Carcel Evander Dawson 

I woke up to the obnoxious sounds of car crashes and loud, competitive hollering from Jordan and Crue. Their game was in full swing, the TV flashing brightly as they smashed virtual cars into each other. My temples throbbed from the noise, and I groaned, not bothering to hide my frustration. 

Sitting up, I realized I had dozed off on the couch without even knowing it. Another groan escaped me as I stretched out my legs, trying to shake off the stiffness that had settled in my muscles from being crammed into such a small space.

I didn't even know that I could fit in this—six foot five, sprawled out on a couch that was laughable. My legs had been bent awkwardly, and the ache in my back was a reminder of how stupid it was to sleep like that. Seriously, these guys just let me knock out here without a second thought?

Then again, knowing myself, I'd probably choke them out if they dared to wake me. But still, a bed would've been a decent offer. I rolled my eyes at the thought, rubbing the back of my neck to ease the tension that had built up while I slept. The room was dimly lit, with only the light from the TV cutting through the semi-darkness, casting weird shadows on the walls as the two of them laughed and cursed at each other.

The air was cool, but I could feel the lingering warmth of the whiskey I'd downed earlier still in my chest. My throat was dry, and I reached over for the glass of water I'd left on the table. The clink of the glass against the bottle was satisfying as I poured myself a drink, the clear liquid a much-needed relief.

I took a slow sip, savoring the way the water eased the scratchiness in my throat. The coldness brought a little clarity back to my mind, but the tiredness still clung to me. I hadn't realized how drained I was. Yesterday had been a complete disaster, and I still hadn't figured out how the hell I was going to handle things with Kalila. The thought of her made my head spin all over again, and I shut it down before it could go any further.

"You're finally up, huh?" Crue called out, not even bothering to look away from the screen. He and Jordan were still engrossed in their game, completely unfazed by the fact that I'd been passed out behind them for God knows how long.

"Kalila called, by the way," Crue said casually. I nearly choked on the water I was drinking, sputtering like an idiot.

"And why the hell did you save her name as 'Bunny' in your contacts?" he added with an infuriating smirk.

I jolted up from the couch, the dizziness hitting me like a freight train for a moment as I steadied myself. 

Kalila called? My pulse quickened, my brain immediately going into overdrive as I scrambled for my phone. What the hell did she call for? Was it important? My fingers itched as I grabbed my phone from the table. Crue and Jordan barely reacted, their attention still half on their game.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I demanded, my annoyance clear in my tone. Kalila just called, and they didn't think to wake me? My mind was racing, and I didn't even realize both Crue and Jordan were staring at me like I'd grown a second head.

"What?" I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.

Jordan stood up, walked over, and placed his hand on my forehead like I was some sick kid. I scowled, batting his hand away.

"Are you sick?" he asked, his tone dripping with exaggerated concern, like he was checking if I had a fever.

I scowled in disgust. "Why the hell would I be sick?" I grabbed my phone, ignoring him, and checked the time. 

It's almost midnight. She was probably asleep by now. Damn. I could feel a knot in my stomach. Should I call her back? What if I woke her up? Would she be pissed?. I debated whether a text would be a better idea, but that seemed weak.

What the fuck are you doing?" Crue's voice snapped me out of my spiral. " I shrugged, not even sure how to answer.

"You know you're acting weird." Crue's words came with a long pause. "First, you said we should've woken you up? Really? You wanted to be woken up? You fucking hate that."

"Yeah, one time you almost punched me in the gut for trying to wake you up for school," Jordan chimed in, crossing his arms like he was making a point.

"Poor guy," Crue added, the teasing tone in his voice making me want to shove him. "And now, you're sitting here, fidgeting with your phone like a nervous high schooler. What's actually wrong with you?"

"Nothing," I muttered, my tone coming off way more defensive than I intended. Hid right, what the hell was wrong with me?

Jordan wasn't about to drop it, though. He raised an eyebrow. "It's Kalila right? the girl you wanted to confess to?" His question came out of nowhere, and I froze for a second, gripping my phone tighter. Damn it.

I didn't answer. I wasn't about to have this conversation.

"Is it for real? do you really like her?" Crue's voice chimed in, all amusement and curiosity. I clenched my jaw, my fingers hovering over my phone screen, pretending to ignore them.

"If it's not her, then who?" Crue pressed, this time leaning forward like he was waiting for me to spill something juicy.

I shot them both a glare that shut them up fast. Crue sighed in defeat, and the two went back to their game, finally leaving me alone with my thoughts.

But as I sat there, staring at Kalila's name on my phone—'Bunny' glaring back at me—I knew they were right. I was acting weird. All because of her. My chest felt tight, like someone had put a vice around my heart and was slowly cranking it. Oh God, Kalila, what did you do to me? I rubbed my palms together, trying to figure out what the hell to say. Maybe if I just sent a text, it'd calm me down.

'Why did you call?'

No. Too indifferent, I thought, quickly clearing it out. She'd think I didn't care.

