My Name Is Jai

Chapter Two

I hear laughter, and voices. Splashing waves, and cawing birds. I can't open my eyes. SHIT! I'm not dead! I'm breathing!

Ethan is dead.

A new tsunami of sadness washes over me, and if my eyes would open, they would have been full of tears. Ethan, my brother, my twin. He's gone. All because of them. They were chasing us. They shot him, and he stayed on that boat so I could get away.

He's not here

Because Ethan is dead

Gone

Forever

"Oh my God! Is that a body?" I hear a male voice call

"Holy crap! Somebody call an ambulance"

"Is it breathing?"

"Hello? Hello?" I don't respond. Just die! I tell myself forcefully. Why won't you fucking die!?

"Hey guys! Her eyelids are flickering. She's alive! Quick! Call an ambulance!" Oh crap! They can't call an ambulance. I still have no ID. They'll figure it out, and then THEY will know, and they'll find me. Crap crap crap! Dying seems like the best option right now, but if these people call an ambulance, I might live through this. I have to stop them. Open eyes dammit!

"Mmmmmm...." I manage to groan "no....."

"Guys shhhh! She trying to say something!" I force my sticky eyes to open.

Five people surround me, concerned looks on their faces. They're all boys. Well, not really boys, about eighteen I think.

"Hello? Love? Can you hear me?" One of them asks. I try to focus on him. He has brown curly hair and green eyes

"Uh...." Oh God I sound like such an idiot. I try to say something, but a coughing fit breaks me off. The boys help me sit up while I empty my lungs of sea water and sand and phlegm.

"Are you alright?" The blond one with an Irish accent inquires

"What a-" I cough again "what a stupid question!" It is a stupid question. I've been washed up on a beach and I look like a dead person. Do you think I'm alright? The Irish one smiles

"Don't worry, we'll get you to a hospital" oh right. That was my original reason for waking up. There is no way I can go to a hospital

"Please don't!" My voice is returning, so I put more force into my words "you can't!"

"Why not?"

"You just CAN'T!" I try to emphasise the word can't. The Irish boy scrutinises me

"Um...look...I really think you should-"

"I'm fine!" To prove my point, I get up. Please don't fall please don't fall, I beg myself. To my surprise, my legs are steady, and I manage to take a few steps before I stop, not wanting to push my luck. I turn to the boys with a triumphant smile "see? Perfectly fine" another boy, with a hair that looks like it has been shaved recently, steps forward

"What's your name?" I pause for moment. I would say Emma, but she is dead

"Jai," I say, lifting my chin "my name is Jai"

"Well, I'm Liam" the buzz-cut boy says

"Yeah, and I'm Niall" the blond Irish one tells me

"I'm Harry" brown curly hair

"Louis" brown straight hair

"And I'm Zayn" jet black hair

It's a habit I have, memorising people by their hair colours. Sometimes it's hard, but all these boys have a unique hairstyle.

"So Jai," Liam continues "what happened?" I eye him suspiciously. He raises his hands "just asking. And we won't call the ambulance or anything" he puts his phone in his pocket

"Umm..." I debate how much to tell them. Not the truth, obviously. They'd turn me in without a second thought "I was swimming. I got...lost" I try to keep my face neutral

"You got lost...in the ocean?" Liam questions, and I nod

"Strong rip...I got...swept out...I um....also got chased by a shark"

"Chased by a shark?" Niall asked, raising his eyebrows. Okay, even I agree it's pretty 'out there' but how else am I supposed to explain the various wounds from the boat? Carnivorous drift wood?

"Yep. I...got away though" now they definitely won't believe me. No one escapes from a shark. I feel all five pairs of eyes stare at me in confusion. They don't believe me. I don't care, as long as they don't know the truth.

"So...where are your parents Jai?" I wince. Parents. Ethan and I had been on the run for three years, and hadn't made contact with Mum and Dad ever. I certainly couldn't call them now. That would put them in danger.

"I...don't have parents" I lie. A sudden idea pops into my mind "I'm an orphan!" Perfect. No parents to invent, and they'll just let me find my way back to the 'orphanage'.

"Which orphanage?" Harry asks. Shit. Didn't think if that.

"I can't...remember!" I say "I don't remember anything!" My story is sounding wilder and wilder.

"Okay, so let me get this straight" Liam ticks off points with his fingers "your name is Jai. You are an orphan. You were out swimming and you got caught in a rip. while out at sea, you got chased by a shark and escaped with minor injuries. Did I get it right?" I nod

"Yep, that's it"

"Listen Jai," Louis looks at me "you were washed up on the beach alone and you look scared and desperate. We want to help you. Just tell us what really happened!" I look scared and desperate? I immediately try to smooth my expression

"No, you listen!" I snap "I don't need your help! I'm just going to be on my way, and you can forget you ever saw me. Actually, make sure you don't tell a soul that you saw me. Forget my face, forget my name. Just leave me alone. Trust me, it's for your own safety." With that, I start to walk away, leaving the five boys to stare after me.

(Hey there! So, what do you think? To sad? To un sad? It may not sound very exciting, but it will get better, I promise! Please keep reading and remember:

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JustLulu)