Ray

The warehouse was cold, damp, and reeked of gasoline. You tugged at the ropes on your friend's arms, trying to somehow free him, while he hissed,

• Faster, please, I don’t want to die at eighteen.

• Shut up, I'm trying!

And then a familiar voice was heard behind me:

• What a sweet scene.

You froze immediately. Ray.

As usual - calm, confident to the point of impossibility and with that irritating look, as if everything is already under control.

“Let him go,” you said, trying not to show your fear.

Ray slowly walked closer, his hands in his pockets.

"I'll let you go. I'm generally in a good mood today. But there's one condition."

• What other condition?

He chuckled:

• You will become my girlfriend.

There was silence.

• What?..

• You heard.

The friend raised his head sharply:

• Look, well... it doesn't sound so bad—

“I’ll kill you myself now,” you said.

The guy just coughed quietly and turned away.

You looked at Ray again.

— Are you even sick?

"Perhaps," he answered calmly. "But at least I'm honest. I've liked you for a long time."

— Normal people give flowers, not kidnap friends.

— You would have ignored the flowers.

And here there was nothing to object to.

Ray came very close. Too close. For some reason, his heart began to beat faster.

"So what?" he asked quietly. "Or is your friend staying here?"

• This is blackmail.

• Yeah.

You exhaled heavily, realizing that you didn’t really have a choice.

• Okay... Good.

My friend's eyes lit up:

• I knew you would be a great couple.

• shut up.

Ray chuckled and leaned towards you:

• That's a clever girl.

And for some reason his voice gave me even more goosebumps.