Zuria
It had been a week since Danny and I lost our jobs. A whole week of dragging our feet through the city with no real purpose. Most of that time, we'd just been in my tiny motel room—him on the bed, sprawled like a lazy cat, and me beside him, fiddling with my new phone.
Yes. A new phone.
"Danny, I really can't buy a phone right now," I had complained that day, trailing behind him like a sulking child while he practically bounced with energy.
He turned around with that familiar spark in his eyes. "Why not? You've been without a phone since you got here. Do you realize how dangerous that is? What if something happens and you need to reach me?"
I gave him a flat look. "I've managed to live my entire life without one. I think I'll survive a little longer."
Danny stopped dead in his tracks and whipped his head toward me like I'd just confessed to being an alien. "Wait. Say that again?"
"What?"
"You just said... you've never had a phone?" His voice dropped in disbelief.
"Yeah? Peter and Celeste never got me one, and I never had enough money to get one myself. Not even close." I shrugged like it was no big deal, but Danny's face contorted like I'd said something blasphemous.
"That—No. That just makes me more determined to get you one. That settles it." He grabbed my arm and tugged.
"Danny, stop. People are staring," I hissed, digging my heels into the sidewalk as the glass door of the gadget store loomed ahead of us.
"Then stop resisting and just walk in. No one will stare if you act normal," he said calmly, not loosening his grip.
"Fine. Let go, I'll go in," I muttered, and he released my arm with a triumphant grin.
He gestured like a gentleman ushering a queen. "After you."
I shot him a glare and marched inside. The store attendants greeted us, and I mumbled a reply while Danny beamed and waved like we were at a gala.
As expected, he went straight to the display counters like he was the one shopping.
"Can I help you with something, sir?" a smiling attendant asked him.
He straightened up and stepped aside dramatically, pushing me forward. "Oh no, not for me. It's for this lovely lady right here."
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. So dramatic.
"Alright, ma'am. I think I have just what you need," she said kindly.
"The phones in here look really expensive," I whispered to Danny as we followed the attendant to a corner of the store.
"Just see if you like anything first. If it's too much, we'll leave," he said with a shrug, like we were shopping for socks and not a tech luxury.
I swear, losing his job's finally driven him crazy.
The display case gleamed under the store lights. Rows of sleek phones sat there like prized jewels. One in particular caught my eye—a simple yet elegant model with just the kind of features I'd secretly dreamed about.
I pointed at it, and the attendant retrieved it with a gloved hand, turning it on and offering it to me.
"Do you like it?" Danny asked.
I nodded, almost shyly. "Yeah. It's... beautiful."
"That's the one, then," he said with a grin.
She told us to wait at the counter, and we walked over. But as I clutched the phone box, reality hit me.
"Danny," I whispered. "We didn't even ask the price."
"Don't worry about that. Let's see what they say first."
"It can't be that much, right?"
I looked over at the attendant as she rang it up. Her expression was neutral, but the number she recited a moment later almost made me faint.
"That will be $733."
My jaw dropped. "Seven hundred and—Danny!"
I pulled him aside, clutching his sleeve like he was about to jump off a cliff.
"Did you hear that? Seven hundred dollars! I haven't even saved that much in months!"
"How much do you have?"
I mumbled, "Two hundred."
"What was that?"
"Two hundred. We should leave. Let's just go," I said firmly, already backing away.
But he grabbed my wrist. "I'll buy it."
I froze. "What?"
"I said, I'll buy it. That was the plan all along. I wanted to buy it for you as a gift."
I stared at him, wide-eyed. "Danny!" I flung my arms around him before I could stop myself. "Thank you! You didn't have to—"
"Yes, I did. What are friends for?"
"But I'll pay you back. I will."
He shook his head. "No need."
"But I'm going to anyway," I insisted, dragging him back to the counter. He handed over his card, and the attendant completed the purchase with a polite smile.
As we left the store, I carried the phone like it was made of gold.
Navigating it wasn't easy at first. I spent most of that evening poking random buttons and getting frustrated. But with Danny's help—and patience—I figured it out.
A few days later, we were back in my room, surrounded by junk food wrappers and half-empty water bottles. Danny was lying across the bed like a human pretzel, and I was on my side, finally comfortable with my shiny new device.
"Danny, we've been sitting around for almost a week. Don't you think it's time to look for a job?" I asked, breaking the silence.
He yawned. "We are. I mean, I have been. You just didn't notice."
I sat up, eyebrows raised. "Wait—what? You've been job hunting?"
"Yeah, I didn't want to stress you. I've been looking for somewhere that won't be too demanding. For both of us. And somewhere we can work together," he added.
"Why wouldn't you tell me?"
He shrugged. "Didn't want to get your hopes up or stress you more than you already are."
"You're too much sometimes," I muttered, but my lips twitched.
He turned to me, a new gleam in his eyes. "Speaking of stress relief... I need your help with something else."
I narrowed my eyes. "What now?"
"Getting back at Mr. Connor."
I blinked. "What?"
"We can't let that man walk away like nothing happened. Firing us like we were garbage? I've been thinking about it all week. And I've come up with the perfect plan."
The way he grinned made me uneasy.
"Danny..."
"No, listen. It's foolproof. Slightly illegal. But foolproof."
"Illegal?" I said sharply, sitting up straighter. "We just lost our jobs. We can't afford to get arrested."
He waved a dismissive hand. "Relax. It's more like... morally ambiguous."
"Danny, what exactly are you planning?"
His grin turned positively wicked. "We're going to hit him where it hurts. His reputation."
"His... reputation?"
"I found out he's been running a few things under the table—stuff he wouldn't want anyone to know. And I've got receipts."
My eyes widened. "You've been spying on him?"
"Observing. Gathering information. Making notes."
I rubbed my face, torn between exasperation and admiration. "You're insane."
"Insanely brilliant," he corrected. "Are you in?"
"I don't know..."
He pouted. "Come on, Zuria. You've got that brand-new phone now. Time to put it to good use."
I groaned and flopped back onto the bed. "This better not land us in jail."
"Oh, ye of little faith," he said, already pulling out a notepad from his backpack.
As he started explaining the intricacies of his master plan, I realized two things: one, this was going to get out of hand fast. And two... I kind of didn't mind.
Because even in the middle of all this chaos, Danny made me feel like I mattered. Like someone actually saw me. And maybe, just maybe, this ridiculous revenge plot was the exact kind of distraction I needed to remember what it felt like to be alive.
Even if it ended with us hiding behind a dumpster. Again.