Music Box 2

Chapter 10

We return to the building, the tension between me and Hener is pretty much gone as we both start to talk about the things we like.

As we come in, I see Monica is standing with a worried expression, yet she forces a fake smile as we come in. "How is Lucas?" She asks. "He's alright," I answer.

"What's with the worried look?" Hener says with a bit of suspicion in his voice. Aston walks in with a paper in his hand. "We got this an hour ago."

He shoves the paper to us. It's a letter addresses to me...

Don't forget our date, I meet you tonight in the park. Don't be late, and show up alone. Or otherwise, it's the last thing you hear of your parents.

I look horrified at the threat. "Seven is a real asshole," says Jace as he takes a sip. "So he really does have my parents and my friend..." I mumble. "You're not going to meet up with that guy," says Hener in a calm way. "But my parents -"
"Fuck your parents, it's clearly a trap" says Jace as he yanks the paper from me. "He probably doesn't even have your parents. Think logically two adult against what? A single teenager? Bullshit! He is just trying to get you there so he can do whatever he is planning to do!" Yells Jace. "He harmed Lucas, I wouldn't call him weak." Jace frowns at me. "Lucas is weak."
"And so are my parents! He could easily have them, "I yell back desperately.

"[Name]..." Aston walks forward. "Seven could be bluffing. What if he doesn't have your parents?"
"The question is what if he has?"I say back. I sigh and take a deep breath. "Sorry that I'm acting this way. You guys are right..."I say as I look at the three young men. "He could be bluffing. But I don't want to risk it. They're my parents... I can't let them die because of me..."

An awkward silence fills the room. "I'm going... I can't risk it."
Jace scoffs. "I'm not responsible for your death," he says and walks away, shutting the door behind him. I look at the other two. They look at me, not saying anything. "This is suicide, [name]," says Hener with a calm voice. "I said I'm going... but I've never said I follow his rules." I give them a grin. The two share a short glance before nodding their heads.
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I sit outside on the bench. I close my eyes, listening to the chirping of the birds. I try to calm my nerves.

I can't let them die because of me...

I hear footsteps coming to me. I open my eyes and see Monica. She sits beside me and gives me a sad smile. Yet again... it doesn't match her eyes.
"So, what are you going to do?" She asks. "Hener and Jace go with me, in the shadow."
"What about Aston? He should go to, right?"asks Monica. "No, he doesn't know how to fight or defend himself. But he's going to listen through a camera."
"Can I do something?"she asks. "That's kind of you, but I don't think you can." I give Monica a small smile.

I look before me again. "What are you planning to do with the building?" I ask. "I said it was for work, I thought," she replies. "Yes, you did. What do you do for work?" Monica looks at me, biting her lip but doesn't answer. "My work... I want to start a business." "Oh I see. You got the space, only it's in the middle of an abandoned forest. It's not ideal."
"It doesn't matter. The project still remains."

I frown at her reaction. "Project...?"
"Yes, there is this project I want to achieve so I can prove my parents wrong." Her voice sounds darker as she looks at the ground, her face emotionless, but her eyes show rage. "I don't want to talk about it." I nod in understanding. "I respect that."

Monica stands up and leaves me alone. I think about my friend and my parents. Would they even still be alive?

As Monica leaves, another figure walks up to us. "Remember our deal?" Says Jace in a playful voice. "Yes, I do," I say briefly, looking at the ground. "I suspect I need to do something for you."
"Yes, do you have like sports here somewhere?" He asks. I can't help but chuckle at his comment. "In the city," I reply. "Let's make a sports field here. There is enough space, " says Jace. "You need to tell that to Monica, this building isn't mine anymore." "It isn't?"he asks, surprised. "Yeah... I sold it."
"Why would you do that?" "Because I'm nothing with this building, and I got a lot of money for it."
"You can start a company or something!"
"I didn't want to remember this place," I say calmly. "Too much bad memories."
"I have good memories," replies Jace. "How? You were treated like animals, "I say. "I'm talking about what happened afterward."

The words are stuck in my throat as I realize what he means. I look at Jace with a shocked expression.

He just literally said that he has good memories with me. This must be one of the nicest things he said so far!

As Jace sees my face lights up, he glares. "Don't get ahead of yourself, I didn't mean it like that."

"Sure..."I smile. "I mean it!"
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I'm walking to the park. The sky is dark and covered with even darker clouds. The moon is big and beautiful. I feel the nerves in my body increasing.

I'm gonna meet Seven...