DESIRÉE || THE CAR RIDE.

For the first ten minutes, as a random pop song played from Alessio's playlist, I remained silent. Then, Alessio reached over to increase the volume, prompting me to lower it so I could speak. As soon as I withdrew my hand from the volume knob, Alessio was quick to turn it up again. He watched quietly while I adjusted the volume down once more, only for him to reach out and raise it again. On my next attempt, he caught my hand and held it against the armrest. "This is my Porsche. Remember?" His gaze remained fixed on the road, his grip firm but not forceful, as my small hand squirmed beneath his larger one. With his other hand on the steering wheel, I still had the chance to lower the volume again-and I did.

"Why did you say no? Is it because she doesn't own a condo or doesn't dress sophisticated enough?"

He shot me a quick glance before focusing back on the road as he made a turn, still holding my hand with the other.

"I denied you the favor, and you're still in my car, so let it rest. You seem pretty set on this. Are you sure it's your friend who wants the invitation? Or is it you?"

"Sure," I retorted, rolling my eyes. "As if I'd ever want to be in a room full of rich assholes like you, all high on crack and booze."

His gaze locked onto mine for a moment, lingering, until he realized his hands were still holding mine and he withdrew them.

I crossed my arms and leaned back in my seat, staring out the window.

The random pop song that was playing had finished, and another one began at a lower volume since I had turned it down, and he hadn't adjusted it back up.

I reached out to increase the volume a bit so I could catch the lyrics, but Alessio quickly turned it down again. "I think we got off on the wrong foot," he said. "Let's start fresh. I'll go first." He paused for a moment, and when I didn't respond, he continued. "I'm Alessio Edwards. Not your ordinary rich asshole because I enjoy warm hugs and world peace."

That drew a chuckle out of me as I shifted my gaze from the window to him.

He was biting his lower lip and smiling, one hand on the wheel as he made another turn. I watched him quietly, fully aware that he was incredibly attractive, and if I weren't still healing from a terrible relationship even after two years, I might have entertained the idea of having a little crush on him.

Fuck. You. Mark. Wherever the fuck you are.

"Is it a goldfish?" I asked him.

"What?"

"Is the pet you wanted fish food for a goldfish?"

"No," he replied. "It's a koi fish. Japanese koi fish." He showed me a picture on his phone. The fish was small but long. "As you can see, it's shaped like a torpedo," Alessio pointed out as I took his phone to examine it closely. The fish was adorned with patches and spots of white, red, and orange, and its fins were quite large. I had never seen anything like it.

"Wow."

"I've had Kaito for ten years. They can live anywhere from 25 to 35 years," Alessio told me while I zoomed in and out on his phone to get a better look at the fish.

"You've had him for ten years? My brother got his first goldfish when he was twelve. Poor Nemo lasted just a day in our house after my brother literally boiled him."

"What?" Alessio asked, laughing as I joined in, recalling the memory.

"He claimed the goldfish talked to him and said it was too cold, so my sweet-hearted, well-meaning brother put the fish bowl on the stove and turned it on." That was just one of many ridiculous things my brother was and is still capable of.

Alessio and I shared a good laugh about how Jason tried to convince my mom and me that his goldfish, which he had only for a day, was merely in a deep sleep rather than dead, and the chaos that followed.

As I spoke, Alessio listened intently, laughing heartily along with me.

Before long, we arrived in my neighborhood. "Where's your house?"

I handed his phone back to him. "Um... just two houses ahead, but I'll get out here."

But I shut the car door just as I was about to exit, my guilty conscience eating me up. "I'm sorry for calling you a rich asshole, even after you apologized earlier. It wasn't right of me."

He smiled, his perfect teeth on display. "I'll check my schedule and see if I can make room for forgiveness, Her Royal Feistiness. We rich assholes tend to have a tight schedule."

A faint smile crept up on my face involuntarily as I rolled my eyes.

I got out, closed the door, and Alessio rolled up his windows but didn't drive away. So, I began walking home, and when I turned around, I saw that he was still there.

He only drove away when I reached the front porch of my house.

"Who was that?"

I hadn't noticed my mom sitting in the dark on the porch until I turned on the light, revealing her brown skin glowing softly as she watched Alessio's car disappear from view.

"Just some guy, Mama. Why aren't you in bed?"

She motioned for me to sit next to her, and I settled in, feeling her arm wrap around mine. She always smelled lovely; tonight, it was a mix of fresh mint and warm honey. Her warm smile made all the day's stress and fatigue melt away, lifting the weight off my shoulders, and it felt amazing. I rested my head on her shoulder.

"How's the college stuff going?"

"It's fine, Mama. Just hanging in there. Is Jason asleep?"

She ran her fingers through my hair. "He is."

We sat in silence for a moment before my stomach rumbled.

"I got Tyson," I said, lifting my head. "I'm going to heat them up. Want some?"

"No, I'm full."

I stood up to go to the kitchen, but paused to look back at her. All of sudden, she seemed lost in thought.

"Mama, are you okay?" I asked.

She looked up at me, her worried gaze holding mine before she put on a smile that clearly looked forced.

I sat back down, looking at her directly.

"Mama, what's wrong?" I pressed.

She seemed hesitant to speak.

"Is something wrong? Did another patient die in your hands today?" She was very sensitive, so that always stirred her emotions. And even after years of working in the hospital, she still couldn't help it.

My mom shook her head and gently cupped my face, looking at me silently for a while before speaking.

"Your father will be coming home from Paris next week, Desirée."

I pulled her hands away from my face. "What? What does he want?"

She hushed me. "Lower your voice. You'll wake Jason."

"I intend to. Jason deserves to know that man is no hero, Mama! He left you on purpose. He left us on purpose and he thinks he can just-"

"He's the reason we can afford this neighborhood, your college tuition, everything you've ever had-"

"And I said I'd pay it back, didn't I? I'm working now and I'm going to pay every penny he got from fucking that other bitch. I'll pay him back, I promise. I just don't want to see his face ever again, Mama!"

I entered the house and slammed the door hard enough to wake Jason.

I need a fucking cold shower.