It had been several days since my return to the estate. The hours felt like days as I watched the horizon for any sign of the pirates who kept me safe, even as a bargaining chip.
I found myself playing with the amulet around my next every night before bed. I would always turn it twice, but never the third time. Every night it felt like there was someone at my window and I would rush to it every time. But no matter how many times I threw the window open, there would never be anyone there. A couple of nights it felt like I could hear Mingi and Hongjoong's voices asking if the other was sure I was ok and if I missed them. I would always be so far gone in my sleep that I could never respond that I did, in fact, miss them.
The days felt lonely and long. Each time I tried to go to the city, I had to be escorted by the deplorable Lucas and his second in command. I wouldn't think to much of it if I hadn't heard whisperings across the estate about an announcement and the ball that my parents had planned. Though my thoughts kept going back to Mingi and how he slapped Lucas' hand away from me before giving me the small hourglass amulet. Every time I would go into a new store, they would ask me about the pirates and how I was holding up after being kidnapped. The questions no longer bothered me, it was the fake concern from the ones whom my family was employing for this upcoming ball.
The night of the ball was fast approaching as I looked at the amulet around my neck. Jacklyn kept insisting that I take it off and put it into a box because of the memories it kept, I refused every time. Just one more sleep before I found out what my parents plan was.
It was dark when I felt the weight of the bed change around me. "It didn't flip the third time" I heard the voice. "It did. I felt it. She called for us." A second voice. "She didn't. Her sleeping with it on called for us. It does this every night. And every night she is peacefully asleep." The first voice. I could feel the tears slide down my cheek as I was unable to move, speak, anything. All I wanted was the tell the voices that I was miserable and wanted to be anywhere else. "Mingi, I know how badly you want her to need you. How badly you need her to need you. But you can see she is just fine." Hongjoong's voice. "You're wrong. I just can't prove it...." Mingi said. "The tears could be anything." San's voice. Please body, just let me wake up. I want to see them... I need to see them... My pirates....
