❝Bad boys ain't no good but good boys ain't no fun.❞

☀︎︎

[A/N: Another loooong chapter; enjoy!]

THE DOOR SWUNG WIDE OPEN. "Bermuda. What's the time?" Harry tilted his head towards Anna, raising his right eyebrow just a little. Anna ran further inside the warehouse, standing directly in front of him, panting.

"I- I am so- sorry- I totally l-lost track of t-time," Anna huffed her way through the words. "I couldn't call you either. You didn't allow us phones." She shrugged and stood up straight.

"And that's a good excuse for being late? Is that what you call punctuality?" Harry's eyes narrowed and his displeasure irked Anna.

"Excuse me, Harry but last time I checked, I didn't buy into your punctuality bullshit. Don't you dare use that tone with me," Anna snapped. She locked her gaze onto Harry's golden eyes and she couldn't move no longer.

And all of a sudden, she felt drawn to the darkness in them. She stood still as a leaf in the dead of the night, immobile and expressionless. She itched to walk closer to him and hold him. She wanted to close that gap between them. Just one step and she-

Mia came in next. She stood beside Anna, confused because of the thick tension hanging between them.

Mia coughed and stepped forward. She handed over the car keys to a very still Harry and walked past Anna, stopping to thump her on the back. Anna shook out of her trance and realized that she'd just snapped at him.

Although she didn't want to apologize to him anymore than she wanted to cut of her right arm, she took a step closer. She really did need that new bed. The mattress gave her nightmares and she was sure she was turning into the princess who couldn't sleep because of a pea under her bed.

Only this time, the princess was convinced it was infested.

She stood right in front of him, a hair's distance apart. Harry was still looking into her eyes and she felt her hands brush against his. Electricity shot up her arms like a painful shot of serotonin and she hastily stepped back.

She had no idea why she kept going back to him. It was futile, she knew it but it felt like being dragged against her will to him. She cleared her throat and saw his amber eyes refocus. He was in a daze too, she thought.

"Shall we?" She gestured towards the door and bit her lip unintentionally. Anna felt comfortably uncomfortable in his presence. He kept studying her, as if trying to find the thousand missing pieces that would complete the puzzle of her. She shrunk a little every time he looked at her that way.

No one had tried figuring her out this way before. She felt a warm feeling her stomach and knew that a slight blush was creeping across her face. Anna's hands immediately went to her bracelet and she started flicking it.

"On second thought," Harry spoke up, letting his hands fall to his sides, a resigned look on his face. "I don't want to go anywhere with you right now. I think I'll take a rain check. Good night Anna, I'll see you tomorrow," he said curtly, dismissing her.

Anna was left standing alone in the lobby, a searing pain in her chest. She felt cheap and disgusting. She no longer wanted to liven up the place. Anna knew that it wasn't only the bed; she was looking forward to spending her evening with Harry. And now she wasn't sure she wanted it anymore.

Wiping her eyes, which threatened to spill uncontrollable tears, Anna gulped back a choke. She shook her head and was about to go up the stairs when she felt a presence next to her. Dark brown strands of hair peeked into her peripheral vision and she immediately knew who it was.

"Mark?" She quickly turned towards him, a small smile appearing on her face. "Anything important?"

"I heard you guys, I'm sorry. That must've hurt?"

Heat rushed to Anna's face and she looked down at the floor. The words felt like a sharp stabbing pain in her heart and she felt helpless. She hated the way Harry made her feel. For all of the world's unexpected tricks, being weak around a criminal wasn't what she wanted.

"Yeah, it's alright," Anna said and stepped around Mark, towards the stairs. "Di you have anything else to say?"

This time, Mark turned pink and his words tumbled out over each other. "Well, since you were prepared to go out today and um, seeing that Harry is in a temper, um, I thought we could go somewhere?"

Anna was stunned, her mouth agape. Laughter sounded from the store room on her right, breaking the silence between them. She stared at Mark, shy and quiet, wringing his palms together. A small laugh escaped her and Mark raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

"If this a request made out of pity, I'd rather go out with the rats in my bed, thank you very much." Anna turned to go back up the stairs when Mark spoke.

"Anna, I'd never do that. It's just a fun place I visited a long time ago. I'd love to go with you but the choice is yours."

Anna stopped walking up and stood silent for a minute. "Well, it is between you and your mysterious place or store room beer pong with Noah, Jeremy, and Mia. I think it's a pretty clear choice," she laughed. "Come on, then."

She went back to stand next to Mark and looped her arm through his. At least he respected her and did not ditch her last minute. Mark led her through the doors, joking lightly about Harry missing out when she felt someone looking at her.

Anna turned back only to see a shadow swiftly move further into the darkness on top of the stairs. Odd, Anna thought, maybe it was just Mia rushing to the bathroom to puke?

Mark tapped her on the shoulder. She spun back to see a stunning night black Royal Enfield waiting. A slow smile spread all over Anna's face.

"Damn, can I drive it? Please, please, please?!" Anna caught hold of Mark's shoulders and shook him vigorously, her eyes dancing.

Mark laughed at her excitement and said, "Sure, get on."

