GTA V : The golden

"The boat glided smooth on the calm ocean, lookin' all sleek and modern. Shiny white fiberglass, it had this sporty build with clean, round lines that popped in the sunlight. The deck was decked out with plush black leather seats, and a state-of-the-art wheel that steered it like a charm. It wasn't no old-timer, but a fresh ride that screamed freedom and luxury.

Ethan stood at the back, one hand leanin' on the edge, the other holdin' an old fishin' pole, but it was well-kept, just like everything else he owned. The sea was kinda turquoise blue at the edges, but got deeper and darker in the middle, like the clear sky above.

"Looks like a perfect day for fishin'," Ethan said, gazin' at the horizon, givin' the pole a gentle wiggle.

As he cast the line, his hand felt somethin' familiar, like every move was bringin' back old memories. Suddenly, he was hit with a flashback of the same spot, with his dad, on a similar boat.

"Remember, Ethan, patience is key to fishin'. Fish don't come easy, and neither do things worth havin'," his dad said, calm as ever, as he tightened the line.

Ethan was just a kid then, watchin' his dad's experienced hands. The sea seemed way bigger, and every day with him on that boat was a day of learnin', laughin', and talkin' about life. Those moments were unforgettable.

"You always said the sea teaches you more than you expect." Ethan whispered, recallin' his dad's words that used to fill the air. "Where are you now, dad?"

He paused, then snapped back to reality. The fish had taken the bait. He spun the reel quick and pulled it in careful. "Gotcha," he said with a small smile, holdin' up the fish. "Just like you taught me."

After puttin' the fish in the basket, he relived a few more of those days. His dad smilin' as he told stories about the sea, about patience, about challenges. But now, it was all quiet.

"If you were here, you'd say there's nothin' better than fishin' on a day like this." Ethan said, lookin' at the fish in the basket.

Once the basket was full, he decided to head back to shore.

As Ethan steered the boat smoothly across the water, he felt a shift in the vibe. He wasn't alone on this peaceful day; on the distant shore, there were other boats sailin' here and there. One had "Santos Marine" on the side, a sign of the famous boat rental spot in Los Santos, while others were snappin' pics of the turquoise beach, enjoyin' the bright sun.

On the pier near the harbor, a dude was sellin' fresh fish on a wooden table covered with a screen, like the Los Santos fish market was jumpin' with life. There were guys in big sun hats and women chasin' after their kids on the sand, as the waves crashed onto the shore. When he arrived, he tied the boat to the pier, then carried the basket of fish to his car.

"Looks like I got enough for today," Ethan said, puttin' the basket in the trunk. "But it was worth it."

Ethan drove his car through the city streets, headin' towards the grocery store. It was chill, the orange lights reflectin' on the windshield, and his mind wanderin' on somethin' simple: a good meal needs a good drink. He wasn't in a rush, but he wanted to make the dinner perfect, somethin' he made himself down to the last detail.

He parked in front of the small store, got out without a hurry, and went in calm. It wasn't crowded, the cashier behind the counter, and another dude browsin' the shelves, but he didn't care. He went straight to the drinks section, grabbed one, then headed back to the cashier.

"How much for this?" Ethan asked, puttin' the juice on the counter.

"Two bucks," the cashier replied, takin' the juice and puttin' it in a bag.

Ethan opened his wallet and gave him the cash before returnin' to his car.

He got in, but noticed a girl enterin' the store with a black hat and mask. It didn't take a genius to figure out who she was. Yep, it was the same girl who stole his car.

"Hmm, looks like the money I gave her was more useful than I thought," Ethan said, watchin' the girl pull out a pistol.

In front of the counter, stood a familiar girl. Her short white hair, steady gaze, and the most obvious thing—a small pistol pointed at the cashier. She was silent, as always, not a word, no threats, just a cold look and strange steadiness, like she was calmly askin' for money as someone would ask for a pack of cigarettes.

The guy behind the counter wasn't calm, of course. He was sweatin' bullets, his fingers shakin' as he pulled out the confused bills from the drawer, puttin' them in a bag. She took it quickly and turned towards the door.

