A Kiss With A Stranger

Callie

Checking her bank app, I realized that I was no where close to paying off the debt that was hanging loose around my neck like a pair of rocks, threatening to hold me down under water.

The triple shifts- yeah you heard that right- I took at the cafe and in my cleaning job didn't so much as dent the surface.

Nibbling on my finger, I racked my brain for an idea, anything actually at this point but my thought process was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Three years ago, I had moved out from home to gain a little independence with high hopes that a year in, I would have traded places for something way cooler.

Three years in and I'm still living in my shoebox of an apartment.

I grabbed a candy from the bowl I usually kept on the table, tossing one into my mouth as I strolled over to the door.

The knock had turned into banging, making me wonder who it was.

“I'm coming, don't break my door down!” I yelled, not sure whoever it was could hear me.

Jerking open the door, I stared at the two burly men outside my door that I'd never seen before.

“Who're you-” I didn't get halfway through to my sentence before they charged into my apartment, making me stumble back in fear.

The guy at the front had red rimmed eyes and black lips due to smoking. On his hands were brass knuckles and he had loads of chains around the neck. Apart from how big and mean looking he was, he didn't seem to give off that bad guy vibe.

Or so I thought.

The guy at the back, hovering behind Brass Man seemed to be his lackey, waiting patiently until he had been ordered.

“I don't know who you are or what you want but I'm going to have to ask you to leave.” I say with bravado, my lower lip quivering.

The two men exchanged a glance before Brass guy let out a peal of laughter. “I'm guessing that by the way you run your mouth, you don't know who I am, do you girl?”

I shook my head wildly, sending hair flying every which way. I was so scared, I didn't move much for fear that I shit my pants. “N-no, I-I do-don’t.”

“Let me refresh your memory then.” Brass guy took a step forward, his rancid breath on my face. “A couple of weeks ago, you stood up to one of my men Antonio, saying you would help lady out. Her name was Clarice, do you remember?”

The blood had drained from my face when he mentioned Clarice’s name. “I do.”

“Good.” He stroked his dirty finger down my chin. “She dropped your name and address when she came for a loan, saying that you would be her backup if anything went sideways.”

My eyes widened and I started but it took considerable efforts to remain still. “Look, I can explain.” I say in a rush. “I only met Clarice a couple of weeks ago, and after she threw me what I now know was a bunch of horseshit,I decided to help her out. I swear to you, I have nothing to do with her!”

My chest was bouncing up and down, attracting Brass guy's eyes to my breasts. He looked away, stretching a hand to the guy at the back. “Luke, give me my tablet.”

Luke rushed to obey, handing a sleek, apple gadget to Brass guy. “Here you go, Lewis.”

I didn't think it was possible to be shocked any more but when I heard the guy's name, I knew that I was in deep trouble.

Lewis Cappoloti is a dangerous man on the streets, word has it that he runs a criminal organization underground but no one really knows.

It's not like you can walk up to the man and ask him. If this is really Lewis Cappoloti, then it must be something huge.

Crap. Double crap.

Lewis concentrated on the screen for a minute, showing it to her. My eyes focused on the images I saw, making me shrink back in fear.

“She owes a $100 thousand and since she put your name down as her sister, then I figured you must be good for the money.” He looked around the apartment, his nose turning up a bit. “Although I suppose not.”

The wooden table was digging into my thigh, a very uncomfortable experience but I dared not ask Lewis to move. “You need to listen to me, I don't know Clarice…at all. I was just being nice to her, I had no idea that she does shit like this.”

His beady eyes stated at me, emotionless. “I'm supposed to believe that you go around, handing people your information out of the goodness of your heart?” Now that he said it out loud, I do sound a bit stupid so I kept shut. Lewis ever so calmly pulled out a gun, holding it loosely between his fingers. My body started to tremble at the sigh of a gun and it was all I could do to hold still.

“I don't give two shits if you know this woman or not. All that I know is that she took my money and now she's disappeared off the face of the earth, dropping you as her contact.” Lewis leaned in, those eyes of his cold. “I do not like to be played with, Callista Moss. You have two weeks to pay me back that money, eise it'll be you who goes missing.” His gaze moved to somewhere over her shoulder. “Or maybe, I'll start with the people you love.”

How does he know my name?

I nearly facepalmed myself. If he knew where I live, then it stands to reckon that my name would be easy.

$100k?

I have over $2,000 in debt that I'm still trying to figure out how to pay and now this?! At this rate, I'll be in debt until the day I died.

His menacing tone made shivers run down my spine. Fear glued my tongue to the roof of my mouth.

I wanted so badly to scream and tell him that this was all a big misunderstanding but one look at Lewis and his lackey, equally spotting a gun and I kept quiet.

“Do you understand me, girl?” He growled.

“Y-yes, I-I do.” I stuttered out.

“Good.” He pulled away, signalling to his lackey and together they walked out of my apartment but hours after they had gone, I could still feel my hands trembling out of fear.

So much for being nice.