While the City Slept ‖ KV

4 | First Threads

The shelves were cramped and crowded with the usual suspects: racks of candy bars with peeling wrappers, soda bottles sweating under flickering fluorescent lights, chips stacked in messy piles.

The air smelled stale but sweet—like melted candy and something greasy simmering somewhere just out of sight. Bianca's eyes flicked around, her hands twitching like she wanted to grab something but wasn't sure what.

She could hear the low murmur of voices outside—the rough laughter of boys who owned the street in a way she wasn't part of. Her heartbeat thudded against her ribs, louder with every step she took toward the counter.

Dayvon kept his back against the wall but didn't look away. The way she moved, small and nervous but full of a quiet kind of defiance, made something in him tighten—something he hadn't expected to feel for a girl like her. He wasn't used to wanting to protect, or even just watch, instead of keeping his eyes peeled for threats.

She reached for a candy bar—Reese's, her favorite—and his voice cut through the thick silence.

She caught sight of Dayvon near the counter, leaning against the wall, his arms folded, face unreadable. The faint scar on his elbow peeked out from under the sleeve of his black tee, a mark she remembered from the last time. Her heart thudded in her chest, though she tried to keep her steps casual.

His gaze flickered to her as she moved closer, and something tightened in his chest—like a sudden punch. He was used to watching, staying sharp, but now it was different. He wanted to watch her, not just out of habit, but because she pulled at something he couldn't explain.

He cleared his throat, voice low. "You come around here often or am I just lucky today?"

Bianca swallowed, tugging at the corner of her shirt. "Had to get something sweet," she said, trying to sound like it was no big deal. "This heat's killin' me."

He laughed, a rough, quiet sound that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You always got candy on you or what?"

She shrugged, cheeks burning. "Hell yeah. Keeps me sane."

The space between them tightened, heavy like the humid air outside before a storm. Neither wanted to break the silence, but both needed to say something.

He smirked, the kind of crooked smile that made his whole face shift. "You got guts, comin' here alone."

She raised an eyebrow, stepping toward the cooler. "And you got guts, hangin' around like you own the place."

He laughed softly, the sound rough and low. "I'm just holdin' it down."

There was a pause, and the moment stretched thin between them—thick with unspoken questions and something electric.

"So," Bianca said, turning with a candy bar in hand, "what's the real reason you here? Not just waitin' on your dice game, huh?"

Dayvon's eyes narrowed, like he was weighing how much to give away. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just waitin' on someone."

She caught the way his eyes flicked to hers and back down, a little shy despite his bravado.

Bianca felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "Who?"

He shrugged, "Don't know yet."

They moved toward the register together, the worn linoleum cool beneath their feet, the bell jangling as the door opened and closed behind a customer.

When the clerk rang up Bianca's candy, Dayvon leaned just a little closer, voice dropping.

"You tryna hang after this?"