FOLLOW

"HELLO," AERA MURMURED, rising from her spot on the couch. I grinned at her hair—a mess of wavy brown knots—and tried to stop the urge of winding my fingers through her hair.

"Hello yourself," I responded easily, tossing her the Twix.

"Thank you," she said, unsure and surprised at my gesture.

"No problem," I muttered, sliding a cigarette from its thin plastic container, rubbing my fingers along the rolled paper before using my finger to light the end of the fire.

"You smoke?" Her voice was curious.

"Yes," I mouthed around the cigarette, dragging my fingertip along the paper until the single touch ignited the bitch on fire.

"There's a 67% chance you're going to die from lung cancer." she stated boldly, pronouncing each word as if she was reading from a textbook. I glanced at her, just to see if she was.

I smirked, exhaling puffed rings of smoke. I could feel the nicotine wrap itself around my lungs, the chemicals fighting against my body. Only to have the feeling leave as each cell regenerated inside my body.

"I'm not going to get lung cancer," I whispered, mostly to myself. I could hear the longing in my own voice.

"How do you know that?" she asked, curious again.

"I just do," I said, dragging a long breath before digging the cigarette butt into the trash can.

Fingers prodded inside the fabric of my hoodie, but my senses were comforted by the smell of strawberry shampoo.

"I'm throwing these away," she snapped.

"Because who would want a 67% of dying from lung cancer?" I scoffed. She tossed me an incredulous look.

"What...?" she trailed off, voice bubbling over her lips.

"What do you mean?" she demanded.

Although I doubt she meant to sound anywhere near seductive, she did.

I smirked.

We were interrupted when someone knocked on the hotel's door.

"Coming," I called.

I plastered on a fake smile, forcing my hand not to clamp around the doorknob and rip the door of its creaky hinges.

I knew the smell of the cologne before I matched it with the face.

I closed the door.

"Kira~!" he sang.

"I smell your little—"

"You promised." I hissed under my breath.

"I know," he whispered with a wink. I scowled before shutting the door.

"Fuck." I cursed to myself.

"Hello, again." Seon purred, and I shot him a dark look, eyes lasering the back of his head.

"H-Hi." Aera stuttered, obviously uncomfortable.

"Do you need anything?" I snarled through gritted teeth, jaw clenched as I forced the words from my mouth.

He ignored me, of course.

"Why don't you sit down..." Seon trailed off, hoping the empty space would be filled with Aera spilling out her name, gushing her life story with one look into his compelling eyes.

But she was mine.

"Aera."

Seon pushed in the chair for Aera, her body centimetres from the table's rounded edge.

All I could think about was her pressed against the hard wood, unable to breathe as Seon laughed behind her, hands twined around her ripped, bloodied lungs.

"We have to leave soon," I said to Seon, my voice sharp and cold.

He turned to me, as if he forgot I was hovering a few close steps behind him. He grinned, though it showed no friendliness.

"Why don't I come with you" he invited himself.

"Sorry. Girls only," I said, though I wasn't sorry. Not at all.

"Oh," he sighed, deflated. I imagined him waving a white flag of surrender, and tried to hide my smug grin.

Until he gasped.

Oh, no.

"Did you guys hear?" he said, voice full of alarm, suddenly shocked.

"A kid died yesterday," he muttered, sniffing dramatically.

Aera's eyes bulged from her sockets, hand covering her mouth.

I frowned.

"What happened?" she asked. I crossed my arms defensively, anger pouring in waves around me.

Fucking bitch.

"Someone pushed him through a glass door at some gas station," he started, then met my eyes. They were empty, though I knew mine were burning an angry, abnormal gold in return.

"—then cut his head off."

"Get out." Venom laced each word, my teeth grinding against each other to keep from tearing his flesh off each useless bone.

Seon grinned foxishly, his eyes trailing from mine and to the door.

"Of course."

Then he was gone.

I glanced at Aera.

"I'll be back soon."

Then I followed him.