'Hey, are you up?'

Idiot. Of course, she's not up, it's almost midnight. What am I, some desperate kid?

Get a grip, Carcel. I clenched my jaw, staring at the phone screen like it held all the answers to this mess. My thumb hovered over the keys again, trying to form something coherent.

'I heard you called. Why?'

Sent. 11:20 PM.

I hit send before I could overthink it, tossing the phone aside like it burned my hand. What the fuck is happening to me? My foot bounced impatiently against the floor, the anticipation gnawing at me. My hands were sweaty, my heart racing like I'd just run a marathon. What the hell is this feeling?

The phone beeped. My heart skipped a beat, my breath catching in my throat as I snatched it up—but the message was from a random number. Fuck. I tossed the phone onto the couch, cursing under my breath.

I grabbed the glass of water again, trying to drown the nerves, but mid-sip, the phone beeped again. This better be her. I nearly tripped over myself trying to get to it, only to see another useless notification from some app. 

Seriously? I sighed, rubbing my temples. Maybe she's really sleeping.

I dropped back down onto the couch, glaring at the phone, debating whether I should just call it a night. Let it go, Carcel. She's asleep. My rational mind knew that, but then—

Beep.

My body reacted before my brain even processed it. I'm done checking it. I tell myself, stubbornly ignoring the buzz, but then—

Beep.

My hand moved on its own, grabbing the phone. My heart practically stopped when I saw the name.

Bunny. Twice. She texted me back.

'I have a favor to ask.'

Sent 11:30 PM.

A favor? What could she want at this hour? My mind ran wild, thinking of all the things she could ask, but none of them mattered. The fact that she reached out had me wide awake. What is it, Kalila? What could you possibly need from me?

'It's late, we can talk tomorrow.'

Sent 11:30 PM.

Tomorrow? I don't think I couldn't wait that long. The idea of waiting until tomorrow made me restless, like my entire world was on pause until I knew what she wanted.

'I don't think I can go to school tomorrow.'

Sent 11:31 PM.

'Why are you still up?'

Sent 11:31 PM.

What the hell was I even saying? I lied I will fucking go to campus tomorrow, I just need to see how desperate she could get. 

'Oh, then when can we meet?'

Sent 11:31 PM.

'I can't sleep.'

Sent 11:31 PM.

Who am I kidding Kalila isn't the type to grovel over someone she would never show desperateness, but why the fuck am I so impatient? It's like she had some kind of pull over me, and I hated how much I liked it.

'Wanna meet now?'

Sent 11:32 PM.

My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for her reply. This is risky as hell, but I wasn't backing down. Maybe I'm the desperate one here.

'Sure.'

Sent 11:32 PM.

I laughed out loud, a deep, genuine laugh. Goddamn it, Kalila. She really agreed? At this time of night? What the hell is she thinking, meeting me alone right now? She shouldn't trust a guy like me this much, but it was thrilling. This girl—she was driving me mad in all the best ways.

I read the text over again, the corner of my mouth lifting into a grin. I knew I probably looked insane, but I didn't care. This girl had me on a string, and I wasn't complaining.

'Meet me at this park.'

Sent 11:32 PM.

Her reply was fast—she sent me the address without hesitation. No second thoughts. Without wasting another second, I bolted out of my apartment, grabbing the keys to my car in one swift motion. My heart raced, not from nerves, but from excitement. What the hell was I getting into?

"Hey, where are you going?" Crue called after me, but I didn't bother to answer.

I was already halfway out the door, the night stretching out before me like some kind of twisted promise. I slammed the door shut behind me, my mind already racing ahead to what was waiting for me at that park.

Kalila.

This is going to be interesting. I made sure to take my own car, not the one Jordan used to haul me to school. I needed speed. So, I went for the Dodge Challenger Demon, the fastest one in my garage. The engine roared to life, the kind of roar that shook the night air and probably woke up half the neighborhood. I didn't care. The only thing on my mind was getting to that park as fast as possible.

There's no way I'll keep Kalila waiting.

As I neared the park, the bright lights flooded the area, glowing in the darkness like a beacon. I could spot it from a distance, my pulse quickening. I parked right in front, killed the engine, and jumped out, scanning the area. And there she was—Kalila, in an oversized bright pink hoodie and loose sweatpants, that color looked ridiculous yet.

God, she even made that look good.

I smiled widely as I made my way over, taking long strides, feeling that rush of excitement in my veins. She was facing the other direction, so she hadn't noticed me approaching yet. 

Perfect. I thought about sneaking up on her, maybe throwing in a little surprise, but as I got closer, she suddenly turned, her eyes widening as she aimed something at me, ready to spray.

"Jesus! Woman, what's that?" I stepped back, staring at the bottle in her frozen grip.

"It's alcohol," she replied, blinking as if she hadn't just almost drenched me in sanitizer. "And I'm not afraid to use it on you."

She blinked again, dead serious, and added, "Oh, and I know self-defense." She announced it proudly, like she was ready to take on anyone who even thought about messing with her.

