The boy in black

Today's my last day of school in London but I refused to go. The parents let me stay. Atleast I deserve the break. Besides, the school wouldn't stop opening it's doors to those teenage hooligans from all parts of London.

We are to move on the morrow and that was it. I laid in bed. No phone. No novel. Just sleep. And trust me, I made the right decision. That was until mum woke me up with a pat on my leg.

'Christ ! Mum !' I sit up with a yell.

'That's God's name. Now, go take a shower or we'll be late.' she left the room.

'Late? It's just 2 : 30 in the afternoon.' I whined groggily.

'It's not 2 :30, It's 8am. Come on.' Mum called again.

'AM? So today's Wednesday? You let me sleep the whole day?!' I stumble out of bed.

'You needed to be left alone. I had to let you be.' Mum replied.

God, this woman never knows when or not I want to be left alone but I'm gonna let her have this one. She didn't nag. She deserved it.

'Sophia come around?' I asked.

'She left you a message.' Johnny walked in with my phone.

I yanked it from him. 'Don't touch my phone, young man.'

Crud. Now, I sound like mum.

'By the way, I read your diary. George's a really interesting character.' Johnny grins wickedly before running downstairs.

'Hey' I yell at him. Just what the hell did I do to that kid?

'Let's get ready.' Dad tells us.

- - - -

The flight was so boring that I knew I was going to fall asleep. My saviour from insufferable boredom was Sophia's Snapchat texts. A cajillion of them. Johnny was asleep. Mum was too but dad kept reading on his iPad.

It was just so quiet in here. Maybe because we're not in the economy class?

Everything became so slow and shortly after, sleep took me.

I awoke in the car. How did I get here? I look around and I see dad driving. How?

'You awake, Queen?' he asked.

'Barely.' My voice is hoarse as I sit up on the passenger seat. The road ahead looks too wide and the sun was at its peak. Are we in America?

'We're in America ! ' Johnny yell from behind my ears and I almost turn deaf.

'Jesus ! Johnny !' I whipped to his side in annoyance.

Johnny stuck his tongue at me and chuckled in the backseat.

'Mum' I called to her. She stayed in the backseat with Johnny.

'Now what have I told you about disrespecting your sister !' I hear mum say. She's probably giving Johnny the scolding of his life. I grin with satisfaction. Revenge is served.

'Charlotte, you're gonna pay.' Johnny cried.

'Sorrows sorrows, prayers.' I lean back into my seat for more sleep.

- - - - -

The house is a huge peach coloured duplex. The whole avenue was decorated with UK's flag and garlands of blossoms. The porch at the entrance of the house was festooned with scarlet silk. The scent of honey suckle fill the air as I noted the flaccid flower arbours on nooks and corners of the garden. I can't remember the last time I once planted something in our garden back in London. Father must have spent a lot on this house. I respect.

It took me 4 trips to get my own stuff into the house. Yeah, I own a lot of things. The furniture had been moved the previous day so settling in wouldn't be difficult for us.

'There are four rooms upstairs and I hear the one on the left has a perfect view.' Mom says.

Immediately, Johnny and I rush upstairs to get dibs on the room. Lady luck was on my side because I won.

'Charlotte, that's not fair.' Johnny whines

I give a pout. 'Oh dear, I sympathize.'

He stomps away and I laugh.

'This room looks smaller than mine back at home.' I say.

'This is your new home.' Dad interrupt with a knock.

'America isn't home, daddy.' I collapse on the bed. It's so soft.

Standing by the doorway, dad continues. 'I understand you're upset about this but you know it wasn't my fault.'

I mutter under my breath. 'It's that stupid company's fault.'

'You say something, Queen?' he asked.

'Nothing.' I replied.

'I just want you and your brother to settle in. It's fourth week of school and you'd have to be enrolled into another one. There's gonna be a lot of pressure but if you need anything, your mum and I are one call away.' Dad smiles one of his winsome smiles before leaving.

With a sigh, I look at the white painted ceiling and point at it. 'You're gonna need a makeover.'

- - - - -

Now I know how Jesus felt when Judas betrayed him. Johnny left me for ice cream the moment we stepped into the mall. Traitor !

'Now I'm on my own.' Grabbing one of the red carts, I walk into the aisle to get what I need for school and also groceries for home. Picking both relevant and irrelevant items. God, I need to keep it down on my spending habits.

I got to the third aisle to get a BTS fancy keychain when I spotted a guy. He wore a black hat that covered his eyes and facemask that hid his nose and mouth. He was looking sepulchral with all that black get up. Was he just leaving a funeral? I watched him closely. He kept touching most of the items but never put anyone in the cart he held. Then it hit me. He was shoplifting. Oh my God.

This is a crime scene, Charlotte. You have to report this. Make a citizens arrest like they do here. But that guy could be dangerous and hit me in the face. My pretty face cannot be damaged. Nope.