She went out to the street, paused for a moment, lookin' around, like she was searchin' for somethin' she couldn't find. Then, came the distant sound—police sirens, gettin' closer fast.

She raised her head, her eyes scanned the area quickly, until they stopped when they met Ethan's in the nearby car.

-_-

He was sittin' there, watchin' everything calmly, like he was watchin' a scene from a movie, with no clear expression on his face.

She hesitated for a moment. She looked right, then left. No car, no plan, no time. Then, without warnin', she decided.

She ran towards him at full speed, opened the car door without askin', sat down, and slammed it shut, her breathin' almost audible.

He turned to her, raised an eyebrow in surprise, and said:

"What the hell?"

She didn't answer. Didn't justify. Didn't explain. Just looked at him, then raised her hand and gave a clear signal: "Go fast."

Ethan looked at her before sighin', huffing.

Ethan hit the gas pedal, tryin' to weave between the cars on Alta Street, as the sound of sirens rose behind him, and the red and blue police lights reflected on his car window. The city was lit up, and the tall buildings cast shadows on the roads, but this was no time to enjoy the view.

He glanced sideways at the girl sittin' next to him, her short white hair was like snow, dyed a shiny silver that glowed under the lights, unevenly cut—as if it was cut with a knife in a hurry—highlightin' the sharp features of her face. Her eyes were wide, pitch black like a night without stars, surrounded by thick lashes and light eyeliner that added to her mystery. Her eyebrows were thin and arched, givin' her a defiant look even when she was silent.

Her skin was pale like the moon, smooth—with a light blush in the middle of her cheeks, as if she carried traces of the sea breeze. Her nose was straight and small, matchin' her thin, red lips, her hands were tight on the money bag, and her black eyes followed the mirrors with clear worry. She wasn't as cold as usual, but a little nervous, and this made him even more curious.

"First heist?" He asked in a calm voice amidst the noise of the engines.

She looked at him quickly, before noddin' her head hesitantly.

"Yeah, looks like it." She muttered sarcastically, then turned the wheel sharply towards Dorset Drive, tryin' to cut off the patrol cars tryin' to surround him. He ran the red light, barely avoidin' a speedin' car that almost hit him, which made him sigh slowly. "You know? It's always better to start with a smaller theft, maybe a chocolate bar, before goin' straight to threatenin' a cashier with a gun."

She looked at him again, and said nothin', but it was clear she didn't find his comment funny.

He turned towards La Puerta Freeway, tryin' to enter the highway, but he saw a police car approachin' quickly from the other side, cuttin' him off.

"Really? They're sendin' me a smart cop today? That's not fair."

He hit the brakes suddenly, then turned the steerin' wheel sharply, swervin' into a narrow side road that passed under the bridge leadin' to Del Perro Pier. The echo of the car tires bounced between the concrete walls, as two police cars followed him, one gettin' too close.

"Looks like they're not plannin' to give up easy."

He looked at the girl again, and saw how she was holdin' the bag tightly as if she was afraid it would vanish from her hands. He raised an eyebrow and said sarcastically:

"Don't worry, I won't ask for my share of the money, although I deserve a cut at least after this drive

The girl didn't move, just sighed silently, as Ethan swerved towards Power Street, then entered an inner road leading to Metro Los Santos, trying to stay out of sight. When he returned to the parallel road, he noticed a police helicopter hovering above him, which made him mutter sarcastically:

"Great, they decided to send air support too, I feel like I'm in a scene from a cheap action movie."

A light smile crept onto his face, but he quickly returned to focus when he saw a police roadblock ahead at the intersection of Esperanza Road. There was no easy way out, so he had no choice but to take a risk.

"Hold on to something."

She didn't wait to be asked twice, she grabbed the edge of the door tightly, while he pressed the gas pedal with all his might, heading towards an unexpected exit.

At that moment, he suddenly swerved towards La Mesa Bridge, barely avoiding a huge truck, before entering a highway leading to the industrial area. The police cars were still behind him, but he knew Los Santos better than some people knew their own lives.

"Okay, we have two options: either we continue to run and see how long we can last before we end up on the news, or... I can find us a way out, but this requires some luck."

