THIEF [S.M.]

one

I raised a shaky knuckle up to the door, twisting the article of clothing between the fingers of my opposite hand.

I hesitantly knocked on the door, one, two, three times before taking a step back, staring down at the welcome mat beneath my feet.

It was almost as if she was waiting for my arrival, as the door swung open only seconds after I knocked, and there she stood, wearing a grey hoodie and black yoga pants that masked all of the features and flaws that I so often imagined.

"Hi, Shawn – is it?" she asked, leaning against the doorway.

"Yes," I squeaked, uncertainly.

She nodded, giggling the most adorable laugh. "What brings you here?"

"I found your shirt lying in the laundry room downstairs after you left, so I thought I'd bring it to you." I held up the black half shirt, simpering.

"How profound is it that I've lost at least one piece of clothing each time I've done laundry over the past three weeks." she said, her golden eyes squinting a bit as a smirk arose in her face, snatching the shirt from my grasp."I guess I'm just clumsy,"

I shrugged,"It happens,"

"Well, thank you, Shawn, it's very nice of you." Venus responded, sounding like she was attempting to close the conversation as she stepped out of the doorway and back into her apartment.

"Not a problem,"

She grinned a toothy grin at me one last time before she slowly closed the door, my view becoming a dusty wooden door.

Desperate, and yearning for more than just that, I stood still.

I don't know what I expected though. If I expected for her to open the door again to talk with me. If I expected for a sudden surge of encouragement to knock again and confess my undying love for her. I just know that I wanted something more.

After a moment, I finally pivoted on my heel and headed back to my room.

I swiftly made myself a cup of coffee as I sat at my desk in the corner of my room, opening the leather notebook before me. I skimmed over the pages that were already filled and stopped at the first empty page I could find, quickly spilling my experience, observations, and emotions onto the paper before they all left my mind or were overthrown by more fantasies about Venus.

I probably sound like a total loser, telling you that she's all I ever think about. Like I have no life. But, the truth is, I don't have much of a life. My parents aren't fond of me, and never have been. I was the mistake child, and they forever regretted having me, in which they reminded me continuously up until I was fifteen and dropped out of high school, got a job bussing tables, and then, three years later, inherited a load of money from my dead (rich) grandmother. My parents tried to get the money from me, however, legal rights denied their attempt. So I quit my job.

I then moved to New York, a place in which I'd always been fascinated with, and ended up here.

My entire life I've been reading and writing, and that was the only important branch in my inferior life, up until the day I laid eyes on Venus. I still remember the day clearly:

About one month ago. It was a Saturday. I slept in until nine A.M., finally getting out of bed at ten. Having nothing better to do, I decided to go to the library and return the book I had just recently finished. It was called, The Invisible Wall, a biography by Harry Bernstein. It was a captivating book, and I very much enjoyed it.

I was grazing quietly the through the science fiction lane at the library, in search of a book that I hadn't already read yet, when I turned my head to the (ironically) romance aisle to see a girl, whom looked about my age. A white dress sheathed her, and her shiny black hair falling in lose ringlets over her shoulders.

She was standing on a step stool, reaching for the top shelf where she inspected the books before placing new ones among them. She stepped back and examined her work, and looked satisfied as she walked pointedly away to the back of the building.

She was too pretty to be true. In that moment I knew I wanted to touch that caramel skin, kiss those smooth perfect lips.

Yet it wasn't until the next day that I knew she lived across the way from me in room eleven of the fifth floor, as I was leaving early in the morning to go for a walk, and she to do her laundry. We stepped out of our homes at the same time, and my heart skipped a beat as I recognized her. I hadn't stopped thinking about her since the previous day, and there she was. She didn't pay any mind to me, though, and proceeded to carry her laundry basket, pressed against her hip, down the stairs. I followed shortly after in amazement at what I had just discovered.

She, Venus Midnight, is the only importance in my life.

/can we get to 15 votes for the next chapter? & tell me what you think of the book so far, im curious