Confidence Game

14|| Essentially a Salesman

Zayn's POV

Charlotte stares at me with wide eyes, her gaze flickering between me and Jo. Oh no. She's jumping to conclusions. She's always been curious minded and I can tell there must be a million things running through her head right now. Oh well, it's not like it matters. All the conclusions her little mind can come up with will be no where near the real answer. Really who could have guessed it?

I look at her and I see the girl I knew when I was little. Her eyes, filled with curiosity, are the same. Seeing her like that causes a wave of memories to wash over me. We were best friends. We told each other everything. However, things can't be like that anymore. I wish I could tell her everything but my job doesn't allow me to have a luxury like somebody to confide in.

No, my job has caused me to become things I would have frowned upon some time ago. things like being dark, secretive, unapproachable. But that's what this job has turned me into. Hard. Calloused. It's turned me into a resilient, rugged man. An unapproachable man. One who has spent so much time perfecting the art of building up his armor that that same armor has blended into his skeleton, his structure, his very being. I am that man now and nothing will be able to separate him from me. There's no turning back anymore. I made that decision long, long ago.

"Zayn, what is this?" Charlotte asks, her voice shaking.

"Lottie, just leave," I mumble, not wanting to look her in the eye.

"Not until you explain what's going on."

"Charlotte," I breath, hoping she'll relax a little without the use of the pet name she despises. "Leave. Leave now before it's too late."

"No."

Forcefully, I grab her wrist and pull her towards me. She jults forward and her body slams hard into mine. The amount of force causes her to stumble back. Her face is inches from mine. I can see the hint of fear in her eyes. Oh silly Charlotte, you're transparent. I can practically see every emotion swirling inside of your head.

"Just listen to me. You need to leave now. You weren't supposed to see any of this. I told you not to come but you disobeyed me. Jo won't be unconscious for much longer and once she's awake, I can't do much to keep her from going after you. She might do worse and go directly to my boss. Either way, there's not a good outcome for you," I whisper.

She whimpers. "I can't leave Zayn. I don't know what I'm running from."

The weight of her words settles on me like a ton of bricks. She's right. If you had never seen a snake before, how would you know it's lethal? You wouldn't. You would walk right along and not expect anything, only to get in trouble once it's too late.

"You're right. You'll know what to look out for if I tell you," I explain. I take a deep breath. This is it. She's going to know what I am and there's no turning back for her anymore. "Charlotte, essentially I'm a salesman."

"A salesman? You must be playing a joke on me right now. Haha! Very funny. Really, I'm laughing so hard my sides hurt. Zayn no salesmen are this secretive!" she exclaims, her evident frustration ever increasing.

I sigh. "Cut it out. I am not an idiot. Give me a moment to explain myself. I'm...a.....special kind of salesman. I'm a remarkably good salesman that excels at making people feel special and understood...I gain people's trust before...before taking their money. Charlotte, I'm a conman."

She repeats in a harsh whisper. "A conman? Zayn, does your mother know you're doing this?"

"Do you really think I would just casually call my mother up and say 'Hey mom, just wanted to let you know I'm becoming a conman. Sure you raised me with hopes that I'd become a great man. Sure I know you'll be really disappointed and sure it's illegal and everything but the money is great?' Of course my mother doesn't know Charlotte! In fact, no one knows besides the people I work with. That's the idea. Our cover can't be blown or we're done for. Besides, it's easier to protect everyone if they don't know."

Her eyes widen as she hears my words. "And now that I know?" She asks.

"You're not safe anymore. My boss will see you as a threat. You could expose us and ruin everything. I knew letting you stay with me was risky yet I went through with it. I shouldn't have. Now I can't protect you. You'll have to run."

"I just started school here. I can't switch again. The probability of me being able to get accepted into another college and finishing my junior year is about 1,000 to 1. There has to be something we can do!" She pleads, her voice trembling. "I'll do anything."

I pause and begin to pace back and forth across the dimly lit room. My mind is in a frenzy, trying to come up with any possible solution. My hand quickly runs through my hair, a habit I've developed when I'm nervous. As a conman, I've tried to get rid of any and all habits that could display my emotions to my targets. Emotions are compromising. However, even after all my training I couldn't get rid of that one.

Hmmm.....training.

"Well, there is one thing....but it might not work," I say, the last part under my breath.

Charlotte lets out a big sigh and nods her head, encouraging me to continue on.

"I could say I was recruiting you. I could say that I saw potential in you. I took you under my wing to teach you everything I know. But, you would have to join for real to convince them Charlotte. That's the only way to prevent everything else from happening."

She shakes her head in disbelief before sinking to the floor. She lets out a shaky breath and rests her head in her hands. She runs her hands through her tousled, brown hair as she thinks. Believe it or not, I'm not keen on this idea either. The world of conning is my world - one that I stumbled into and one that I surprisingly feel comfortable in. Having Charlotte become a part of it would mean I would lose privacy: something I desperately crave. Also, she would have access to more resources.

She could dig up stories and secrets that I've tried to keep hidden. For example, she could discover how I ended up in the business or what kinds of things I've had to do since I've been in the job. However, this is the only option and I know that.

"I don't want to do that.....but if it's my only hope, I'm in. I am not switching schools again. We'll make up a believable story and you'll have to teach me whatever I need to know to play the part. I'll do it," she mumbles.

Relieved she agreed, I sit on the floor next to her. I look over at her and see her body shaking with her uneven breaths. Her eyes meet mine and we exchange a few glances. I can tell how unsure of herself she is.

"This will work Lottie. I'll do whatever I have to do because I'm the one that dragged you into this mess. I'll make sure that everything you do is believable. Then, I'll try to come up with a plan to get you out. Like it or not, we're in this together," I whisper, my brows furrowing. "You'll be so believable you'll even have yourself convinced that you're a conman."

Charlotte whispers. "Alright. But I'm not the one that needs to be convinced."

I turn around and follow her gaze. My eyes land on Jo who has regained consciousness and has been watching our entire exchange with an amused smile on her face.