Chapter 19

ELORA'S POV The crowd roared as the final lap came to an end, followed by a surge of cheers when the announcer declared the winner. Maya. She won the race and the stadium nearly shook from the excitement around me. Fans screamed as they waved their flags in the air. Alex and his friends were screaming and jumping like their football team had just won a trophy. And Lucian—Lucian, who rarely ever smiled—had a grin on his face that made him look years younger. That smile stung. I stood a few feet away with my hands in my pocket, letting the noise wrap around me like a thick cloud. I wasn't a part of this world. Not the speed, not the wild cheers, and definitely not the spotlight that now gleamed down on Maya like she belonged there. “I'll be right back,” I said to Alex, raising my voice slightly so he could hear me over the noise. He barely looked at me, still grinning from ear to ear. Then he said, “Okay. Don't get lost.” I turned away, forcing a small smile on my face as I pushed throug