Warning: Brief explicit sexual imagery.

The back of Mira's white Jeep taunts me as I follow her back to her condo. Everything in me screams that this is a bad idea. I could barely get through just one morning at that atrociously pink place, and I couldn't get out of there fast enough. And that wasn't even the biggest reason why I bolted out of there.

I noticed how she was looking at me. That girl is not subtle with the way her mouth was hanging open when I was washing my face under the sink. Even if she presents herself as a straight girl and clueless to almost all of my lines,  I wasn't going to take any chances of her hopping into the shower with me. Not that I would complain... She's cute, and even if her sweetness and naivety is quite annoying, it also makes me curious about her.

With wind blowing through the partially opened window as we drive down the highway, an image comes to my mind. One of what could have happened if I did shower at her place, and if she would have barged in like the cute kitten that she is. Watching her climb under the showerhead with me, droplets of water sliding down her skin, small body as she looked up at me with those chocolate brown eyes. Pressing her against the slippery wet tiles, whispering in her ear "who's mommy's good little girl", feeling her knees buckle and her warm body shudder against mine as my fingers slide in and out of her, faster and faster. Her heavy panting turning into quick gasps when my other hand slides up her throat, her head leaning back against my shoulder, her eyes fluttering close while I nip at her soft skin and my lips feel the beat of her rising pulse as her body finally succumbs to my--

"Shit," I curse as I barely miss the exit the stupid white Jeep had taken. The dirty imagery disappears from my mind, much to my relief. What the hell am I even thinking about? She fucking burned my hand, and then has the audacity to think that a freaking two dollar tip that I didn't even get and an apology would be enough to make me forgive and forget.

Besides, young girls are not even my preference. Maybe two or three years younger than me I'm fine with, but there must be a whole five, six years age gap between us. Mature  women though, especially over ten to fifteen years older than me that age like red wine... that's an entirely different story. One that I'd like to be in over and over again, never getting tired of being dominated by an experienced, sexy woman.

Not a twenty year old girl who is basically my little sister's age, and still in college, not to mention her... innocence. She reeks of it, from how she talks to how she acts, to how red her face becomes when I mention something even slightly off (when she can understand it). And to be very honest? I enjoy watching her become all flustered. It's entertaining, tickling my insides with amusement.

I definitely didn't expect to meet Mira at the store, and even if the free room offer was too good to refuse, I was adamant on not accepting it. But when she looked at me with those kitten eyes as she told me that her roommate search wasn't going well, something in my heart twisted. Just a little. Some people call it a fleeting moment of warmth, others call it a fluttering heartbeat.

I call it a twinge of sympathy for a girl desperate for a roommate. A girl living alone in Los Angeles with a mother who holds her prisoner, at least in my eyes.

With an irritated sigh, I follow Mira onto a right turn. The plan seems simple enough. Follow her back to her condo and gain the approval of her mother who will be there to meet me. If everything goes well, I'll be officially  moving in tomorrow since all my belongings are at my sister's place. From what she told me about her I have a feeling that the mother is going to be one of those strict, narcissistic Beverly Hills moms who want to have full control of their children's lives. Not that Mira has mentioned any details or information about her other than the twenty-four hours thing, but that is more than indication enough of what to expect. She might even be worse than Evelyn from that movie... what's it called... Rich Asians or something.

Another sigh escapes my lips just as a phone call cuts off the best part in 'Lunch" by Billie Eilish. With a groan, yet grateful at the distraction from my thoughts, I accept the call when Anna's name pops up on the screen.

"Hey, sis," I say before taking a swig of coldwater.

"Hey... I got your text... are you sure about this, Nat?"

Oh... right, I had texted Anna about my decision after my talk with Mira in the store's parking lot.

I nod, then realize that she can't see me. "I don't really have any other choice, do I? You're moving away, and–"

"Not for another month or so," she reminds me. "Besides, you could live with mom."

I laugh. "I don't think mom would like to be kept up all night by the screams coming from my–"

"Oh my god, Nat. Ew. " Gagging sounds come from the speakers, causing me to grin with amusement. "That is just gross. I'm lucky my couch is too small for you to play around in."

"How do you know I've never done it on your couch though?" I let a hint of mischievousness creep into my voice. "I have ways of keeping them quiet, you know."

Stunned silence greets me. "What?"

Somebody honks behind me the second the light turns green. Fucking jerk. "Look, I'm really sure that the fact I don't like her will make this whole roommate thing work for a long time, just until I save up enough money to open the studio."

She sighs. "I still don't understand why you won't just take out a loan. Your credit is well above average."

I scoff. "Yeah, I don't want to be a slave to a bank for years and constantly get loan after loan to pay the previous one. Like, what if the business fails due to the amount of regulations that have been causing many new dance studios to shut down recently? This place is filled with hungry sharks, and I need to make sure I won't be completely doomed if I fail."

"I know you, Nat. And your stubbornness and confidence and huge, huge ego that rivals the size of Asia." I roll my eyes at the last part. "You won't fail. Look... just promise you won't torture or kill the poor girl."

With a snort, we turn into a driveway and pull up to the condominium towering over twenty stories high. The sun is already low enough to hide behind the building, letting it cast a long shadow that envelopes the entrance.

"I won't be making any promises on the former part."

"Nat..." Anna's voice holds a warning note.

"Gotta go. Love you."

"Nat!" I hang up on her as I park in the empty space beside Mira's Jeep. I did mean it when I said that I can't promise that I won't annoy Mira just a little bit. After all, I'm known to hold grudges for a long time over the smallest things, and I think most people would agree that getting your hand burned is not something small at all.

