I started walking.
Destination: the arcade—me and Anna's usual spot. Our summer hangout, our safe place, our "no parents, no drama" zone.
Every step I took made the anxiety worse.
"Maybe she wants to get serious… Maybe she's done with me… Maybe she wants to—"
Hold up. What if she wants to have sex?
I almost tripped.
"No, no, stop thinking like that."
I slapped myself in the face.
Out loud.
People walking by gave me that "this dude needs therapy" look.
Face red from embarrassment, I kept walking faster.
The city was alive.
Too alive for the first day of school.
Downtown Richmond was buzzing with traffic, food carts, random street performers, and of course, the occasional suspicious alleyway that screamed "bad decision zone."
And yet… I stopped in front of one.
"Don't do it, Trey. It's always the alley. It's always where the horror movie starts."
But curiosity?
She's a cruel, whispering temptress.
"What if someone's in trouble?"
"What if fate's giving you a reason to turn around and avoid heartbreak?"
"What if the girl in there is the rebound of destiny?"
…
I'm going in.
I crept up to the corner, pressed my back to the wall, and listened.
Deep voice. Aggressive tone.
"Look who it is… we've been looking for you everywhere."
I peeked around.
Three men surrounded a girl—short, red hair, crimson eyes. She looked familiar.
Wait—wasn't that the shy girl from earlier?
Except now…
She didn't look shy.
She looked dangerous.
"Go back now," she said sweetly, smiling like she wasn't surrounded by three grown men. "It's not time for me to return. Don't piss me off."
The hell? Return where?
The man in the middle—fat, gold chains, trying to look like a mob boss—stepped forward, still trying to talk tough.
"Ms. Julia, we—"
SLAP.
She smacked him straight to the ground.
Hard.
His gold grill was stained with blood.
My jaw dropped.
She walked toward him, wiping blood off her cheek like it was lint.
"You think you can say my name?" she asked.
He trembled. "M-Miss Julia, I-I didn't mean—"
CRACK.
Her foot met his jaw.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Until he stopped moving.
The man slumped. Teeth scattered. Blood everywhere.
And she spit on him.
"I just got these shoes," she muttered, pouting.
WHO IS SHE?!
She turned toward the other two men—bodyguard types, frozen like statues.
"Talk," she said. "Now. Or you're next."
"W-We were sent by Master Apollo… L-Lord Zeus needs you back in Olympus."
I blinked.
Apollo? Zeus? Olympus?
EXCUSE ME?!
Julia crossed her arms. "Of course. Grandpa always calls me back when things get fun…"
"Grandpa?"
No way. There's no way.
This girl—this tiny, red-eyed, lethal, adorable sociopath—just said Zeus was her grandfather.
I was about to bounce. Too much weird. Too much heat.
And then—
"Hey. You over there."
Shit.
She heard me.
Stay still. Maybe she'll assume she imagined it.
"I know you're there," she said, voice low and cold. "Come out, or I'll come get you."
Welp. Time to die.
I raised my hands and stepped out slowly, trying to look as harmless as possible.
"Hands up. Don't look suspicious. Don't look too confident either. She might like violence."
Julia stood still, squinting at me.
Her two "bodyguards" moved to her side like trained dogs.
I was sweating bullets.
Five minutes passed in complete silence.
Finally, I broke. "Um… is there a reason I've been standing like this for five minutes…?"
She smirked.
One of the men started stepping forward, but she raised a hand and stopped him.
"My lady?" he asked, confused.
"I never told you to move," she said, eyes still locked on me. "Besides…"
Her smile widened.
"He's kinda cute."
This is it. I'm going to die. Or get kissed. Or both.
Help.