Lucky's (Mis)Fortune: CHAPTER SIX

I flutter my eyes open, conscious that I just woke up from a deep sleep. My eyes hurt and when I look down at the palms of my hands, I see red marks on them. I could tell that they had bled a little which was only further seen when I observed that there was some blood between my fingernails.

For a second, I couldn't remember where I was as I looked around the foreign space. From the window, which was letting in the moonlight, to the door which was slightly ajar. Until all at once, everything hit me; the gunshots, Mr. Lewis, the boy, my panic attack... the person that held me. I shudder a little at the memories before warily looking around once again.

I was debating whether to stay in this room or if I should get out until my eyes landed on the moon, letting me know that it was no time to be wandering outside. With a sigh, I drop myself back down onto the bed and close my eyes, putting one arm on top of them to block my vision.

My dream--or rather my memories--flash before my eyes and I will my tears stay in my eyes as I swallow the lump in my throat. I was fine. I had been for years but then... right.

There were gunshots here.

Suddenly, I sit up on the bed before planting my feet on the floor and rushing outside. I needed to see if everyone was okay. I needed to.

When I got down the stairs, I realized my mistake. This place is unknown to me. I don't know anyone here, either.

I close my eyes and let out a shaky breath.

I'm not seventeen anymore and these people are not my family.

With that thought, I turn around only to have my breath hitch. "Mis- Mister Sa- Sawyer." I was trembling and I was a stuttering mess but these were the least of my concerns right now.

"I heard some footsteps and decided I should check. Is everything okay Mr. Anderson?" He says nonchalantly, looking at me judgingly. He didn't have the smug demeanor from the previous day, he just showed no emotion. It made me wonder if I had done something wrong but I didn't dwell on it for long.

I nod. "I- I'm sorry." God, why was I stuttering so much? That had stopped by the time I was 14 and only returned when I was extremely nervous. Like now, I guess.

He raises an eyebrow. I expect him to say something but nothing comes until moments later. "I'll escort you back to your room," he finally says, an arm extended to the direction I came from.

"Isn't the service wing over there?" I question, pointing a finger towards the left. Mr. Lewis had shown me my room before I came back. Now that I thought back, the room I had woken up in was at least one-third bigger. Maybe even twice the size.

"You will be taken to your permanent toom tomorrow. We thought it was best for you to recover somewhere closer, where everyone would be able to keep an eye on you."

Slowly, I nod my head in understanding.

I wasn't understanding at all.

It was unnecessary to be brought to a different wing but, of course, I chose to remain silent.

Once again, the man gestures to the right hallway, and this time, I nod before following.

The silence was so loud. There wasn't a single noise coming from anywhere; not even our steps made any sound as our feet pressed on the ground. "Why were there gunshots?" I question, finally remembering what I was even doing outside the comfort of the room.

The thick tension quickly seeps in.

I see it. The way that he tenses for a second. Perhaps less.

As for me, I can feel bile ride up my throat at the thought of those disturbing sounds, I think I even shivered a little. "I'll explain tomorrow," he says plainly yet elegantly and professionally as he points at the door which I assume was the one I stepped out of earlier. I wouldn't know for sure. Each hall and each door looked the same as the one before. "Goodnight, Mr. Anderson."

"Night, Mr. Sawyer," I mumble before he walks away and I push the door open.

-----

I didn't sleep afterward. I only lay on the spacious, comfortable bed and stared at the boring white ceiling. My eyes kept shutting down but I was determined to stay awake and conscious. I didn't trust this house. Or the people living in it. The last time I dozed off, I wasn't aware, my thoughts hadn't caught up with me, but I know better this time.

When light peeks inside through the window, I want to get up but the sun had just risen so I thought it was too early. I waited some more time until the sun's light was burning inside for me to finally decide to get up.

I take slow steps to the second door in the room which I haven't inspected yet. I open the door and confirm my theory that it was indeed a bathroom. I step inside and close the door back up before moving to relieve myself with a sigh, walking to the sink right after where I wash my hands and face. Then, I look into the mirror and wince at my reflection. My eyes and cheeks were both red, I had obvious bags under my eyes, and my hair was going in every possible direction.

