technicolor dreams • a modern fairy tale

• 008 •

Only when the goons had disappeared around a corner was Tiana able to avert her eyes from following them, and she turned to look at her saviour without really seeing him. Her lower lip began to tremble and tears escaped her eyes even though she tried to blink them away.

"They have my phone," Tiana repeated, unable to focus on anything else. Her new iPhone 7 which wasn't only worth a good amount of money but also held practically her whole life. Everything was on there; memories, pictures, social network contacts, passwords, and other important information, everything. She couldn't simply lose it.

But she had lost it. As soon as this realisation properly sunk in, she couldn't hold back the tears anymore. She began to cry uncontrollably, and unable to console herself despite the fact that, in the back of her mind, she knew how embarrassed she'd be about that in a couple minutes.

It was just a phone after all, yet at the same time it wasn't. It wasn't just her phone that had been stolen, it was also her obliviousness to the dangers in this city - her innocence so to speak - that had been stripped from her now.

The tears still streamed down Tiana's face and most likely ruined her make up when she heard the mysterious guy speak up again, annoyance seeping into his tone. "What the hell is wrong with you, princess? Are you seriously crying over the loss of your phone? One would think someone just died. But in case you haven't noticed: we're still alive - though I'm seconds away from strangling you myself if you don't shut the fuck up now."

Tiana whipped her head up at this, momentarily stunned. She wasn't sure what was weirder; the fact that someone dared to speak to her like this, or the fact that he actually sounded as if he regretted saving her arse.

When she took in his appearance for the first time though, she could somehow see that he was someone you don't want to piss off. Therefore, she took his advice and willed her sobs to cease while she continued to eye up the young man who had managed to scare away three full grown gangsters.

Black, tousled hair hung into deep blue eyes and olive skin, high cheekbones, and an angular face gave him a Hispanic look. He was probably a few centimetres smaller than her although his stance and sturdy built made it seem as if he were towering over her. Tiana couldn't help herself as she appreciatively let her gaze slide up and down his leather-clad body, momentarily forgetting the danger that still surrounded her probably, given to the reaction of the goons earlier.

Then, she heard an annoyed grunt coming from her object of desire and immediately snapped out of her reverie that consisted of to two of them being in an entirely different environment and situation. Tiana's heart began to race as her mind filled with speculations about all the negative turns the situation might actually take since the guy apparently wasn't pleased with having to wait so long for an answer. Plus, she couldn't forget that despite his definitely attractive appearance it was still obvious that he led a life on the streets.
His clothes were everything but designer, his boots long ago worn out and the stubble along his jaw didn't seem as if it was greatly taken care of... Tiana shuddered involuntarily as she paid closer attention and saw just how dirty he was. He was her knight in not-so-shining armour, practically.

Before she could get lost in her thoughts once again though, she quickly wiped leftover tears off her cheeks, then muttered, "N-no, I'm not! Well, yes, but... It's not just a phone, it's basically my everything, and... Please don't strangle me."