She looked at him nervously as if she was saying: "Do something!"

He let out a light sigh, then said: "Well, luck is not my specialty, but there's no harm in trying."

He swerved quickly towards a back road that passes through South Point Docks, where the huge containers and parked trucks provide some cover. He turned off the car lights suddenly and used the sharp angles of the buildings to hide from the helicopter's eyes.

The car stopped in the dark, and he could only hear the sound of distant engines and police sirens that were gradually moving away. He remained silent for a moment, watching how the red and blue lights began to fade away little by little.

Then he relaxed in his seat, sighing slowly.

The girl breathed a sigh of relief before smiling slightly and preparing to get out of the car.

Ethan pressed the door lock button on his side. He heard the sound of the lock as it closed tightly, which made the girl freeze for a moment, looking at him.

Ethan looked at her coldly before scolding her: "First you stole my car, and now you drag me into a chase that I could have been caught in. Didn't you think about what might happen to me?"

The girl looked at the ground while holding the bag tightly, her look was unclear.

She hesitated before opening the bag and taking out $50 and handing it to him, her look was critical and contained some regret.

Ethan looked at her hand for a moment before slowly reaching out to take it. "I don't really need it, but thanks anyway." He said it in a low voice, like he appreciated the offer but didn't actually need the help.

Ethan pressed the gas pedal and drove away from the harbor, but he didn't go directly to Los Santos Customs, but took a sudden turn towards a less crowded side road, passing through the back alleys of Mirror Park. He didn't like driving directly to a repair shop after a chase like this—it's always better to make sure there are no eyes watching him.

He glanced at the silent girl next to him. She was still holding the bag, looking out the window, but her tension began to subside a little. However, she wasn't completely relaxed.

He continued driving, passing San Andreas Avenue, then turned onto a side road leading to Mission Row. He paused for a few seconds at a traffic light and looked through the rearview mirrors. There was no trace of the police anymore, but caution was never a bad option.

Ethan entered the Los Santos Customs lane at a moderate speed, being careful not to attract attention. He pressed the button to open the electronic door, and the metal door slowly rose, revealing the repair shop lit by white neon lights.

When he parked the car inside the workshop, he got out and looked at the mechanic who was standing next to the tool table, chewing gum indifferently.

"Hello," Ethan said, opening his hands slightly. "I need a quick color change for the car, something that makes me... less noticeable."

The mechanic looked at him for a moment, then glanced at the car, before shaking his head, saying: "I understand. Bad chase?"

"You could say that."

The man shook his head again and motioned for him to enter further into the workshop.

Ethan turned to the silent girl, who was still sitting in the front seat, holding the bag tightly. He opened the car door, then leaned towards her, saying in a calm voice:

"We have to get out of the car for a while, unless you like inhaling the smell of fresh paint up close."

She looked at him for a moment, then opened the door and got out quietly.

The two stood aside while the workers began preparing the car for repainting. Ethan looked at the list of colors on the wall, then smiled lightly as he chose a dark color, something quieter than the current color.

"Let's try dark gray," he said, pointing to the color. "Not too boring, but it doesn't scream 'look at me, I'm a fleeing criminal'."

The workers began working on the car, while Ethan and the girl stood at the corner, watching the process silently.

"You know," he said, putting his hands in his pockets, "you make things a little difficult, I haven't encountered such a stubborn person in silence before."

She didn't even look at him, just kept her eyes on the car.

"Okay, okay, I won't pressure you. But just to be clear—I didn't have to help you, and yet, here we are."

He didn't expect a response from her, but he saw how she gripped the bag even tighter.

After several minutes, the workers finished painting the car, and it was now in a dark gray color, making it less noticeable on the busy streets of Los Santos.

"Excellent," Ethan said, inspecting the new paint. "Now, I won't look like an obvious target for any cop who has free time."

He took some money out of his wallet and paid the mechanic, then turned to the girl, saying: "Let's go."

The girl got in hesitantly, before making sure that everything was with her, the money and the pistol inside her scarf.

Ethan said, his eyes on the road: "Where do you want me to take you?"

The girl nodded her head, then began gesturing with her hands in a fast and organized way. Ethan, who seemed to be used to her special signals, understood immediately.

