SCORCHED DESERT

"Stay back." I grabbed the nearest stick and swung it at his head.

The creature swiftly ducked to the ground, missing my powerful swing."I just want a damn whopper." the voice pleaded, holding his hands over his head.

"I don't care why you're here." I shouted. "Who sent you? And how did you find this place?"

"Listen." He rubbed his arm. "I don't know where the hell I am, or who I'm even talking to, but I just wanna know where I can find the nearest Burger King. I haven't eaten anything all day and I'm—"

"This isn't your Burger King planet." I held the stick out. "You're on Mars."

A small chucked escaped from his lips. "You're just making a fool out of me now."

He scrunched his nose while picking himself up off the ground. "My whole body hurts, damn, how bad did this thing crash?"

"look at him Layla." Cyprien whined as he tugged at my arm. "He looks just like a Martian."

"Well, he's not." I narrowed my eyes. "We don't know what he is or where he's from, but he's not from our people."

"Say—?" He tilted his head. "Layla is it?"

"Yes." I gulped as he looked into my eyes. "That's my name."

"Figured." He sighed, while taking a step towards me. "Well Layla, I'm Jimin."

I blankly stared at him, backing away as he stood closer.

"—and." He ruffled his hair. "I have no idea where I crashed. I was in this lab room, and these scientists were testing all sorts of things on me. They told me that they were gonna put me to sleep and when I'd wake up, I'd be at Burger King."

He looked over his shoulder and back at me. "But now I'm on fucking Mars."

"Wait." I stopped him with my hand and carefully observed him. "Where are you from?"

"Uh, I live on saltwood road, about two miles left of the s—"

"What planet." I sternly spoke, already irritated of this thing.

"Home of the—uh, grass?" He tried to think of a universal term for it. "Yeah, I live on Earth."

"Oh no." I grabbed my brothers hand and took a few more steps back. "Stay away, don't come any closer."

"I'm not even moving." He lowered his brows.

"Stay where you are you human, I'm reporting you to the Mars pol—"

"Now wait just a minute." The human nervously chuckled. "It's not like I came here on purpose."

"Then explain why you're here." I viscously spat.

"I told you a million times already, I thought I was going to b—"

"Burger King, I get it." I hissed. "Who is this Burger King you speak of?"

There was a long moment of silence before Jimin broke into a laughing fit. My lips slowly formed a pout as I tried to figure out what was so funny.

"You crack me up dude." I quickly moved back when he tried to nudge my shoulder.

"Why are you laughing?" I crossed my arms against my chest. "You think just because I'm not from one of your kind, that I'm dumb? If anything, humans are absolutely idiotic."

"Damn." Jimin raised his brows. "You're really just gonna do me like that?"

"Do what?" I blinked a couple times. "The way you speak is so confusing."

"Am I not speaking English?" He pursed his lips together. "I know some Korean, but I don't think that works here."

"You're crazy." I whispered while slowly shaking my head.

Jimin smirked, knowing he could have a little fun since I was clearly afraid of his being. He stepped closer, grinning as he watched me stumble back.

"This is too good." He clasped his hands together.

"Why are you coming closer you imbecile, I said stay back." I pushed myself back, along the dirt.

"Listen." Jimin straightened his face. "I'm not here to hurt anyone, or stay as a matter of fact."

"So then leave." I blurted out, but quickly shielded my eyes as he raised his hand.

Jimin lowered his brows. "I'm just stretching."

"I don't know what that is, but okay." I quietly whimpered.

"Do you see that spaceship?" He pointed behind him. "It's completely fucked. I promise you, once that thing is replaced, I'll get my ass out of here."

"Replaced?" I laughed at his comment.

"What?" He frowned.

"Do you know how much it costs to get a space ship here?" I lifted my brows. "It's thousands of Marsi."

"Do you have change for a ten?" He reached for his wallet.

"What—no, your green piece of paper is no use for us here. You need to pay with Marsi, which you have none of." I grabbed onto my brothers hand, ready to leave this fool alone.

"How about you?"

"What about me." I looked over my shoulder.

"You wouldn't pay for your old pal?" He gave me an innocent smile.

"I don't even know you." I scoffed.

"Listen, please." He quickly caught up to me. "I need your help getting back to Earth, and I have no way of doing that if—"

"How are you even breathing?" My lips parted as my eyes focused on his face.

"To be honest, I don't even know." Jimin shrugged his shoulders. "I should probably be dead by now, right?"

