🌹🖤THE PICKPOCKET TOMBOY 🖤🌹
[She’s Sassy…]
THEME: The Grand Hottie’s Kissmate
©2025 Wizzy Babe C. All rights reserved
This book or any portion thereof may not be copied or used without permission.
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CHAPTER 35&36
The presence didn’t feel like an ordinary one. It screamed wealth untold, basking in glory.
It carried the aura of TOO MUCH MONEY.
Armani code— his perfume saturated the room.
The smell of strong rose filled the nose of everyone, especially Alex…
No, Mirabelle.
She suddenly got obsessed with the proudie’s scent.
Mr and Mrs Cooper looked at him in surprise, Mr Woods turned to the scene, ending the call.
“Eric Grande,”he muttered in abrupt shock.
Eric didn’t look at him, his eyes were on Mr Cooper.
“Young CEO,”Mr Cooper blinked.
“Sit,”Eric ordered.
He did that immediately. Isa and her mom swallowed.
“Stand,”Eric continued, relaxing by the wall. He’s rolling a particular necklace in his hand, enjoying the humourous torture.
Mr Cooper shamelessly did it.
Derek and Rhapsody burst into laughter, holding their stomachs. Andrea squinted, smiling a little. Only Alex remained neutral, staring at her necklace in Eric’s hand.
“Can you do a little 360?”Eric smirked at Mr Cooper.
“Young CEO, please…”the man pleaded.
“Three seconds,”he butt in.
“Eric you can’t do this, Coop is one of your father’s most trusted staff,”Mrs Cooper begged.
“Your husband didn’t even calm down. Yunno who he was messing with? Someone’s Kissmate”Derek grinned.
Mirabelle’s eyes widened in confusion and shock, Isa gulped, Ana scratched her neck.
“One second…”Eric palmed the necklace. Mr Cooper quickly turned around, the office was filled with laughter from Rhapsody and Derek.
“It’s enough!”Isa screamed, standing up.
“I caused it all, I wouldn’t have called you a bastard. Don’t put it all on my dad, Grand Hottie!”she continued.
Mrs Cooper placed her head down, feeling so embarrassed.
“All the staff of Grande Robotics are in the company, you took a one day leave to come denigrate yourself? How low”Eric said.
“I’m sorry, young CEO. My daughter was so hurt, I couldn’t keep quiet”Mr Cooper mumbled.
“Woods, cancel whatever shit you’re planning. Old fool, leave with your family”Eric ordered.
“Yes, young CEO,”Mr Cooper muttered, sitting down carefully.
Eric glanced at Alex and he almost left, but seeing she’s beside Andrea, he walked forward, pulling her up.
She stubbornly pulled back but Andrea pushed her. Her body collided with Eric’s.
She looked back at Andrea with a soul cutting glare, he winked at her.
Eric pulled her out, she gave in. Andrea went out later on.
“Can today be any better?”Rhapsody yawned, winking at Mira. She walked out with Derek, both grinning.
“Since Alex came, this school has never been the same,”Woods said, adjusting his glasses.
“Look, I give up. Just look at my face, it’s ruined! I ain’t doing nothing about that Tomboy no more”Isa fumed and marched out.
“Excuse me,”Ana walked out.
Mira fumed and followed, folding the antipsychotic drugs in her hand.
The scene of Andrea siding Alex played in her head.
“I told you… you’d almost lost your job now”Mrs Cooper whispered to her husband.
*
Andrea entered an empty hall, walking to sit on a chair. He took out his phone, entering a VC with his mom.
“Bubu!”Adrianna squealed.
“How are you doing? What did you eat?”Andrea smiled.
“Don’t ask me that, those questions are for your girlfriend”she teased.
“Mom, stop talking about that”he rolled his eyes, smiling.
Meanwhile Mira marched past the hall, sensing someone was in, she walked back to the hall.
She saw Andrea smiling and talking to someone on the phone— VC.
Andrea is smiling?
Wait, Andrea is really smiling?
So, he’s this cute?
Who’s he talking to? A girl? A pretty bitch?
Mira heaved a deep sigh and marched in, Andrea looked up and hung up immediately.
“Who’re you talking to?”she questioned.
“What does it have to do with you?”he questioned back.
