House of Anubis: Triad of Memphis

House of Trouble/House of Drop-offs

After lights out, William headed up the stairs with Jonah and Jared, and the three of them met Sarah and Lucille who were already waiting in the attic. Before inducting him, the current Sibuna members informed William on what he needed to know, from the gods, to the Chosen One and Osirion, to the task at hand and all that they had found.

"Do you, William Lewis," Sarah stated once beginning the induction, "promise to uphold Sibuna matters to utmost secrecy and standby your fellow Sibuna members in all matters of life or death?"

William raised his right hand. "Sounds easy enough."

"Let it be known that on this night," Sarah announced, "William Alfie Lewis is officially a Sibuna member."

Jared ended up clapping while the others snapped, and William stood there smiling brightly.

"I like the new induction ceremony," Lucille complimented.

Sarah smiled as a thank you. "Right, so we should be getting back to bed. It's a school night."

The five of them planned to head down, but Lucille allowed the others to go down before her and held Jared back. She leaned back against the wall and twirled her locket in her hand, having already replaced the chain since the previous one had broken.

"We're...dating, right?" Lucille asked shyly.

"Unless you've suddenly decided we're not, I sure hope so," Jared chuckled. He noticed Lucille's disappointing expression. He set a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Lucille shook her head. "If we're really dating, why haven't we officially kissed? Why haven't you asked me on a date? Why haven't-"

"-woah woah, Lucy-slow down...What's gotten into you?"

"I just don't want to lose you, that's all," she admitted, looking up at him.

"Hey." He slipped his hand into hers. "Hey, you could never lose me."

Lucille pulled him in as she hugged him close, and he embraced her in return.

~~~~~
The next morning during breakfast, Jared walked in later than everyone else just as Lucille was passing by from the kitchen, and Niamh was about to head out early.

"Hey, Jared," the two of them greeted at the same time. They glanced at eachother awkwardly.

"I'll see you at school then," Niamh addressed Jared, brushing her hand against his arm subconsciously and then heading out.

Lucille heaved a sigh. She gripped the bowl that was in her hand tightly and went back to sit down next to Sarah. Before Jared had come to sit down as well, she leaned in near Sarah and whispered, "Did you see that?"

"See what?"

Lucille ceased conversation as soon as Jared took his seat in the other side of her. Lucille rolled her eyes without him noticing.

"A little trouble in paradise?" William asked, regarding them form across the table.

"What?" Jared glanced up from pouring syrup on his pancakes.

"No," Lucille shook her head. "No trouble at all." She decided not to eat breakfast at all and rose to her feet to head off to school early.

Eventually everyone else headed off to breakfast, and Jared failed to notice Lucille's strange demeanor, so he didn't worry about it on his way.

Meanwhile, Jonah and Sarah walked over to the school together.

"You don't think Lucille seems a bit...tense, do you?" Jonah asked.

"She has been a bit off this morning..." Sarah realized. "I'll talk to her about it later; it might be nothing."

Jonah nodded. "So when were you planning on looking into all that information on that mystery man?"

"Soon, hopefully," Sarah admitted. She pulled the man's phone out of her bag. "I also plan to drop this off right now."

"N-now?"

"Yeah," Sarah nodded. "You can head off to school though. Cover for me if I'm late."

"Wait, but Sar-"

Sarah took off running so that she could get to the gatehouse as soon as possible and then report to the school directly after. Jonah didn't have time to finish what he was trying to say, attempting to advise her that maybe he should come along, but he figured she would be safe-as long as she didn't do anything wrong.

~~~~~
Sarah slowed her pace as she came to the gatehouse. She didn't see anyone outside and debated whether she should just leave the phone outside or place it inside. She came to the door and tried to open it but realized it had been locked in the course of the time she and the others had been away. A passcode was now placed on it, and she had no way of figuring it out. She stood at the door for a moment trying to think up some idea, and it was just then that she heard a vehicle's engine fast approaching. She turned to see a white van stop right there at the gatehouse, and she froze in place.

~~~~~
Jonah, Jared, and Lucille were sitting near eachother in chemistry class worrying about where Sarah was since class would be starting soon. William left Rachel for a bit and occupied the seat next to Lucille which Sarah would've occupied if she were there.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" William asked. "You know, anything Sibuna-life or deathy-why is Sarah missing?"

"Keep your voice down," Lucille shushed.

"Okay, Sarah headed off to the gatehouse to drop of that mysterious man's phone," Jonah explained yet again for William's sake. "She hasn't come back yet."

"The mysterious-man-who-kidnapped-me, mysterious man?" William inquired. "You don't just send someone alone!" William kept his voice low, but still expressed his distress.

"Yeah, well it was Sarah's idea, and she's kind of the leader-"

"-leader?" William cut Jonah off in repetition of that one word. "Why would Sibuna even have a leader, let alone not have it be either the Chosen One or Osirion? Am I the only sensible one here? Because that doesn't happen often."

"It just sort of happened naturally," Lucille admitted.

"Plus, Sarah was all into this Sibuna sandwich before Lucille or I even knew who we were," Jared muttered barely audibly as he stared off into space, seeming to only half be there.

Jonah banged on the desk, jerking Jared fully awake.

"Sorry," Jared apologized. "I just really want a sandwich."

"Focus, Jared," Jonah shook his head.

~~~~~
That is the chapter! I really hope you enjoyed this, and for now, here are the discussion questions!

Do you think Jared will realize Lucille's feelings/thoughts?

What do you think will happen to Sarah?

That's all for now. Until next time, Aristocrats!