9 S E V E N T H

The sound of the banging door puts Jax into a wake with a flinch.

"Dude, are you gonna let me in or not?" For the ninth time, Vaughn bangs on the Sanchez's front door.

Footsteps were heard approaching the door. The door swings open, revealing a Jax that obviously just woke up in his usual sweats and shirt.

"About time," Vaughn gives off a glare.

"Damn, it's to early for your death glare," Jax moves aside for Vaughn to enter. "Can you wait? I'm just gonna change clothes," He raises a brow at her.

"Fine. Hurry up so we can get started," She takes out the books and papers she brought with her.

"Geez." Jax whispers to himself.

I have to finish this right away, so I have all the time to help Rade in finding the Gem and work with the crew.

"Where should we start?" Jax speaks in front of her, which made Vaughn to look up from the papers she's scanning.

"About the topic we're given, we need to find references that supports the topic," She scans the books and papers she's holding yet again.

Jax reaches for one of the books to help her with what she's looking for.

At an odd situation, Jax will occasionally glance at the terribly focused Vaughn in front of him.

It's the first time I've seen her this focus. The aura she gives off scares me.

A deep sigh was heard from Jax as he flips every page of the book he's holding.

Vaughn puts down the papers she's holding. She brings her hand to her face to massage her aching temples. "This isn't working. neither of these books has the topic that supports our main point," She lets out an exasperated sigh.

"You think?" Jax raises his brows at her.

"Do you have any other books with you? Maybe the ones that you have has what were looking for," She looks directly in his eyes.

Damn, how deceiving.

"What, you expect someone like me to be a bookworm or something?" He gives off that fake disappointed look.

"Maybe," She timidly answers as she picks up one of the books to reread it again.

"Listen, I don't read. And I don't own any books, but there's a library downtown. Wanna go?" Jax offers. His eyes wanders to the girl in front of him.

Instead of voicing out a response, Vaughn just nods her head in agreement.

"Alright then," The both of them stood up from where they're seated and head for the door.

The cool breeze blew against them. An awkward silence surrounds the two of them, despite the busy streets they're in.

Focusing on where the direction to the library is located, Jax breaks the silence. "Hey, uhh Ada- I mean Vaughn, do you have sibs or something?" He asks, starting the conversation.

"None. Only child," She simply answers.

"Okay, well me too. Don't you feel lonely at some point? You know, you don't have anyone to talk to when you have a problem or something?" Sadness. Sadness was visible in the tough-looking man's voice.

"Sometimes. But I have Rade and the cre- I mean other friends. They fill the longing feeling of wanting to have siblings," Vaughn spoke a bit longer sentence than she usually does.

Not long until the both of them reached the library. The huge room with tall bookshelves that tower over them was seen as they open the entrance. A quiet solemn atmosphere welcomed them.

It was calming.

They both approached the library reception desk, "Excuse me, do you know where we might find-" Vaughn was put into a halt as she recognizes the man in front of her.

What the-?!

With eyes as wide as saucers she whisper yells, "Dad?!"

Luvox mirrors the same action as she is. Vaughn looks around to find Jax away from her in one of the alley, searching for a book.

"The alley of Biology books is this way. Please come with me," Luvox fakes a topic.

Once they were in the middle of an alley surrounded by huge bookshelves, it's vaughn's time to speak.

"What the hell, dad? What are you doing here?" Still in her hushed voice.

"Woking in disguise," Her father says. His fake mustache slightly falling from his upper lip.

"What about your company duties?" pools of question runs in her thoughts. She wants answers to a lot of questions.

"I have someone to handle those. I've squeezed some shit out of that man Andy that we held captive. And he spilled that his wife works at the public library," Luvox spills out what he got out of that man.

So, Andy is the tied up man's name.

"What are your plans?" She runs her fingers through her hair.

"Work here for a week or so, and eventually get her trust. Then I'm going to use her to make that Andy speak what we really want," Luvox fixes his fake mustache. "Anyway, Who are you with?"

Since when did he care about my business.

"My stupid school project partner," She rolls her eyes in irritation.

Not long until the father-daughter went out from the alley of bookshelves and back to the library reception desk.

"I'm sorry, miss I'm afraid we don't have the exact book you're looking for," He fakes yet another topic

"Vaughn, there you are! I've been looking for you. See, I found this-" His gaze travels to the man Vaughn is with. Jax points at the man who is still her.

"O-oh, the man at the reception desk. He helped me look at some books at the alley that way," Vaughn points at the alley they just came out of. Adjacent to the alley where Jax was searching.

"Ohh," was the only thing Jax said.

"Check those books out so we can go," She points at the books Jax is holding.

Vaughn rushes out of the library to get some fresh air. Taking in deep breaths to at least process everything her dad told her.

That man has totally gone mad!

"Let's go?" Jax's voice gave her a fright, reacting in a flinch.

"Yeah," she holds her chest in an act of being frightened.

Nothing but a laugh erupted from the throat of the guy she's with.

On their way back to the Sanchez residence, an odd and awkward silence once again surrounds the both of them. Neither of them tried to open their mouths and start a conversation.

Vaughn was still in the midst of overthinking about the scene she encountered at the public library. While Jax in the other hand wanted to start a conversation with the girl he's with, but decided to keep his mouth shut and his thoughts to himself.

The smell of the mouthwatering food coming from the Sanchez's residence woke up the grumbling stomach of the two at the front door.

Once the door opened, an unfamiliar voice that Vaughn hasn't heard welcomed them in. "Ohh~ honey, our Jackson is home!" The woman's voice speaks in excitement.

Jackson?

"Hey mom," Jax, with a nonchalant voice greets his parents. "Smells good, Whatcha cooking?"

His mom sets aside his son's question, "And who is this lovely lady?" The woman gives of a motherly, welcoming smile.

"She's my Science lab project partner, Vaughn," Jax introduces her.

"Hello, Vaughn. I'm Jackson's mother. And over there by the dining table is his father," The woman points at the man in his late 50's holding a news paper as he waves at their visitor.

"Mom, the school knows me as Jax not Jackson," Jax runs his fingers in his hair as a sign of irritation.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Sanchez" Vaughn gives off a smile as if she has nothing to think about.

"You have a beautiful smile. will you be dining with us?" The woman hopefully asks.

"Um no, ma'am. I'm just here to pick up my stuff," Vaughn points at her bookbag sitting at their couch.

"Aww. One of these days, I'm looking forward for you to have dinner with us," She smiles again..

Instead, Vaughn just nods her head in agreement.

She sends her off their front door as if it's their own daughter. In return, Vaughn just smile and waved her goodbye.

As she walks her way home, Vaughn is left with a troubled mind and a mind full of unsaid thoughts.

What could dad's real business there anyway? Is kidnapping that Andy guy's wife make him speak the truth about who he really works for?