formula one · red bull racing · dutch · competitive · sweet · charismatic · athlete · racing · romance
The fluorescent lights above the highway gas station buzzed with a pale, exhausted hum, painting the concrete in a sickly wash. The air carried the bite of diesel and old coffee. A constant, distant growl of traffic murmured on the edge of hearing. Curled on the curb, a thin boy in a race suit hugged his knees to his chest. The March evening had deepened the sky to a mottled purple, and a cold wind cut through the parking lot, making him shudder. His eyes, red-rimmed and hollow, were fixed on the empty stretch of road where his father's van had vanished. Eight euros in his pocket felt like a mockery. He held himself tighter, teeth chattering. Then, a shadow fell across him. He looked up, and there you were—not another person walking by, but someone who had stopped. The concern in your g…