I huff at myself before turning the faucet back on, letting my hands get drenched in water before running them through my hair in an attempt to tame it. By the time I thought it looked okay, I was still cringing at the sight but decided to just let it be with a groan escaping my mouth. It's not that I cared how those people looked at me. I cared that my employers would get the wrong impression. Yes, they were the same person but totally different people.

Did that make sense?

I don't dwell on it.

I walk out of the bathroom, jumping surprised to see someone sitting on the bed I had slept on. "Leo?" I call out, making him look up from his phone.

He instantly let out a boyish, mischievous smile once he saw me. He stands up and walks to me. "Hey, man. My brother told me I should wake you up and that you should come for some breakfast. That there are some things to explain or something." He shrugs, looking at me with a sort of expectancy. The thing is that I had no idea what he wanted.

"What?" I finally ask, taking a step back away from him as I continue to look at him suspiciously.

"Man, you don't get it?" He laughs.

"What?" I say again, starting to grow annoyed.

"You are in some deep shit." He laughs louder this time, with more hysteria.

I have the feeling that what he is laughing at is not funny.

-----

After that little... interaction... Leo stepped out of the room for a couple of minutes while I changed into some other clothes once I spotted that my luggage was in the corner of the room. Once I was done, I stepped out of the room and he led me to the kitchen where Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Lewis, and two other boys were eating. All of them didn't look entirely hungry but they all made an effort to put food into their mouths. They were also overly serious and barely making eye contact with each other, no words were being exchanged.

"We're here," Leo sings as we arrive, walking side by side. There was a smirk on his face as his eyes fell directly on his brother. "Keys," he says simply, extending his hand towards him.

The older Sawyer sighs before digging through his pant pockets and taking the keys out. "If you crash it, I swear to god Leo-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be careful. I'll be back before midnight." He rolled his eyes before turning to look at me. "See you later Lucky," he tells me, winking at me.

"Jordan, come, come, sit down," Mr. Lewis was the first to speak, breaking the awkward silence the room had been stuck in since Leo left approximately two minutes ago.

I give him a tight-lipped smile, returning his grin as I walk over to the table, and take the seat beside him.

I scan the table. My eyes first land on the one that I am more familiar with, Mr. Sawyer. Then, to the boy who had greeted me yesterday who had auburn hair, blue eyes, and a chiseled jaw along with a set of dimples. The third, he was the one who held me yesterday, I realized. His hair was a light shade of brown and curly, he had freckles scattered over his cheeks and nose, all scattered in a way that made it look perfect on him. He also had grey eyes. I had never seen a pair of grey eyes and it's safe to say that I was mesmerized.

"Jordan, first we want to know if you're okay," the oldest man in the room says with complete seriousness, his hands on the table intertwined and his eyebrows slightly creased.

My eyes dart around before they settle to look down at the table. "I'm fine," I tell them with confidence. "That sound just... brings back some... bad memories," I clarify, hoping that they don't inquire in more detail.

Thankfully, they don't.

"We're sorry we didn't let you know that this could happen before signing the contract but we were a little desperate," Mr. Sawyer sighs.

"Wh- what exactly was that?" I question, looking each of them in the eyes.

The three boys in front of me look at each other before the grey-eyed boy clenches his jaw before relaxing it. "Those were enemies, we'd put it as from lack of a better set of words."

"What do you mean?" I ask in exasperation, restraining myself from banging a fist on the table.

The other boy sighs and runs a hand through his auburn hair. "We run an organization, not a normal one, and it comes with risks and with enemies. This usually doesn't happen, okay? People don't usually come to shoot our house. We already dealt with it."

"You've signed the contract so there's no going back," Mr. Sawyer says, raising an eyebrow as he looks at me. "But you have our protection. Nothing will happen to you."

My eyes tear up. I'm indeed okay with dying but I don't even want to think about dying without a cause, just because of the people I work for. I don't want my life to end in the same way that the rest of my family's had. That was never the ending I thought of.

Nonetheless, I find myself nodding.