Ride or Die

i. // you must survive

"You must survive, huh?"

she could barely see her own reflection, Aiko noticed, blankly staring at the normally stainless mirror that was now all steamed up and sweating. despite the room's atmosphere no longer being humid, the condensed water had found its way to crawl back onto the mirror and cover her reflection. the small, trickling beads of water on the glass rolled down cheekily, causing skinny trails of lines to form where someone had written the words,

                                                        "너는 살아남 아야 해"

she simpered, reading the words aloud and delighting on the fact that it was only her who could've possibly known what it meant.

Aiko strolled closer to mirror, placing both hands down on the sink below it.

her hands clenched the marble tightly, and an uncontrollable desire to do anything but what the message ordered her to do found its way to bloom and spread all over her body.

she clenched her thighs.

perhaps this could be another day, another chance to misbehave.

Aiko let out a breathy giggle, feeling coy. her laugh and close proximity to the mirror produced more fog, and the message clouded up more and more, almost completely disappearing.

a thin haze seemed to cover her mind, and the feeling so overwhelming, she could only smirk.

slowly, she took a lick at the mirror.

•••

Aiko stared at her phone, her eyes hooded and expression blank. she held the device loosely in her right hand and had the stick of a lit cigarette between the middle and forefinger of her left. smoke from the cigarette curled all around Aiko, like a barrier of nothing but haze. perhaps it was protecting her, the best way it could. it did its job well. all the times when Aiko had her smoking session before a big race, nobody bothered her. not a single person.

she took the stick between her lips, inhaling deeply.

"yo, Aiko?"

the voice simply made Aiko raise her eyebrow.

"fuck you want?"

she blew more smoke out into the air. her attention was still to the phone.

"okay look, I know I'm not your best friend, but you gotta at least look at me when I'm talking to you. it's rude and makes you look snobby."

Aiko blew out again, still not giving a care in the world for what the person had to say.

"fuck off."

this time though, she looked up. she wanted to see just how much she drove people insane; how she drove them to the very last brink of humanity. she wanted to see them lose themselves in anger, she wanted to see them throw away all shame and rational thoughts and force their hands around her throat and strangle her oh so tightl-

"there's going to be some... special guests coming tonight. they're VIPs going to watch tonight's race."

Aiko finally placed her phone down. she leaned backward, placing her hand on the car's exterior.

"yeah, I know. so what? let them watch the race. let them do whatever the hell they want," she sneered, staring up at the ashy grey sky above her.

there was only silence coming from the person in front of her.

Aiko raised a brow. a soft wind caressed her cheeks and danced through her hair, almost making her want to spring to her feet and ride away with it to a faraway land where people answered her faster.

"tch, whatever. just. . . give them a race to remember."

first came silence from Aiko.

second came hysterical giggling.

third came Aiko finally looking the person dead in the eye and saying, "oh, Crynn."

she grabbed the girl's tie, pulled it tight, and brought her dangerously close to her own lips.

"when have i never?"