Chapter 5

LUCKY CALLED IN SICK at work the following morning. She feels bad. She did not know why her heart keeps aching, when she was taking her medicine. The pain is bearable but she doesn't want her students to see her flinching from time to time because of the sudden pain.

So she stayed home.

Lucky slowly sat on the sofa then leaned her body behind it and closed her eyes.

A small gasped escaped her lips when her heart contracted in pain again.

"Please, God." She begged. "Don't take me away, please ..."

She control her breathing, so that her heart does not hurt too much. She calmed herself as she closed her eyes.

She wanted to sleep but she couldn't because her heart is aching. Literally.

So she doesn't want to feel as bad as she did last night.

She knew it was meaningless for Jayden but for her, it means so much. How could he throw those gummy bears? She loves those. And even though she loves them so much, she still gave it to him when he asked for refill.

So she was hurt last night.

This is what her Grand-mommy says. She have to be wary of people she will meet and appreciate or like. Because not everyone feels the same way about her.

She just feel stupid for giving those gummy bears that she loves so much to Jayden.

She should have stay away from him. She barely knew him. I thought he was nice. He's the first man she ever talks to comfortably. That's why she likes talking to him.

Her every breath was shallow.

If she continues to feel pain in her heart until this afternoon, she will admit herself to the Hospital. But when she does, her Grand-mommy and Grand-daddy will worry.

But that's okay rather than she will die. She can't allowed that. She can't leave her Grand-mommy and Grand-daddy. She would never let them pick a casket for her. No parent will want to bury their child. That would hurt them so much.

She opened her eyes and locked at the wall clock.

It's 11 A.M.

I haven't cooked my lunch yet.

She slowly stood up to pick up the cellphone in her room but as she was not that far away from the couch, when she felt as if something was squeezing her heart.

"Oh, Jesus ... I need to rest."

She touched her chest where her heart was and then moaned softly.

Slowly her foot moved, even though she was having a hard time, she tried to step towards her room while groping for a handle so that she would not fall.

She no longer cares if she has crashed or broke something, in her mind all she need is to lay down on the bed or someone to call to help her.

Her body collapsed on the bed as she tried to reach for her cellphone.

I have to call someone!

She tried to reach for her cellphone but the pain in her heart attacked again causing her to scream loudly.

No. God, please, don' take me away. I still want to live. Please don't…

Lucky was asking God for help, for assistance and strength when she heard that familiar voice.

"Lucky! Lucky!"

Her eyesight darkened and she could not see who it was but she knew Jayden called her name.

She moaned softly when he felt him lift her up and carry her somewhere.

"Hang in there, baby. I'm taking you to the Hospital."

She just let out a weak moan every time the pain hit her heart until she lost consciousness. The last thing she heard was Jayden calling his twin.

JAYDEN TUGGED his hair as he sat on the stool next to Lucky's hospital bed. He can't forget how she looks like while writhing in pain.

She was grunting and groaning. And it sounds painful.

He looked up and stared at Lucky. She's unconscious but stable. Thank God, his brother was still at his apartment to help him earlier. He was the one who heard the noise coming from Lucky's apartment because he was wearing earplugs.

The pain she's in. Its his fault. He should have thought of her condition first before he blurted out what he did to her gummy bears.

"Hey."

He turned to the speaker.

That was his twin, who just entered the Hospital room occupied by Lucky.

"Hey." His voice was weak.

He walked closer to Lucky then stared at the woman before sighing. "I talked to her Cardiologist. Said that she's stable, for now. When she wakes up, no one should upset her. It's one of the many trigger points why her heart is in pain. Her heart is weak, so take good care of it . "

He stared at the woman. "I trigger this, didn't I?"

"I don't want to blame you, but yes. I think what happened last night triggered this."

He let out a violent sigh and stared at the woman. He suddenly stood up when she suddenly opened her eyes.

"Lucky ..." He took her hand and squeezed it. "How are you feeling? Any better?"

Instead of answering him, her eyes looked at the IV that was pricked in her wrist and then slowly snatched her hand that he was holding.

"What did my Doctor say?" She asked Kayden in a low voice.