She seethed, folding her fists. Her nails dug in her palms, she didn’t stop. And she balled her fists, she bit her lower lip harshly till it bled.
“I’m your stupid partner!”she gnarled.
“You said it yourself, Mirabelle. You’re really stupid”he nodded.
“Urrrg!”she roughed her hair, fisting it.
“Get out and use that drug,”he said.
“Never, until you tell me who the hell you’re speaking with and why you’re smiling! Why did you side with Alex, the Tomboy? Why?!”Mira ranted.
“Why’d I tell you? As my partner with benefits? Tell me, Mirabelle”he scoffed, getting busy with his phone.
“Why did you suddenly stop calling me Mimi?”she asked.
He looked up from his phone, giving her a bland look. She scoffed and walked away.
“Idiota,”he muttered, continuing with what he was doing.
•Eric’s Haven•
The elevator led them straight to the Haven’s door. Alex looked down at her wrist, and to the guy holding it.
His eyes remained bland.
He raised her hand to the device but she pulled back.
“What?”they chorused.
“What are you doing? Leave my hand”she glared.
He smiled at the glare and raised her hand again, this time with force. She struggled but he won anyway.
He pressed her thumb on the scanner and the Haven’s door was opened.
She blinked in shock.
Eric let go of her hand and entered, she entered too.
“What was that?”she asked.
“Which of them exactly?”he asked, walking to sit on the couch, cleaning his hand where he had touched her.
He’s suddenly getting irritated by her touch again.
“Everything. From Mr Woods office to your stinking haven”she replied.
“Not as stinking as your house, your room in particular”he replied, relaxing so ‘kingly’.
His eyes moved from her to the necklace in his hand.
“If I didn’t appear, you think you’ll still be standing here? You’re still here, it’s because of me. Don’t get that wrong,”he replied.
“I didn’t beg you,”she said.
“You don’t have to, Kissmate. We’ll be there for each other, rii?”he stood up, pocketed the necklace, and walked to her.
She took a step back.
“That kiss didn’t mean anything,”she snapped.
He paused, looking intrigued. Then he let out a small smile that didn’t last long.
“Who talked about it? Why are you still mad about it? Or… you want it again?”he asked.
“Fúck you”she cussed.
“You can only cuss, My Thing. But you must do whatever I want. I own you”he took the remaining steps to her, grabbing her wrist. The hand she’d bandaged.
“Damn, I hate you. Fool”she said. Eric made her stand, grabbing her shoulders harshly.
“Keep your smelly body here,”he said and left her.
He walked back to her with a bowl of water, ointment and gauze.
His pride won’t let him be that nice so he sat down on the couch, calling her with his fingers.
“Dream on”she turned to walk away, he poured the water from the bowl to the floor.
She almost fell but she successfully jumped to the other side.
She turned back to Eric who smirked like Lucifer.
“Nice escaping death”he winked.
She rushed to him, grasping him by the neck. With her knees on his laps, she pressed his neck, causing his vein to pop out and his face… red.
Eric didn’t move an inch, instead he grabbed her hand, intentionally pressing her injury.
“Ahh… ahh”she moved away in pain.
She sat down beside him, clutching her right knuckles to herself.
She bit her lower lip, groaning silently in pain, blowing air from her mouth to the bandaged knuckles.
Eric watched her a little, a glint of guilt flashed in his eyes.
He stood up and picked the bowl, walking to fill the water again, then he walked back to her and sat beside her, grabbing her hand to him.
“Leave me, motherfúcker”she muttered.
“How did you get injured?”he asked instead.
“Why’d you wanna know?”she glared, taking back her hand but he held it tighter.
“I’ll press it if you don’t stay,”he whispered. She calmed. He shifted closer to her, slowly unwrapping the bandage gently.
Carefully.
After removing it, he started rinsing her knuckles, wiping off the dry blood.
“Duh, I’m not a Princess”she rolled her eyes.
“You’re my princess”
He regretted that immediately. What has gotten into him? Why’d he say that?
Alex looked at him, unsure of what to say.
He looked at her, then looked back at what he was doing with a bland face.
He quickly rinsed her hands, he applied the antiseptic ointment and wrapped the gauze on her knuckles. All in a rush.
