They pulled over at a jagged overlook near Malibu. The city lights started to twinkle in the distance like fallen stars. Elias leaned against the hood, the cooling engine ticking a counter-rhythm to the music still drifting from the cabin.
The windows of the beat-up '94 Lexus were rolled down just enough to let the saltwater air cut through the scent of coconut air freshener. Emotional Oranges - West Coast Love (Audio)
Elias tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to the steady, rhythmic pulse of "West Coast Love." Beside him, Maya had her feet on the dashboard, her gold anklets catching the orange hue of the disappearing sun. They weren't heading anywhere specific—just chasing the coastline until the gas light flickered or the mood shifted. A bruised purple bleeding into neon tangerine. Sound: Low-slung bass echoing off the canyon walls. Energy: That effortless, "no-label" kind of summer heat. They pulled over at a jagged overlook near Malibu