"I already told you, Haley, I can't afford it."
"Damn."
She fought to hide her grimace at the crude remark. Her blonde friend exhaled softly as she idly circled the rim of her coffee cup. The dark brown brew mirrored a somber hue, while her soft pink lips moved silently in contemplation as her eyes roamed the sparsely populated Daisy's and Me sweet shop.
"How is it that you can't manage to afford a two-hundred-dollar apartment that isn't even far from here?"
Hmm.
She leaned forward, crossing her hands over her chest with evident worry.
Why must she always behave like this? It was as if she believed she deliberately chose homelessness, even though she could easily rent or purchase any house that presented itself.
"Aren't you being a bit too stingy? Two hundred dollars a month is practically the lowest-priced accommodation in this state, if not the entire world."
"It's easy to be frugal when you don't have a three-hundred-thousand-dollar inheritance waiting in a trust fund from the moment you opened your eyes, nor a musician boyfriend destined for fame and stardom."
"Woah. What was all that?" Haley leaned back in astonishment.
"Nothing. It's nothing," she murmured, drawing the coffee mug close to her face.
Her warm, honeyed brown eyes fixed on a living example who had just entered with his group of friends in search of something sweet. Her gaze lingered on his distressed jeans and the black, round-neck shirt that showcased the results of years of dedicated gym workouts. He could easily model for a fitness club, and his youth was evident—he likely hadn't realized they'd been classmates since kindergarten. She held the mug between her lips, the perfect excuse to scrutinize the source of the unrest that had plagued her existence since the day she was born.
He smiled at a remark exchanged among his friends as one of them engaged the woman behind the counter to order their treats. Perhaps he was amused by the latest tale of a dim-witted nerd whom they pretended to be genuinely interested in, only to later shatter her illusions in the only manner that cool bad boys could manage.
Unaware of her prolonged gaze, she suddenly found that she had captured his attention. It was only when he shot her a disapproving look—as if she were stealthily undressing him over her coffee—that she quickly averted her eyes, peeking through the tall, floor-to-ceiling windows at their table.
His name was Tyler. Tyler Black. He had been the most popular kid in kindergarten, elementary, and high school—a perennial prom king at whom every girl once pined. Even five years after college, he remained, arguably, the most handsome man in existence.
Unfortunately…
With a despondent sigh, she returned her cup to the wooden table, attempting to hide beneath her black hoodie out of shame for her own appearance.
…It seemed as if fate had conspired against her, leaving her unworthy of the object of her twenty-something-year crush!
She rested her head wearily on the table, the hood's cap concealing her hair and nearly half of her face.
"I can't afford anything…Haley…" she lamented in a depressing tone, tears welling at the corners of her eyes as the dimming sunlight cast a warm, angled glow on her face. "It's gotten so bad that I feel anxious even about tomorrow's dinner."
Haley muttered a curse under her breath, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.
"If I ever had nearly two hundred dollars, I'd begin saving for surgery…and…"
Her tearful eyes tracked her ideal man as he settled at a nearby table, indulging in some of the unhealthiest snacks imaginable—it was astonishing how he maintained perfection, no matter what he did, wore, or consumed.
Haley, following that glance, couldn't help but feel disappointed in her best friend once again; the inexplicable ways this Tyler jerk treated her were truly astounding.
"Why is he so perfect…" she murmured dreamily. Haley turned to look again, hoping to discern what exactly made her so secretly infatuated with that insufferable man.
"You mean that demon?"
An amused smile played on her lips.
"I honestly need glasses with super lenses to understand what you see in that devil. He ruins lives—especially those of the gullible, like you. Be offended if you must, but I simply don't give a damn. He's like a predator with no heart at all. You can't handle a red flag like Tyler Black."
She smiled inwardly; her friend had no idea just how crazily she was willing to endure all the chaos that came with him.
"Forget that idiot and focus on your other issues. How's your progress in landing a real job that can support you? I suggest you check out this particular site I stumbled upon last night…"
His eyes were as blue as the ocean, glittering like tiny, lost pearls on its depths.
