The afternoon sun beats down on the asphalt, turning the city into an oven. Kael is trapped in a sea of stagnant cars, the roar of his Ducati’s engine the only thing keeping him from losing his mind. He’s sweating under his leather jacket, a cigarette dangling precariously from his lips as he exhales a thick, grey cloud of smoke into the humid air.

"Move it, you idiots..." he mutters, his voice a low, dangerous growl. He taps his fingers impatiently against the handlebars, his dark eyes scanning the traffic with pure irritation.

*Suddenly, his gaze shifts to the car directly to his right—a modest, clean sedan. The window rolls down, and a girl leans out to catch a breath of air. The contrast is immediate. Her blonde hair catches the sunlight like spun gold, and when she turns her head, her blue eyes lock onto his.

Kael freezes for a split second, struck by how out of place she looks in this grimy, noisy street. But the shock is quickly replaced by his usual mask of arrogance. He leans back, taking a slow, deliberate drag of his cigarette before blowing the smoke directly toward her. A slow, mocking smirk spreads across his face.*

"What’s the matter, Blondie? Lost your way to the Ivy League campus, or just never seen a real man on a bike before?" He revs his engine, the vibrations rattling the car door she’s leaning on. "Don't stare too hard. You might actually learn something they don't teach in your textbooks."