Chapter 9
Luciana had been lost in her memories when the low timbre of Thiago’s voice gently pulled her back to the present. She turned, surprised, and looked out the window, only to realize the McLaren had stopped along the street where Silverlake High School stood.
The late–summer night air clung to the skin like sticky honey. A few customers lingered by the food truck, their chatter floating lazily through the warm air.
Back in such a familiar place, Luciana’s lashes fluttered slightly. Then, like the bloom of a shy flower, a pair of soft dimples appeared on her cheeks. She smiled sweetly and without a guard.
“You want me to treat you to the burritos from here?”
“When did I say it’d be your treat?” Thiago said, locking eyes with her. “I remember for the entirety of our senior year, you bought me 98 burritos in total. I’m repaying them to you now.”
Luciana fell silent. Then, he strode toward the food truck and ordered, “I’d like 98 burritos, please.”
The customers nearby were speechless. The vendor’s smile froze instantly, his expression shifting from friendly to utterly baffled. He stared at Thiago like he was here to cause trouble. “Hey, kid. I don’t even have 98 tortillas here. What makes you think I can make you 98 burritos?”
Luciana didn’t think Thiago would be this unhinged. She quickly stepped before him and pulled out her phone. “We’ll take just two. How much for that?”
Moments later, two steaming hot burritos were handed over.
She passed one to Thiago and said, “I’m sorry for stuffing you with burritos throughout senior year. I only meant well. If my action had upset you, I sincerely apologize. Sorry.”
Thiago kept his hands in his pockets, his lips curling into a smirk that carried a hint of wickedness.
Luciana froze mid–gesture with her burrito still in the air. Was he refusing to take it because he wasn’t willing to accept her apology? Or did he seriously expect her to eat 98 burritos in return?
If she did that, she wouldn’t even need a trip to the emergency room; she would just drop dead on the spot.
“Hey, Luciana. My arms are sore from basketball today,” Thiago suddenly said.
She grunted lightly in response, her voice lifting at the end as if she hadn’t quite caught what he meant.
“My arms are sore, and I can’t hold the burrito. Can you feed me?” Thiago’s dark eyes held a universe of stars, his gaze so deep and tender that it was dangerously easy to fall in.
Luciana instinctively took a step back, cold sweat trickling down her back. His shimmering gaze made her heart tremble as she stared at him in quiet panic.
“No? I’ll go ahead and order 96 burritos, then.”
Before he could even turn around, Luciana bit her lip, then tugged gently at his sleeve. With a hint of nervous bravery, she held the burrito up to his lips. “Careful, it’s hot.”
Thiago lowered his head to look at her. In those few silent seconds, it felt like the world around them had stilled. Her grip on the burrito tightened, and her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
Just as she was about to pull back, he reached out and gently wrapped his fingers around her hand. Then, he leaned in and took a bite.
The sudden touch made Luciana forget how to breathe. Her wide, luminous eyes shimmered with ripples.
A smile crept onto his face. “Still the same, old taste.”
“Their burritos have always been good,” Luciana said, eager to withdraw her hand.
“I’ve only taken one bite, Luciana.”
“Let go for a sec. I’ll tear the wrapper a little.”
“Okay.”
For the next few minutes, they simply stood by the food truck with her holding the burrito and him taking quiet bites.
To Luciana, even the warm summer breeze felt different tonight. It carried a clean, gentle scent, just like his hand.
If only… he had feelings for her.
Every time he got a little closer, the wall she worked so hard to build around her heart seemed to crack just a bit. Now, it was starting to sway.
She looked down at the worn–out canvas shoes on her feet, faded from too many washes, and glanced at the designer sneakers he was wearing. That flicker of hope she had just felt quickly snuffed out.
Chapter 9
“When will I ever stop daydreaming like this?” she thought bitterly,
After finishing their burrito, Luciana returned to Thiago’s McLaren.
“Where do you live? I’ll send you home.”
“Ember Lane. Thanks,” she said, not daring to meet his eyes. She was afraid her overflowing feelings for him would escape from her gaze,
Thiago started the car. His long, defined fingers tapped idly on the steering wheel, but his expression gradually darkened, “Ember Lane isn’t a safe neighborhood.”
Ember Lane was a run–down area near the campus, surrounded by noisy construction sites and home to a mix of all sorts of people. It was far from ideal. Still, as long as the rent was cheap and the commute was convenient, Luciana didn’t mind.
She simply smiled, unconcerned. “I’ve been living there since freshman year. It’s fine. I don’t really have anything worth stealing anyway.”
What she left unsaid was that on the nights she came home late from work, there were often drunk men loitering near the entrance, sometimes even pounding on her door.
However, they always gave up after a while. As long as she stayed silent and waited it out, nothing happened.
In two more years, she would graduate and find a job. By then, she would move to a better place. Until then, she had to bear with it.
About 30 minutes later, the McLaren pulled up outside the complex. Piles of construction debris littered the narrow alley, making the already cramped entrance feel even more suffocating,
It was also hardly a place suited for a sports car.
Luciona unfastened her seatbelt. “Thank you for the ride. Drive home safely.”
If she were right, this would be the last time she had a private moment like this with Thiago. What a perfect way to end a three–year–long one-
sided crush.
He casually grunted in response. Inside the dim car, his expression was unreadable,
Alter alighting, Luciana headed toward her apartment building, Her footsteps were swift and purposeful, as if she was trying to escape the endless darkness behind her.
With her head down and her focus on the road ahead, a sudden chill crept up her spine when she heard footsteps behind her. They grew louder and faster with each passing second.
Something felt off.
Then, a disgusting voice tore through the stillness of the night. “Hey, pretty chick! Wait up!”
The voice was lewd, with the man slurring from alcohol. He oozed malice, like some devil straight out of hell.
Luciana’s heart immediately pounded like a drum. Fear surged through her, swallowing her whole.
Crap. It was that drunk guy again.
Clutching her phone tightly, she broke into a sprint and practically flow down the dimly lit street.
“Hey, why are you running? Wait for me!”
She dared not look back. It felt like all the blood in her body had rushed straight to her head. She pushed her legs to their limit, sprinting with every ounce of strength she had. The wind howled past her ears, and her heart pounded so violently that it felt like it might burst through her
chest.
Her footsteps became faster and lighter.
Finally, she spotted the dimly lit stairwell up ahead. Without a second thought, she dashed over. The air was thick with the musty, decaying scent of old buildings, and the weak light above flickered in the dark. At that very moment, all she could think about was finding a safe shelter.
Reaching her door, Luciana slammed it open, dove inside, and used every ounce of her strength to shut it behind her. A loud bang echoed through the narrow hallway like a warning shot.