"Okay, I understand. So you want me to turn right at the next traffic light, then go left after the gas station, right?"

The girl nodded her head, surprised that Ethan understood her.

She continued to guide Ethan on the road, when suddenly the silence of the car was broken by the rumbling of a stomach.

"_"

Ethan looked to his side and saw the girl rolling her eyes and continuing to gesture as if she was used to feeling hungry.

Suddenly, Ethan turned the car in the opposite direction.

The girl was surprised and then looked at Ethan with questioning eyes.

Ethan says, his eyes on the road: "I have something to do."

He took a turn until he stopped at his place, The Burger Shot.

He got out of the car slowly, looking at the girl. "I'll be right back, don't try to run away."

The girl nodded her head in surprise and waited for Ethan in the car silently.

The girl sat in the car, feeling bored of waiting. She looked at the clock, then took out her phone to check the messages again. Ethan hadn't returned yet, and time was passing slowly. She felt some curiosity, so she moved her hands towards the drawer in the front of the car.

She opened it slowly, listening to the sound of the lock as it opened. The first thing that caught her attention was a pile of papers that were randomly hidden inside the drawer. Her hands moved quickly and took the first set of them. At first glance, they seemed to be old papers. Some of them were yellowish, and others seemed to have been compressed.

While she was flipping through the papers, she discovered a set of photos. She looked at the first photo carefully, and her eyes widened slightly when she saw a picture of Ethan as a young child, standing next to a man who was clearly his father. It was an old photo, but it showed a close relationship between them.

She couldn't take her eyes off the next photo, which showed Ethan and his father on a summer trip, smiling together while the sun was rising behind them. Those glimpses of Ethan's life...

Her eyes focused on the picture of the child smiling without worries, she couldn't believe that he was the same man who had left a while ago.

She took a deep breath, then closed the drawer quickly when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She felt a strange pressure in her heart, as if she had discovered something she shouldn't have seen.

Ethan opens the car door. His distinctive scent filled the air, but what caught her attention more were the food bags he was holding in his hands.

Ethan sits down before giving her the meal: "I know it's not a fancy restaurant, but it's filling."

She looked silently as she took it slowly.

She opened the bag and took out the burger with bright eyes.

She grabbed the burger with both hands and took a big bite. Her fangs were engulfing the burger as if she didn't mind if everything disappeared in an instant. The features

of her face were tense, while she took rapid bites, and every time the burger disappeared more.

The sounds around her faded away little by little, and all that remained was the sound of her teeth as she quickly chewed the food, as if she was enjoying every moment. There was no elegance, just a clear greed in every movement. In a moment, the burger was almost gone, with the crispy potato chips that she was swallowing smoothly between bites.

When she finished, she was smiling as she wiped her mouth, as if she had had enough of a quick journey to fill a void.

Damn... Ethan noticed the burning look in her eyes as she stuck out her tongue and licked the ketchup left in the corners of her lips.

He didn't expect her to devour the burger so quickly.

Her eyes turned to his hand quickly, looking at him with a pleading look.

"Haha, we have someone who decided to come out of their silence," Ethan laughs, passing her the burger.

She takes the burger quickly before putting it in her mouth shyly, and tries to hide her embarrassment by eating.

Ethan smiles before returning to the road he came from.

She is still eating the burger and looking at Ethan from time to time as he drives and is lost in thought, her black eyes looking at him.

His calm demeanor, he stole his car yet he helps her escape for no reason، and now he buys her food, she has not felt this attention in her life.

Her gaze deepens into him more: "Why?"

Her thoughts are interrupted by Ethan's voice, "We have reached the last place we stopped at, where is your home?"

Her eyes meet Ethan's pale blue eyes.

"_"

Embarrassment begins to creep onto her cheeks.

Suddenly, under Ethan's surprised gaze, she opens the door and runs away quickly, he did not know that the human body could run like this.

Ethan sighs as he sees her disappear into the darkness: "At least close the door behind you."

He gets out of the car, goes and locks the door and returns to the car.

He says as he looks at the road: "I'm starting to be convinced that women hate me."