"I'm sorry if I sounded rude." I gently tugged at my bottom lip. "I just learned that humans weren't able to breathe on Mars."

"Look at you." Jimin's lips curved into a smile.

"What?" My cheeks began to burn.

"I got my first glimpse of your sweet side." He pretended to hold his aching chest.

"I'm not a mean person." I bit the inside of my cheek. "You're just irritating, and unintelligent."

"There you go again." He lifted his hands. "How do you come up with these insults?"

"I'm just telling the truth." I quietly spoke. "Sorry—

"I'm kidding." His soothing voice spoke as he gave me a faint smile.

I gulped, forgetting how to speak under his gaze.

"I'm sorry, but we have to go home now." I grabbed Cyprien's hand. "I wish you luck in getting home."

I quickly walked away from him, holding tightly on my brothers hand. A wave of guilt hit me as I heard him loudly sigh.

"I guess I'll be missing my 20th race then." Jimin mumbled underneath his breath, but loud enough for me to hear him.

"What?" My eyes glistened as I approached him.

"Nothing." He shrugged it off. "It's stupid. Just go home before it gets dark."

"Wait." I grabbed his shoulder, but quickly jumped back at the touch of his skin. "I-I'm sorry."

"You're apologizing like I didn't like it." He smugly replied, but it's a good thing I didn't quite get it.

"You said you're in a race?" I nervously licked my trembling lips.

"Yeah." Jimin slowly nodded. "I'm a race are driver back on Earth."

"You are?" My eyes brightened as I looked up at him.

"Yeah." He poked his tongue at the inside of his cheek. "You suddenly look interested."

"Well." I brought my hands together, behind my back. "That's because I am."

"What." He raised a brow. "You don't know how to drive or something?"

I slowly shook my head, and his smug expression changed to an apologetic one.

"I mean, there's nothing wrong with that." Jimin nervously scratched his head. "I know a shit ton of people who can't drive."

"This is different." I mumbled, averting my eyes to the sandy ground. "There's this race—" I looked up at him, scared for his reaction.

"Ah, I see where this is going." He softly laughed.

"I need the money for me and my little brother and this is the only way I can get enough for a living!" I almost cried out, more so begged.

"Let me get this straight." He stopped me with his finger. "You entered a racing contest, without any knowledge of racing, expecting to win the money. and now that you've met this handsome guy, you want me to race for you?"

"Yes." I gave a quick nod. "Expect for the handsome part."

A small chuckle escaped his lips as he turned to face me. "You're asking me to do something for you, the least you can do is try to be nice baby."

"I'm 2789, I'm not a baby."

"Huh?" Jimin choked.

"How old are you?" I innocently asked.

"Uh." He rubbed his arm. "I'm twenty four."

I gave him a dumbfounded look. "What?"

"When were you born?" Jimin interrupted as he tried to clear the confusion.

"727894." I casually replied.

He looked at me like I confessed to murder.

"What the fuck is that?" He gawked.

"What?" I crossed my arms. "At least I'm not the one saying I'm 24."

"I'm 1762" Cyprien proudly shouted.

"Something trippy as fuck is happening right now, and my mind isn't having it." Jimin laughed like he was hallucinating.

"Well, you do look young." I watched him. "You might be 278–"

"No no no—" He grabbed both my hands, holding them by my side. "I'm 24, okay?"

"Hi 24." Cyprien waved.

"Oh gosh." Jimin nearly passed out. "You're right miss Layla, I think I'm as crazy as you said."

"Listen." I stood in front of him. "I need to know if you're in or not. I don't need anyone wasting my time."

Jimin let out a loud sigh, and softly smiled. "What's in it for me baby?"

"You get to race again." I tried to give him a convincing smile.

"I think you know where I'm going with this." He leaned closer to my face, making me freeze up.

"I d—

"Half of the reward goes to buying me a new space ship if we win." Jimin quietly spoke, his soothing voice sending shivers through my body.

"Do we have a deal?" He extended his hand like he wanted me to hold it.

"Deal." I finally agreed.

Jimin softly chuckled as he glanced at me. "You're not gonna shake my hand, are you?"

"Nope." I gave him a fake smile.

"I didn't think so." His lips were still curved into a smile, one he couldn't get rid of. "Well, that being said, how about you show me around?"

"Sure." I quietly replied, almost whispering. "You might as well get used to Mars, because you'll be here for a while.

A/N : should I continue this? Let me know, I love hearing your opinions (◕‿◕)♡