I laughed so hard my voice echoed through the entire playground, clutching my stomach as I tried to catch my breath. Why is she so damn cute and funny at the same time? It took me a minute to compose myself, and when I finally glanced at her, she was pouting, her face flushed red with embarrassment. Adorable. I couldn't help but grin even wider.

I sat down on the bench beside her, leaning back with a smirk. "So, what's the favor?" I asked, too eager to wait any longer.

"Well..." She hesitated, shifting in her seat to face me. Her eyes locked onto mine, pleading, practically begging me before she even spoke. She hadn't said a word yet, but I could already tell how desperate she was. So, this is what Kalila looks like when she's asking for something.

I smirked. No way I'm letting anyone else see her like this. This side of her? It's mine.

"It's about Orion," she finally trailed off. I raised an eyebrow.

"Who the hell is that?" I blurted out, irritation creeping into my voice. Why's she bringing up someone else right now?

"Oh..." she paused, almost shyly. "Orion is the cat I picked up at campus, remember?" she added innocently.

Oh, for fuck's sake. I let out a chuckle. She was talking about the cat. So she named it already.

"Right... the cat," I said, a bit of relief washing over me. "So, what happened to it?"

"He's fine," she replied quickly, and with a bit of pride. "He's actually right here."

She reached into her oversized hoodie pocket and, sure enough, pulled out a tiny, sleeping kitten. The poor thing woke up, squirming a little as she gently placed it back inside her pocket. I watched as he wiggled around before poking his little head out, all snug and content.

Unbelievable. Here I was, thinking she needed some serious help, and it turns out she's just here with a damn cat.

But still... Kalila, with a cat in her pocket? Yeah, again that's a sight no one else gets to see. Just me.

"Sadly, I can't keep Orion with me," she said, her voice soft as she gazed at the cat with a heavy heart. "My aunt's apparently allergic to them, but I planned on asking Evara if she could take him once she's settled in. She's still moving into her new apartment, though," she explained, her fingers fiddling anxiously. "So I was thinking maybe you could keep Orion for a bit... until Evara's ready?"

I could keep the cat without a problem—hell, I love pets. But this? This was an opportunity. A chance to turn this whole situation to my advantage.

"Did you already ask Evara?" I asked, knowing the answer.

She shook her head, her lips pressed together. "I'll tell her tomorrow," she mumbled, nervously twisting her fingers.

 "Don't." I crossed my arms, leaning back on the bench. "I'll take the furball."

Her eyes widened in shock. "But... but he's mine!" she stammered, her tone defensive. "You can't just have him. I'm only asking you to keep him for a while!"

I couldn't help but laugh. She's acting like the kitten's mother. I leaned in closer, my smirk deepening as she instinctively leaned back. "Yeah, I didn't say he wasn't yours. But, technically, I found him too. So... that's my cat as well."

Her face twisted into disbelief. "That doesn't even make sense."

"Think about it, we both found him." I said, my voice smooth as I edged closer. "Considering you called me, I must be your last hope. Or I could just walk away."

She clenched her jaw, eyes narrowing. "Fine!" she snapped, clearly irritated.

I grinned wider. Got her.

"Don't worry," I continued, my tone casual, watching her squirm. "I'm not raising him on my own." I paused, letting the words sink in before delivering the punchline. "I'm suggesting we raise him together."

"Are you nuts?!" she shrieked, loud enough to make my ears ring.

I just smirked. "I'm perfectly sane, bunny."

Her face flushed at the nickname, but I wasn't letting up. I leaned back, feigning nonchalance. "Well, if you don't like the idea, I'll just leave." I made a move to stand, but before I could fully rise, she grabbed my arm. Her touch—warm, soft—sent a wave of heat through me, straight to my neck.

"Alright," she said, her voice quieter now, almost defeated. I sat back down, suppressing my grin. "But... I have a few conditions."

"Of course. Anything you want."

"I'll move out of my aunt's place in about a month," she said, her tone determined. "By that time, I'll get Orion back."

"Fine by me." A month was a lot of time. More than enough for me to work this angle.

"And no one should know about this... especially your fiancée." Her voice turned sharp with aggression, like she was drawing battle lines. God, Kalila, do you have any idea how much you're hooking me right now?

I leaned in just enough to let her feel the weight of my gaze. "Oh, bunny," I said, my smirk deepening. "You're making this way too exciting."

"I'm not playing around, Carcel!" she exclaimed, her voice edged with frustration. "I don't want her misunderstanding things again." She looked away, her face tinged with a hint of guilt, and that moment cut through me in a way I didn't expect. Seeing her like this—it wasn't something I enjoyed.

I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation press down on me. "Alright," I muttered, my voice softer than I intended. "Anything else?"

She shook her head, but I could see the tension in her posture. That hesitation, that worry—it gnawed at me.

"Well," I said, straightening up as I pushed away the lingering frustration, "then here are my conditions."