He pushed her hand away afterwards. That was insanely harsh.
“I allowed you because I didn’t want you to hurt me more”she stood up, staring at him in irritation.
“But if Andrea touches you… you’ll let him?”he squinted.
Alex made faces and chuckled. “Of course, I will. He’s a friend who knows the value. You? You’re just a proud weakie. Says why the whole of the United States calls you Proudie. Everything you do, you do with influence, you believe you own the fúcking world. You forced me into becoming your Kissmate and trust me, it’ll end sooner or later. We’re project partners next week? Good, you’ll get tired ah me. Clock that”she snarled.
“Ouuu, boring sermon. Get out,”he ordered.
She nodded, folding her fists. She walked to the door.
“Senitel, open the door,”Eric said.
“Done, Master Eric. Is that the high bítch with you?”Senitel asked.
Eric didn’t reply.
“Ah ah”he said, Alex stopped without looking back.
“Even till college, you remain my Kissmate till I decide to end it”he said.
She listened to what she needed to and walked out, angrily jamming the door behind her.
Eric looked down at the bowl of water, then he looked at the wet part of the floor. He scoffed and took out his phone.
Rhapsody had texted.
Rhapsody: Thanks for siding Alex. I’m glad you changed your mind.
Eric brought out THE NECKLACE, staring at it differently.
He didn’t just side with Alex for Rhapsody. It’s much more than that.
•The Ladies Washroom•
Winter washed her hands and turned down the lever. She smiled at her image in the mirror, admiring her beauty.
“What the fúck, Winter”she slapped herself and walked out. She bumped into a boy— A male, black student.
“Noah,”she smiled.
“Hey Winter,”he winked.
“Good thing we’re paired. I wouldn’t wanna work with an elite”she said.
“No cap, they’re bums and ops. But we both, we won’t tweak”he replied, his negro accent, flawless.
“Yeah,”she smiled again. They shook hands.
“To a good partnership”she said.
“We cool”he added.
Someone coughed and they both looked in the direction.
Rhapsody.
She slowly walked to them with folded arms.
“Slide to wherever,”she told Noah. He walked away quickly.
“Hi, boss. I came yesterday and I worked, I guess you weren’t home. I really worked and I left as soon as I was done, as you instructed”Winter rushed her words.
“Yeah, I wasn’t home”Rhapsody moved closer, she quickly moved away. Rhapsody frowned and moved closer again, Winter took two steps backwards.
Rhapsody made to body gum her this time when her phone rang. She took it out.
“Rhapo, I’m in class already. Where’s your arse?”Alex asked over the phone.
“Done with your Kissmate?”she teased.
“I’ll tear you when you come,”Alex replied.
Rhapsody smiled, she could imagine Alex seething right now.
“Fine, my arse will be there in two”she said and hung up, looking back at Winter who rubbed her hands nervously.
“Can you come home tomorrow?”she asked.
“Tomorrow? It’s supposed to be Thursday”Winter blinked.
“I know. Just want you tomorrow, you’ll stay for an hour and I’ll give you something in return?”Rhapsody asked.
“I guess I’ll try,”Winter raised her brows.
“Win, I’ve been looking all over”Dennis jogged to her. He looked at Rhapsody and bowed a little.
“Hello, Rhapsody,”he greeted.
“Yeah, hi”she replied, eyes on Winter.
“We’ll see tomorrow then, yeah?”she said.
Winter looked at Dennis who gave her a confused look, then she looked back at Rhapsody, coughing a little.
“Y.. yeah, yeah… I… guess”she drawled.
Rhapsody nodded and walked away.
“Tomorrow? How did you get that close to Rhapsody? Rhapsody of all, the rich kid? Not only is Rhapsody a friend to Grand Hottie— the proudie, her father is a Mafia Don!”Dennis widened his eyes.
“No, a Russian Bratva Lord,”Winter corrected.
“What’s the difference?”he frowned.
“A lot. But well, I can go see her. It ain’t that bad, she’s our classmate and she’s not a bully”she pouted, Dennis gave her a disappointing look.
“Haven’t you heard of Rhapsody Morozov, the low-key cray cray Les?”he asked.
