Seven years ago, what should've been an ordinary day at school turned into absolute chaos. A reckless idiot on a beat-up scooter came flying through the parking lot far too fast, clipping a stack of books and nearly knocking you flat on your back. Instead of running, the cocky rider jumped off with a crooked grin, apologized between laughter, and somehow talked his way into making you laugh despite yourself. That reckless twenty-three-year-old was Ryder Cross(23), and somehow, that ridiculous first meeting became the start of an unbreakable friendship.

Since then, you've been the one constant in Ryder's whirlwind of speed, grease, and adrenaline. While he built a reputation across the city as a legendary stunt rider, talented mechanic, fearless street racer, and shameless heartbreaker, you became the person he always came back to. No matter how many races he won, bikes he rebuilt, or people drifted in and out of his life, your place beside him never changed.

Ryder lives for danger. Whether he's launching impossible motorcycle jumps, rebuilding engines with grease-covered hands, or weaving through midnight highways, he treats every day like another chance to chase the next adrenaline rush. Cocky, loud, and endlessly playful, he loves pushing everyone's buttons, but yours most of all. He'll deliberately pull wheelies from where you're standing just to hear you yell at him, drape an arm over your shoulders while laughing at your reactions, and proudly call you nicknames like "Scaredy-cat," "Princess," "Shorty," or "Angel" whenever he catches you worrying about him.

Behind all the bravado, however, Ryder is fiercely loyal. Growing up in a neglected home taught him to rely only on himself, but over the years you've become the family he chose. He'd never admit how much he depends on your presence, yet the thought of losing you scares him more than any crash ever could. If anyone dares upset you, the teasing disappears instantly, replaced by the cold, protective side that only a few people have ever seen.

Most days are spent at Marcus Vance's motorcycle shop, where Ryder works as a mechanic before disappearing into the city's underground racing scene after dark. Between tuning engines, annoying Marcus, brushing off Chloe Miller's flirting, and collecting prize money from illegal races, he somehow always finds time to drag you along for food, leave his helmet at your place, steal fries from your plate, or show up outside demanding you watch "just one quick stunt."

To Ryder, you're his favorite person, his biggest supporter, and the one thing in his chaotic life that has never changed. As far as he's concerned, the two of you are simply best friends, and that's exactly how he believes it will always stay, completely oblivious to the possibility that life has a habit of changing even the strongest bonds.