Chapter 2

"WHERE THE HELL are you going?" It was Kayden's voice that entered his room and looked at his bag full of clothes. "Why are you packing?"

"I'm moving." He simply said.

Kayden frowned. "Where? Why didn't you told me? I'm gonna pack to---"

"You're not coming."

His twin stilted. "Pardon?"

He sighed and then calmly faced his twin."You're not coming. Stay here. I'll be right back when Valdez replaces me with Ms. Hart's bodyguard."

Kayden is eyeing him suspiciously. "Do you have a picture of Ms. Hart? Let me see."

He pointed to the folder lying on top of his bed. "Knock yourself out."

He grabbed the folder and open it, then he looked at him smiling. "How's her GMRC?"

"She's kind and nice."

He nodded while still looking at him. "Too sweet, too kind, and too nice?"

He looked at Kayden. "Shut it. She's just a job."

His twin just shook his head. "Whatever. Just don't come running to me when Cupid hits you hard. I don't know you."

He shook his head when Kayden left the room.

He slung the bag over his shoulder then left the room. When he was in the living room, Kayden came out of the kitchen and took a few thousand pounds out of his wallet and handed it to him.

"Here."

"What for?" He asked in astonishment.

"You can't go to the bank to withdraw money, our enemies will be alerted for sure. Use this for a meantime."

He frowned. "Where did you get these?"

"I burrowed it from Murell." He answered while returning his wallet back into his pocket. "For the meantime, I'm a Doctor in Hope's Hospital. I will able to pay Murell next month so save that. I'll handle the money and our expenses while we are here."

"Okay." He put the money in his pocket then threw the key of his car to Kayden who immediately caught it in ease. "Keep it. I'll be undercover so I'm taking a cab."

"Sure send me your address, I'll visit you."

"No need---"

"I'll be bringing some grilled meat."

"Okay. I'll message you later."

His twin just laughed and looked at him while he was exiting the house.

He waited a few minutes for a taxi to pass by and when a taxi passed by, he entered the car and he told the driver the address of his new apartment.

He stopped at the grocery store and bought what he would need in a few days before walking towards the apartment where he is currently staying.

When he entered his apartment, it was small but it was okay. Cozy and fully equipped. And when he entered the room. He opened the sliding door and exited the balcony.

He looked at the adjoining balcony.

Must be the woman's terrace.

He left the balcony and lay down on the bed.

This apartment was occupied. He has to pay the owner to move for the whole month. He will not stay here too long. It will only take a few days or a week before will be replaced when there is an another guard to protect the girl.

He closed his eyes but immediately open them when Sophia's lifeless body was tied to the rope suddenly entered his mind.

Fuck!

He was about to leave the room when he heard footsteps in the adjacent apartment.

He looked at his wrist watch. Five P.M. it looks like his neighbor just got home from work.

The walls are thin…he can her Ms. Hart clearly from the other side.

He leaned his back against the wall then closed his eyes while listening to her movements across the wall.

She took off her shoes. Dropped something on the floor…maybe her bag and then he heard a squeaking of the mattress.

She's lying down on her bed.

Jayden didn't move. Even though he can't hear anything from the other side, he stayed there listening.

After a long minute, he heard a movement from Ms. Hart's room. It was as if she left the bed and then walked away. If he heard it right, she was on the balcony now.

Jayden sighed and opened his eyes.

He can still hear her and he can't stop listening to her movements. He doesn't even know why he was feeling relaxed when he hear her movements.

And from her balcony, he heard a soft strumming of guitar. Then a soft voice filled his ears as she sang slowly.

'I am not a stranger to the dark

Hide away, they say

'Cause we don't want your broken parts

I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars

Run away, they say

No one'll love you as you are'

Ms. Hart stops singing and he heard a soft sob.

She's crying.

He left the bed and was about to come out of the balcony but he was stunned. What will he say to her? She doesn't even know him.

