Chapter 359: Chapter 358: A Different Kind Of Freedom
The ferreri eased out of the lot with a low, thunderous roar, a sound so rich it made everyone nearby stop mid-step. Phones came up instantly, classmates snapping pictures and filming like paparazzi. They’d already seen Rex at the wheel earlier, but watching him actually pull away...Sophie sitting in the passenger seat still shot them straight in the heart.
"Lucky bastard..." one guy muttered under his breath, watching the crimson blur glide past.
"Forget lucky," another added, eyes narrowing. "That’s straight unfair. But what can we do, such is life."
The Ferreri gave one sharp growl as Rex revved the engine... just enough to make Sophie squeal in delight—and then the car shot forward, the crimson blur vanishing onto the main road. The sound lingered in the air long after, leaving the onlookers in a mix of awe and envy.
Behind, Daisy’s sleek sedan pulled out more quietly, carrying the rest of the beauty trio plus Elara. The atmosphere inside couldn’t have been more different from the fireworks ahead.
Hannah sat with perfect posture, one leg crossed neatly over the other, her calm eyes flicking toward the disappearing Ferreri. "Sophie looks like she’s having the time of her life," she remarked in her composed, almost detached way.
Daisy, at the wheel, gave a small huff that was half amusement, half resignation. "Well, she did win fair and square. Rock, paper, scissors is sacred law." Her tone was playful, though there was a faint glimmer of something else behind it...curiosity, maybe even the tiniest hint of intrigue as her gaze lingered on the road Rex had taken.
Elara sat quietly in the backseat, hands resting in her lap, her head tilted toward the window. She said nothing, but her eyes followed the Ferreri until it disappeared fully from view. For her, there wasn’t envy or irritation, just a quiet sense of distance.
That world of roaring engines and bold laughter didn’t belong to her. Not when she barely had time to breathe between school and her endless part-time jobs. Still... she couldn’t help noticing the way Rex had looked at her earlier, the kindness he’d shown when no one else did. That was enough. More than enough.
Daisy pressed hard on the accelerator, not enough to close the distance, but enough to make sure they weren’t left behind.
Back in the car, "Rev it! Rev it! Come on, just once!" Sophie begged, bouncing in her seat like a kid demanding candy.
Rex gave her a side-eye, lips tugging into a faint smirk. "You’re really enjoying this, huh?"
"Of course I am! You don’t just sit quietly in a Ferreri Daytona SR3, Rex. That’s like going to Disneyland and refusing to ride the roller coasters!"
With a small chuckle, he obliged, pressing the accelerator just enough to make the V12 roar to life. The sound ripped through the air, deep and thunderous, like a beast waking up. Sophie squealed, clutching her chest as if her heart had jumped out of it, then broke into uncontrollable laughter.
"AGHHH! Do it again, do it again!"
"Calm down before someone calls the cops," Rex muttered, though he couldn’t hide his own amused grin.
As the car smoothed out onto the road, Sophie tilted her head back, eyes darting upward. "Hey... this roof. It’s detachable, right?"
"Yeah," Rex replied casually, already sensing where this was going.
She turned to him, clasping her hands together, eyes wide with over-the-top pleading. "Then open it! Pleaseee~ I wanna feel it! Just once!"
"No."
She leaned closer, sing-songing in the most exaggeratedly cute voice possible. "Open it, Rex. I wanna feel the wind!"
He groaned. "You’re going to kill me one day."
"Better than dying boring," she shot back.
Rex sighed, pretending to be annoyed, though the corners of his lips betrayed him. "...You don’t give up, do you?"
"Not when it comes to this!" she shot back, grinning mischievously.
Finally, with a resigned shake of his head, he pressed the control. With a mechanical whirr, the roof folded back smoothly, and in an instant, the open sky replaced the enclosed cockpit. The wind swept in, cool and exhilarating, rushing through their hair and filling the car with a whole different kind of thrill.
It was his first time driving it open-roofed too, The rush of air pouring in, the sudden brightness, the roar of the engine mixing with the world outside, Rex had to admit... it wasn’t bad at all. It was different. A different kind of freedom. And not bad. Not bad at all.
Sophie gasped like someone seeing the ocean for the first time and immediately threw her arms open wide, head tilted back, her dark hair whipping wildly behind her. She laughed, the sound carried away by the wind, her whole figure looking like something straight out of a movie scene.
"Wooo! This is insane! I feel like the main character!" she shouted, her voice barely audible over the roar of the engine and the rush of air.
Other drivers couldn’t help themselves. A guy in a sedan nearly forgot the green light, craning his neck as the ferreri thundered past. A group of college students at a bus stop whipped out their phones instinctively, pointing and shouting as if they’d just spotted a celebrity. Even the driver of a luxury SUV, someone who probably thought he was hot stuff ten seconds ago, leaned forward in envy, his grip tightening on the wheel as the Daytona SP3 roared by like a predator brushing off prey.
Rex glanced at her, shaking his head, but there was a faint warmth in his eyes. "Don’t even think about standing up. This isn’t some cheesy romance flick. Reality doesn’t come with stunt doubles."
She pouted, clearly having considered it. "Tch, buzzkill. Fine, I’ll behave."
But even as she said it, she leaned back into her seat, still grinning from ear to ear, her eyes sparkling with pure joy. The wind tugged at her hair, her cheeks flushed from excitement, and for a moment Rex found himself thinking that maybe... just maybe, it’s okay to live a bit more recklessly.
Behind them, Daisy’s car followed at a steady pace. Compared to the ferreri’s wild, untamed symphony, her sedan felt like a background extra. Daisy kept her eyes on the road, though she couldn’t help occasionally glancing at the supercar ahead, her expression a mix of annoyance and something thoughtful behind her calm exterior.
(End of Chapter)