Nothing Personal, Just Fate

The mall is crowded.

I don't like crowds. Too many voices. Too much movement. But if there's one place where a person can disappear in plain sight, it's here.

A group of teenagers walks past, laughing too loudly. A man in a business suit is talking on the phone, his free hand adjusting his tie. A mother is struggling to keep her toddler from bolting toward the candy store.

No one is paying attention to me.

Good.

I move with the flow of people, casual, unhurried. A woman is adjusting her shopping bags, her purse strap loose over her arm. A quick brush of my fingers, and her wallet is mine.

She doesn't notice.

She won't.

I don't steal out of need. I steal because I can. Because the world moves too slow, too predictably, and sometimes I like to remind myself that I exist outside of it.

I slip into a bookstore, the scent of paper and ink filling the air. The shelves are tall, the aisles quiet. A perfect place to disappear.

Then I hear it—

"Hey! You again."

I look up.

Sebastian.

The guy from the other day. The one who called me interesting after watching me take down a phone snatcher.

He's leaning against a bookshelf, dressed in black as always—hoodie, ripped jeans, combat boots. The kind of guy who either writes poetry at 2 AM or sets things on fire just to watch them burn.

I tilt my head. "You stalking me?"

He snorts. "In a mall? Please."

Fair point.

I ignore him, turning my attention to the display table in front of me. New releases, mostly fantasy. A book with a deep blue cover catches my eye. The title is embossed in silver, the pages thick and inviting.

I pick it up.

"You actually read?" Sebastian asks, peering over my shoulder.

"No," I deadpan. "I eat books for sustenance."

"Wouldn't be surprised," he mutters.

I flip through the pages. The price tag glares at me.

$24.99.

Not worth it.

So I blink.

And just like that, the book is no longer in my hands.

It's in my bag.

Sebastian whistles low. "Slick."

I arch a brow. "You saw that?"

"Hard not to." He crosses his arms. "You're smooth, I'll give you that. No hesitation."

I wait for the lecture. The that's illegal speech.

It doesn't come.

Instead, he looks… amused.

I narrow my eyes. "You're not gonna snitch?"

He smirks. "Nah. But I do have a question."

I fold my arms. "What?"

"Why?"

I pause.

Not why did you steal? But why do you steal?

A real question.

Most people assume the answer. They assume desperation, or rebellion, or some sob story about survival. But I don't need to steal. I choose to. Because it's easy. Because it's fun. Because I like knowing that the world's rules don't apply to me.

Sebastian watches me, waiting.

I shrug. "Because I can."

He hums. "Fair enough."

Then, before I can react, he reaches into my bag—fast, practiced.

I grab his wrist before he can pull the book out.

We lock eyes.

A challenge.

His lips curve into a lazy grin. "You're quick."

I squeeze his wrist just enough to make a point. "And you're annoying."

He lets go, raising his hands in surrender. "Noted."

I release him. He steps back, shaking out his wrist. "So, what else you got in there?"

I smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

His eyes gleam with curiosity, but before he can respond, a voice cuts through the air—

"Excuse me, young man!"

Sebastian and I both turn.

A store employee marches toward us, eyes locked on Sebastian.

I step back, blending into the bookshelves.

Sebastian stays put. "Yeah?"

The employee crosses her arms. "We have you on camera slipping something into your pocket."

I blink.

Oh.

Oh, this is funny.

Sebastian raises a brow. "I didn't take anything."

"Then empty your pockets."

I watch, amused.

He didn't steal anything. I know that. He was too busy being a nuisance. But mall security doesn't care about facts—they care about suspicion.

Sebastian sighs and reaches into his pocket. He pulls out…

The book I stole.

Huh.

Now that's interesting.

His gaze flickers to me for half a second.

I say nothing.

The employee narrows her eyes. "So you did take something."

Sebastian twirls the book in his hands. "Looks that way."

I almost laugh.

The employee gestures toward the front of the store. "Come with me."

Sebastian glances at me again, barely a flicker of movement. But I catch it.

An unspoken question.

I answer by blinking.

And just like that, the book vanishes from his hands.

The employee's eyes widen. "Where did—?"

Sebastian spreads his arms. "Huh. Weird."

The employee sputters. "But I saw it—"

"Did you?" Sebastian tilts his head. "Or did you just think you did?"

She hesitates. Doubt creeps in.

People trust their eyes, but they also doubt them.

And that doubt is what sets him free.

After a moment, she scowls. "Just… don't let me catch you doing anything suspicious again."

Sebastian throws her a lazy salute. "Wouldn't dream of it."

She stalks off.

Sebastian turns to me.

"So," he says, "are you actually magic, or just stupidly fast?"

I smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

He grins.

I think I like this guy.

Later That Night

I sit on my bed, flipping through the stolen book. The words blur together, but I don't need to read them. I just like the feel of it in my hands—the weight of something that doesn't belong to me.

My phone vibrates.

A message.

Unknown Number: ur good. but i bet u can't steal something big.

I raise an eyebrow. The challenge is almost laughable. I could steal the moon if I wanted to.

I type back.

Me: Who is this?

The reply comes instantly.

Unknown Number: take a wild guess.

I smirk.

Sebastian. Of course.

I don't reply right away, just let the silence hang, knowing it'll annoy him.

Another message buzzes in.

Unknown Number: c'mon, don't leave me on read. admit ur impressed.

I finally type back.

Me: I'm impressed you figured out how to text me. Do you need a tutorial for anything else? Maybe how to tie your shoes?

A pause. Then:

Unknown Number: wow. ur cruel. i was gonna say ur my favorite criminal, but i take it back.

Me: Oh no, however will I recover?

Unknown Number: by proving me wrong. steal something impossible.

I tilt my head, intrigued.

Me: You first. If you're gonna challenge me, at least put some skin in the game.

A longer pause this time. Then:

Unknown Number: fine. but if i do, u owe me something.

Me: Doubt you'll pull it off, but sure. What do you want?

Unknown Number: to see you admit i'm better than you.

I let out a short laugh. Bold of him.

Me: That's never happening.

Unknown Number: we'll see.

I toss my phone onto the bed, still smirking.

Now, I'm curious.