City of Kinetics

TWENTY-SIX ✴ Sneaking Out

       The car keys were sitting on top of the fireplace in the family room. Mila immediately snatched them up, her thumb going over the ridges of the brand-new key fob as she examined it.

       Since Jason didn't want to keep hotwiring the car, he made Evelyn go into the nearest dealership and got another key. How he managed to prove he owned the car was beyond Mila, but in that moment, she was thankful.

       She needed a car for her plan and wouldn't be able to drive it if she had to hotwire it on her own. Her eyes shot to the clock; it was a little past eight in the morning. For the first time in a while, Mila had woken up before everyone else.

       Gripping the keys tightly in her hand, she turned around and began walking out of the room. Crossing the threshold into the hallway, she turned the corner and froze when she saw Hunter walking in her direction.

       He stopped too and looked surprised to see her. 

       "Morning," Mila said, her voice higher than normal as she quickly stuck her the keys behind her back.

       "Morning," he said, his eyes narrowing at her action. "What's that?"

       She looked at him innocently. "What's what?"

       "Behind your back."

       Mila pursed her lips, shaking her head. "There's nothing behind my back."

       Hunter raised an eyebrow, his expression clearly telling her he didn't believe her lie.

       "Why are you up so early?" he asked instead.

       "Why are you?" she countered.

       "Habit. I wake up by eight everyday," Hunter said, taking a step forward. "You always sleep in, though."

       She took a step back, watching him carefully.

       "I'm trying to be an early-riser," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

       Hunter took another step forwards and Mila took another one back. It was almost like a game of cat and mouse, and she could tell he was seconds away from pouncing as his ice like eyes stayed trained on her. Her own eyes nervously shot around the hall, looking for a way out.

       "What're you hiding, Mila?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows as he moved forwards.

       She backed up. "Nothing. Nothing. Stop that!"

       He cocked an eyebrow, not halting in his advances. "Stop what?"

       Mila had backed up so far that her back hit the corner of the threshold into the living room, making her wince sharply. Before she could move away, Hunter was in front of her, making her freeze. He was inches away from her as he stepped into her personal bubble, leaning in close.

       For a moment, her heart stopped, and she held her breath. His ice-blue eyes stared into her hazel ones as his arm snaked around her, snatching the keys right out of her hand. He pulled back and looked at them before shooting her an accusing look.

       "I can explain," she said quickly, biting her lip. She reached for the keys, but he quickly held them out of her reach.

       "Where are you going?" he asked.

       Mila sighed. "If you just –" She reached for the keys again, but he was faster in moving his arm away. She nearly fell into him before she steadied herself by pressing her hands against his chest. "– Hunter!"