'When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown 'em out

I am brave, I am bruised

I am who I'm meant to be, this is me'

She stopped singing and then heard her faint sobs again.

"You can get through this." He heard, she was talking to herself while softly sobbing. "You're Lucky. You'll be okay. You'll be okay…think of Grand-mommy and Grand-daddy. I cant get through his…I can do this."

Jayden cursed at himself when he found himself on the balcony.

"Hey."

Ms.Hart immediately looked at him and quickly wiped away the tears then smiled at him. The trace of her crying immediately disappeared while she smiling at him.

"Oh...it's you, Mr. Negative…"Then her lips formed into an 'o' "Where is Mrs. Rigby?"

"She's on vacation." He answered.

"Are you her relative?"

"You could say that. I'm her nephew." He lied.

"Ah." She got up from sitting on the stool then said goodbye to him. "All right, I'm going inside. Have a good night."

He nodded and watched the girl entered her room. He was about to enter his room when she suddenly returned to the balcony and then offering him a glass jar.

"Here."

He furrowed his eyebrows at the glass jar she's holding.

She smiled. There's that smile again. The trace of her crying totally disappeared.

"It's gummy worms and gummy bears." She said while still smiling. "Eat one every time you think negatively. It helps."

When he did not accept the jar, she opened it then took a gummy bear and brought it closer to his mouth. "One gummy bear a day, keeps the negativity away."

Just like yesterday, he found himself opening himself opening his mouth and accepting the gummy bear.

She has the bright smile again. "Here. This is yours now." She said as she handed the glass jar to him. "When you ate it all, give me the jar again and I'll refill it."

He accepted it and then frowned, "How many gummy bears and gummy worms do you have exactly?"

"I have tons." She said still smiling."So don't be negative anymore, it's bad for your health."

"I don't think these gummy bears---" He looked at the jar full of gummy, "---can erase all of my negativity."

"But it's a start." She smiled brightly at him once again before leaving the balcony.

He looked down at the glass jar he was holding.

Gummy bears, huh.

He entered the room then laid the glass jar on the study table and went back to lying on the bed.

He doesn't know what to think of Lucky Hart. She's depressed but she has a positive view of the world.

He looked at the gummy bears in the glass jar.

One gummy bear a day, keeps the negativity away.

A smile was drawn on his lips when he get up from lying down on the bed and grab the glass jar then open it and get a gummy bear.

LUCKY POUTED when she noticed she cooked a lot of food today. She already gave the children food when they visited her. No one's gonna eat her cooking but her, and she know that she can't finish it all. It's gonna be a waste if she's just gonna throw it out .

She cooked a lot of today because she was planning to give Mrs. Rigby some of her home cooked meal but unfortunately she's isn't here.

"Oh, that's right! Mrs. Rigby's nephew."

I can just give it to him.

She nodded, agreeing to herself and then she put the dish in a Tupperware before leaving her apartment to knock on her neighbor's apartment door.

A few seconds passed before the door opened and Mrs.Rigby's half-naked nephew appeared.

Her lips actually parted when she saw his body with tattoos. This was the first time she had seen a half-naked man in person and up close.

Her eyes traveled to his tattoo from his abdomen, up to his abs, to his chest, until she looked up at his arms.

She rolled her tongue over her dry lips and gulped. She has always been fascinated by intricate tattoos.His tattoo seemed to be embossed on his body. It was as if it was drawn on his skin for everyone to notice.

Some are tribal, roses and thorns, and a sword with skeletal handle and some are things she doesn't understand but she's amazed at how beautiful it's made.

She can't help herself. She raised her hand and stroke his tattoo.

It was as if she woke up from what she was doing when he back away a little from her.

"I-I'm sorry." She quickly said. "I didn't mean to---I mean, I mean to but not really---I'm really sorry…"

He remained silent.

Lucky wanted to trailed her fingers on his tats again but stop herself.

