Summary: Zahra spends time with Caleb after meeting him at a local bar.
Author’s note: This was written for Round 28 of #ChoicesCreates: Choices Crossovers and takes place before Endless Summer and Hero.
As Zahra reached her floor in the dorm, she heard voices. When she approached the lounge on the floor, she saw Jillian, one of the girls on her floor, talking to another girl. She took a closer look and saw that it was Jillian’s friend Miranda.
“Any parties going on tonight?” Jillian asked Miranda.
“Not sure. I should call Craig. Maybe the team is doing something. If not, maybe he’d want to hang out alone. It was fun hooking up with him last weekend. I could go for round two.” Miranda picked up her can of diet soda, took a sip, and then set it back down.
Zahra glared in Miranda’s direction, then walked closer to where the girls were sitting. As she neared the end table next to them, she moved her bag closer, knocking over the can of soda. “Oops,” she said as she walked past.
Miranda glowered at Zahra. “You freak!”
Zahra turned around and flipped her the bird, then headed to her room. She slammed the door behind her as she walked in.
Why do I even care? she thought. She and Craig hadn’t spent time together for a while. He was constantly partying with the football team. He’d changed since freshman year. They’d had so much fun then. But things were different now.
I need a drink. I’m getting out of here. She called an Uber, and soon she was at a bar downtown. Good thing I have my fake ID. It was time to get drunk.
She sat down on a barstool. The guy next to her had long brown hair and wore a leather jacket. He raised his glass and motioned to the bartender. “Hey, can I get another mezcal?”
Zahra looked toward the bartender. “I could use one of those too.”
The guy next to her turned in her direction. “You got it.” “Make it two,” he said to the bartender.
“I was talking to the bartender. This doesn’t mean I owe you anything. Got it?” Zahra reached into her pocket and pulled out her knife. “Don’t even think about messing with me.”
“Whoa, chill,” he said. “And you don’t want to use that on me. You’d regret it.” He pulled out his own pocket knife.
When the bartender brought their drinks over, Zahra grabbed the other knife. “I’ll hold on to this for now. You can have it back later, as long as you don’t give me a reason not to give it to you.” She grinned at him wickedly, then picked up her drink and took a sip. “This is good stuff.”
“Sure is.” He reached for his own glass. “I’m Caleb.”
“I’m Zahra.” She looked him over. “I haven’t seen you around here before.”
“I live in Northbridge, but my friend wanted to come here tonight. Maybe that’s why.” He pointed to a man across the room, who had his arm draped around a woman.
“Looks like they’re having fun.” Zahra thought about what Miranda had said. “It was fun hooking up with him last weekend.” She picked up her glass and took a drink.
“Great song!” Caleb made the sign of the horns. Zahra focused on the lyrics.
Breaking the law, breaking the law. Breaking the law, breaking the law. Breaking the law, breaking the law. Breaking the law, breaking the law.
She recognized the song: “Breaking the Law,” by Judas Priest. “You look like you’re into that. Breaking the law.”
Caleb nodded. “Yeah, you got me. I was first sent to juvie when I was thirteen, and was in and out for years. How about you?”
“Hell yeah. I’m on the FBI’s watchlist. I was one of the hackers responsible for the 2015 Wall Street leaks.”
Caleb’s eyes widened. “Impressive! Let me get you another drink.” He ordered two more mezcals.
After they got their drinks, Zahra looked towards the pool table, then back to Caleb. “You want to play?”
He smiled. “Sure, but let’s make it interesting. If I win, you do something for me. If you win, I do something for you.”
“Like what?” Zahra eyed him suspiciously.
“I could use someone to do a hacking job for me. I got caught speeding too many times and now have to pay a surcharge because of all the points against my license. I hate the fucking DMV! Wish my record could be wiped clean.”
“That would be easy enough to do. You’re on.” Zahra stood up and walked over to the pool table with Caleb. “‘I’ll take stripes.”
They took turns shooting, until Caleb had pocketed all the solid balls. Only the 8 ball was left. “8 ball, corner pocket,” he called out. As the 8 ball rolled into the corner pocket, he shouted “Yes! I win!” He looked at Zahra. “You’re going to make my points disappear.”
The man Caleb had pointed out walked over to them. “Looks like I’m getting lucky tonight. Can you find another way home? Thanks!” He hurried off in the direction of the men’s room.
“Damn it!” Caleb muttered. “Any chance you could give me a ride home?”
Zahra shook her head. “Sorry, I took an Uber here.”
Caleb frowned. “That asshole. Wait a minute. I have an idea. You want to get out of here? Remember, you have a job to do for me.”
“Sure, why not.” She and Caleb walked out the door and across the parking lot. She was surprised to see him heading for a car. “I thought you didn’t drive here.”
“I didn’t. My friend’s going to be sorry he ditched me.” He looked Zahra in the eye. “Can I have my knife back now? I need it. Not to use on you.”
“OK, but remember, I still have mine.” She handed him his knife, and he broke the antenna off the car, then jammed his knife between the door and the body of the car. “Is that your friend’s car?”
“Yeah. I’m borrowing it. He’ll know where to find it later, but he’ll have to find another way home.” As the door opened, he reached for the opposite door and unlocked it. “Hop in.”
Zahra walked over to the door, then opened it and sat down in the passenger’s seat. She watched as Caleb hot-wired the car. “Where are we going?”
“Your place? You must have a good computer system if you’re a hacker. Besides, you need a ride home anyway, unless you want to call another Uber.”
“True. You know where Hartfeld University is? I live in the dorms.”
Soon they arrived at the campus, and she led Caleb into her dorm. After they reached her room, Zahra logged on to her computer. Caleb watched as she hacked into the DMV site.
“I’m in. Now I just have to find your record.” She looked over at Caleb, who leaned closer and typed in his full name. Before long, Zahra had deleted all the offenses from his record, and removed the surcharge.
“Thanks! You’re the best.” Caleb looked at her with appreciation.
Zahra’s eyes met Caleb’s. It felt good to have someone look at her like that. She thought about the last time Craig had come to her room. She still remembered what he had said to her: “Sometimes I don’t think you care about anybody except yourself.” Then she thought about Craig hooking up with Miranda. She grabbed Caleb’s arm and led him to her bed. She leaned over and kissed him deeply, and before long one thing led to another.
Afterwards he lay beside her, grinning. “That was fun.”
“Yeah, it was.” But not as much fun as it had been with Craig. “You should probably get going, though.”
“Oh, OK.” He climbed out of bed and began to get dressed. “Can I get your number? It would be fun to hang out again. Besides, you never know when I might need your services.”
“Sure.” As he picked up his phone, she gave him the number. Moments later, she got a text notification.
“I thought you might want mine too.” He pulled her close and kissed her again. “Good night.” He walked out, leaving Zahra alone again.