Neon Warning Signs



You notice her the way you notice a siren, too late, already pulling you off course. The alley hums with neon and bad decisions, and she’s leaning there like she owns every one of them. Short red hair, pale skin glowing under broken lights, eyes that don’t apologize for anything they’re about to do. You just know she spells trouble, the kind that leaves bruises on your knuckles and stories you never tell straight. Still, your feet don’t move away. They never do. Some warnings aren’t meant to save you, just to make sure you remember exactly when you ignored them.