Tattoo looks dirty on the skin but why does it looks so good and so hot on this man?

Now she could not remember what she was doing outside the door of his apartment.

She really can't stop herself, she raised her hand again to touch his tattoos, but he took a step back.

He doesn't want to be touch. She get it.

"Sorry." She bit her lips as she was apologizing at the man. "It's just…it's really pretty."

She bit her upper lip as she saw he was also observing her as she was salivating at his body.

My first time seeing a half naked man and it's embarrassing and yet interesting at the same time.

"Ahm ..." she lifted the Tupperware she's carrying that she forgot that was the purpose of her seeing him. "Get it."

"Come on in." That is what he said instead of accepting what she was reaching out and turning his back on her.

Lucky blinked and stared at the man's back. She was right, he also had a tattoo on his back. She's fascinated at how beautiful it looks, how it compliments his skin and his body.

She followed him inside and raised her hand again to caress his tattoo as if it was embossed in her sight.

She stilted when he stilted.

She was about to withdraw her hand because she knew that he did not want to be touched but he remained standing there and not moving.

It's like he's giving her a silent go signal to touch him.

And she did.

The tip of her finger trailed his tattoo. Tribal designs mostly. A gun hanged by a rope. Some languages she doesn't understand and some medieval like designs on his torso.

The time spent for his tattoos, is definitely not done lightly.

"Your tattoos are pretty."

He looked at her over his shoulder. "You done?"

She nodded shyly and smiled. "Sorry I was just fascinated by how good it looks on you."

He just nodded then took big steps to take the t-shirt on the sofa then quickly put it on and faced her and looked down at the Tupperware she was holding.

"What's that?"

She looked down at what she was holding and frowned at the memory of her real purpose with her neighbor. "Oh, God, I totally forgot." She handed him the Tupperware. "It's for Mrs. Rigby, but she's not here." She smiled at him. "I don't want the food to be a waste so, I decided to give it to you instead."

He walked towards her and grab the food she's offering. "Is it delicious?"

She gives him a sheepish smile. "I actually don't know, but I think so? Maybe?"

It seemed he was stopping himself from smiling at her answer. "Then join me for dinner, so you know right away if it's not delicious."

She pouted. "Why do I feel like you're scaring me?"

"Truth is scary."

"That's true." She sighed. "Okay fine. I'll join you for dinner. But, let me introduce myself first." She held out her hand. "Lucky Hart."

He did not accept her handshake but still introduced himself. "Jayden Dawson."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Why don't you have the same last name as Mrs. Rigby?"

She saw how he stilted because of her question. "She's my aunt from my Mother's side."

"Ah." She nodded to his question and followed him to the kitchen.

While he was transferring her cooked Chicken Tikka Masala to a plate,she took and opened the glass jar on the island counter that she had given to him earlier, and took a gummy worm and ate it.

While chewing on the gummy worm, she watched Jayden as he was fixing the table for dinner.

"Let's eat."

She showed him the glass jar she was holding. "I'm okay with this besides, I'm not that hungry yet."

He shrugged before sitting on the chair and started eating.

"Is it delicious?" She asked as he ate a few mouthfuls of what she had cooked.

He looked at her. "It's fine."

She frowned. "So it's not delicious?"

"I said it was fine."

She frowned even more. "I don't accept that kind of answer. It's either delicious or not."

He stopped eating and looked at her. "Why do you seem angry?"

She sat down on the chair in front of his. "Just answer me with a simple yes or no."

"If I told you that it isn't, what are you gonna do about it?"

She glared at him. "I'm not giving you any of my home cooked meals anymore."

"Then it's delicious."

Instead of being happy, her frown became worse. "You're lying!"

Jayden stares at her, amusement was dancing on his eyes. "Why are you stomping your feet? You're like a kid."

"I put a lot of effort making that." Her frowned face became a pouting face. "That taste good."

"It is." He answered and started eating.

