edge of the desk. Ellie has the same picture in her room; she doesn’t want any reminders. Not now.

Tess finishes reading out the list of misdemeanors, setting the papers aside with a sigh. She stares at Ellie intently, burning holes into her conscience. “For how long has this been going on, kiddo?”

Ellie’s throat burns at the term of endearment, the words seeming to echo through time. And from across the country. “You don’t understand.”

“Then explain to me.” Tess clasps her hands in front of her, leaning over the desk. “I need something to tell old Texas when he asks me why I arrested his daughter, don’t I?”

Ellie grimaces. “Tess, please, you can’t tell him. He already worries so much and I-”

“Well he clearly has good reason to!” Tess stands up, approaching Ellie’s chair. Her eyes narrow, but she gently smooths down Ellie’s helmet mussed hair. “Is this about money? You know he would pay for your tuition in a heartbeat, don’t you?”  A tired smile tugs on her lips. “Hell, he’d move out of Jackson and right into your apartment if you let him.”

Ellie lets out a watery laugh. “And that’s exactly the problem. He’s done so much for me and I-” Ellie feels mortified as she feels her throat close up with emotion. She presses on, shakily. “- I owe it to him to support myself. He’s happy back in Jackson. He can’t work forever, and I don’t want to burden him”

Tess’s opens her mouth to respond when the door opens. A tall blonde woman stands there, clutching a file. Ellie feels a flicker of recognition, but no name comes to mind. Must be someone from college. You stand behind her, an unreadable expression on your face. Ellie feels a fresh wave of religiosity wash over her as she prays that you didn’t just overhear everything she said. Can this night get any more humiliating?

Tess waves them in. “Anderson, what’s the problem?”

The blonde woman hands over the file. “We have a deal, chief.”

Tess looks through the file, occasionally shooting you disbelieving looks. Ellie’s eyes dart between you and the blonde woman, at a loss as to what is going on. Had you just sold her out? Sold out Jesse, Dina and everyone else? She scowls, the beginnings of anger burning in her veins. How dare you? She had known you were trouble-

“Are you sure you are okay with this?” Tess addresses you, her pen hovering over the papers. Ellie’s eyes widen in alarm. “Wait! Wait, what are the terms? You can’t just allow her to make a deal, this affects all of us! She- ”

“She’s suspending her license for two months in exchange for you and the others leaving with just a fine.” The blonde woman cuts her off, her tone irritated. “I suggest you take it.” Ellie fights to keep her jaw off the floor, her mind reeling with questions. She looks at you, but your expression is still unreadable. What the hell is going on?

Tess nods. “To be fair, these are all first-time offenses.” She signs the papers, handing them to the blonde woman. “I’ll allow it.” She looks around the room, an amused expression on her features as her eyes land on you. “Well, it’s late. You kids should head home.”

As Tess watches the trio walk back out into the main area, she traces her fingers over the portrait on her desk. Ellie, Joel, Tommy, Maria and her. The rare Jackson sun on their faces in the summer before Ellie moved for college. She sighs and closes her eyes, swiveling back in her seat.

“Girl, you did what!?”

Dina’s question bounces off the walls, earning several dirty looks from the cops huddled in their cubicles. You shush her. “It’s a good deal. We’re lucky that they agreed to it.” Jesse’s taps his boot against the floor, brow furrowed. “But your licence? You won’t even be able to drive, let alone race.”

You attempt a reassuring smile. “I’ll manage. What’s important is that you two are in the clear. Even though you weren’t racing, they would have charged you for illegal organization.”

Dina squeezes your hand. “I know. But seriously, thank you. You didn’t have to do all that for us.” You squeeze back. “Don’t mention it.”

Ellie sits on one of the plastic waiting chairs, deathly quiet. She hasn’t spoken a word since she left the chief’s office. Both Jesse and Dina had thanked you multiple times now, but she hasn’t so much as looked at you. You ignore the slight prick of hurt in your chest. Chaos swirls in your head. The sheer exhaustion of the day, the fading adrenaline of the race, the hours spent here in the precinct and Ellie’s emotional outburst you overheard from outside the office all catch up to you at once. You sit down, waiting for the blonde intern to come back.

