Reminisce With Me

Chapter 12: Gut Feeling

"Why are we up, again?" I asked Helen as we walked through the main lobby. "I could have slept in."

"We have training after lunch, so I wanted us to spend time together in the morning," she said casually, greeting the firm members as we brushed by them. 

I rolled my eyes. "Remember what Ryder said? You will never get back wasted time." Helen smacked my arm. "Ouch. Helen, violence is not the answer."

"Violence is always the answer," I heard a voice from behind say and turned around to see Aiden walking with Bridgett. 

Helen and I sat at one of the tables near the bar and Aiden and Bridgett joined. Aiden grabbed us coffee, trying to juggle all four cups in his hands. 

"Ever think of becoming a waiter?" I asked him and he smirked, placing my coffee in front of me.

"I should, I would get the most tips." Aiden winked and I pushed him away. 

"I thought we could avoid training this week," Bridgett muttered as she blew on her coffee. "I still can't aim at the target."

"That's cause you suck, sister," Helen said without hesitation. "I bet that Aubrey is better than you."

The three of them watched me as I sat there silently. "Um," I dragged, smiling sheepishly. "I wouldn't bet on that..."

"We'll see during practice," Bridget cut in, her tone aggressive. 

"I won't be attending," I said, my mind already made.

Aiden scoffed. "Aubrey, you don't get to choose to bail. Training is mandatory." 

I quickly finished my coffee, fire running down my throat. "I'm busy." I jumped off the stool, backing away. 

Helen gave me a look and I smiled at her before turning a corner. I didn't care if they judged me for "chickening out". I knew training consisted of a gun and I did not want to participate in an activity that I was against. I wasn't one of them. I wasn't a killer.

I rode up the elevator to a random floor, hoping to bump into Gran. If I was going to be stuck in the past for a little longer, then I wanted to spend as much time with the ones I loved. Even if that meant they had no idea who I was. 

When I entered the ninth floor, the doors opened up to a room surrounded by large windows. A pool table was set in the middle and a large TV on the back wall. To my surprise, Nick was sitting on the pool table, trying to get a good shot. 

"Nick, hurry up," a boy, a few years younger than him, complained. 

"Don't rush me, JV," Nick said, closing one eye and bringing the pool stick closer to the cue ball. 

JV sighed, running his hands through his dark curly hair. "I don't want to play anymore. I'd rather ask my brother to teach me how to play the guitar."

Nick hit the ball and as expected, he didn't get any in. "I lost my focus." Turning to JV, he continued. "JV, you're six years old. You need to learn to live your life."

I held my laugh in, finding it strange that a ten-year-old would be lecturing a six-year-old about life. 

JV looked very familiar, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. 

"I want to be like Aiden," JV said, walking away. He froze when he saw me standing near the elevator doors.

"Your brother is so much older than you, you've got time to be like him."

Now it made sense why JV looked familiar – he was Aiden's younger brother. Nick followed JV's stare and both boys now watched me with curiosity.