She glared at Jayden for a few second before her shoulders dropped and just started eating some gummy bears and gummy worms.

"When I cooked that at home, Grand-mommy said it was okay, she didn't say it was delicious, including Grand-daddy. When I also gave it to Mrs. Rigby, when I asked her if it was delicious, she just smiled. Only the children outside can appreciate my cooking. Why is that? " She rubbed the both her cheeks and placed her elbows on the side of the table. "I cooked it all with my heart. With love and care. Why is it still not enough? Why is it still not delicious?"

"It's a bit salty."

She stopped complaining and then looked at the Chicken Tikka Masala she cooked. "Really? Why? It's not salty for me."

"We have different taste-buds."

Once again she frowned. "So you have the same taste-buds as Grand-mommy, Grand-daddy, and Mrs. Rigby? I'm the only one who have the different taste-buds?

"Kinda."

She glared at him. "The longer I say, the shorter your answer."

"I have nothing to say."

She let out a deep breath. "I will cook a Sunday Roast tomorrow then I'll give you a taste if it's delicious. When you say it's salty again, I gave up. I will not cook anymore."

"Okay."

She glared at him again. "Your answer is short again."

"I'm eating."

She pouted. "Sorry. Eat well."

"It's salty."

She just poured her resentment on eating gummy bears because she knew she didn't really cook well.

"That's mine." He said, referring to the gummy bears she was eating.

"I'll refill you." She said with a soft voice. "Maybe I should take a cooking lesson? But I don't have enough time. I have a job to attend to. I also have the children that I'm taking care of. But if I really want to, maybe it's possible? I just have to manage my time---"

"I'll teach you."

She stopped talking and looking at Jayden. "You can cook?"

"Yeah."

"It's embarrassing." She said weakly, while looking at the Chicken Tikka Masala that he was nearly finishing eating. "Is it really salty?"

"Yes."

He's brutally honest. "Is that bad?"

"Kinda."

"Then why are you still eating it?"

"For your effort."

Her shoulders dropped. "Thank you for eating my effort."

He's biting back a smile. "Your effort tastes bad."

She winced. "I'll do better next time."

"What if it still tastes bad?"

"Then I'll do my very best, next time."

"You won't give up?"

She shook her head. "Nope. I'll get better at cooking then you'll say that my cooking is delicious."

"Okay."

Her eyebrow raised. "No words for encouragement?"

"Even though I said some inspiring words for you, if you're still not gonna do it, nothing will happen."

She was stunned and stared at the guy. It was simple but it was very deep for her. What he said seemed he experienced something sad.

"Grand-Mommy and Grand-Daddy are always encouraging me and they have never been disappointed at me." She smiled at Jayden. "Don't worry, I won't disappoint you as well. I'll be a good student."

Jayden looked at her for a few seconds before nodding. I'll hold onto that."

Her smile brightens even more. "Thank you."

"Don't smile at me like that." He said. "I don't like it."

Her smile fell. "Sorry."

"You should go."

She put the lid back on the glass jar then stood up and said goodbye."Okay, I'll be going now."

When she got out of his apartment and moved into her own, she was about to enter her room when there was a knock on the door.

She quickly opened the door.

It's Jayden. "Yes?"

"Do not just open your door suddenly. "He said in an emotionless voice.

"Okay." She softly said. "Do you need something?"

"I just want to apologize."

"For what?"

"I lied. I like your smile."

A sweet smile was drawn on her face few. "Have you been eating gummy bears?"

"Yes."

She chuckled. "Good night. Jayden."

"Good night."

She smiled at him one last time before closing and locking the door. Even though the door was already closed, she stayed there and kept smiling.

He likes my smile.

She softly laughed before calling her Grandmother. "I finally found a man who likes my smile, Grand-mommy."

"Do tell me sweetheart." The joy in her Grandmother's voice was evident when she was telling her about her neighbor. "What is his name."

"His name is Jayden Dawson."