Something to Dream About {Slow Updates}

Five

𝄞 Layla 𝄞

At 3:50 that Friday, I arrived at the music shop that Malachi worked at, only to find him just outside.

I got out of my car, getting his attention.

"Hey," he said with a grin. I liked his smile. It was warm and comforting. Enough to calm the few nerves I had.

"Hi," I replied, mirroring the grin on his face. "Is everything okay?"

"I completely forgot, but the shop is actually closed today," he said. "It's closed until the twenty-sixth."

"Oh," I exhaled, feeling utterly disappointed. It always threw me off when plans couldn't be followed through with. "We could reschedule to next Friday?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, or we could do them at my house. If you're comfortable with that."

I instantly brightened. "Yes, yeah, that sounds great."

"Okay, I can send you the directions?"

"I remember the way," I said. And then, I realized that maybe it was creepy that I remembered the way to his house after going just once. But I remembered everything. More than what was good. "Do you need a ride back?" I asked, assuming he'd walked.

He opened his mouth, closed it, then nodded.

So that's how, after a short drive, I ended up following Malachi on the sidewalk that led to his apartment.

"Two things," he said. "First, it might be a little loud in there."

"That's okay." I could use some loud. The house I lived in was always so quiet. All I listened to was the sound of the AC.

"And second—" He pulled out his house key. "—the heater is broken so it's going to be a little cold."

He pushed open the door and I followed behind him. There was a girl on the couch—looked like she was in middle school. mirrorball by Taylor Swift was playing from her phone, mixing with the sound of gunshots. I looked at the television where she was in a shooting match with a gang. Hm. Interesting.

"She'll snap our heads off if we walk in front of the TV," Malachi said, still standing next to me by the door. "We just have to wait a second."

I looked up at him with a soft laugh. "Okay." He grinned, looking at me for a beat too long before turning back ahead.

The screen soon filled with the word Wasted, causing the girl to blow out a frustrated breath. "Fucking bitch," she muttered.

"Keone," Malachi said. "Watch your language."

She rolled her eyes at the same time that a shout came from a hall. "Ooh, he used your full name Kiki!"

"Shut up, idiot!"

Malachi sighed, leading the way through the living room.

I turned back to Keone, pointing to her phone, which was still playing mirrorball. "Good song," I said, holding a thumbs up.

A smile filled her face as she nodded.

When I turned back around, Malachi was looking at me with an indecipherable expression, but quickly glanced away as he pushed open the door to a room.

His room.

On one side of the window, there was a mattress on the floor, pushed into the corner. On the other side, a gaming PC was pushed up against the wall.

"Sorry, it's dark," he said, turning on the lamp at his desk. "The light bulb needs to be changed."

I looked up at the roof and the light that was idly off. "Do you know how to change it?"