Turning off the engine, I step out of my car as Mira opens the backdoor of her own car and takes out the two bags of groceries. If she was my date or any other pretty girl whom I wanted to fuck, I would offer to carry them for her. But I'd like to watch her struggle a bit. Besides, she can handle it. If she could manage to support my weight last night, then two bags shouldn't be a problem.

"Well." She adjusts the bag handles in her small hands. "My mother will be here in ten minutes, so we should hurry up."

Barehanded, I follow her into the lobby. In the daylight, the luxury of this place is about ten times more visible than it was at dawn or night while drunk. The beige tiles with golden lines spreading through them like spider webs, the chandelier with a hundred thin light bulbs hangs above us, the mahogany leather chairs, and the see-through glass doors inviting people into what seems like an empty tennis court in the back and a huge swimming pool all scream money. A quick, colorful flash of movement appears in my periphery, and I glance in that direction to find a... holy shit, a freaking koi pond built into the floor?? And not just any koi... some of them are Kohakus, and I know they cost... thousands of dollars... each. Fucking rich people.

"The elevator is over here," Mira's chirpy voice slices through my brief bewilderment. Straightening my shoulders, I follow her to the golden double doors on the far end of the lobby. When I pass the clerk, I take note of his boyish muscular build, blonde hair, and cheeks with just a hint of baby fat left over. He lifts his head up, and his blue eyes spark up when he sees me. With a wink and a not-so-subtle smile that always prompts an invitation, I continue walking until I enter the elevator with Mira. As expected, a wide grin and a fluff of blonde hair peers at me around the beige wall just as the door closes.

If this building is full of these delicious men, then maybe it won't be so bad after all. Bonus if there are hot women as well, which I'm more than sure of. After all, this is the best side of Los Angeles. Only people with angelically hot bodies exist here. Okay, maybe not "only", but still.

"I hope you're not planning some sort of prank on my mother or something," Mira asks, the bags rustling as she shifts from one foot to the other.

"Hm?"

"You're smiling like you're planning something."

Oh... is that what she thinks my smile means...

"Depends... I don't attack unless provoked. If your mom is as bad as she seems, then that might be a problem."

She gasps. "You said you would behave! And I never said she's bad, which she's not!"

"Your actions say otherwise," I smirk. At the sight of her eyes widening in horror, I sigh. "I'm kidding, okay? Relax. I can handle your mother."

Her face relaxes in relief. "Okay. Just... Please don't joke like that with my mother. She'll send you down the trash chute, and I'm not joking."

I chuckle. "I've went down on many chutes, trust me." Raising an eyebrow, I wait in anticipation.

And yet instead, a look of worry crosses her face. "You mean a lot of people have thrown you down trash chutes? Are you a fan of it?"

I'm definitely a fan of going down chutes, but this idiot must be living in La La Land to not understand what kind I'm talking about.

"Nevermind... look, I'll do fine in this interview. You got my word."

Mira's cute face scrunches up as she scrutinizes me before nodding right when the elevator stops and the doors slide open. She leads the way across velvety soft carpeting covered in criss-cross patterns of gray, black, and maroon (which blanket our steps so well that it might come in handy when I make my nightly sexcapades) until we reach near the end of the short corridor. She sets the paper bags on the floor and reaches for her keys to open the mahogany colored steel door. It doesn't so much as  creak or whisper, as if it had just been recently oiled. Another soundless bonus.

The Barbie pink interior nearly blinds me as I step into the loft. If I was going to move in here, we would definitely have to negotiate re-painting at least the foyer so it won't hit me like a wave of pink nausea.

"Oh jeez," Mira says, returning from the kitchen and looking at her phone.

"What is it?"

She glances up at me. "My mom... she's here."

"But you said ten min–"

"And that's exactly how much time will pass once she knocks on that door." Mira's eyes bear that look of concern again. "PLease, please do exactly what I said."

"Look who's being a little bossy." I smile, amused at her change in demeanor.

A flush creeps up her pale neck. "Just please let me know that I can trust you to follow my instructions."

"I wouldn't trust me," I murmur under my breath.

"What?"

"Don't worry, I won't mess this up," I say louder.

She exhales and inhales, her small chest rising up and down as her eyes glimmer with relief and... trust.

A knock on the door causes us both to quickly glance in the direction. Mira takes a deep breath before she goes to the door and opens it.

"Hello, eumma," Mira says as the sounds of air kissing reach me.

"Hello, darling. Now, where is that roommate of yours?" the heavy-Korean accent travels through the entranceway. That strangely familiar husky voice that tickles my memory bank.

And then she appears in view. From her bangs and wolf haircut to her tall stature, slim body, and tanned skin compared to Mira's, and that... devilish look in those brown eyes swirling with the sweetness of honey, it's her. And judging by the recognition flooding her face, there's no doubt she knows exactly who I am. I'm not easily forgettable, especially if I have created a lasting effect on people. Which happens all the time. And yet, the stunned silence lasts for only one second before she approaches me and holds out her hand with a smile. As if we are just strangers.

"So, so very nice to meet you, Natalie." She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes that threaten to entrap me in their thick pools as her grip on my hand intensifies until she's almost crushing my bones. Her skin is cold, yet stings me like the surface of a glacier.

And then she leans into me, her hot breath tickling my earlobe in the most unpleasant and yet desirable ways, bringing up memories which had been buried in the deepest parts of my mind. Ones that I've hoped to forget forever.

"If you ever so much as look at my daughter in the wrong way, I'll make sure you'll suffer."