We stood inside an electronic store, waiting for the technician.
"You know one day I will have my own mall just like this one," Malo said, breaking the silence between us.
I looked at him and rolled my eyes. I was still angry at him, but I needed my phone to come back to life. I needed something to distract me from that night. So he continued talking like I had given him permission.
"The Kings control everything here in Oakland. The schools, the hotels, even this mall belongs to them. The hotel and mall are run by the first son, Adam Kings, and the clubs belong to Leo Kings. The middle one runs the clubs…"
He said it with pride, like he was already part of them. Like he already had his foot in their door.
"Leo as in the one you said, Leo's drugs?" I asked.
"Yes. He is kind of this pharmacologist person. He researches about drugs and stuff."
"Pharmacologist? More like a narcotics kind…"
"He is legal. The Alpha his grandfather approved him, and his drugs haven't harmed any wolf. You know, in all three of the Alpha siblings, that guy is fucking loaded. If I just end up working for him after high school, I will be rich just like him."
He was smiling now. Dreaming right in front of me. I could see it.
"What about college?"
"Fuck college. It's not going to put food on my table. I seek money, not some degree I won't end up using. College is for those with no dreams or responsibilities…."
He kept talking, but I wasn't even listening anymore. His words started blending together. Money. Power. Rich. Like that was all life was about. Like that was enough.
As he talked, the technician finally came out.
Thank goodness.
I moved closer, stepping away from Malo like I needed space to breathe.
"How is my phone?" I said.
"Your phone needs a screen change. It's a S20, and we are out of the screen. A new batch will come in by next month," the technician said.
For a second, I just stared at him.
"Next month? So I have to wait until next month to hold my phone?"
"Well, I did my best."
His tone was flat. Like it wasn't a big deal. Like my whole world wasn't inside that phone.
"So next month it is. I have something to do. See you tomorrow at school. Bye."
And just like that, Malo left the mall. He didn't even wait.
There was nothing I could do. The electronic store was the only one in the mall, and there was no other one outside the mall. I knew that already, but I still felt like asking. Like begging. The thought of finally unlocking my phone today was just a fantasy. I had imagined it all morning. My screen lighting up. My notifications. My music. My friends.
I pressed the button on the elevator and entered. I didn't even check if someone was inside or not. I hit the ground floor so I could head home.
"Wow. Did I not say I don't want to see your face?"
The familiar voice. Obviously it's her.
My shoulders stiffened before I even turned.
I turned to see her sitting on the floor. She was holding a book like she owned the place, well it's her family mall. Like the elevator was her personal library. Has she been here this whole time? For how long?
I ignored her. I moved closer to the edge, wishing it would swallow me. Wishing the doors would just open already.
Please reach the floor fast, I prayed in my mind.
I could feel her presence even without looking. It was annoying. Heavy. Like the air shifted when she was around.
Then the unexpected happened.
The elevator stopped.
Not the normal smooth stop. It jerked. My heart jumped with it.
What the fuck is happening?
Maybe someone pressed the button and wants to come in.
I waited. Nothing.
No sound, no movement, just silence.
I looked at the one on the floor. She was so unbothered, like nothing happened. Like we weren't suspended in the air.
"I think we are stuck," I said.
"I already know that. Mechanical failure. The engineers will fix it in no time," she said calmly, focused on what she was reading.
Her eyes didn't even lift from the page.
"What? Like how long?"
"Two to three working days."
My chest tightened.
"The fuck? I can't survive in here for days. And of all people, you."
The words slipped out before I could stop them. The moment I said it, her eyes met mine. Sharp. I quickly looked away.
"Relax. It will be fixed in a few minutes. And what do you mean by of all people, you'?"
Her voice was steady, but I knew that tone. It meant she wasn't letting it go.
"Because you are the last person I want to see, and you are troublesome."
She gave a short laugh.
"Coming from someone who has a violent nature. Punching people as a means of communication."
"If it's about the punch, you and Malo deserved it. You insulted me with your money, and the next day you tried to punch me, so I punched you first."
I could still feel that moment. The shock on her face. The sound of it. The way everyone stared.
"I was trying to give you a welcome handshake as the president of the school, welcoming a new student. But you punched me. You were lucky I was at my best that day. I would have fucking knocked out all your teeth. And you were the one who asked for money to repair your fucking phone. I gave you the bag. Also, you were hurting my girlfriend."
"You broke my hand."
"You deserved it. Can you stop talking? I need to finish this book, and I don't want any distractions. So be quiet," she said.
There it was again. That command.
I didn't want to talk in the first place, but now that she commanded it, it made it worse. I hate being told what to do. It crawls under my skin. Makes me want to do the opposite just to prove something.
I folded my arms and leaned on the handrail, staring at the closed doors. I counted my breaths. In. Out. In. Out.
I had no phone to distract me. No music. No messages. No anything.
Just her. And my thoughts.
The elevator felt smaller by the second. My chest rose faster. I hated tight spaces. I hated being trapped. I hated not being in control.
Then something sparked like lightning from above.
A sharp crack. The lights flickered.
I gasped before I could stop myself. My body reacted faster than my brain. My feet slipped. My balance was gone.
I couldn't control myself. I was scared.
And I didn't know when I landed on her.
One second I was standing. The next I was on top of her. My hands braced against the floor beside her shoulders. My knees pressed into the space at her sides. Our faces inches apart.
Her book had fallen somewhere.
The moment I landed on her, Friday night flashed in my head.
Oh my goodness.
This bitch's tongue was inside my pussy.