Page 28

The next few days went like clockwork – setting up elaborate stations, perfecting our grotesque costumes, and running acting drills until my throat felt like sandpaper. "Scarlett!" Alice, one of my coworkers, came up behind me, grinning. "Are you going to the celebration party?"

Ah, right. The celebration party. I loved a good party, but these weren't good parties. They were the kind that involved stiff small talk, forced smiles, and endless congratulations. The kind where you had to pretend you gave a damn about quarterly earnings. Fuck. That.

I was about to give my usual polite decline when she dropped the bomb. "They said we'll get to meet the top boss there. Grayson, apparently."

My world spun, just a little. Meeting our elusive CEO, up close and personal, was...intriguing. Rumors swirled about him. A tech genius, a recluse, a ruthless businessman. I sighed, mentally surrendering. "Fine, I'll go."

I cleaned up my station, the thought of Grayson lingering in my mind. I decided to give myself some new ink. Back in college, I'd worked at a tattoo shop and kept it up as a side hustle. It was therapeutic, a way to ground myself when life felt too chaotic.

I sat at my desk, laid out my supplies, and got to work. I decided on a vine with thorns, starting at my thigh and snaking down to my ankle. Each prick of the needle was a tiny sting of satisfaction. The piece was finished around 2 AM. I cleaned up, admired my work, and finally headed home, exhausted but strangely energized.

As I pushed open the door, I stopped dead in my tracks. It wasn't just the usual blue roses. It was… everything. My entire living room was awash in them. A carpet of deep azure petals covered the floor, forming a giant heart that stretched from the door to the couch. And on the couch? An enormous bouquet of blue and black roses, nestled amongst my favorite candies, the ones they stopped making years ago, and unreleased video games, still in their shrink wrap.

What… who…? Who left these?

My mind flashed back to my dream weeks ago. Was it Grayson? No. No way. He was a CEO, probably too busy counting his money and seducing supermodels. He was rich as fuck, he didn't need someone like me.

I groaned, slumping onto the couch, a mess of conflicting emotions swirling inside me. Confusion, disbelief, a sliver of… something else I couldn't quite name. I needed to talk to someone. Anyone.

I grabbed my phone and dialed Everest. Thankfully, my older brother was a notorious night owl. He probably just closed up his 5 star hotel and was on his way to some underground casino already.

The phone rang twice before he answered, his voice groggy.

"Scarlett? You okay? It's late."

"Eve, I… I don't know what's happening. You won't believe this." I took a deep breath. "I came home, and my entire living room is covered in blue roses. Like, a ridiculous amount. And a bouquet on the couch with… with candy I haven't seen in years, and unreleased video games. It's insane."

There was silence on the other end, followed by a low whistle. "Okay, that is insane. Sounds like something out of a bad romance novel. You sure you weren't sleepwalking and bought out a flower shop?"

"Very funny. I'm being serious! This is… creepy. And also… kind of sweet? I don't know."

"Sweet and creepy? That's a lethal combination, Red. You got any idea who did this?"

"I… I have a suspicion. But it's stupid. Our CEO… Grayson. I met him in my dream...and I've been getting blue roses left around for months... But it's impossible, right? He's like, a millionaire. He wouldn't give me a rose. Or, you know, a whole damn garden."

Everest sighed, a sound of brotherly concern. "Okay, look. Don't dismiss anything yet. Be careful, alright? This could be some weirdo stalker, or it could be… well, I don't know. A rich, eccentric admirer. Just be aware of your surroundings, okay? And call me if anything else happens. Anything at all."

"I will, Eve. Thanks."

"Anytime, Red. Get some sleep. You need it."

The call ended, but the anxiety didn't. I showered, the hot water doing little to soothe my jangled nerves. I decided not to let the gifts go to waste. I grabbed my phone again and called Nevada.

"Nevada, you up?"

"Always, Red. What's good?"

"I got a new AAR racing game. The one that just dropped. Wanna play?"

I could practically hear his grin through the phone. "Hell yeah! Send me that invite!"

We FaceTimed as we gamed. Nevada, with his red and black fade, bouncing in his chair, yelling at the screen. The game was chaotic. He was a terrible driver, constantly crashing into walls and blaming me for his misfortunes.

"Scarlett, you're totally blocking me! You're doing it on purpose!"

"I am not! You just suck!" I yelled back, laughing as he spun out on a hairpin turn.

"Suck? I'll show you suck! Prepare to taste my virtual exhaust!"

Hours passed in a blur of virtual races, trash talk, and ridiculously bad driving. It was just what I needed – a distraction from the roses, from Grayson, from the unsettling feeling that I was being watched.

Finally, close to 7 AM, we said our goodbyes. Thank god it was the weekend. Or I would be screwed.

I sighed, crawling into bed. Sleep came quickly, dragging me down into a restless, dream-filled darkness. But this time, there were no roses. Only the roar of engines and the echo of my brother's laughter.