Chased by chaos

‎ ‎Lia never trusted mornings. They always started with alarms she ignored and ended with disasters she didn’t plan. Today was no different. She sprinted down the street, backpack bouncing, late and irritated, when she slammed straight into a stranger. ‎ ‎They both hit the ground. Papers flew. A dramatic dog barked nearby like it was judging them. ‎ ‎“Why were you standing there?” Lia snapped. ‎ ‎“I was walking,” the guy said, blinking. “You tackled me.” ‎ ‎Before she could reply, a loud explosion echoed nearby. People screamed. A black van screeched to a stop, and men in dark clothing jumped out, chasing someone else entirely—until one of them pointed at Lia and the stranger. ‎ ‎“Hey! You two!” ‎ ‎Lia didn’t think. She grabbed the stranger’s wrist. “Run!” ‎ ‎They bolted through the street, dodging people and carts. Somehow, the guy laughed while running, which annoyed her deeply. ‎ ‎They hid behind a wall, panting. ‎ ‎“I’m Kai,” he whispered. “And I think they’re after me.” ‎ ‎Lia glared. “I just met you.” ‎ ‎Kai smiled anyway. “Worst meet-cute ever?” ‎ ‎She hated that her heart skipped. ‎