I jogged down the steps of the apartment building wearing presentable clothes this time. As in, basketball shorts and a black shirt with a thin coat that reached past my knees. 

   The sun met my eyes with a nasty left hook, making me shy away from it’s blinding brightness. What’s the point of even going outside? If I need something I can order it online. Book, clothes, and well, anything I need. Hell, if I wanted to see a movie I could just go to some illegal movie website and watch from the comfort of my chair. 

   If I wanted to eat? There’s so many apps that give people the opportunity to make some pocket money by getting the food for you. We live in an advanced time and age! We shouldn’t waste our technology like this by going outside! Aye, now who’s with me! 

  I stood at the end of the stairs with my eyes closed and my chin tilted upwards, I could feel someone staring through my soul. I slowly took a peek with one eye and found Kayla leaning forward while staring right up at me. She was so close her slippers were touching my sneakers! Personal space!

   “What are you doing?” she questioned with her hands on her hips like she just caught me doing something mischievous.

   I gulped and bent my spine backwards, shooting my hands up.

   “Ah, you know. Just stretching.” I replied with a nervous laughter.

   I twisted my hips sideways and actually felt a satisfying crack. I was pleasantly surprised. It felt so nice, I’ve been too invested with beating my PR that I forgot to exercise and stretch. Should I ask Kayla for a massage?

   I glanced down again to open my mouth, but found the tech girl with a piercing glare standing in the same spot as before except I think she moved in closer. With her puffed up cheek, I smiled and stealthily walked past her, to the silver car parked in front of us.

   Without looking back at her, I ran to the driver’s seat and unlocked the doors to slide myself in. I looked forward with both hands on the wheel. Refusing to look at the demon any longer before I got cursed.

   I heard a tap on the window and I turned to see Kayle pointing down at the locked door. Isn’t this an opportunity? Shouldn’t I drive off right at this moment and never turn back.

    I was lost in thought, Kayla reached into her ass pockets and brought out a five in one foldable screwdriver.

   She gave me that witch smile that said ‘Your computer will make for a fine Jarvis.’

   Don’t you dare hurt my computer! You can have me, but that thing cost me years of saving up!

   I reached over to unlock the door and might as well open it for her right? I pulled back the handle and tilted my head up to give her the award winning smile of mine.

  She replied with a mocking smile and slid into the car.

   I just need to drive her. That’s it. From and to the hardware store is all I need to do. I don’t even need to leave the car do I? I’ll just think of it as an unpaid internship as a Uber driver. Mhm, mhm. 

   “Where would you like to go, ma’am.” I said, fixing my glasses upon my nose with two fingers.

   Silence took over the car like a funeral except the only thing crying was my soul. Ohhhhh, it’s so awkward. Why is it so awkward? Why did I say that?!

   “...lame. If I knew how to drive I would’ve kicked you out the car in this instance. Shut up and drive. Hardware store.” she said, pulling out her phone and entering the directions into the gps before placing it onto the holder in the middle of the seats.

   Isn’t this slave labor?

   We left the premises of our apartments that had such an unnecessary long name.

   “Kayla, why don’t we just go to the Walmart Supercenter that’s close by. Plus, much easier to find parking compared to that complicated maze of a parking lot at that hardware store.”

   “Where are we going to find the materials I need in walmart? They would only have one size of screws or people to sell you T.V and cable. No, I already ordered in advance from Ace Hardware so my stuff should be ready You won’t even need to park. Just drop me off in the front and I’ll be in and out in a jiffy.” she said.

   Why is she so damn pushy?

   I drove in silence to maybe weird her out enough to not want to carpool with me anymore. Ever since I made that one offer to give her a ride to the university near us, she’s been non-stop asking me to give her lifts to robotics competitions, food restaurants for when she’s craving something. Hardware stores like right now, and also to pick her up from whenever she stays late night at her school building some tech gadget thingy. Am I her damn servant?

   I drifted into the parking lot with the sign out front that said ‘Ace Hardware.’

   Scanning the lot, it seemed that quite a bit of people were here. However, what Kayla and I both seemed to notice was the horrid parking the customers did. I mean, half the cars were not even on the line but were past it. What the hell? How did all these idiots end up coming to this store all at once? 

   Shaking my head at the lazy parking, I came to a halt in front of the store. Kayla unbuckled her belt and stepped out of the car, leaning down to open the door.

   “I’ll be back quickly. You better not ditch me here, again. Jack!” she said, giving the death eyes.

   “It’s not like I left you on purpose. How many times do I have to tell you? I had a Clash tournament on League with the group and I couldn’t afford to miss it.”

   Her eyes scowled at me even more, if it went on any longer I feel like a black hole would form right on me!

   She lingered a few more seconds before shutting the door close and waving me bye while looking back to see if I moved or not. Which in a way, if I am going to be honest again, is pretty cute. I might have fallen for her if not for her Grim Reaper persona.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

   I watched as her hips swayed farther from me and into the sliding doors of Ace Hardware.

   She may be flat on top, but on the bottom… cough what was I thinking. I may play games all night but I am still a gentleman…. I would like to believe.

   I stayed waiting in the car in front of the store like I was waiting for a girlfriend. People entered the store while giving me smiles.    

   There was one buff, bald guy with ripped sleeved arms around some blonde girl. His whole aura screamed to me saying ‘I can bench you!’ 

   Next to the couple was a grandma who showed me a toothless grin that said ‘Come here and let me smooch ya. Would you like some apple pie?’ 

   Though don’t get me wrong, apple pie is amazing. Have you ever watched a tv show or read a scene in a story where the author does nothing but torture you by describing some delectable pumpkin spice pie. The crisp crust and the smooth top that made your mouth water just by thinking about what it would be like to take one giant mouth full of that lovely pie. Mmm if I looked at myself right now, I’d probably be drooling!

