I crouched, my hand pressed to the concrete in a punch-ready stance, my chest heaving with ragged breaths. *Huff. Huff.*
Sweat dripped from my long hair, sliding down my face despite the cold air, my black t-shirt clinging to my skin, my tired, angry glare cutting through the dimness. Raya and Kalina stood against the stone pillar, their eyes wide, their earlier sly confidence replaced by stunned awe, their faces lit by the flickering light.
I stood slowly, my muscles aching, my breath steadying as I brushed my hair from my eyes, my gaze hard and unreadable.
Raya’s red dress was crumpled, her hair a mess, while Kalina’s silver one-piece glinted faintly, her hands fidgeting nervously. They stared at me, their mouths slightly open, like they’d just seen a ghost pull off a miracle.
"Damn..." Raya said, her voice hesitant, almost a whisper. "Y-you’re really so strong." Her eyes flicked to the unconscious goons, then back to me, a mix of admiration and nerves in her expression.
"Y-yeah," Kalina added, blinking rapidly, her voice shaky but bright. "That was epic, Ezra. Like, seriously, how’d you even do that?" She shifted her weight, her hands twisting together, her awe cutting through the tension.
I didn’t respond, just walked forward, my boots scuffing the concrete, my bag still lying where I’d dropped it. I stopped in front of them, towering over their smaller bodies, and gave them a disgusted look, my eyes narrowing as I looked down.
"So.....I *seduced* you both, huh?" I said, my voice flat, cold, the words heavy with the betrayal of their lie.
Raya’s face faltered, her earlier spark dimming. "See, Ezra, we can explain—" she started, her hands gesturing, her voice rushing to smooth things over.
"Shut up!" I snapped, cutting her off, my tone sharp enough to make her flinch. She gulped, her eyes widening, her hands dropping to her sides as she gave up trying to talk.
Kalina stayed quiet, her gaze dropping to the ground, her fingers still fidgeting.
Raya’s lips parted, her face shifting into a sad, pouty expression that looked painfully fake, her eyes glistening like she was about to cry.
"I’m sorry..." she said softly, her voice trembling, but the act was so obvious.
I sighed, long and heavy, my breath clouding in the cold air, my hand scratching the back of my head, tangling in my sweaty hair.
*Pointless,* I thought. Reasoning with these girls was like arguing with a wall—they treated everything like a joke, a game, even this mess. Their lies had dragged me into a fight, nearly got me killed, and they still stood there, playing innocent. I shook my head, done with it all.
"I’m outta here," I muttered to myself, turning back to where my bag lay on the concrete. I bent down, grabbing the strap, the weight familiar as I slung it over my shoulder.
*Thump.* A hand grabbed my bag, stopping me. "Stop..." Raya’s voice came, soft but insistent, her fingers gripping the strap.
I turned, my face twisting into a bored, irritated frown, and saw her standing there, Kalina beside her, rubbing her hands nervously, like they were kids caught doing something wrong.
"What is it now?" I asked, my voice low, my patience thin, my eyes flicking between them, ready to walk away.
Raya’s grip tightened, her other hand reaching out to hold mine, her fingers warm against my cold skin. "Can we come with you?" she asked, her face flushed, her eyes sparkling with a mix of desperation and something else—hope, maybe, or just more of her games. Her lips curved into a small, pleading smile, her hair falling messily around her face.
I stared at her, then at Kalina, whose nervous fidgeting stopped, her eyes meeting mine.
"No," I said, flat and final, pulling my hand free and turning away, my bag settling on my shoulder as I started walking, the tracks humming faintly behind me.
The city streets were alive with the late-night hum of neon signs and distant car horns, the chilly November wind cutting through my black t-shirt as I walked away from the subway station’s shadowed chaos.
My boots scuffed the pavement, my bag heavy on one shoulder, the weight of the fight—Michael, Henry, Edward, and who knows who, all knocked out—still pulsing in my muscles
Raya and Kalina’s voices didn’t. They scrambled after me, their heels clicking frantically, and before I could get far, their hands grabbed my bag, pulling it back, dragging it along the sidewalk.
Passersby—a couple sharing a cigarette, a guy with headphones—glanced at us, their eyes lingering on the odd scene: two girls in crumpled party dresses clinging to a tired, sweaty guy who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.
"For God’s sake," I snapped, stopping dead, my voice loud and irritated as I spun to face them. "You guys almost got me killed back there, and now you wanna come with me? Do you even hear yourselves?" My hands flew up, my long hair falling into my eyes, my glare serious, their faces flushed from running, their eyes wide and pleading.
Raya’s lip trembled, her hands still clutching my bag like a lifeline.
"We’re sorry, Ezra, We are really sorry.." she said, her voice breaking, tears spilling down her cheeks, smudging her makeup. "We have nowhere to go now. Please... please..." She sobbed, loud and raw, her shoulders shaking, her hair a mess around her face, drawing more curious stares from a nearby street vendor packing up his cart.
"Yeah, Ezra, just for one night," Kalina added, her voice softer but just as desperate, her hands twisting together, her eyes glistening with the same emotional plea.
"Please, we’re begging you. We messed up, we know, but we’re stuck." Her silver dress caught the streetlight.
Raya’s crying grew louder, her hands letting go of my bag to clutch at her face. "We’ll do anything you want," she said, her voice cracking, tears streaming now. "Cook food, wash your clothes, anything, but please let us stay with you... aaaaaa..." Her sobs echoed off the buildings, a dramatic plea that felt half-real, half-performance, pulling more eyes—two girls whispering across the street, a guy slowing his bike to look.
I sighhhhed, long and heavy, my breath clouding in the cold air, my hands dropping to my sides.
My gaze flicked between their tear-streaked faces, my expression blank, empty, masking the storm in my head.
But then it hit me: I was alone for the next two or three days anyway, with Aeri at Sara’s for the wedding prep. The apartment would be empty, quiet, too big without her laugh to fill it.
If it was just one night... maybe I could handle it.
I stared at them, Raya’s flushed, tear-soaked face, Kalina’s nervous, hopeful eyes, the city moving around us like we were a sideshow.