Her engine revved, and the roar echoed satisfyingly throughout Willy's Butte, rustling stray blades of grass speckled with dew.

The sky was an endless expanse of obsidian, so vast that it made her feel insignificant, though she knew it wasn't true; but in the moment, the glittering silver stars and infinite welkin stretching past the horizon made it feel so.

She took a deep breath, inhaling the dust-kissed air that held hints of something that could only be described as tranquility. It mesmerized her, and it was just another part of what made her love Radiator Springs.

Cruz was an eternal optimist; perhaps that was why she so enjoyed early morning drives like this, when even the sun was still asleep, not even daring to shine a few of its rays above the cacti-rimmed skyline, when nobody else was awake. It was the enchantingly silent stretch somewhere in between night and day, the time when only a couple of lucky cars would be eager enough to stay up to experience the wonder, to hear the voice hidden away in the back of your mind whispering;

'Nothing is impossible.'

Such sweet words; Cruz indulged in them, basked in them, drank them, their glorious meaning soaking her with resolve, twisting into lovely nothings that lingered for just moments before getting swept away just as the first of the sun's glow began to grasp at the heavens. She knew no other words for the phenomenon other than tantalizing, so perfect, so in reach, and yet so impossibly far.

But in the morning, memories also made her arrogant in a sense, and the cruel stroke of time told her, 'You defied all expectations once. Why not again?'

She knew she had just gotten lucky; but was luck even real? The energy, the ecstasy of the moment was so full, so unimaginably beautiful; soaring, flying, gliding, and smoothly landing on her tires like the legends she had only seen on television. Roaring past, afraid almost, fear that got sucked away by her sheer speed; fear that got washed off of her as the words echoed, calling her name-Cruz Ramirez-and she had realized how wonderful it sounded in her delirious joy.

Cruz let out a breath she had been holding in as she spaced out, meditated, and drew to that blank area in her conscience; clearing her head, in other words. She dug her tires into the sandy soil, allowed herself a little smug grin, and skidded off, kicking dust into the space behind her.

The steady, low hum of her engine made her feel at peace; it was invigorating and calming simultaniously, but even it couldn't stop her mind from wandering to

him.

Jackson Storm, renowned racer, second to, if not equal to, Cruz herself. Sleek ink-black finish with a streak of cobalt, pewter eyes, cold aura; all in stark contrast to Cruz's golden paintjob, umber orbs, and welcoming, sunny feel.

And yet, she felt herself drawn toward him, something that made her glance at his trailer no matter whether she'd lost or won the race that day; something that made her want him to be a little friendlier so they could, at the very least, be something close to friends.

But over and over, he'd denied; every time she'd gathered the courage to drive up to him, with that glaring, chilly look of his he would issue his harsh answer;

"Why would I want to be friends with a wannabe racer like you?"

And she would try to keep her cool. The first few attempts, she had pushed it, but now she knew it was hopeless; even then, every now and then she would stare at his trailer before trying to shake away her magnetic pull towards Jackson Storm, telling herself it was fruitless, trying to make herself see that there was no sense in trying; and yet, she would feel a stab to her engine every time she failed.

She huffed as she brought herself back to reality. "Quit thinking about it, Cruz," she chided herself, swerving, narrowly avoiding a particularly spiny cactus. "It's only going to hurt you more."

And yet, quiet self-encouragement still lingered in the back of her thoughts, murmuring to her in a pleasantly sugary way, telling her;

"Maybe one day, he'll come."

So, I didn't write a lot because I wanted to know what you guys think! I know, it sucks, but... hey, I tried.

Please leave a review! Constructive criticism will be taken gratefully and used to improve my work! Thanks for enduring this awful chapter~