Hacker • English Version

Chapter 7

Faye sighs and opens the door wider.

She steps aside to let me in.

The warm, green scent of my apartment hits me right away. My anger starts to melt.

I kneel by the first few pots. The soil is dry—not dry-dry, but not soaked either.

Faye: "I didn't water them."

She's standing behind me, still with her arms crossed. Her voice is colder now, like she's defending herself.

Faye: "You can check every pot or take my word for it."

I pause. There's a right answer here.

Yoko: "I know you didn't."

Even with my elevator drama, I knew it wasn't her. Faye doesn't make sloppy moves.

Yoko: "But plants are tricky. Sometimes they need water. Sometimes they don't."

Faye: "I see."

She waits while I kick off my shoes and drop my bag. Then I go deeper into the apartment.

I check every plant—even the ones high up. I climb onto chairs and tables if I have to. She sighs and moves closer, ready to catch me if I fall.

Should I have hugged her first? Said hello before checking the plants?

How can I? She's so cute I can barely look straight at her.

Yoko: "Which one's your favorite?"

I'm halfway around the living room, adjusting a peace lily so the leaves get better light.

Faye thinks.

Faye: "The one on the shelf with the vines."

Yoko: "English ivy."

Faye lets out another breath. She actually sighs a lot around me. Luckily she's surrounded by plants or she might run out of air.

She's mad.

This isn't how she imagined seeing me again.

Maybe I'm not what she wanted.

I should've listened to those dice.

Faye: "Well?"

We're in my room now. She waits until I finish checking the last pot. We're standing across from each other, the bed between us.

The pillows are fluffed. The bed is made—for the first time since I bought it.

Yoko: "So what?"

I'm bad with open questions. And all I can think about is last night—when she was lying there naked, touching herself. I watched it all on Marissa's laptop.

That image is still burned into my mind. It makes my stomach heavy and warm.

Faye snorts. She stretches her arms. She's wearing a soft gray shirt and black pants. The fabric pulls tight over her chest when she moves.

I stare.

I want one of those buttons to pop open.

Faye: "Do you want me to go, Yoko?"

Her jaw is clenched. Her eyes are sharp. A minute ago she looked so happy.

Yoko: "If you want."

I'm not going to beg. Not after everything.

Faye: "So that's it. You hack me, you f*** me on the phone, and now you're done?"

Faye's eyes are cold now. Measuring.

Faye: "You knew what you were signing up for. Am I not what you wanted?"

I shrink inside. I knew I'd panic. But not this fast. Everything's falling apart already, and I don't know how to fix it.

Faye: "You're either very brave or very stupid, Yoko."

Her voice is calm, but her eyes flash a warning.

Faye: "If I walk out that door, you're not allowed to look at me again. Do you understand?"

Faye: "Next time, I won't be so forgiving."

Threats. Always threats.

Yoko: "I won't look at you."

Faye's expression tightens.

Faye: "Well, then."

She walks around the bed.

Before I know it, she pulls me in by the elbow and kisses me hard.

I make the most embarrassing squawk ever—it's my first kiss and I know it's going to suck.

But Faye lets me wrap my arms around her neck. I bury my fingers in her hair. She groans when I press myself against her chest.

Faye: "I liked you better on the phone."

And that's it. That's the moment I break.

She just buried an axe in my chest—and somehow it feels like love.

Yoko: "I'm not good with people."

I whisper it against her neck.

She laughs, low and rough.

Faye: "Don't tell me."

It's my first kiss. It's supposed to be happy, right? Romantic?

But I'm too broken. Too empty. Too exposed.

She pinches my bottom lip. I pull away.

Faye steps back.

Her face goes blank—like she's a stranger again.

She reaches out and ruffles my bangs.

Faye: "I'll be watching you, Yoko. Stay away from my damn tech."

Then she turns and walks away.

── .✦. ──

With time to think about our meeting again and again, I can see all the things I did wrong.

Faye was happy to see me. I was so nervous, I focused on the plants instead of her.

She wanted smiles. I gave her a frown.

She asked if I didn't want her. And all I did was shrug... and say she could leave.

This is why I'm better online.

In texts, I can pause and think. I can understand what's happening. I get time to write the right words.

But face to face?

I mess up.

When I crawl into bed after a long, hot shower, I can still smell her on my sheets. It's morning, but I don't care. I'm going to sleep the whole day.

The scent from our kiss still lingers.

It's Faye. I know it is.

She smells like storms and cologne.

Strong, sharp, and impossible to forget.

I press my face into the pillows and let out a deep sigh. I don't cry much. What's the point?

I always knew I'd ruin this.

But right now, as I lie here with her scent all around me...

I just wish Faye Malisorn would let me see her again—Even if only for a little while.