~YULIA
There was a silent pause for a while as I waited for the black box to speak again.
“Hello, I am Alexa, your virtual assistant and new best friend! And who are you?” It asked.
I heaved a sigh of relief when I finally understood what it was and my heartbeat slowed down to its usual pace. I had realised I wasn’t in trouble. Hearing too much witch talk recently must have made me super anxious.
I had read about these virtual assistants in school. It was no threat. Could never be one, hopefully.
“I am Yulia, and I want to take my bath.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Yulia, would you like me to stream any of your favorite music while you take your bath?” Its voice was cheerful and I could not help but smile at it.
“Yeah sure, play me. . .” I paused. I could have easily named a song from some of my favorite artists but I didn’t.
The virtual assistant thought it was Issa earlier and wanted to play his favorite song. It turned out I didn’t know much about him. So listening to something he liked wouldn’t hurt, would it?
“Alexa, I would really love to listen to a song of my choice but I just can’t think of anything. How about you play me the most streamed song on your playlist?”
“Coming right up, Yulia, enjoy your music.” It kept mute for a while and I wondered, what kind of song would play?
And, since I now knew that it was Alexa all along, there was no need to refer to her as a black box.
I removed my dress and walked slowly into a sealed glass container with shower heads all over it. It looked just like the ones in the houses of extravagantly rich people in the movies.
Again, I marvelled at all the good things that Issa got to enjoy as a Lycan King.
As I stood inside it, I saw three buttons and a little opening on the side of the container. Curious, I put my hands under the opening, and liquid soap came rushing out.
“Oh!” I removed my hands and massaged it over my body.
The buttons had three colours, red, blue, and black. I didn’t have to press it to know what they meant. I pressed the red button and hot water came splashing over my body, mild at first before increasing in pressure.
The sound of jazz music, composed mainly of instruments and no voice soon filled the air and I couldn’t help but sigh in relief.
It all just felt so good.
I soon finished bathing and stepped out of the glass container with water dripping all over my naked body. My eyes scanned the bathroom and I realised my mistake.
I didn’t check for a towel before taking my bath which meant that I would have to go to the exit door and ask for Issa’s help.
I looked at my clothes on the floor and discarded the idea that came to my mind. The clothes were filthy beyond rags, there was no way I would wear them again, not after bathing so thoroughly.
“Here goes nothing.” I began to move towards the door, slowly at first before deciding to increase my speed.
That was the mistake I made.
Because suddenly, I slipped and helplessly watched myself fall. My back hit the ground hard and I screamed.
The door instantly came open in the next second and I got the shock of my life. Standing right before me was Issa, staring down at me, naked on the floor.
“What the fuck!”
I felt my face grow hot and my heart skipped triple beats.
The air was overcome with tension and I almost forgot how to breathe. It seemed as though I was just a small boat in a raging storm, getting tossed about and I was almost drowning in my nervousness.
“Get out! Now!” I jumped up at once and tried to cover my body with my hands despite the pains swirling around my head and back.
“I- I’m sorry,” he mouthed, turning around swiftly. He had already walked out the door and was closing it when I remembered that I still didn’t have a towel.
“Wait!”
He stopped but this time, he didn’t turn around to look at me, he just stood there, holding the door with his hand.
“Yes, Yulia?” His voice sounded funny, like a man who was scared of heights, standing on the edge of a cliff. If not for the situation I found myself in, I would have laughed.
“I need a towel.” Moving towards the back of the door, I crouched a little and extended my hand to collect the towel from him.
“Oh, here it is.” He stretched the towel to me so fast, I realised how stupid I was. It had been there all along by the door side yet I had to go through all this pain.
Snatching it from him, I wrapped it around my chest, coming out of my hiding place behind the door. I was beyond embarrassed with what had just happened, so much so that I was willing to take my revenge on him.
A smirk settled on my lips as an Idea popped into my head. He stood by the side of the door in a place where it would be difficult to leave without him moving first.
The idea was to make him lose his balance by brushing past him abruptly.
How wonderful it would be if I saw the man who had seen me naked fall flat on his face!
Yara stirred within me, as if to warn me not to cross dangerous waters but I was stubborn.
Having concluded my plans in my head, I made my move. I abruptly brushed past him so fast, expecting to see his fall but I got the shock of my life.
His body was hard as a rock and his leg was extended outward, making me trip instead.
I could have sworn that I saw my life flash before my eyes as I saw myself falling real quick. I braced myself for the fall but suddenly, it all stopped.
Warm hands caught me and I opened my eyes only to meet with Issa’s forest-green gaze. They began to glow and they burned into mine, so much so that I frowned at them.
Forever lost in his gaze.