I guess the shoplifter was done with his business and was about to leave the aisle but I stopped him.

'Hold it right there, mate.' Those words flew right out of my mouth. Not exactly how I wanted to say them.

'You talking to me?' Shoplifter turns around.

'Oh yeah. I'm talking to you, shoplifter.' I whisper the "shoplifter" because a security walked right past us.

'You ain't got proof that I stole something.' he scoffed.

'I saw you. I'm a witness.' I defended myself. Who on earth is this hooligan?

'Move along, kid.' he begins to walk away.

And this made me so pissed that I called the copper on him.

'That's him. That's the thief.' I pointed at shoplifter.

'Come on, kid. Let's see what you stole.' The chubby security man said.

Shoplifter still defends himself. 'I ain't steal nothing.'

'Mind if I search you?' The security man asked.

'Go ahead.' Shoplifter replied boldly, staring daggers at me. The nerve of him. After a thorough search, there was nothing on him. Did he use some kind of magic? I saw him steal a watch. Did it just disappear into thin air?

'Young lady, I advise you look closely before accusing anyone wrongly.' Security began. 'Now, I'd like you to apologize to this gentleman.'

'What?' I was gobsmacked right there.

'Apologize to the young man you accused.' he said again.

Shit. I'm gonna lose my pride for saying this.

'I'm sorry.' I mutter.

'Louder.' Security probed annoyingly.

'I am sorry.' I apologized louder.

'It's alright, kid. Now, move along, both of you.' The security man left.

No way. He's just gonna leave? Is this how things are done in America? No way. I know what I saw. I saw him steal.

After rushing to the counter to get my things paid and packaged, I went outside to find shoplifter. Squinting my eyes in the arena to find him but I couldn't.

'Darn it.' I cursed.

Just when I walked down the street, I felt an arm pull me into an alley and my back hit the wall. I shrieked in fear. God I have not been this scared my entire life. I'm not being robbed my second day in America. Jesus do something.

'Open your eyes.' The voice said. It's a bloke's but it sounded familiar. No, it could just be my imagination. My heart is beating in a palpitating manner and I begin to fear. I refuse to open my eyes. The groceries in my hands are even shaking that I dropped them.

He begins to laugh. 'Open your eyes, it's shoplifter.'

My eyes flew open immediately. 'You ! So you're trying to scare me?'

'I must say I admire your courage back there, Brit.' he said. Ugh ! the American accent.

I couldn't tell if this bloke was smiling or grimacing with all that hat and face mask on.

'How did you do it? I clearly saw you.' I clenched my fists. Not as though I was ready to fight. I'm not Mike Tyson.

He leaned closer. 'I didn't steal anything. I'm taking what's mine.' he revealed the watch from his pocket.

I gasped. What sorcery !

'I watched the security search you. He found nothing.' Surprise hit me again. My poor heart is suffering here somebody.

'I bet you won't say this to anyone?' It came as a question.

When I didn't say anything, he walked closer to me.

'What are you doing?' I glared at him. Why the hell was he coming closer? Rape? No, girls don't get raped at noon, right? No ! I screamed internally.

Shoplifter stopped right in front of me and peeled off his facemask. Damn, he's got orange juicy lips. What a hot thief. Dammit, Charlotte focus.

'Tell no one. Swear it' he removed his hat.

I was blown away completely. What's with hot men around here? Christ, I'm about to nose bleed. He's got blue eyes like Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen. But the contrasting thing is his hair. They're darker than black. Of course, he's got piercings on his ears and eyebrows. Eyebrows? Isn't that painful?

'I'm handsome, aren't I? Can't get your eyes off me?' his lips quirked into a smirk and weirdly, I wanted him to do it again.

Take your mind off men for once, Charlotte.

'This is America, Brit. And in here, we do sorta things if we intend to keep promises.' Shoplifter put his facemask on my face and I'm startled. Why would he do that?

'Like a pinky promise?' I ask.

'Of course. You understand. You promise not to tell on me and I'll guarantee you won't see me again.' he wore back his hat. No, I can't see his eyes anymore.

I looked around. This alley was creepy and I hear evil things are done in the alley. I need to get out of here and quickly.

'Fine.' I brought out my pinky.

In the next second, he leans closer and gives me a kiss with the mask on. My eyes widen in shock. He stood there for a few seconds before pulling away.

'That's my pinky promise, Brit.' he flashed a smile before leaving with a cheery. 'See ya.'

My knees felt weakened and I joined my groceries on the floor. My cheeks are probably hot by now. Johnny came along with the ice cream on his hand. When he found me, he rushed to my side.

'Sis, you okay?' he checked me for injuries.

I was too stunned to speak. I can't believe I lost my first kiss to a handsome thief.

'Is it your heart? I'll grab mum.' he rushed across the street to where her car is parked.

Guys, it isn't my heart this time. It's a man.