Without wasting a moment's time, Anna rushed to the bike and swung herself onto it. She clasped on one of the dark helmets and beckoned for Mark to sit behind her.

Mark threw the keys to her and sat himself behind her. Anna turned the key in the ignition and stepped on the gas. As soon as the engine revved to life, she felt a sudden thrill rush through her veins, as if adrenaline had been magically pumped into her.

The bike roared forward and Anna's hair flew out from under her helmet, attacking Mark's face. He cursed and swatted her hair away while she pulsed with excitement and laughter.

"Where are we going?" Anna snuck a glance at Mark. "I'm guessing you have an address?"

"Oh, don't worry, I have it memorized. I've been in this city as a teenager and I know most of its nooks and corners. Ostraria looks like an extravagant state but it's also a warm and friendly place."

"As a teenager? Did you grow up here or was it just a trip?" Anna asked, curiously. She hadn't learnt a thing about Florian and neither his second in commands. It was the most uncomfortable assignment she'd been on, constantly learning from her targets instead of being one step ahead.

"Just take the right from the upcoming exit. The path goes forward from there. No rights or lefts," he said, looking slightly embarrassed. The look was gone as soon as it had appeared and she convinced herself that it was just her imagination.

Anna noticed he had ignored her question but she swiveled right and raced down the empty street. "If you've brought me here just to kill me, let me remind you, I am a kickboxing champion."

Mark made a snorting noise. "As if you'd stand a chance against me."

"Oh, you really don't want to test me right now," Anna laughed, shaking her head.

Mark gripped her shoulders. "Okay, stop. This is it." He swung himself off of the bike and stood next to Anna. She looked up at the looming neon sign in front of her.

DISCO BOWLING ALLEY- BOWLING THEM OVER.

Anna snickered, the pun not going unnoticed. "Don't tell me your pun choices are as horrible as this one."

"Hey! I was a kid. Now come on." Mark walked ahead of her, into the dimly lit alley. The walls around them were damp and smelled nothing less than a gutter being overflown. The shadows seemed to move and Anna took off her helmet and scrambled to park the bike in a corner.

"Mark! Wait, dude, what the fuck-" she huffed.

Mark laughed but slowed down while Anna caught up to him. "You sure this is the place?"

"Very. Walk faster," Mark said and reached the dirty glass doors of the bowling alley. The doors creaked open and a huge tattooed man stepped outside.

"Pass?" The man grumbled and Anna found herself taking a step back. She quickly stopped and crossed her arms in front of her, a defiant look on her face.

"We don't have-"

"Madonna," Mark interrupted her and the bouncer moved aside, his piercing green eyes following their movements.

Mark pulled Anna by the hand and led her inside. On the verge of complaining, Anna shut her mouth the moment they walked in.

Bright neon lights hung from the ceiling, throwing beautiful lights on the floor. A huge disco ball swayed in between in all its silver glory. The right corner of the floor was reserved for bowling lines which were lit up with changing neon lights.

Funk music blared from the speakers on the walls and people milled about on the floor. The left side was devoted to a sparkling dance floor where the younger crowd danced against each other, drinks in hand.

"Woah, this- it's beautiful- wow," Anna said, spellbound. She rushed down the stairs on her right, straight to the bowling lines. Mark followed suit, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

"Slow down! You need to check in your shoes," he pulled Anna back towards a shoe corner in a hole in the wall. Anna took off her shoes and put on the new ones at lightening speed.

"Mark! Run faster! I'll start without you!" Anna threatened.

Mark reached her side and shot back. "You know I brought you here, don't you? I can easily have you thrown out."

"You wouldn't dare, you bastard," Anna laughed and picked up a ball. She took a few steps back and ran forward, releasing the ball. She let her momentum pass onto the ball while it rolled down.

Anna waited with bated breath and saw the ball knock down all the pins in a domino effect. "Strike! Yes bitches, that's right! Bow down to your queen!"

A thousand judgemental heads turned to stare and Anna cowered away. "Why are they staring at me? They can't really judge me, can they?"

"I know what you are thinking. Dark alley equals drugs and drinks. Look closer, love. There are guards stationed at every corner, people coming in are thermally screened and every glass here is filled with champagne."

Anna turned around and saw everything that Mark had described. She had missed them all during her initial excitement but now she saw. Everyone and everything here was more sophisticated than she had imagined.

"Wow okay, this," she said, moving her hands in a round gesture, "is amazing. Your turn." Anna moved back and Mark took her place, wringing his palms.

"Step back and watch the magic," Mark winked. He pushed a ball into his hand and broke out into a light jog. He threw it forward and the ball rushed ahead.

Mark stepped behind, a wide grin on his face. "This is how," he said, while the ball touched the first pin, "is how we do it."

The ball crashed into the first pin and it knocked down three more, leaving the corner pins standing. Anna broke into an uncontrollable laughter.

"What were you saying?" Anna said and slapped Mark's back who looked bashful, running his hand through his hair.

The neon lights sparkled in his deep eyes and Anna stopped laughing. She felt herself being drawn to them invisibly. She reached out to touch his shoulder and his hand slipped behind her back. They were just inches apart now.

"Running the show without me, eh?"

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