What's your dream?
Everyone's got one. A goal. A fire in the chest that won't shut up. Sometimes it gives you joy. Sometimes it gives you nothing but pain.
But if you can't stop thinking about it—if it becomes your oxygen through and through. Then that's enough.
That's what Koen believed.
For him, the dream was fairly simple.
Just drive.
Not fixing engines, not building specs. Just driving.
Pedal, wheel, and shit sometimes if there was a line. Over and over. Until the world disappeared.
And thank God for Koen's brain—it ran different thn most. Obsession wasn't a flaw for him, no. It was his edge.
Fernview County, midnight. Midwest quiet. The kind of place where everything is calm and tranquil. Where you saw nothing but Sedans and Coupes maybe just happening to pass by.
It was where the streets slept, while Koen Cruz was wide awake.
And tonight, the road was calling.
He exited through the window of his room, sure not to make enough noise. A black hoodie alongside jeans accompanied him. White converses because those were always easy to put on.
Koen turned around, and and gently, glided the window down. Couldn't wake up his mother with this one, because if this job works…if they managed to pull off this heist.
Then maybe, just maybe he and his mother wouldn't have to live in this shit ass of a town anymore. A place where the nights were far too quiet, and where every car on the road look the same. Where the biggest dream over here? Was just people hoping they could get by.
He could get out. Build his dream car, and live loud. Drive streets that finally mattered. See cities where the lights never died. Live freely. Pay off mortgage, buy his mother a new car—and then another one.
And maybe pay off all of those "student loans" she constantly worries and nags herself about. And then a whole lot more of it too.
Probably buy a house in some fancy city away from the midwest, and, if everything went well, he could finish out his junior year of highschool.
The thought alone made him excited.
It came down with a slight shut. He took off his hood, and the excitement alone made it to his lips, where it turned into a grin.
Koen was very, very unique for a 17-year-old living out in the midwest. Light brown skin alongside freckles he adopted from his mother. Hazel eyes that never wavered, against either sunlight or moonlight.
He was fairly tall, around 5'8", going on for 5'9". His mother always said he could get taller, but that just meant he would be restricted into how many cars he could fit and get into. He did want to drive a Camaro one day…
But enough about that.
Tonight's the night.
The night of a very important job, Koen realized that already. Mentally prepared himself hours, and practically from the moment he had woke up. That's all he was thinking about.
He rolled around to the side of his house, crouching. There was a few windows from where the kitchen gave it access. Koen got caught there a few times by his mom, but was always quick enough to play it off.
At least during those times, he was doing it earlier. Now? During midnight? If he had got caught right now, there's nothing he could say to thoroughly explain his situation.
Each step was measured, carefully, calculated. Once he got by, he jumped over the metal fence, and there, he saw the driveway.
His mother's beat-up 2002 Nissan Altima. How that thing survived for a whole decade is beyond Koen. There was nothing out of the ordinary for the car—despite Koen's numerous promises to "spruce" up the car, each time his mother denied.
To each their own, because then, at least Koen was there to fix some slight transmission problems. He wonders how his mom was doing it before him, but he suspected she couldn't have the car for long…at least.
Then, past the Silver Altima, he saw another one. Dark Grey. Parked right by the curb. Lights off, but he saw the badge. Right on the back. The low spoiler, as Koen got closer, he saw the back window.
V10.
Amazing.
Just sitting there, resting. Waiting to be turned on, waiting to be released. His fingers graced against the four rings interloped for a badge before entering the passenger.
"About damn time, Starboy." A familiar voice began, young, but carrying it's own sense of experience as well. Koen knew who this was. Of course he did.
It was his only true friend in this shit ass of a town he lived in.
Enzo.
His grin flashed in the glow of the dash. One hand on the wheel, the other drumming out some beat only he could hear. "What'd you do, kiss the Altima goodnight?"
Koen rolled his eyes as he closed the passenger door, "Not too much on my mom's Altima. If everything goes right, then maybe I will get her a brand new one. 2025."
Enzo laughed, loud and reckless. The one that resonated with Koen more. "Yeah, but that's only if everything goes right."
Enzo was the one who took Koen under his wing. The 22-year-old was not a native of Fernview County, nah, far more experienced, and had seen the world far more. The wavy blonde hair, sharp blue eyes and fair white skin.
Years, and years ago, Enzo and Koen had met each other on a online racing game. Neither the two knew each other prior, but it became more evident that Enzo generally did like Koen's knowledge of cars.
One day, they met-up, and the rest was history. Despite Fernview County being boring as hell and depressing all day, Enzo took Koen to his first car underground meet. An hour away.
And for the past 3 years now, they've been doing nothing but that. It was a cycle, practically. Koen would make sure to do his homework for the week, and in exchange, Enzo would come pick him up.
Koen strapped in his seatbelt as Enzo pressed start on his 2017 Audi R8. Such a beauty it was, Koen couldn't help but hear the sound of the engine purr to life each time. It could put him in a trance if it wanted to.
However, before they set off, Enzo spoke, his tone a slight serious. "Before we head off, though Koen—we gotta head to this car meet. Just one last time."
Koen's face lightened dramatically. Anytime a car meet was involved, he couldn't help but tag along. He was already getting mentally prepared for the job here, but hearing that there was a car meet involved?
"Man…? Sign me up. Where to?" Koen popped open his phone, scrolling through.
Enzo fixed his wheel before slightly hitting the pedal, making sure not to make the engine roar to loud or Koen's mother would wake up. "An hour away from here. Think further up north. And then, another hour or two to the port."
Koen nodded, and put in his earbuds. Clicked on one of his playlists to seemingly enter a neutral mood. And before he knew it, he turned to the side.
His mother's altima was no longer there, replaced by the houses going by in rhythm.
For Koen, this was his only chance. To make something for himself faster than fate would allow him to. If he does this right, if he can do this right.
Then maybe, just maybe, his mother could start living life a little bit easier.
And Koen could start living the life he always wanted to.