Winter’s head snapped. “She’s a lesbian? How’d you know”she hit his arm.
“Okay, I don’t know about that. But you should have noticed the way she acts around men. Only DR and Grand Hottie are close to her”he said.
“I don’t know you to be someone who notices girls”Winter winked, she took his hand.
They walked together.
•Senior Class•
“Cat is ineffably happy”Alex told Rhapsody immediately she joined them.
“What do you expect? Mi gurl ah guh work with Derek”Rhapsody relaxed her arms around Cathy’s shoulders.
“Are you both trying to adulate me?”Cathy pouted, removing her glasses.
“No, baby. I just can’t wait for Monday. You’ll be watching your crush all day”Rhapsody rapped.
“Me can wait. Working with that idiot wanna make me shed tears I can’t shed”Alex scoffed.
“Wait, you really can’t cry?”Cathy asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t remember me crying”Alex replied.
Cathy slowly nodded, looking at Rhapsody who shrugged.
“Arsehole thinks crying is for the weak”she said.
Alex strangled her, she coughed.
Cathy smiled.
Evening~ Ken and Ben’s Restaurant•
Christy sat at the back of the restaurant, sniffling in quietly.
Nothing to do now, so she came here to cry secretly.
Alex’s words haunted her.
‘You happened, Momma! You fúcking happened. Look at me, I’m an eighteen year old bastard!…’
“Christy,”Amanda walked out of the restaurant.
Christy quickly wiped off her tears, turning to her.
“Are you crying?”Amanda squinted, she removed her apron and walked to her.
“No I’m not”Christy denied.
“Your beautiful eyes are swollen. Too swollen”Amanda said and sat before her.
“You’re even pale, look at you. Your eyes are red and swollen. You’re telling me shit”she argued.
“For real?”Christy widened her eyes,
Amanda nodded thrice.
Christy started pressing her face with her palms.
“How about now? Is my face still swollen?”she asked.
Amanda nodded again.
“Gawd,”she tried pressing her face again but Amanda held her hand, shaking her head in the negative.
“Stop, it’s useless. Just let the cat outta the bag.”she said.
Christy sniffled.
*
Alex walked past stalls and compartments, with her hands in her boyfriend jeans’ pocket.
She has headphones around her neck— she just bought it, using one of her client’s money.
Yunno the client I mean.
A granny paid for fishcakes, about a dozen of them and she was given them wrapped in a brown carton.
She collected it and tried putting her purse back in her bag but it fell.
She was oblivious.
The old lady kept the wrapped fishcakes in her bag, walking away.
Alex noticed this and took a step forward— not to steal the purse but to return it back to her— but someone beat her to it.
A guy wisely picked it up, pretending it was for him.
Alex laughed. “Well, that’s harsh. She’s a granny”she said.
She watched the guy walk some distance before following him.
“Not bad if a thief steals from a thief… mine’s talent tho”she muttered.
She walked past a guy who stood before the clothes selling stall, trying on a shirt.
Before he could put it on, she snatched it.
“I’ll need this, sweetheart,”she winked, jogging away. He looked at her in surprise.
She got to the bag stall, grasping a new fancy bag from another guy.
“Pardon me, I’ll return it,”she smiled.
She got to the thief and tapped his shoulder from behind.
He turned.
“Hi,”she smiled, showcasing her teeth and dimples.
“What?”he frowned.
“I kinda like you,”she said. “And I got this for you”she handed the bag over to him.
“What’s in the bag?”he asked.
“Shirt. Guys like shirts, I guess”she smiled wider.
Fake.
“Wow”he squinted and collected the bag. “Thanks”
“Can I put it on for you?”she asked.
“Okay?”he suspiciously said.
She took the bag from him, removing the shirt from it. She’d neatly folded it earlier.
She threw the bag and unfolded the shirt, putting it on for him.
FROM THE BACK.
Where’s the purse? At the back.
“I thought you were a guy when you approached me,”he said.
“Oh, I look that masculine?”she asked.
“A girl telling a guy she likes him the first time she met him, it’s weird,”he said.
“That’s because I’m bold. I don’t hide things. And it’s love at first sight”she winked, already buttoning the shirt.
“Thanks”he said, smiling a little.
“Anything for ya”she said. He nodded.
