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TWO
Shane
A
few hours ago, I was in New York, where I lived. But because of my task, I had to come here. I was on my way from the airport when some batshit crazy girl ran in front of my speeding car, and I managed to stop at the last minute.
Fucking great.I rolled my eyes and got out of the vehicle to see…her. I recognized her the moment I saw her. My father had been preparing me for this task since I was five. Yet, it was so random that the first person I met after landing in LA was none other than Melanie Atwood. My target.
You lucky bastard.
“Are you okay?” I asked, making sure my car hadn’t hit her.
“What a sudden change of heart!” she said sarcastically. “Just a second ago, you called me fucking crazy, and yet it was you who was driving like a fucking madman!”
I smiled at her sassy comment. She was fierce, and I liked it.
“Now what? Cat got your tongue?”she snapped at me. “Didn’t you see a speed limit of thirty miles per hour here? You had at least sixty on the clock!”
“My bad.” I smirked. “Let me make it up to you.” I indicated she should get in the car.
“Do you expect me to get in the car with my potential murderer?!” she exclaimed, irritated, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Like I said. Let me make it up to you.” I went to the other side of my car and opened the passenger door, gazing at her expectantly.
She looked like a mess. Well, like a fucking hot mess. Her big brown eyes that, I bet, usually would glimmer like diamonds were now red and puffy. Her mascara was all over her face indicating she’d just cried. She was standing barefoot, holding her heels in her shaky hands. But despite it, she still looked like a fucking goddess. Her shiny, platinum-blonde waist-length hair was twisting in the wind. Only some shorter strands fell on her face, covering its beauty.
“Come on. I see you don’t know what to do with yourself. Let me drop you somewhere.” I got no response. “Unless you want to march barefoot for God knows how long and risk getting hit by some fucking madman,” I said, alluding to her previous phrase, and she smiled.
“Alright. Just because you owe me for nearly killing me,” she said and got in the car.
I smiled, satisfied, and closed the door after her. This was going to be a long night.
WE’D BEEN DRIVING for about half an hour, and the roaring of the accelerating car engine was the only thing muffling the deadly silence. I pretended to be focused on the road but still could feel her gaze on me.
“Like what you see?” Knowing she’d been gawking at me all this time, I couldn’t help but tease.
“Don’t flatter yourself!” she said, unfazed, and I chuckled.
“Well, stop biting your lip while staring at me, so maybe I’ll stop flattering myself,” I said, with my eyes still focused on the road, and she gave me a kind of “How the hell did he notice that?” look.
“I was just wondering what’s your name.” She cleared her throat to sound more convincing. “Nothing more.”
I briefly glanced at her before setting my eyes on the highway again. She looked pretty adorable with her blushing cheeks.
“It’s Shane,” I said, and she nodded, acknowledging.
She turned, leaning her head on the backrest, and focused on the sweeping landscapes of bustling LA. We’d been driving along US Route 101, a.k.a. the Hollywood Freeway. I could see her reflection in the mirror. She seemed down, and I wondered what had happened before we met, which led to her running desperately ahead like she was trying to escape the brutal reality.
“Where are we going?” she asked shrewdly as if something awakened inside her, and I smiled.
~••~
We entered the gleaming lobby of the Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons hotel, and I noticed Melanie got tense. She bent down her head as if wishing she could’ve been invisible.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, slightly concerned.
“Nothing,” she hesitated. “I just… don’t want anyone to recognize me,” she whispered. She was frowning and bit her lower lip anxiously while gazing up at me from under her lengthy, black eyelashes, and my lips curled in a soft smirk. I found it cute that she was so… innocent.
