Darling | All16 | ✔

TWO

Being careful not to trip, I descend from the grand staircase and smile as I hear the shutter of several cameras.

"Sang, happy birthday!" A man cries, soon followed by many others.

Grinning, I hide the unease that is spreading in me. Just how many people are here?

Reaching the end of the stairs, I stumble slightly, but several pairs of hands reach out to steady me.

"Thank you all," I giggle, fighting back a blush. "I'm happy that each and every one of you is here, even if I can't see who all is here."

The people gathered let out a laugh and I continue, "Please, enjoy the party."

"Good job, Sang," Mother whispers in my ear, enveloping me in a hug. "Then again, you always have had a certain way with people."

Smiling and blushing, I hug Mother back. Together, we walk toward where the tables of food always are.

"Should I get your food?" Mother asks.

I shake my head and say, "No, I'll be fine Mother."

Reaching my hand out, I feel the bumps on the signs that say what food is out, reading the Braille. Going down the tables slowly, I dish myself my own food. Over the years, I have figured out many ways of doing things on my own. I appreciate others helping me out, but I definitely don't want to be a burden on anyone.

"Sang!" Aunt Mara calls, walking up to me. "Are you still going to that little local school?"

I can clearly hear the disdain in her voice.

"Aunt Mara," I laugh. "That school is hardly little. Besides, I like going to Ashley Waters."

"Even though it had to be shut down for a month before school even started? I mean, it's already into the first week of October and you aren't even in school yet!" Aunt Mara exclaims.

I sigh, "Aunt Mara, the fire could hardly be helped, it was a freak accident."

"Sure. I'll bet it was those hooligans again," She mutters before walking off, her cloud of jasmine perfume lingering slightly in her absence.

Smiling, I shake my head knowing that Aunt Mara's bite is worse than her bark. She'll call them hooligans and accuse them of setting fire to a government building, and then she'll bake them cookies and give them lemonade. Aunt Mara used to be much different, apparently, but over the years, Mara has come to realize that being kind is just so much more fun than being cruel.

I select a tart from off my plate and take a delicate bite, being careful not to make a mess or ruin my lipgloss. Soon, I am enjoying the party and all the work that was put into it.

But, as the clock strikes midnight, I can't but help feel that something is amiss.

That's when I hear it.

Just a whisper, but I hear it well with my heightened sense of hearing.

"She isn't safe here anymore. We need to get Sang out of this place before she gets hurt or worse."

|OWEN|

Sitting down in the living room, I make sure that my posture is perfect. Surveying the room, I take in brothers as they all sit down.

"Boys," I begin. "The Academy has granted us our request for time off. We have a week to go back home to Charleston and visit family. We will all be going and it will be a time for us to grow as a team."

We are already a team, solid and sure, but there are so many of us that we need to regroup every now and then just for the sake of getting closer and taking a break.

"Will we be staying in our old homes?" Victor asks, his slender fingers tapping out a song on the arm of the couch betraying his nerves.

"Yes, your parents have been... less than happy with you leaving," I inform him. "If they overwork you or harm you in any way, let me know and we will put an end to it immediately."

I hold his gaze, making sure that he knows we are not just going to dump him and run.

Tracing a tattoo on his forearm, Raven asks in broken English, "Where will I be playing?"

"Staying," Corey corrects on instinct.

"Same," Raven grumbles, also on instinct.

"No—Wait... Actually, I'm not even going to bother," Corey says with a smile and a shake of his head.

"Those of you who do not have family here to stay with will stay with will stay with someone else. I know that most of you no longer have an apartment there, but I still have my house," I remind them.

"My dad will be out of town for awhile, if you guys want to crash with me," Nathan announces, tucking his phone back in his pocket.

"Sounds like a good plan," Kevin agrees, his dark eyes warm.

Wil hesitantly asks, "Will I be staying with my sister?"

"No," Axel states firmly.

The Toma team, when it was still the Toma team, came close to starting a relationship with Kayli when they saw just how twisted she is. Sending Wil to stay with her wouldn't be that big of a problem since she loves her brother, but she is toxic for Wil. Interacting with her would be bad for all of us, not to mention it would isolate Wil from the other fifteen of us.

"We can figure out the further details later," I decide. "All of you need to make sure you have enough items for the trip. We wouldn't want to forget anything would we?"

I give Luke a pointed look.

"What?!" He exclaims. "I told you that it was an accident? Do you really think that I would purposely leave my underwear at home?"

My only response is a raised eyebrow. A tinge of pink lights Luke's cheekbones as he grins mischievously. North gives Luke a suspicious glare.

"We leave in two hours," I inform them curtly. "Dismissed."