[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: I DON'T DO DRUGS ~ ARIANA GRANDE FEAT DOJA CATS]
One week later...
Lily had forgotten about everything that happened that night because the next day her boss came back from wherever it was he went to and paid her extra. She was able to pay her electrical bills and also her tuition fee, so it didn't matter if her life was in danger the other night; what mattered is that she came out unscathed, and her boss paid her well.
Lily decided to close earlier as a precaution, and it worked because throughout the week, she was very fine.
"Lily, seriously take an excuse from your boss and come for this party! You are in your third year as a business student, and you've never partied? Disappointing!" A girl with ginger curls said, applying a red lip gloss on her full lips.
Lily looked at the human she called her best friend; they were opposite of each other. While Lily loved to cover her body, Victoria enjoyed putting on revealing dresses.
Victoria was a social bee, who worked in the clubhouse every weekend as a bartender.
"I don't want to go to a place where everyone is shouting to loud music, and reeking of sweat and alcohol." Lily remarked, the thought of it making her face scrunch in distaste.
Victoria palmed her face, "At this point, you're going to get old with cobwebs in between your sweet core. Allow yourself to get laid, Lily! You are twenty-one, for crying out so loud."
Lily, who enjoyed pissing her best friend off when it comes to this topic, chimed, "Is twenty-one supposed to be the age of getting laid? Was it written somewhere?"
"Yes, it was! Your reading this month shows that you will find-"
"That was what you said last Christmas when I decided to try that senior in your major, only to find out that it wasn't me he was looking to get close to but my brother?" Lily threw her head back in laughter when she remembered the senior who had a crush on her younger brother.
"Also, the same reading almost got me beaten up by men I knew nothing about because you said I was going to have a life-changing experience!" The incident that happened a week ago flashed in Lily's mind, and she shuddered at the thought.
"Ok, I accept, but here you are. You didn't get beaten up; you were saved, hm? Just come for this party, and if you don't enjoy it. I'll allow you to wallow in this life of misery confined in your room reading cringe romance novels which would never happen. Ever." Victoria said firmly
Lily sneered at her best friend; she didn't have to rub it in that her fantasy would never come happen. She was indeed someone who enjoyed reading books about sweet romantic men who loved their women like their life depended on it.
"Fine! After class today, I'll close off from work early. You will come pick me, right?" Lily finally said, getting a thrilled look from her best friend.
"Over and out!! I'll come with your party dress because you ain't wearing that...to the party." Victoria said, taking in her best friend's dressing. A baggy jean, ripped a little on the knees, a sweatshirt, and sneakers. Her chestnut hair weaved at the side then packed behind her, with her glasses resting on her nose bridge.
"I understand why that senior chose your brother in the end." Victoria muttered after looking at the girl in front of her.
"What did you say?" Maya asked, narrowing her eyes at her best friend.
Victoria waved her hands dismissively, "Mmhm..nada. see you in the evening, bye!"
She ran out of the room, dragging her very short skirt down in the process.
Lily looked at herself in front of the mirror, "Is anything wrong with me? That little vixen!" She turned to look at the door Victoria ran out from.
After class, Lily made her way to the shop; it was already mid-afternoon, but the sun was not so harsh, and the weather was cool. As she couldn't take a cab, she used the bus while walking down. Trying to get her mind occupied, Lily picked out a book she hadn't finished reading, opening up to the last page she stopped. She started reading while walking on the road. Just like many other times, she became oblivious to her surroundings, getting immersed in her fantasy world.
Lily regained her focus when she bumped into someone. She bent down to pick up her books while fixing her glasses properly on her face. When she stood up, the person that had bumped into her didn't stop or turn; he continued to walk like nothing had happened.
"Rude people everywhere," Lily muttered. When she looked up, she realized she had walked for too long; she was now standing in front of the store.
She stepped inside, wearing her vest on top of her sweatshirt. She started going through her records, checking the sales for the day. There was not much sale. The young girl nodded.
"Lily, you are here already. I'll be leaving now. I have a date tonight, so you can close." A young man who identified as Lily's boss stepped out from the other side of the room.
Lily looked up from the customer's record she was holding, "Good afternoon, sir. I'll close early today. I have somewhere I'm going with my friend." She replied, putting down her pen.
Her boss stopped walking for a second, with a frown etched on his forehead, "Hm? It's the first time; sure, have fun," he remarked before leaving the store to Lily's care.
Lily hummed when her boss left the store; that was easy. She thought. She took out her phone to play a song while she continued reading her book.
"Is it off?" Lily whispered; her phone had been on when she stepped down from the bus. It was fully charged.
"That's strange." Picking out her charger, she plugged her phone, and when it turned on, it was fully charged.
"Now that's creepy," Lily muttered, playing a slow song; she continued the book she had been reading as the whole room was filled with scents from different flowers.
Far from the flower store, two men sat in front of a convenience store; one was focused on his laptop while the other one scooped a spoonful of ice cream.
"I'm in," the taller one from the two said nonchalantly. His eyes looking dull and tired.
"Raven, I'm surprised you agreed to do this job. What changed your mind" Shadow asked, sucking his Icecream spoon, when he didn't receive any reply from his fellow agent as expected. He asked again,
"You don't remember the girl?" Shadow asked licking off the vanilla cream that was resting on his lips.
Raven pushed his workstation to his partner, "Am I supposed to?" His tone indifferent and calm.
Shadow shook his head, checking out the girl's phone they had just hacked into. "No no, never. It wouldn't be you if you remembered." He hummed while scrolling through the girl's personal files. "There's nothing here; she's clean."
"So we just hacked into a regular human's phone. I can't believe I left my house for this." Raven closed off his system about to leave the store when his partner held him.
"What if she's disguising, maybe she has something more because an ordinary human can't work for Adolf for too long. It means she's also a pusher; she knows the business." Shadow tugged.
Raven sighed frustratedly, "What then do you suggest?" He asked, regretting his life decisions of making Shadow his partner.
"Keep an eye on her. She is either a ring member or she's their cleaner." Shadow remarked, clicking open the messages that popped up on the girl's phone.
Lily checked her phone when she heard the notification beep. She furrowed her brows when she noticed it was already opened, but she just saw it now.
"Maybe it's time I change my phone. This one is malfunctioning." She muttered to herself, opening the message from Victoria, which read.
'Gummy bunny, get ready I've gotten us tickets. The party is at Shera of the night, Club starts by 10, but I'll come pick you by 7. So I can get you ready. Take care xoxo'
Lily read the message; she could already dictate the excitement on Victoria just from the message and she wondered what type of getting ready it was that needed three hours.
....
"Raven, seems we are going to Shera of the night." Shadow grinned, sticking out his tongue to reveal the ring that was on the tip.
"I told you she's a pusher, it's the same place Adolf is going to meet with the whales." The shorter agent replied, tapping his finger on the table.
Raven raised his face to look at the young girl at the flower shop. For an odd reason, the girl didn't look like what she was being called, but in his line of work, there was more than what the eyes met.