THIEF [S.M.]

eight

Wednesday evening. I was strolling down 11th street, head down, kicking an empty beer bottle along the sidewalk.

The smells and noises fluctuated as I moved further down the street. The frigid wind bit at my exposed skin, causing me to tug at the sleeves of my jacket, slipping my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

The road was primarily clear, taxi cabs and old cars zipping by every once in a while, as it was getting late.

I kicked the bottle again, watching it as it rumbled across the ragged sidewalk, rolling off course and hitting the edge of a door.

I followed the glass bottle, reaching down to pick it up. As I did so, though, through the window of the door I saw a very familiar figure.

I neglected the useless bottle, pulling at the door. I gawkily stumbled into the small, strange-smelling bar.

"I couldn't help but notice you're that alone. What is a sexy woman like you doing at a bar alone on a Wednesday night?" a strange man said, roaming over to an unsteady Venus and sitting on the barstool beside hers.

She was obviously intoxicated. Her head wobbled on her neck and her vivid eyes lacked much charisma and screamed affliction. "There's alcohol here. Sweet sapid alcohol. Did you know there was alcohol here? Because there is."

"I know, that's why I'm here, sweetie. Listen, what d'ya say you and me head out of here." the musky man said, sliding his hand up her thigh and between her legs. I felt a pit of rage in my stomach.

"That sounds good to me. Sure thing," Venus slurred, dragging out her words in a child-like manner. She was way past wasted.

Just as he stood, taking hold of her small hand and helping her step off the barstool, I stepped in.

"Hey, look who it is! My neighbor Shawn! Actually, no. Wait, do I know you?" she garbled to me, tottering over to slip into my grasp. It was far from any kind of romantic gesture, but still I stood paralyzed as I could actually feel her body against mine.

"Venus, you're drunk,  I have to take you home." I muttered, heaving her upwards into a standing formation, but only to have her flop back against me.

"Um, 'scuse me, sir, but she's with me," the man said. He then grabbed her by her hips and jerked her back into him.

The rage reappeared. "Not happening, dude. She's drunk. I live right next door to her, I'm taking her home." I rebuked.

"How do I know you're not taking her just to do the same? Huh?" he snorted.

"Maybe 'cause I'm not some asshole who can only get girls who aren't sober enough to see what I look like?"

Venus was mumbling things I couldn't comprehend under her breath. She was barely conscious. I needed to take her home, but this guy was being unbelievably persistent and we had now caught the eye of the only two other people in here.

"Fuck you," the guy said, pulling her closer, her head swinging to the side.

I glanced back from her to him before thoughtlessly launching a raw fist at his face. He stumbled backwards, and Venus began to fall forward. I caught her, quickly scooping her up and ditching that place.

We were blocks away from our apartments, sprinting (and stumbling) down the road and away from the angered man chasing us.

Eventually, we lost him when we took an unplanned turn down an empty alley way. We stopped, standing quietly against the wall. Venus, in attempt to peek back out onto the road, pressed herself against me. I froze. I was trying to tell certain parts of myself to calm down, but it was hard to when I would look down and be able to see into her shirt.

She looked at me. We made eye contact. "We lost him." she said.

Her eyes were locked with mine. My lip shuttered. Her lips were right there.

All of a sudden she erupted into laughter and stepped back, and I took the opportunity to readjust myself and clear my mind from all the dirty thoughts that had arrived.

She got really quiet as I walked her back home.

It was pretty difficult trying to drag her up the stairs. She barely made her way up the first flight, tripping over her own feet every other step. Once we got to the first level, I took a deep breath, and lifted her up off her feet and into my arms. She wrapped her hands around my neck and nuzzled her face into my chest, her eyelids falling closed. My knees became weak, but I had to avoid the fact to be able get her back home safely, carrying her bridal-style up the rest of the stairs.

When I got to her apartment, I reached for the doorknob, turning it and finding that it was, in fact, unlocked. "That's not safe," I whispered in doing so. She kind of chuckled softly, which made me smile.

She stayed clinging onto me as I brought her to her bed. I silently laid her down on her bed, slipping off her shoes. I pulled up the sheets, draping them carefully over her sweet frame.

I stood there for a minute, watching her as she rested, her eyelids flickering and her alcohol-tinted breaths sounding so much sweeter than you'd assume.

I leaned down, brushing her hair away from her forehead and placed a gentle kiss against her skin. As I turned away, I heard her speak.

"Shawn?"

"Hm?" I hummed, turning back around.

"Can you, um... stay? Until I fall asleep." her voice was still slurred and quiet, her bloodshot eyes blinking open.

Stepping closer to her bed, I replied,"Of course."

There was a pause.

"My mom is sick." she confessed. "She's in Nevada with my aunt and she has pneumonia. It's severe, she's in the hospital. I really want to see her, but I don't have the money."

I sat down on the corner of her bed. "I'm sorry," I whispered. I didn't know what else to say.

It was quiet for a long time after that. I sat, leaned forward with my elbows on my knees staring candidly at the stained carpet ahead of me.

After I was reassured of the fact that she was asleep, I spoke aloud.

"I know you'll never remember this. You're drunk and unconscious. So I guess now would be the perfect time to say this, so, here I go." I sighed, running a cold hand through my hair. "I love you. I'm in love with you. And I just want you to know that. I think about you all the time, Venus. You're my dream. You're literally the only thing I look forward to."

I stopped, noticing my volume increasing and not wanting to wake her. I haltingly arose from my spot on her mattress. Walking to the door, I glanced back one last time.

My voice dropped down into a breathy whisper,"Goodnight, Venus."