His twin glanced at him before answering Lucky. "You're stable, but no stress and problems. As much as possible, stay away from things or people who displeasures you and make you feel scared."

She nodded then smiled at his twin. She looks weak but she still manages to smile brightly. "Thank you. Kayden. I appreciate it."

Blake let out a loud breath. She did not even pay any attention to him. She didn't even look at him as if he was not next to her.

Why does he not want to be ignored by her? Why is he angry?

"Need anything?" His twin asked.

"Can I eat some gummy bears?" She asked adorably.

"I'll ask your Doctor." He said then smiled at Lucky. "I'll get back to you, Lucky."

"Thank you."

Kayden give him a pointed look that says don't mess with her before he leave the room.

"Lucky ---"

"Please don't talk to me." She interrupted what else he was going to say in a gentle voice, as if she was begging him. "I know it's my fault because I got close to you, but I just want to talk to you. You're easy to talk to. Even if you're a man, I don't know why I'm comfortable talking to you even if your answers are short. Maybe because I like you as a person. So maybe that's why I got upset. But I don't want to risk my health for you. I don't want my Grandparents to worry about me. They're too old for that. It'll hurt them. So please, please leave me alone. "

He stared at Lucky who was begging him but could not look at him.

"Would that make you feel better?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry for asking you this. I know you brought me here, and I owe you for that. Thank you so much. But like what the Doctor says, I have to stay away from the people who displeasures me. I can't risk my heart, I don't want to die. I will not put my Grandparents in a position where they have to pick a casket for me. I'm so sorry. "

He is the one who's at fault here, but she is the one who apologizing.

He's such an asshole.

"I'm leaving." He said as he leaned in and gently kissed her on the forehead. "Take care, Lucky. Stay safe."

"Thank you."

He turned his back on her and left the room but did not leave the Hospital. He leaned against the door then laughed softly while shaking his head.

Looks like he'll just have to protect her from afar this time.

Kayden was right. He shouldn't have started this. He should have just watched, he should not have just approached and talked to the woman.

TRUTH TO JAYDEN'S WORDS, he left her alone. Until she got out of the Hospital, he did not show up to her. His twin took care of her and delivered her back to her apartment.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kayden asked her.

Smiling he nodded. "Yeah, I'll be okay."

"You're not really going to call your Grandparents?"

She shook her head. "I'm okay. I don't want to worry them about my condition. Don't worry. I'll try my hardest to take care of myself."

He peeked inside her apartment. "You must have someone with you there. What if your heart hurts again?"

"I'm fine." She said. "I just need to avoid to get upset. This is the first time this has happened since I separated from my Grandparents, I hope it will not happen again. Thanks for worrying, but I'll be fine, Doc."

He nodded then messed up her hair. "You have my number, call me if you need anything, okay?"

She nodded. "Thanks again."

"Go inside."

She thanked him again before going inside her apartment and she immediately rested.

She needs to rest so she could go back to work. She misses the smiles of her students which makes her feel better.

As she lay on the bed, the sliding door to her balcony was opened so she could clearly hear the guitar playing in the other apartment and Jayden singing softly.

'---give you a rhythm you feel

I wanna learn your every line

I wanna fill your empty spaces

I want to play the part to reach your heart

Sing you a song that you feel, oh'

She closed her eyes and listened to the man singing.

'Love, let your music be mine

Sing while I harmonize

Let your melodies fly in my direction

Take me to your paradise

On a musical ride

I'm in love with your music, baby

You're music to my eyes'

Lucky did not know she fall asleep while listening to Jayden's weak singing. When she woke up, it was already evening.

She got up to cook her dinner when she noticed a sealed Tupperware on the balcony floor.

Her forehead furrowed when she pick it up and then opened it.

The fragrant smell of Sunday Roast invade her nostrils.

Her mouth watered.

She returned the cover of the Tupperware and then looked at the wall separating her and Jayden's apartment.

She knew its Jayden. She could smell his perfume. He smells good, as it has always been since she met him.

But she did not look back. She remained staring at the dark sky. She does not see any stars.

The sky seemed sad. Since there are no stars and moons, the sky looks lonely.

She caressed the part of her chest where her heart was.

She is not alone, but she wants to be. So she separated from her grandparents. She did not want them to worry about her whenever her heart hurts.

