Zai cuddled me and stayed nearby, but overall he was much less… aggressively affectionate than I was used to. My music video was set to be released tonight at 8, but as soon as the sun began to set, he stood up and said,
"I'll be back soon." Zai kissed me goodbye. He was dressed in all black, except for the red gems in the earrings I gave him. Before walking out, he tied his hair back, pulled on his hood, and slipped on a black face mask.
I should do something while I wait for him…
I texted Lisa to see if she wanted to hang out, but got no response. So I tried Valin—and got the same result. Maybe they're together right now.
As a last resort, I messaged RJ:"Do you want to hang out?"
Zai trusts him… so I should have nothing to worry about.
"Where?" he replied, which shocked me. I'd expected an immediate rejection. We should go somewhere public…
"Maybe a movie? I have a few hours to kill."This reminds me of my first date plans with Smoke... If I went to see a movie with Zai, I doubt he'd let me focus on the screen. My cheeks tingled just imagining it.
"Sure."
After his reply, I used Zai's element to dash over to RJ's house and knocked on the door, breathless and wheezing on his porch. I held up a finger, gesturing for him to give me a second.
"I would've picked you up," he said, expression blank at first—then he gave a soft chuckle and walked past me to the garage.
Once I caught my breath, I followed him to his car. It was the green one. I should've known.
"What do you want to see?" he asked as soon as my seatbelt clicked into place.
"I want to see an action movie!" I said eagerly. "Maybe a superhero one, if the reviews aren't too awful."
He drove quietly. Since he wasn't talking, it was hard to keep my thoughts off Zai… What could he be doing? If his business doesn't involve Rai or Valin, what else is it?
"How about Ms. Stiletto?" RJ offered. "She's not overpowered, just well-trained. She uses a stiletto sword and stiletto heels to fight. I think you'll like the plot."
"Yeah! I'll watch it!"
I guess he'd just been thinking deeply before suggesting it.
"It's three hours long, though."
That is a long movie...
I texted Zai, letting him know I was going to see a movie with RJ. Even though he was busy, he replied within seconds:
"Okay. I miss you… Tell me about it when I get home. Maybe we can watch it together next time, if you like it."
My heart warmed reading his message, but I tucked my phone away without replying. Soon, we arrived.
The theater lobby had an enormous ceiling, and arcade games were scattered around, glowing in neon colors. RJ bought our tickets and asked what I wanted for snacks. I merely thought about caramel popcorn—and he walked off and bought it, along with the bottled water I was craving.
It was the first time he'd made it obvious that he was reading my thoughts.
The theater room was packed, so we had to scoot past several people to sit together—which felt awkward.
The film opened with a young woman, a natural-born fighter whose skills caught the eye of a secret organization. Her parents were gone, and she was responsible for raising her little sister. She agreed to darken her soul—for money, and her sister's sake.
Years later, a new leader decided she and a few others were too dangerous to live. They planted a bomb in her home, detonating it when they thought she was inside. But it was her sister instead.
I cried when her sister died. RJ gently stroked my back to comfort me—with one hand—while stealing my popcorn with the other.
"It was so good!" I exclaimed as we walked out of the theater. He nodded in agreement.
I couldn't wait to rewatch it with Zai. I immediately pulled out my phone and began texting him my thoughts, telling him how much I'd love to see it again together.
"Are you still hungry?" RJ asked.
I paused, then said, "Yeah… popcorn isn't very filling, I guess."
He got into the car first and waited for me, then drove us to a fast-food place where he ordered tacos for both of us. After parking, we started eating in the car, and I took the opportunity to thank him.
"Thanks for spending time with me—and for the food. I can pay you back soon!" I said proudly.
"…Pay me back by treating me next time," he replied.
It made me a little happy that he wanted to hang out again.
"I really appreciate this. I would've gone crazy at home alone…"
He wrapped his half-eaten taco and tucked it into the bag, then pulled a bottle of wine from under the seat and took a heavy drink.
"You're not supposed to have open alcohol in the car!" I scolded, fresh from reading the local driving laws.
He smirked. "Then don't tell on me." He finished it off and tossed the empty bottle into the back seat.
"And you don't need to keep thanking me. I like spending time with you."
I blinked. The words caught me off guard. Why?I always thought I was boring to most people — soft-spoken, a little too strange, always daydreaming...
"Then I should've asked you to hang out sooner," I murmured. "I'm sorry."
