Gabriella couldn't stop thinking about Zay. He was a mystery—a mix of sharp edges and unexpected warmth that made her cautious but curious. She wasn't used to people like him, and she definitely wasn't used to anyone paying attention to her.
She didn't trust it.
That night, after her shift, she found him leaning against his matte-black car in the employee parking lot. His chain caught the glow of the streetlight, and he looked up as she approached, a slow grin spreading across his face.
"You stalking me or something?" Gabriella asked, crossing her arms.
"Nah," he said, laughing. "I just figured you might need a ride. Look like you been on your feet all day."
Gabriella hesitated. The thought of walking back to the shelter in the cold made her legs ache even more, but the idea of getting into his car felt dangerous—like stepping into a world she didn't belong in.
"I'm good," she said, keeping her distance.
Zay shrugged, unfazed. "Aight, suit yourself. But I ain't goin' nowhere till you at least sit down for a sec. You look tired as hell."
She glanced at the passenger seat. The interior of his car looked pristine, way too nice for someone like her to sit in. But the wind was biting, and her sneakers had holes in them. Against her better judgment, she opened the door and slid inside.
"See?" Zay said, leaning back in his seat. "Ain't so bad, right?"
"It's fine," Gabriella muttered, hugging her backpack to her chest.
They sat in silence for a moment, the soft hum of the heater filling the space. Gabriella couldn't help but notice how clean the car smelled, like leather and expensive cologne. It was a sharp contrast to the cramped, noisy shelter she called home.
"So," Zay said, breaking the quiet. "You always this closed off?"
Gabriella shot him a look. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I'm tryna have a conversation, and you actin' like I'm about to rob you or something."
"Maybe because I don't know you," she snapped.
Zay chuckled, but there was no malice in it. "Fair. Guess I gotta earn that, huh?"
She didn't respond, staring out the window instead.
"You ever think about what you want?" Zay asked suddenly.
"What do you mean?"
"Like, in life. What you want outta it. 'Cause you don't seem like you happy where you at."
Gabriella frowned, the question catching her off guard. No one had ever asked her that before—not in foster care, not at the shelter, not anywhere. She didn't even know how to answer.
"I don't know," she admitted after a long pause. "I guess I just want... something different. Something better."
Zay nodded, his gaze thoughtful. "I get that. Took me a minute to figure it out too."
"How'd you get... all this?" she asked, gesturing around the car.
Zay leaned back, his eyes clouding with a mix of pride and something darker. "It wasn't easy. Grew up rough. Had to learn quick how to hustle, how to make moves. A lotta people I came up with didn't make it, but I did."
"Hustle?" Gabriella asked, her tone skeptical.
"Relax," he said, smirking. "I'm legit now. Got a couple businesses. Investments, too. But back then? I did what I had to."
She didn't press for details. His answer was enough to remind her that Zay's world was nothing like hers.
"Well, good for you," she said, her tone cool.
"You could have that too, you know," Zay said, his voice low and serious.
Gabriella laughed bitterly. "Yeah, right. I'm barely holding it together as it is."
"Nah, for real," he said, leaning closer. "You got that look. Like you been through hell and you still standing. That's power, Gabriella. Don't let nobody tell you different."
The way he said her name made her stomach flip. She turned her head, meeting his eyes for the first time since she got in the car. There was no judgment there, no pity—just raw honesty.
For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
"I should go," she said finally, breaking the silence.
Zay nodded, though disappointment flickered across his face. "Aight. But think about what I said."
Gabriella opened the door, the cold air rushing in. She hesitated before stepping out. "Thanks... for the ride."
"Anytime," he said, his voice soft.
As she walked back toward the shelter, Gabriella couldn't shake the feeling that Zay saw something in her that she didn't even see in herself. And that scared her.
But it also made her wonder if maybe, just maybe, she could have more.
