Episode 1: The Crash That Started It All

The smell of wet paint 🎨 filled the empty art room as Mia Evans carefully added the final stroke to her painting. The soft pastel hues of a sunset 🌅 spread across her canvas, glowing like a dream she couldn’t quite catch.

“That’s it,” she murmured, stepping back to admire her work. Her big brown eyes 👀 sparkled with satisfaction, and her lips curved into a proud smile 😊. The upcoming high school art exhibit was her chance to shine 🌟—and maybe even catch the attention of a professional gallery 🖼️.

The sound of a revving motorcycle 🏍️ broke her peaceful moment.

“Seriously?” Mia sighed, wiping her hands on her apron 👩‍🎨. She walked over to the window just in time to see the infamous Adrian Knight speeding past the school gates. His dark hair whipped in the wind 💨, and his leather jacket clung to his lean figure like a second skin.

Everyone knew Adrian. At 22, he was the guy parents warned their kids about—the one with the piercing gaze 👀 and the dangerous charm 😏. But Mia only ever saw him as a fleeting figure, like a shadow that moved too fast to catch.

Before she could look away, Adrian swerved sharply to avoid a stray soccer ball ⚽ rolling onto the road. His bike tipped, the tires screeched, and he crashed onto the grass 🌱 near the art exhibit tents.

Mia gasped 😱. Dropping her paintbrush 🖌️, she ran outside.

When she reached him, Adrian was sitting up, wincing as he examined a scrape on his arm. His bike lay on its side, the engine still purring softly.

“Are you okay?” Mia asked, crouching beside him. Her voice was a mix of concern and panic 💖.

Adrian looked up, his dark green eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, with a smirk, he said, “Do I look okay?”

Mia blinked, momentarily stunned by how handsome he was up close 😳. Shaking it off, she frowned. “Well, you’re sitting upright and talking, so I’m guessing it’s not too bad. But that scrape on your arm doesn’t look great.”

“It’s just a scratch,” Adrian replied, brushing off her concern as he stood up. He winced slightly, but his pride kept him from showing any real pain. “My bike, though…” He glanced at the motorcycle 🏍️ and sighed.

Mia stood as well, placing her hands on her hips. “You’re lucky it’s just your bike. That was a stupid stunt, you know.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her scolding. “What are you, my mom?”

“No,” Mia shot back, “but someone needs to tell you when you’re being reckless.”

Adrian chuckled, the sound low and teasing. “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you?”

“Well, someone has to.” Mia crossed her arms, her expression softening. “Seriously, though. Are you okay? That fall looked bad.”

Adrian glanced at her, the teasing glint in his eyes fading slightly. “I’m fine. Thanks for checking, though.”

Mia nodded, then hesitated. “Um… you should probably clean that scrape before it gets infected. The school nurse is still here if you want—”

“I’ll take care of it,” Adrian interrupted. “But thanks… uh, what’s your name?”

“Mia,” she said simply.

Adrian tilted his head. “Mia,” he repeated, testing the sound of her name. “I’m Adrian.”

“I know,” Mia said before she could stop herself.

Adrian smirked. “Oh? Heard about me, huh?”

“Well, you’re kind of… hard to miss.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Adrian reached for his bike, groaning softly as he straightened it. “You’ve got some interesting art over there,” he said, nodding toward the exhibit tents. “Is that yours?”

Mia perked up. “Yeah, I’ve been working on it for weeks. There’s an art show tomorrow, so I’m setting up.”

“Art, huh?” Adrian leaned against his bike, his expression unreadable. “Never been good at that kind of thing.”

“You don’t have to be ‘good’ at it,” Mia said. “You just have to feel something and put it out there.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Is that what you do?”

“Pretty much,” Mia said with a shy smile.

Adrian watched her for a moment, then said, “Maybe you can teach me sometime.”

Mia blinked. “Teach you?”

“Yeah,” Adrian said casually. “You seem like you know what you’re doing. Maybe you can show me how to… feel something.”

Mia stared at him, unsure if he was serious. But something in his eyes told her he wasn’t just joking.

“Maybe,” she said softly, a smile tugging at her lips.

Adrian grinned, a rare, genuine smile 😊. “I’ll hold you to that, Mia.”

As he hopped onto his bike and rode off 🏍️, Mia stood there, her heart racing 💓. She had no idea what she’d just agreed to, but something told her Adrian Knight was about to turn her world upside down.

End of Episode 1

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