When she felt as if someone was looking at her, she found herself met Jayden's eyes and he was staring at her.

She was the first one to break their eye contact and entered the apartment then lay down on the bed again.

By that time, she was asleep once again.

'I hate you! You are not my child! I hope you just died! Why haven't you died yet!' Her Mother shouted at her as she slapped her with a belt.

'E-enough, Mommy ... that's enough.'

'It's all your fault! If you had just died, I would not be in hell now! Just die! Die! '

Lucky just hugged herself while her Mother slapped her with a belt, she tried not to loudly screamed every time the end of the belt with hard metal hit her body.

Lucky felt blood flow to the side of her thigh and arm due to the metal of the belt, but she did not say a word.

If she tried to stop her Mother, she would punish her severely.

She'll just endure. It will end. This pain will surely end.

'Just die you useless human being! You're not my child! I do not need you!'

She continued to strike her until the metal at the end of the belt hit her head.'

Lucky got up and immediately hugged herself while holding her blanket tightly. Then she grabbed her head which was hit by the metal in her dream then her tears dripped silently.

She took several deep breaths due to the tightness of her chest.

Calm down, calm down! Happy thoughts! Happy thoughts!

But no happy memories entered her mind. Her memories of her Mommy are all she remembers

'Is it hard to love me, Mommy?' She asked in her mind as the dream kept flowing through her mind.

It wasn't a dream. It was a memory from her past when she was still living with her mother.

She still can't forget. It's still engraved in her mind, plaguing her sleep with nightmares and fears from her past.

When her fear subsided, she left the bed and took some water and drank. She knew she could not sleep so she just hung out on the balcony as she was used to.

JAYDEN CROSSED TOWARDS Lucky's balcony when he heard her scream in fear and in pain. The curtains are open but the balcony door is closed. And from the outside of the glass door, he could see Lucky's suddenly got up from bed and embraced herself.

She's dreaming. A nightmare.

He wanted to barged in. To enter her room and gather her into his arms, but he remembered her request for him to leave her alone.

He was retreating back to his balcony. Only then did he hear her movements inside his apartment.

Minutes later, she went out on the balcony and stared at the dark sky. And Jayden can't do anything but to stare at Lucky's sad face.

He wanted to talk to her, but he knew better than to do that. She did not want to talk to him because of what happened.

He sighed then went back to his room and went back to lying down but he did not sleep. He waited for Lucky to get back inside before letting himself be eaten by drowsiness.

When he woke up, it was already morning.

He immediately got up when he heard the door open on Lucky's apartment.

She's going to work.

He did not take a bath. He just brushed his teeth and then hurried out of the apartment to follow her. When Lucky entered the school, he positioned himself on the rooftop of the tallest building with a clear picture of Lucky's classroom.

Then he assembled his sniper gun, he lied down on his stomach on the floor, hold his gun and looked at Lucky through the scope of his sniper.

He zooms in and smiles when he sees her singing and dancing with her students. She looks happy with her bright smile.

There's that smile. Her smile that I missed.

His eyebrows met when the cellphone in his pocket rang. Disturbing what he was doing.

He picked it up and then answered the call without looking at the Caller ID. He was busy watching Lucky from the scope of his sniper.

"Who is this?"

"It's Valdez. I'm pulling you out of Lucky Hart's protection. I already have a men who's vacant."

He stilted. "What?"

"You heard me. I'm pulling you out. Thanks for the time."

When the call died, he quickly called back Valdez.

"Dawson ---"

"If I see a man lurking around Lucky Hart, your men or not, I'll shoot him. So don't bother sending one. I can protect her on my own."

"Jayden ---"

"Shut it, Valdez. Don't make me angry."

Karter sighed. "You better protect her with your life, Bud. If something bad happens to her, you'll regret it."

He tightened his grip on the cellphone. "Who's after her? I'll kill them before they get a chance to take Lucky."

"I'll tell you when I have the complete information. For now, protect her."

He looked at Lucky through his sniper scoop, his jaw tightening at the thought that someone is planning to hurt this fragile and delicate woman.

"I will put my life to protect her, Valdez." that he promised. "With my life, and everything that I have."