The chaos in your head pales in comparison to the storm in Ellie’s. She can’t pin down why you would offer to do something like this. She literally shoved you to the asphalt less than 3 hours ago. And now she gets to keep her licence because you gave up yours? And then there was the whole question of whether you had overheard her conversation with Tess. Mortification fries her veins, her entire body cringing at the thought.

Both of you are jolted to reality when the blonde intern walks up to the group. “All done. Fines are paid, paperwork’s settled and your licence has been put away.” She looks at you, slightly apologetically. “You guys can head home now.” She hands you a piece of paper. “This has my number, the chief’s number and the landlines. Call if you have any questions. You can collect the licence from me once the two months are over.”

You offer her a smile. “Thank you...Anderson? That’s what the chief called you, right?”

Her stoic features break into a shy smile. “You can call me Abby.”

The surprisingly shy tone makes you smile a little wider despite your exhaustion. “Thank you, Abby.”

Ellie observes the exchange. This Abby chick and you seemed awfully friendly all of a sudden. Not that she cared, of course, who cares about that?

Jesse speaks up, breaking the silence. “So, we’ll get going then. Did the cops bring our cars here?”

Abby nods. “Yeah. Three cars were brought in from the tracks. Must be yours.”

With that, the four of you head out of the precinct. You give Abby a small wave, which she returns with a grin. Ellie notices that, because of course she does. She looks at you, willing herself to say something, anything at all; a well-deserved ‘thank you’, an apology, an offer to drive you back. But the words die in her mouth. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she walks right past you, sliding into her car with practiced ease before driving off.

The very first rays of sunlight slice through the curtain of the night as you arrive at your apartment building. Jesse drives your car for you, Dina driving theirs not far behind him. He parks in the garage, stepping out to hug you before getting back into their car. Dina climbs out and hugs you goodbye as well before getting in the passenger seat. They drive away as you walk up the stairs to your apartment, trying not to think about how the C7 gleaming in the dim light will remain in that garage for at least 2 months.

Your movements are robotic as you shower, scarf down some leftovers and then collapse into bed. 5 minutes in, and you’re out like a light.

When you wake up again, the afternoon sun has heated up the apartment. You groan, clambering to your feet to open the windows and let in fresh air. As you wake up fully, memories from the previous night fill your mind. Infuriatingly, you find yourself wondering what Ellie is up to. You shake your head and stir your tea even more aggressively, fussing around the kitchen trying to distract yourself. But the thoughts are relentless.

Overhearing her being so honest in the chief’s office had shifted your perception. Even as you had drafted the deal with Abby, you had talked her into allowing Ellie to keep her licence purely out of courtesy. In a way, as a favour for Jesse and Dina, since they clearly cared about her. But you had never thought that she raced so that she could support herself without asking her father for money. Everything about Ellie suggested a more superficial reason for her competitiveness. Her constant cockiness suggested a need to feel superior, her unwillingness to lose an indication of undiluted ego… those reasons had seemed more believable. Her tear choked voice echoes in your mind. Despite yourself, you feel it thaw the thick ice of irritability around your heart which existed when it came to her.

Your phone vibrates with a cashapp notification, causing you to slosh some of the hot tea on your wrist in surprise. Cursing under your breath, you open the app.

[You received a direct deposit of $ 20,000] Sender: DRIFT_KING

You frown, opening your messages. You send a text to Jesse.

You: Bro why’d you send me 20k Jesse: you won the race bro You: ?? You: the cops didn’t confiscate the money? Jesse: nah I keep it paperless Jesse: those betting sheets are for the aesthetic

You grin to yourself. Drama king.

You: of course, I should have known You: thanks jesse Jesse: np! Least I could do after last night

An idea creeps up on you, becoming more convincing the more you think of it. Your fingers hover over the screen before finally texting Jesse again

You: wait a min Jesse: Yeah? You: send the cash to Ellie

a/n: free my girl Abby she’s a nerd at heart!! Should be in forensic science or something not law enforcement!! (I say, like I’m not literally writing the story)

tag list: @machetegirl109 @satellitespinner @elliezlils11utt @turtleturtleturtleturtleneck  

@a-little-bit-of-everybody@womenlvrrr

@elliewilliamsbelovedwife

@soupycloud

@plutolovesyou

@emmabrown73010

@marsworlddd

@slut4els