“Your number?”she requested, bringing out her phone. He typed it on the phone and returned it.
“Great, I’ll call,”she said.
“It fits,”he pointed to the shirt and walked away, waving.
Alex waited for him to leave before raising a purse to her face.
The purse.
“Dummy,”she chuckled and wiped off the number inserted in the phone.
She looked around for the granny. But then, she has to settle the guys she took from.
•Later~Out of the Stall•
•The bus station•
“Gran”Alex ran to the old woman, who’s already sitting on the station chair.
The old woman looked up. Alex paused.
Why does she look… familiar?
“Your purse, it fell”she lied, giving granny the purse.
The woman widened her eyes and smiled while collecting it.
“Thanks son, there are important things in there,”she said.
Alex scratched her neck. “Umm, actually, I’m a girl,”she said, awkwardly.
“What? You look like a boy. Are you bi???ual?”Granny asked.
“I’m not,”Alex replied.
“You should dress like a girl at least. Tomboys wear something that’ll differentiate them from boys sometimes. A baggy crop top will fit you just fine”granny said.
“What! I mean, I’ll try”she said.
“Sit, my child. You’re my hero”she said.
Alex remembered Charlie immediately. She sat down.
Granny gave her two sticks of fishcakes before wrapping the remaining ones.
She put them back in the bag.
“Your name?”she asked.
“Alex,”she replied, eating.
“You know, I was like you— A tomboy, my late granddaughter took after me. She was a troublemaker”granny said.
“Late grand daughter?”Alex frowned.
“Hmm. My late husband ran a fighting school in Nyack, so every summer vacation, my grandchildren visit. Eric and Erica were my only grandchildren because I had only one child, a daughter”granny started.
“I don’t mean to disrupt you granny. But Erica?”Alex asked.
“Hmm”the woman nodded.
“Wait, you’re Granny Grande! And Eric was the little boy… that little boy… wait, Erica’s dead?!”Alex stood up.
“Ten years ago. You know my grandchildren?”the woman asked.
“I only know your granddaughter, Gran. And I was a student in the school, but I didn’t stay up to a month, we moved. I only made friends with Erica for a day, she left”Alex said.
“Sit down, my child. I can’t remember you but you’re a grown woman”Granny said, Alex sat back down, they hugged.
But Alex wasn’t herself.
Erica is dead?
Eric was that wicked boy ten years ago? That wicked Erica’s twin?
Says why he’s still wicked.
And, his twin is dead?
“I’m taking you, not only as my heroine but also as my granddaughter. You’re just like Erica”Granny held her cheeks, smiling.
“Charlie has seen a big sister,”Granny continued.
“Charlie?”Alex asked.
“Yes, she’s with her big dad, my grandson. I’m waiting here for them, they wouldn’t follow me to the stall, he called it local…”
“Granny… Uncle Alex!”Charlie screamed from a distance, holding someone’s hand.
Eric.
“Eric is Charlie’s big dad? Great”Alex muttered.
“Here they come,”Granny smiled widely.
Charlie left Eric’s hand, she sprinted to Alex and hugged her.
“We meet again my hero,”she said.
“Hey Charlie”Alex smiled, whispering something to her.
“Oh my gawd, you’re a girl. I’m happy”Charlie hugged her again.
Eric got to them, not recognizing Alex.
He ought to, but he doesn’t want to. From far, he’d already thought her to be someone who’s waiting for the bus.
“Erico,”Granny smiled, he went on a knee, hugging her slowly.
Alex scoffed.
Oh, so he goes down for people.
“This will be the last time you come here, granny”he warned, she knocked his head.
“Ouch,”he rubbed that spot.
“Nonsense, stalls are the best,”she said.
“Big dad, meet Alex, my hero,”Charlie said.
Eric looked at Alex and frowned.
She glared.
“Charlie, did you say hero? She’s my hero too. Erico, I’ve found a sweet girl like Erica. Isn’t she cute?”Granny said, Charlie nodded.
Eric and Alex never broke eye contact.
It lasted like forever.
“Alex said she knew Erica. With these stares, do you both remember each other?”Granny asked.
“No,”they chorused, looking away.
Even Charlie felt it.
TBC…
