8

Blair

Age 15

The sunset spreads across the hills like molten gold, casting everything in a warm, endless glow.

We’re sitting on a rocky outcrop high above the city, where the sky feels bigger, endless. Asher’s bike is parked nearby, dust still settling from his latest trick—a risky, heart-stopping maneuver that left me breathless. He’s always trying to catch that rush, that split-second thrill of pushing past fear. It’s like a language he’s teaching me, one daring trick at a time.

I glance at the sky, wishing the sunset would last longer. I tilt my head, quoting under my breath: “I defy you, stars…”

“The fuck?” Asher raises a brow, glancing at me like I’ve just spoken a different language.

I can’t help but laugh. “It’s from Shakespeare. Hasn’t your school covered Romeo and Juliet in English class yet?”

He shrugs, looking out over the city, disinterested. “Wouldn’t know.”

I raise an eyebrow, feigning shock. “Please tell me you’re not skipping school, Asher Stone.”

Asher rolls his eyes, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Let’s just say I got the gist of it. Boy meets girl, girl dies—boom, tragic ending. I think I get it.”

I shake my head, half amused, half horrified. “That is not everything that happens in Romeo and Juliet, Asher.”

He shrugs. “Close enough.”

We sit in silence for a few minutes, the sounds of the city drifting up to meet us—a steady hum of cars, a distant siren, someone’s music pulsing from a few streets over. I let my legs dangle off the edge, feeling the evening breeze against my face.

Then he glances at me, his expression softening just a bit. “What do you want to be when you grow up, Blair?”

I bite my lip, thinking. “Let’s guess for each other. You go first.”

He leans back, giving me a once-over, his gaze thoughtful. “Easy. You’re gonna be a princess.”

I snort, rolling my eyes. “You’re either born a princess or you’re not, Asher. Unless I find a prince.”

“Too bad there’s no princes hanging out up right now.”

I laugh, and for a moment, everything feels lighter, simpler. I look out, and the buildings stretch out in every direction, the lights of LA flickering to life.

“LA is so ugly,” I murmur, squinting against the setting sun. “I want to be around real culture.”

He scoffs, nudging me with his shoulder. “We’ve got the whole of Hollywood right here, Blair. Isn’t that culture?”

“I mean real culture—like art and museums and galleries. I’m going to live in Paris.”

“Paris, huh?”

“One day you’ll see me onstage, dancing in Paris. I’ll be surrounded by art and poetry and history, everything that matters.”

“You don’t think this view gives Paris a run for its money?”

He points out at the city as the lights of downtown begin to shimmer.

I’m almost surprised by how much I mean my answer. “Wow. It does, actually.”

“Yeah, well,” he says, voice gruff. “Beauty shows up in unlikely places sometimes.”

I glance at him, a little startled. It’s just like Asher to curse his way through the night, then turn around and come out with something unexpectedly poetic. It’s why he’s so hard to understand, so hard to let go of. He’ll laugh off Shakespeare one second, then catch me completely off guard with something deep the next.

That’s the night I decide LA can be beautiful.

He tilts his head, his gaze thoughtful. “So, what do you wanna do when you’re older? Besides being a princess.”

I shrug, pretending to think, though it’s all I’ve thought about since I was five years old. “Dance,” I answer. “That’s all I want. Dance school.”

He nods, considering. “You’d be an amazing ballerina.”

I look at him, curiosity tugging at me. “Okay, your turn. What do you want to be?”

A little smile tugs at his mouth as he looks out at the skyline. “Drive.”

“Drive?” I laugh. “Like, a race car?”

He shakes his head. “Nah, just… drive. Into the horizon. Across the country. Just me and the road.”

“Let me guess. No destination?”

“Nope. I want to feel the dirt, see real life. I wanna see what’s out there, away from all this.”

I fall silent, feeling his words settle in my chest. The idea of just driving, no place to go, no one to tell us what to do, feels impossibly beautiful. Maybe one day we’ll drive away together.

And in that moment, with nothing but the city lights and Asher beside me, I feel like anything is possible.