better than winning

01 | the Hawthornes

Ever since I can remember, I loved racing, I remember watching the bright red cars, of my favorite team, speeding in front of my eyes and I was completely amazed. Me and Asher would always be the most competitive on the track, strangely we never really fought, sure some bickering but nothing more. I think personally think it is because Asher was like a protective brother. But Asher always said that he is too smart to be fighting with me.

So when I landed in F2, at the start of the season, the media had gone completely crazy, first of all because they have never seen a soon to be seventeen year old beating everyones ass. And second of all she was just a little girl who liked to annoy her teammate.

"That's p1, Nayla!", Jalen congratulated me through the radio. "Let's goo!!" I throw my fist in the air. I get out of the car and run to Ash running into his arms, "Told you I would win!" I grin at him. "Duh, I trained you" he says rolling his eyes playfully. I turn around to congratulate the others, but I stop when I see my manager and manager, Celine looking at me with a serious expression.

"Nayla, I need to talk with you for a moment." she says, signalling me to follow her. "Did someone die? geez, you're scaring me." I joke. "Do you know the Hawthornes?" she continues. "Erm... Yes, I think they were present at some of the races." I answer still unsure, about where she was going with that. "Well I received an E-Mail from them, asking about the not replied letters from them." wait that was for real? "Oh, I didn't think that whole inheritance story was real." I explain.

"Well I booked you a flight to Texas, a car will pick you up at 9pm, I'll meet you at the airport.", she informs before leading me out to the parking lot. I see Asher in his McLaren waving to me.

I get into the passenger seat and playing our mixed playlist.  We chat and laugh a bit before Asher drops me off, "Bye, Isa!" he says knowing, that I hate this short version of my second name. Instead of ignoring him, I just grin and reply "See you soon, Aladdin!" His jaw drops "You did not. How do you even come from 'Adin' to 'Aladdin'?!" "Love you too, weirdo" I wink over my shoulder before heading through the door.

I head to my room and start packing my things, after I'm done i go down and into the kitchen. "Good evening, Miss Black.", May greets me. May was my Nanny, I guess, we were never really close. I never met my parents and was told not to ask about them. The closest thing to a father figure I had was Mark. He visited like once or twice a week, when I was 15. We did all kinds of things, like karting, playing games, sports and he even taught me all the cool stuff, lock picking, gambling, trespassing, you get. Looking back he was more like the cousin who taught you all the shit, you need to know to live a little.

He was all of that, before passing away, I wasn't supposed to ask about him, I actually don't know a lot of things, like who my parents are, where they are, why they aren't here, where Mark is, what happened to him, where all the money came from, who hired May. So like 95% of my life was unsure.

I tell May a good bye before taking my luggage and leaving the house. In the private jet arrived, I pop up a movie. Thankfully it was a night-flight so I would sleep through most of it, usually I enjoyed flights but I was too exhausted to keep my eyes open for another minute.

I look out the window seeing the beautiful city under me, man it must have been ages since I last was in the US. After Mark passed I didn't want to stay in Monaco and needed desperately a change.

I get out of the suv and look at the huge ass house, shit Celine didn't tell me, that it was that fancy. I thank myself for changing in a black dress with a bomber jacket a couple hours ago.

A tall boy with gray eyes in a fancy suit welcomes me into his home.

he was hot

"Good evening, Miss Black. I am Grayson Hawthorne." he introduced himself. "Hello, I've been called for a will-reading?" "Yes, the reading will take place in the opening hall, but we still are a few guests short. So you are free take a look around the place." he clarifies and wanders off.

I walk around the hall ways and go out on a balcony. I lean myself against the railing and look  into the beautiful garden. I take my phone out to see that I received a notification, it was Asher.

Ash ⚡️ (the pokemon trainer)

A: bro where are you

N: in Texas
N: did something happen?

A: no
A: what r u doing in Texas tho

N: idk i have to be present
for some will-reading
N: yk the Hawthornes?

A: you mean these rich four brothers at our races?

N: yeah i'm at their house rn

Suddenly someone bumps into me. "shit sorry", the figure says. I look up to see a boy, drunk with messy hair and

shirtless

is it just me or did it get hotter?

"Wait, I know you! You are that racer! Ermm.. Nara Blue!", he exclaims while lazily pointing a finger at me.

"Racer: yes, Nara Blue: no, Nayla Isabella Black and you are?" I explain "Jameson Winchester Hawthorne, Miss Black" he introduces himself, does a little bow and kisses my hand. "My pleasure, Mr. Hawthorne" I laugh doing a little curtsy and Jameson raises a brow "So, Nayla greek goddess of winning huh?" "So, Jameson Winchester, are you named after the shotgun or the city?" I fire back. "I would prefer the shotgun, Bella" he grins, "We're on the same page then, sniper" I reply, before abruptly stopping noticing a presence going into the garden. Jameson turns around to see a girl, he then swings himself over the railing, now standing on it. "What the fuck ar-"

"If yes is no and once is never, then how many sides does a triangle have?" he asks, the question directed to the brown-haired girl, who is now turned to us. "You'll fall" she just says, Jamesons grin widens "That sounds tempting." I laugh at his comment, getting on the railing too, "I suppose it does" I agree before jumping, closely followed by Jameson, I land next to the girl. "You must be the mystery girl" Jameson realised in a questioned tone, however mystery girl doesn't seem amused by it, "I am Avery and you shouldn't be out here" she corrects "and the answer the answer is two." "That correct?" he asks testing me too. "Yes, even though I find it astonishing, that you would even answer such a weird question." I confirm. "Yeah, I guess I really shouldn't be out here. Come on Bella, Help me find my shirt." He drags me away, leaving Avery standing alone.

As we go through the door Grayson approaches us, "Miss Black what are you doing out there, the reading will soon start and Jameson put a shirt on." Jameson gives him a small salute and goes to the nearest room, while I head to the opening hall. I spot Celine in the corner talking to a few people, I quickly go over to her. "Nayla, there you are! This is Mr. Ortega, he is in charge of reading the will." "Nice to meet you, Miss black", he holds his hand out, I take it "Nice to meet yo-" "Nay Nay?!", a familiar voice calls me. I turn around to see a light-brown skinned boy heading over to us, I soon realise that it's Xander, "Xan?! I haven't seem you in ages! What are you doing here?" I greet him with a hug. "Let's talk in private" he says taking me to a empty corner of the room, "don't tell anyone we met at a party, ok? Just say you recognise me from your races", he instructs me. "Wait you are a Hawthorne?", I realise.