He wiped his mouth with a napkin, slowly, like he was buying time. "Are you ready to go home yet?"
I glanced at my phone again.Still no reply from Zai. The glow of the screen felt colder than usual.
Then, RJ let out a long, low groan and dropped his head against the headrest, pulling my attention back to him.
"I'm ready," I said quickly, assuming I'd overstayed my welcome.My stomach twisted. I didn't realize he was tired of hanging out already.
"You don't understand me," RJ muttered under his breath, just loud enough to hear.
My breath caught. His tone wasn't annoyed—it was hollow, restrained.He didn't look at me. Just stared through the windshield, like he was watching something far away.
I had assumed he groaned because he was ready to part ways—even if Zai wasn't home yet.But could he be talking about something else?
"I'm… not the best at reading people," I admitted softly, my fingers curling into my lap.
He didn't respond. Just reached for the ignition and turned the key.The low rumble of the engine filled the silence as he pulled out of the parking lot.His right hand gripped the steering wheel, while his left rested against the window, fingers tapping slowly, rhythmically.
The hum of the tires, the quiet music from the dashboard, the passing streetlights...It all blurred together into a kind of numb silence.When we finally stopped outside my house, I just sat there. Neither of us moved.
"I miss him too," RJ said suddenly, resting his head on the steering wheel and turning slightly toward me.
The raw honesty in his voice made my throat tighten.His breath fogged the glass just slightly. His shoulders sagged.
I guess that's one perk of being with someone who can read my mind — and who can't lie.It made it easier to admit things I'd usually bury deep inside.
"Oh… Then I'm sorry for hogging him so much."
RJ exhaled slowly and bitterly. "He's the one hogging you, choosing to spend less time with me."
There was something in his voice that felt like an old wound reopening.
"Zai's always been hard to get close to," he added, quieter.
Was he really about to open up to me?I sat up straighter, brushing my fingers nervously against the hem of my dress.I can do this. I can be the emotional support.
"But you succeeded," I offered gently. "You're his best friend."
He scoffed. Not harshly—more like a breath through the nose that carried too much disbelief.
"Sometimes I believe that…" he muttered, eyes fixed on the dashboard now.
Maybe I should encourage Zai to hang out with his friends more.But the thought of having less time with him… it clung to my chest like damp fabric.
RJ continued, voice low: "I think some days, I remind him of my father…And on those days, it's impossible for us to get along."
His knuckles flexed over the wheel. The muscle in his jaw ticked.
It almost felt like Zai should be the one having this conversation.But here RJ was—letting me in, piece by piece.
"He told me he thinks of you as family," I said, carefully. "You're very important to him."
RJ smiled faintly—just a twitch of his lips. "Alright."
But the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"And… he said he trusts you because you have to be honest."
"Ah." He gave a dry little laugh. "And because I wouldn't touch a woman who isn't interested in me."
He turned toward me slightly now, like he already knew which memory I was replaying.Of course he did.
"Yeah, I remember…" He said.
"You can read my mind so easily..."
"Your thoughts are loud. They're like a screaming child in a park," he said, smiling as he rested his head back.
The simile was oddly specific—and made me instantly self-conscious.
"Well… It's not just that I'm not interested," I said. "It's because I'm with Zai, right?"
He scrunched his face like he was weighing something heavy. Then he sat up and turned away, resting his arm on the windowsill again.
"You should go inside," he said, voice softer now. "Good night, Snowe."
I hesitated.
Should I press him?He can't lie—but he doesn't owe me total honesty either.And knowing he'd cross the line if I gave him the opening… I don't want to know that.I'm better off not confirming it. Lying could kill him—and silence feels safer.
I nodded and reached for the door.
"Good night," I said quietly, then stepped out of the car into the cool night air.
Zai came home about thirty minutes later. I sat on the porch so I could see him right away, and ran up to hug him.
"Oh wow… you're awfully excited for someone who didn't say, I miss you too," he teased.
"I missed you, too!" I said, hugging him tightly.
He laughed and returned the embrace. But something about his scent was... off.
I pulled away and stared at him.
"What's wrong?" Zai asked, reaching for my hand.
"You... smell like you've been fighting," I noted.
He looked away, sadness softening his features. "I have. But I'd rather talk about the movie, after we watch your music video together."
I blushed and pouted a little. I was glad he remembered the video. He didn't deserve an interrogation—and I was sure he'd tell me what happened when he was ready.
"Yeah… Let's see the video."