H_Vasuja

Main Character: Vale Carter

A girl with honey-toned skin, plump lips, and hazel waves that fall like poetry. She’s elegant and silver-clad on the outside, but beneath that shine lies a world no one knows—except her best friend, Lila. Vale is an unspoken genius with hidden talents in car racing, computer hacking, and self-defense. She's lovable, honest, and open-hearted… but everyone she’s ever loved has walked away.

Until Kian Bennett shows up.

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Male Lead: Kian Bennett

The transfer student from a rival family—the Bennetts, whose name alone stirs drama in Vale’s household. Kian is charming, intelligent, and as misunderstood as Vale. He carries the weight of legacy but seeks something real. Something like her.

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Plot Overview:

When Kian transfers to Cresthill High, Vale’s world tilts. Their families share wealth, power—and buried tension from an old rivalry. Vale tries to keep her distance, but Kian’s curiosity and calm persistence begin to break through her defenses.

As the chapters unfold, Kian slowly uncovers parts of Vale that no one’s seen:

Her sharp mind in computer science class
Her fight skills during gym
Her secret life behind the wheel of a midnight-black racing car

While rumors swirl at school and family pressures build, the connection between Vale and Kian grows deeper. But love—real love—means exposing your scars. And Vale’s afraid she’s too much to stay with… or too unforgettable to leave.

"Loved, But Never Left"

Monday arrived with the sharp chill of consequence.

Vale stepped through the gates of Cresthill High, expecting the usual hush that followed her like a shadow. But this time, something was different. The stares were longer. The whispers, louder.

Her name was on everyone's lips—but not with admiration.

Lila slid up beside her. "You and Kian made the school paper without even trying."

Lila handed over her phone. A photo—grainy but clear—showed Vale and Kian in his dad's Audi under a red streetlight, Vale in her leather jacket, helmet in hand.

"Carter's Daughter and the Bennett Boy? Sparks on and off the road."

Vale exhaled. "You've got to be kidding me."

"It's everywhere," Lila said. "Some people think it's hot. Others? Not so much."

As if on cue, a group of upperclass girls passed by, one of them muttering just loud enough, "Desperate much, Vale?"

She didn't flinch. But Lila did. "Ignore them."

But this time, it hit differently. This time, it wasn't just about her. It was about Kian too.

She found him near the lockers, casually leaning like he hadn't just been launched into the school's favorite scandal.

"Nice headline," he said, smirking as she walked up.

Vale raised an eyebrow. "Enjoying the attention?"

"Not really. I liked it better when only you looked at me like that."

She stared at him, unsure whether to smile or panic. "You do realize this makes things harder, right?"

Vale hesitated. "I don't know. Both?"

Kian stepped closer, the crowd fading around them like noise tuning out. "I'm not scared of hard, Vale. I'm scared of fake. And whatever this is? It's the most real thing I've felt in years."

But she'd been here before—with boys who adored her in secret but dropped her the second the world noticed. She wasn't about to fall into that same pattern again.

"I just don't want to be someone's thrill," she said quietly.

"You're not." He paused. "You are thrilling, though. Especially behind the wheel."

She smiled despite herself. "Flatterer."

Before either could say more, the bell rang, dragging them apart like reality always did. But as Vale walked toward her class, her phone buzzed.

"You think you're untouchable, Carter? Let's see how fast you really are."

This wasn't just gossip anymore. It was a challenge.

And something told her—it was from someone who knew exactly what she was hiding.

Chapter 9: Rumors & Red Lights