Nirvana | j.hs

Chapter 1 : No One

first chapter out yay! might be short but enjoy :>

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The two of them were wriggling around the streets in the middle of the night on their way to a convenience store. Carrying him on her shoulders was a bad idea. "Stay there!" she aggressively instructed the stranger who threw up at her. She left him just outside while she entered the store. Later, she heard the sound of the chimes, and she rolled her eyes.

"Didn't I tell you to stay outside?" she gritted her teeth. Of course, instead of answering her, the stranger wobbled and accidentally fell on a shelf that caused a mess.

It caught the attention of the lady at the cashier, and she ran in their direction. "The fuck?" Hope hissed under her breath.

"What's going on here?" the lady gaped. Who wouldn't? After all the time she spent on displaying the goods on their store's shelves got wasted because of the incident this stranger with you caused. She looked at the stranger and her.

"I don't know him," she quickly denied. "You see this mess? He puked on me, and now I need wipes, so where can I find them?"

Sighing, the lady pointed at the far end shelves where it says "Hygiene." Hope grabbed a pack of wet wipes immediately and paid for it at the cashier with the same annoyed lady earlier.

She contemplated if she should still drag the stranger along but leaving him here takes a toll on her conscience. He practically looks harmless unless he throws up again.

After cleaning her clothes with disgust, she went back on shouldering the stranger's arm and walking him outside. But this time, she had no idea where he's taking him. She's not strong, but she wouldn't exactly say that she's managing the unbearable weight of the unconscious stranger.

Fortunately, Hope saw a nearby bus stop where she can temporarily put the guy in peace. Dropping him down the metal bench, she didn't care much. She was already catching her breath and internally cursing the person inside her head.

"Aw," the guy rubbed his right shoulder, the one that easily hit his uncomfortable bed.

"Where do you live? I'll call a cab and ask them to take you there," she brought out her phone and immediately booked an uber until the stranger's hand landed on hers, stopping her from doing so. Glaring at him, Hope braced herself for whatever that will occur next.

"What's your name?" he asked.

God, his breath reeks of alcohol. She thought to herself. She stood up properly and looked down on him. "The name's Hope and you are?" she gently pulled her hand back.

"No one," the man shook his head, and Hope huffed.

"Okay... No One, since you don't want to tell me where you live. The cab will arrive later. Just tell them your whereabouts, and now I'll be on my way," she smiled awkwardly before waving her hand goodbye.

"Wait, not yet..." the stranger slurred.

"What?" she groaned.

Deliberately, he tapped every pocket he has on himself, and a second later, he picked his phone and wanted to pass it onto you. "Your number," he smiled seductively, but in her perspective, it's just a foolish grin.

"My what?" she squeaked.

"N-U-M-B-E-R, number," he repeated.

"Are you seriously tryna hit on me right now?" she glowered. "Ugh, whatever. I'm going home," after rolling her eyes, she turned her heels and journeyed back to her house before the sun even comes up.

There's just one thing in her mind along the way, and that's the face of the mysterious drunk man named "No One."

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It's been a week since Hope last sneaked out of their house. She barely had time for it. In the morning, she's usually asleep. And at night, she attends online college and runs her small secret but legal (she thinks) business.

Dragging the logo that says "Red Knight" in the middle of the document, she finally heaved a sigh of relief. After emailing it to the person she has to, a notification popped in her phone and its money. She looked at the clock in her room with a small smile and was surprised to see that it's one in the morning.

Without a single doubt, she grabbed her phone, wallet, and hoodie. She opened her enormous windows discreetly so that the room next to hers won't hear any disturbances from their periods of sleep. After sliding down the roof, she casually walked away from their lawn and strolled to her usual path when she's taking a midnight stroll.

While touring, she noticed a very lit house in the middle of the night. The brightness was too much that she had to close her eyes a little while she moves away from the area. By the sound of it, there's a party going on, and it's not a good sign for Hope.

Seeing a party place means there are a lot of people. People get wasted and fail to get a hold of themselves. It's dangerous, especially at this time of the day.

Hope continued to walk blindly, and she quickly regretted her move when she tripped over a speed bump on the road. Fortunately, she fell on her bottoms and not on her head. Her parents would murder her if she went back home with a head injury. They will probably ban her from walking outside during dawn, and that's the least of what Hope wants.

"Ouch," she hissed in pain. The lights from the party house are still bothering her, so she had to turn and look in a different direction.

"Well, look who fell for me," a familiar voice echoed in her ears. Looking up, she saw the same face she encountered from her last midnight stroll. He lent a hand, but Hope was too pissed at him to accept his help. On her own, she managed to get back on her feet, "I've been waiting for you," he said.

"Are you always this corny?" Hope snickered.

"Speak again," his eyebrows knitted. "Horny? Well yeah..." the stranger smirked.

"I knew it. You're just another pervert," she scoffed; then she noticed him taking another step closer to her. "Stop! I have my mighty bottle of pepper spray with me, and if you take one more step, you'll gladly meet her," she threatened.

Mr. No One laughed, and she found it annoying. "I'm dead serious," she said through gritted teeth, but the man still seemed to find her statements amusing. "Seriously, what do you want?"

This time, he looked at her with expectant eyes. On the other hand, Hope still buried her hand inside her pocket where the pepper spray is, just in case. "The same thing," he said.

"What thing?" her brows furrowed.

"Your number," the man winked, and Hope internally wanted to slap her face for it.

She just can't believe that she encountered a flirt for the first time during her unplanned strolls in the dark. Not just for the first time, but twice. And to be honest, she kind of wants to make this man disappear immediately from her sight.