   After waiting what seemed like hours, I turned on the radio to clear myself of this boredom. Skipping through the popular radio stations because a song that mentions ass, drugs, and cars would likely be playing and I for one have only called people ass during games. Along with intervening in drug cartel shippings and racing in a GTR across the airport… all in games of course.

   I skipped stations until the radio blurred and static came on, making me raise an eyebrow at the damn broken radiobox.

   “Breaking news! An off-shore New Energy rig had a malfunction resulting in a devastating explosion. The amount of workers currently wounded are over one hundred while the fatalities reach a heart wrenching number of two hundred and still counting. The explosions seem to have been contained and will not reach the city however, reports of a heavy thunderstorm due to the explosion changing the shifts in temperature will be coming over the city. Please stay inside and stay safe. Our sympathies go out to the families and loved ones of those who lost their life here today. We will work to keep you updated on the status of these victims. God bless!”

   The static sounded once again and an Arianna Grande song came on about having one less problem or some shit… Though if I’m being honest, Arianna has some catchy songs… but I digress.

   When the report finished, a few raindrops splattered on top of the windshield. 

   Oh, it’s just a light sprinkle. Nothing to fuss about. Is this what they consider a thunderstorm?

   After a few moments later, the rain started pouring heavily all around. 

   God dammit. Why do you open your loud mouth, Jack? Playing games with the world’s karma is like trying to play Counter-Strike with no headphones and two hundred ping. It’s just not possible to win.

   What made it worse was that Kayla came out of the store carrying a large red basket with two hands, squinting to see me through the rain. I turned on my headlights and lowered the window.

   “Kayla! Over here!” I shouted, leaning over the window to gesture my hand to her.

   She lifted the basket in her hand up to me and tilted her head giving me that whole ‘You stupid idiot, do you expect me to run under the rain?’

   I hung my head down and let out a sigh to release my angst for this unfair world.

   Why did I have to get paired up with someone so high maintenance. Couldn’t they have just sent me a mentor player in Final Fantasy Online? Did I really deserve this?

   I unbuckled my seatbelt and exited the car, holding my coat over my luscious hair and head. I jogged carefully over to Kayle underneath the store overhang. Almost tripping in the process which quite frankly, I call bs because these shoes said they were made for any type of terrain. I’m getting a refund from Sears!

   “Why is it raining so hard? What did you do?” She asked, of course blaming me for the weather.

   Not even a ‘Thanks for coming to my aid through the pouring rain. You are so chivalrous like a knight.’

   Sigh, my deeds will never be noticed.

   “Some change in the atmosphere or something. Come, let’s go before the idiots in the city decide that they can drive in the rain and end up colliding with us.

   She nodded her head gently and I took that as an a-okay to start walking. To my surprise, she pinched the back of my coat when I took a step forward. Glancing behind me, Kayla made an embarrassed face and brought the crate back up to me again. 

   “What is it, let’s go?” 

   “But these will get wet…” she said, all softlike which had me taken aback for a few moments. 

   I stared blankly at her as her cheeks started to highlight red and she looked off to the ground.

   Strangely cute… I think?

   I shook my head and all I wanted was to just get back home and play my ranked games. Walking up behind her, I raised my coat wider and brought the nerdy tech girl closer until her back was pressed against my chest.

   “What are yo-” she stammered, looking up to me.

   My face is just a finger apart from hers. I gulped and straightened my eyes forward. This is just so she won’t kill me. Just so she won’t kill me. Mhm, that’s why. If she got even a drop of water on her material or on herself, I swear she will put batteries in me in places batteries should never go.

   “...Let’s go. It’s getting cold.” I said finally to break the awkward silence.

   She didn’t protest and looked forward, I could see her small amber hair nod up and down. I began walking first, moving her along with my body. Why does this feel so weird? Make it stop, make it stop! I would rather flame my zero ten jungler who refuses to gank!

   As we walked at a pace that seemed like a turtle, other people from inside the store started coming out as well. Of course, not all of them had umbrellas because the change in weather was so unexpected, but a few people seemed to carry one in their purses.

   When we reached the car, I held my coat and body over Kayla as she slid into the seat holding her crate.

   She better give me a favor after this! All I ask is to not be disturbed, is that too much? 

   I closed the door for her and ran over to get into the driver's seat. I shifted gears to drive and was ready to go forward.

   “Did you buckle your belt.” Kayla began to nag.

   I pretended to ignore the tiny girl and began to drive forward. I glanced over with just my eyes to see that she was glaring at me with demon eyes. 

   She’s scary, really kowai if you ask me. 

   So scary that she got me saying it in different languages..

   I drove out the parking lot swiftly and made getting home as fast as possible my only destination. The road from our apartment to the hardware store wasn’t very difficult to get to. You mostly just go straight for a while, make a right, then go straight again and boom we are there.

   “It’s really pouring. Can you make the windshield wiper go faster.” I said.

   Maybe a nerdy, tech girl like Kayla could come up with something. A booster or something.

   “Ignored.”

   Well it's not really ignoring if you have to say it, ahem. 

   I squinted my eyes in front of me as the rain started making things difficult to see along with the cloudy skies making everything dark. As we came upon a cross road we got ready to drive through. Halfway to home, just a few more blocks.

   As we got closer a person appeared on the crosswalk! I floored the breaks and turned the steering wheel with all my might. My body leaning far to the side due to my idiot self not fucking putting the seatbelt. I should’ve listened to the damn nerd!

   The car skidded on the pavement as I tried to steer away fro--

   Darkness...