Prologue

Everything happened fast… One moment, she had a strong grip on the handlebars, and the next, she found herself on the tarred floor of the highway.

She blinked twice and winced in pain. She started to get to her feet, but as she looked up and saw the parked cars and concerned faces staring down at her, she rolled her eyes underneath the helmet. "People" she spat with disgust.

"I mean why stand around and stare down at me if you're not going to lend a helping hand?" She mumbled under her breath as she stood.

She made a futile attempt to wipe at the stains on her ash overall, trying to remove her helmet at the same time.

She passed a fake smile around at the faces and mouths mumbling their concerns, as she tried to articulate her thoughts. What had happened?

She remembered taking a sharp turn from Maple Street onto the main highway, maintaining the speed limit.

She smirked at that thought, cause she was a sucker for breaking laws, but she just wasn't in the mood.

Then it hit her. "The stupid red car."

She had noticed it just as she turned onto the highway, cause why not? It screamed 'NOTICE ME'.

As it all slowly came to her, a hand tapped her shoulder. "Excuse me, ma'am." She whirled around, eyebrows raised.

She studied the young man in front of her, good-looking, prim, and impeccable. He had a boyish charm that betrayed all that impeccability though.

"Are you okay?"

She winced. Too formal. She glared at him. "And who would you be?" She asked, dipping her palms in the pockets of her overalls.

The young man stuttered a bit as he tried to explain. She smiled and caught on quickly.

"So you're the one that hit me," she said sharply, gesturing at the red car, "with that..." she paused, making a face, "that thing" she completed. Glaring at him even more.

She saw the confused expression cross the young man's face in a split second, but he quickly masked it, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"I'm so sorry ma'am. Maybe we could compensate you for the damages. We're running quite late."

Her brows raised at that and she chuckled softly. "What do you mean we?" Without waiting for a response, she pushed past him and made her way to the red car.

She rapped on the windshield on the driver's side continuously without getting a response. The young man turned almost immediately and got into the passenger seat.

"Excuse me?" She sounded annoyed now. These people were arseholes. "What's all the ruckus about?" A voice from the backseat asked.

The young man glanced at the rearview mirror at the voice.

"Sir, it's the lady we hit. She's being a bit difficult."

"I told you, no sirs! And why don't we just pay her for the damages and get the hell out?"

The young man threw an annoyed glance at the voice. "I tried that already, Sir," he said after a short pause.

"Well try something-" the voice at the back started to say but was interrupted by another round of continuous rap on the windshield. He turned towards the sound. Messy blonde hair. He sighed and looked away.