What would the world be like if she could kiss those lips…
She jumped as Haley slammed her hand forcefully on the table, having not paid attention. Shocked, she stared at her friend, questioning how she almost gave her a heart attack.
Haley bit her lip hard, glaring at the girl before her in disbelief.
"Since Tyler, the jerk, seems to be your main concern now," Haley declared as she pulled her friend to her feet, "Why don't we tackle that issue before dealing with everything else?"
Before she could object to Haley's plan, she found herself standing before all eight of them at their table. She attempted to retreat, only to have Haley's grip on her wrist tighten, daring her to crawl away and hide instead of confronting her problems one by one. The daring, wicked side-glance her friend shot her made her gulp, wishing her oversized black hoodie were even larger to conceal her further from everything.
An awkward silence fell over their table as they arrived; all eight eyes fixed on her, making her long for the ground to open up and swallow her whole, sparing her from their piercing stares. They were all handsome, dangerous men—but none compared to him.
She fought to remain composed under his intense gaze.
Haley did a splendid job of matching their intimidating stares. Once a rebellious girl herself, she had softened the moment she encountered the love of her life and finally grasped life's true meaning—though she remained unsure whether it was due to a hidden fetish for the dangerously alluring.
Yet deep down, She knew Haley would never hurt anyone the way her secret admirer had callously ruined the lives of countless girls.
"Um…can we help you?" one of them inquired, seating himself to Tyler's left.
Haley scoffed.
"I believe so," she replied.
Haley pulled her friend closer, ensuring she was as visible as possible to everyone.
"Hi, Mr. Hot and Dangerous, also known as the destroyer of lives. My friend here is quite taken with you."
She was thrown into a state of shock, her world coming to a sudden halt as cold sweat streamed down her face to her toes in complete disbelief.
"And it would be more than nice if you could take her on a date, even if just once. Your presence is utterly distracting, and she has far more important things to worry about than a douchebag like you, day and night."
Tyler chuckled in a dark, seductive tone that set her hormones alight like exploding fireworks. The smooth cup nestled between his perfectly shaped fingers—every detail, from the way he drew each breath to the rhythm of his heartbeat—was simply overwhelming for her mind to grasp each day.
His smile deepened as his handsome face beamed with amused delight. How perfect it would be if this next victim of his desires were prepared to be ravaged in ways her innocent mind could scarcely imagine.
"Alright. But does this pretty little lamb have a name?"
"Yes. It's Wis—"
"Uh-uh. I don't want to hear it from you. I'm sure she's not mute, and you're not her pathetic spokesperson, are you?" He raised one of his dreamy eyebrows at Haley, his amusement barely concealed.
"You really think the whole world is already at your—"
"Wish."
Haley paused, staring at the girl who she had always considered timid especially in front of her long-admired crush, now boldly stating her name in his presence. The determined look on her face unnerved Haley as she struggled to maintain eye contact with the devil himself.
"I am Wish," she managed, swallowing hard—it was far more difficult than she had imagined.
Haley stared, torn between pride and concern, and her dismay deepened as the headless herd of buffalos erupted into laughter. Her eyes swept over each of them in sheer disbelief.
"A name as dumb as the feeble look on her face," Tyler joked amid his laughter, while the others joined in the amusement nearly toppling from their seats and rolling on the floor. Her friend recoiled slightly at the insult, the faint tremor in her hands barely escaping notice.
In a burst of anger, Haley seized one of the drinks from their table and splashed it all over Tyler's face. Her sudden aggression seized everyone's attention in the room, an unexpected move that was noted by his gang.
"No one calls my girl dumb and gets away with it. The only fools here are you eight hopeless friends who'll forever remain a pack of brainless losers!"
Tyler, water dripping from his face, watched as both girls stormed out of the coffee shop in a mix of confusion and horror. Everyone stared at him not knowing what to do.
It only took his friends a few minutes to snap out of it before they pulled out tissues and rags to wipe his face clean of the drink.
Tyler couldn't imagine two ignorant fools just publicly humiliated him and he was determined to not let them go until they got what they deserved for this.