Chapter One: Potential Rabies

"All I Got Was Potential Rabies"

The sun was slitting through the curtains of my bedroom, warming the space and making it feel somehow more comfortable as I sat on my bed. On screen, the main character glanced up from her novel and shifted her gaze across the room, where she found him looking back at her. He smiled and her eyes widened. She glanced away, obviously nervous. Then, the camera shot back to him, revealing a different expression on his face this time; a small, genuine smile like he thought she was cute for reacting in such a way.

I hugged my pillow closer and pouted, "What a good shot! They're so cute. Please just kiss already."

There was a transition to the next scene and then, not even a moment later, my phone started ringing. I paused the movie playing on my laptop and scrambled through the comforter to attempt to find the source of the noise. I groaned. "This is what I get for never making my bed."

Eventually, I found it, though it was hidden well in the space under my left leg. I answered without a glance at the caller ID because it was on the last ring and I would have missed the call otherwise.

"Hello?" I said and was immediately met with a sing-song tone from a very familiar voice;

"Alora~ Good Morning!! What are you-"

"It's four in the afternoon." I cut him off, lips pursed.

A brief pause. "I don't care. Anyway~ What are you doing right now? Are you... busy?"

I sighed, knowing my friend was about to try and rope me into doing something I more than likely wouldn't feel like doing. "That depends on what you're about to ask me to do."

"Aw, come on! Don't be that way. All my ideas are good ideas!"

"Said quite literally no one ever. The last time you called me like this, two hours later we were digging through dumpster looking for that girl from the restaurant's number."

He whined, "Look I didn't realize I threw the paper away!"

"And we didn't even end up finding it! Forty minutes, Taehyung! We dumpster dived for forty minutes and all I got was potential rabies!"

Another pause, this time guilty. I could practically hear the pout in his next words. "But she was pretty..."

I put my free hand up to my temple, trying to comprehend how stubborn he was. "Tae..."

"Okay! Okay! Fine. I'm sorry that happened but this is not like that time!"

"Then what is it?"

A sheik of something inhumane, followed by his saying excitedly, "Alright, okay, so I was talking to Yoongi early and he said there is a new laser tag place opened by the mall! So, we should totally go with some of the others tonight!"

My eyebrows knitted, "Since when is there even a building there?"

"I don't know, you know I don't go aroud that way often. Yoongi is the one who told me. I think he only knew since he works at the bowling alley," His tone shifted from inquisitive to his previous excitement. "So~ Do you want to go?"

I shifted my gaze to my computer screen, the main character and her brother on screen now. I could feel my lips draw downward unconsciously. "But, I'm in the middle of a really good movie..."

"You're always in the middle of a movie, Alora! C'mon, no one has work today and it will be fun!" He paused for response but I was still thinking hard about it, weighing my options. I love going out sometimes, but it's not my favorite thing. Taehyung continued with his persuasion but this time with a softer, more genuine tone. "Please, Alora? I think you'll have fun. The movie will still be there when you get back."

I thought for a moment longer, before smiling and closing my laptop. "Alright, fine. Why not?"

I could hear him cheering from the other side of the phone and had to physically pull the ear away from myself so as to not burst an eardrum accidentally. "Woah, woah! Okay, let's not get too excited! When are we leaving?"

"As soon as possible, sweetheart! I'm in your driveway!"

My eyes went wide and I stood up and out of bed. "You're not!"

He laughed and I ran over to my window right as the loud honking of a car horn could be heard, both in person and through the phone. "Yes I am!"

I opened my curtains to see Taehyung sitting in his car, bright eyes and hair full of brown waves and all. I looked at the sight in front of me with slight disbelief.

"You're crazy."

I could see the huge, boxy smile on his face from my room. He laughed. "Yeah, it would've been really awkward if you said no."

I huffed a laugh and shook my head. "Alright, well I still have to get dressed, so I'll be down in like ten minutes."

His eyes widened, "Ten minutes?!"

I gave Taehyung an incredulous look. "That's a very short amount of time. Don't rush me, mister. It's not my fault you're already here."

He whined and leaned forward onto his steering wheel, causing a loud 'Honk!' to sound. I laughed.

"See you in ten!"

Then, I hung up the phone and began rushing to get ready. I grabbed some random ripped black jeans and a graphic t-shirt, threw on a few accessories like my signature chains and earrings to match. Then, I went into the connecting washroom and put my hair in a high ponytail with my bangs out. After I straightened my bangs, I brushed my teeth and took a moment to appreciate the fact that I already had my makeup done from arrends that morning. Taehyung was lucky for that, or it would've taken me at least thirty minutes to get ready instead.

When I was completely finished, I walked out and sat in my bed to put my Doc Martens on. They were a little worn now, but still my favorite shoes. I grabbed my phone and wallet, keys and headphones, and was ready to go.

I walked out of my room and down the staircase, smiling as I glanced at my phone screen. 𝘛𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺. Once I reached the bottom step that entered into the living room, my mom called out to me from the couch where she was sewing and watching Gossip Girl.

"Where are you going, honey?"

I smiled and headed to the door. "Taehyung is here, we're gonna go play laser tag."

She laughed, "You two are eighteen and you're going to go play laser tag?"

I nodded, "And what about it?"

Another light laugh. "Nothing. Do you need any money?"

"No," I told her, shaking my head. "I've got money for it. See you later!"

"Alright, be back by midnight. I love you!"

"Love you too!"

And with that, I was shutting the front door behind me and walking over to Taehyung's car.

"Let's go, loser!" He shouted put of the cracked driver's side window and I shook my head, smiling.

I went to the passenger's side and got in, closing the door behind me and buckling up. "So, we're going with Yoongi?"

"Well. we're meeting Yoongi there. I think he's bringing a few others too."

I watched as he carefully backed out of the driveway, before turning onto the main road and starting off down the street. "Oh? Who?"

Taehyung smiled and raised his eyebrows, wiggling them suggestively. "Jimin and Seokjin."

"Oh," I said, grinning. "That's what this is about."

"Don't say it like that!" He protested. "Just admit you think Seokjin is cute and I'll put an end to the conversation here."

"It's not that I don't think he's cute, it's that you believe I have a crush on someone five years older than me!"

"Age is just a number, Alora!"

"First of all," I started, dramatically. "Not if it's illegal-"

"You're eighteen!"

"I don't mean me! Just don't say age is just a number," I laughed. "But in our case, he's already done with college and he's new at an office job in the city. He's got an apartment, bills, a car-"

"This just sounds like a list of what makes him hot, to me," Taehyung interrupted, cheekily.

I rolled my eyes playfully, "No, it's a list of why he's at a completely different place in life than me. Therefore, we should not date. No matter if he's cute or not."

There was a pause. Silence filled the air and, for a moment, I thought Taehyung might have actually agreed with me this time.

However, not a moment after the thought crossed my mind, his voice intruded.

"Okay, but you do think he's cute right?"

"Taehyung!"

He laughed and I soon joined in, our hilarity filling the car and energizing the late night calm of the atmosphere.

𝘛𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘨 𝘸𝘦 𝘨𝘰. A good start to a potential great night.