Favorite Crime || Shawmila [Completed]

3. You're a thief

If that night, after joking with the thief with chocolate-colored curls and honey eyes, I had come home, now my life would be very different. Needless to say, that wasn't the case. I don't remember what we talked about or how he managed to convince me to follow him. All I know is that from the moment I heard his voice, I couldn't stop smiling for a second. I had completely ignored the fact that I had seen him steal a wallet with my own eyes, and worse we had joked about it. And joke after joke, I found myself in a room at a cheap motel, rolled between the bed sheets of the guy that had been a simple stranger just a few hours earlier.

Maybe it was the thrill of being in an almost absurd and completely wrong situation, yet no one had ever made me feel as alive and satisfied as Shawn had. The feeling of his body over mine, so hot and hard, enveloping every inch of my skin. The intense pleasure between my legs, almost addictive and so gratifying, quickly transforming into pure ecstasy. The way our limbs intertwined and our tongues danced together. The sound of his name escaping my lips, sometimes in hushed whispers, other times shouted at the top of my lungs. I had never experienced anything like it. And after our sweaty bodies found solace, I let him hold me against his chest as sleep took over. I watched him as he slumbered, my mind empty and my soul fulfilled.

The next morning, I was surprised to see that he had brought us breakfast. I had feared that I would have to leave his place as soon as possible, but Shawn didn't seem to mind my presence. His curls were still wet, and he smelled fresh. Not in a fancy way. He wasn't wearing any cologne or perfume. His skin carried the simple scent of soap bars. Looking around his room, it was clear that he didn't own much. His bag was still packed, and there were no signs of anyone waiting for him or a place for him to return to.

A profound sense of sadness washed over me as I imagined the kind of life he must be living. He had to be so lonely; no wonder he didn't mind my presence. I gazed at him as the faint sunrays filtered through the dirty window, illuminating his face and the small scars that were usually concealed by his beauty. And when he smiled at me, my heart began to race. «Do you live here?» I asked him.

He shook his head. «I think I'll stay here for about a week.»

«Are you on vacation?» I inquired.

«Nope. Just passing through and living life, I suppose.»

«Oh,» I replied. I could hear the uncertainty in his voice, the uncertainty that tomorrow held, and I felt sorry for him. At the same time, I wanted to get closer to him, to know him better, even though deep down, I knew he wouldn't stay. «Since you're here for a week, can we meet up again?»

He awarded me with a surprised, grateful smile. «You like criminals?»

I shrugged. «Sometimes»

«Then I guess I'll see you again tonight».

When I left his room, I wasn't sure if his words were true, but I was still in awe from the kiss he planted on my lips, a kiss that made my head spin in the best way. It turned out he wasn't lying. We spent the week exploring the city like tourists and acting like a couple deeply in love. I completely neglected my job, as well as my family and friends. I didn't want to explain to anyone what I was doing or who Shawn was. I just wanted to live in the moment.

I didn't expect to fall so quickly. Perhaps it was the way he always made me smile, his carefree attitude, or even the small crimes he committed while we were together. He wasn't dangerous, and he never stole excessively. I had a feeling he engaged in illegal activities out of necessity, and he stuck to it. I didn't know why his behavior didn't bother me. I grew up in a modest household, understanding the value of hard work, so I should have despised him. Instead, I was captivated. Everything he did fascinated me.

During that week, I had the opportunity to get to know him a little better. Whether it was over lunch or between the sheets at night, he would reveal small parts of his life to me. He told me he never stayed in one place for more than a month, mainly to avoid drawing attention to his thieving. He said he had nobody waiting for him, and he never really had. Apparently, he was born in Canada, but after his parents passed away, he moved to the United States to live with an unknown aunt. «She was kind and patient. A blessing,» he said. But just as things started getting better, his aunt suffered a stroke and passed away, leaving him alone once again. He entered the system and moved from town to town. Some families were worse than others, and he felt relieved when he finally got the chance to live on his own at the age of eighteen. The streets were harsh, and for the most part, people ignored him. That's when he began learning tricks to survive.

«Shawn, why don't you stay with me for a while? You can stay at my place for as long as you need—»

«I have no intention of being a parasite. Besides, this place isn't for me...»

I could see in his eyes that he wasn't telling me the whole truth. I understood that he didn't want to rely on me, but his claim about not liking the place was untrue. Nevertheless, I knew I wouldn't be able to convince him to stay. At the same time, I wasn't ready to let him go.

The next words spilled out of my mouth before I could even process them. «What if I come with you?»

Shawn stiffened, his demeanor becoming tense. «Camila, don't be foolish.»

«Please, before you shut me out, just hear me out.»

He shook his head. «No, I can't let you indulge in this fantasy. You have a life here. You have family, friends, a job. You can't abandon it all to follow a stranger.»

«Yes, I have a job that I hate, friends that I can barely stand, and a family that sees me more as a failure than a real person. I won't miss any of it.» I knew I was being irrational, and I couldn't explain what had come over me, but I was determined to follow him, no matter what. He still wasn't convinced. «Look, I'm young, and I have a lifetime to settle down and live by someone else's rules. Right now, I just want to feel free, and if you won't let me go with you, I'll go on my own.»

Shawn stared at me for a long time. I could hear the gears turning in his mind, and I was anxious to know his verdict. «Why?» he finally asked.

«What do you mean?»

«Why do you want to come with me? You know what I do, you've even witnessed it. I can't offer you anything. No guarantees, no protection. So why?»

That was the moment I decided to be extremely blunt. And also a little cheesy. «I know you're a thief, Shawn. And you have stolen from me something I can't live without, that's why I'm following you. How am I supposed to live without my heart?»

His brows raised almost touching the line of his hair, while his mouth formed an "o". Then his cheeks turned pink and the look on his face became softer. «I wasn't expecting that».

«You weren't expecting me to like you? I literally spent the last week of my life with you. We slept together and shared secrets. I thought I was being kinda obvious».

He laughed and his curls bounced as he shook his head, incredulous. «So, you've already decided, haven't you?»

«Yeah, I have» I replied. «At what time are we leaving?» 

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A/N. Please leave comments, let me know what you think of this story... it feels so lonely here without you're awesome remarks and feedbacks 🥺