There Will Be a Change This Time

Many days have passed and the school works have started to keep coming and coming.

Cheska? She’s pleased about that. It made her busy for a while resulting in neglecting the ideas of what might happen next week.

Lorenzo still hasn’t filled her in with important details and she even doubts he has any plans to do that.

She’s currently at the library of their house, sitting comfortably while reading a book. The library is like her comfort place. She loves learning and she loves the idea of being in a place surrounded by different knowledge.

If she’s not in her room, that’s another place where she can be found.

She stopped in the midway of her silent reading when once again, Lorenzo’s voice echoed in her ears. For unknown reasons, their conversation flashed.

“You only need to come with us. We need a muse—a tough one. We have one before but she’s not here so she won’t be able to come with us."

She titled her head while pouting, wondering. If only their muse is present she wouldn’t have to accept the invitation or…she wouldn’t receive any invitation at all.

“So who is their muse?”

It’s just a random thought. That question went inside her mind subconsciously. It’s almost a week since it happened but she only realized it now.

Who is their muse? What does she look like? Is she their friend? Why can’t she join them in this game?

But later on, she shook her head repeatedly. Curiosity kills and it is not just a saying when it comes to Mafias. There really is some information that must be left unsaid, it is what everyone says.

The more they know something about them, the more their lives are at stake. She should stop wondering about things that have nothing to do with her.

She was about to start reading again when her phone has suddenly lightened up.

From Joshua:

I will be home in a few days. How are you doing there?

Her face immediately twisted. Since their mom was forced to go back and leave her alone in their house, she often receives text messages from her brother asking how she’s doing.

For sure, if he can only ask her that question every minute, he would it and fortunately, he’s busy so he can only text her every four hours.

Gladly, she doesn’t have to respond to the same questions with the same answers every minute.

She responded to it right after she read it. She has to do that. She has to respond right away or else she’ll found herself being searched by their guards and maids in the entire mansion just because Joshua asked them to.

To Joshua:

I’m at the library, reading. I’ll see you soon!

She put it back to where it was but suddenly, her phone rang. Didn’t she respond as soon as possible? So why is Joshua calling—

Her brows furrowed as she laid her eyes on the screen. An unknown number is calling her.

She doesn’t answer any numbers that are not registered on her phone. Besides, there are only a few people in her contacts; her mother, her brother, and Brittany.

The call ended and she let it ring again. And she did it over and over again. She even had to turn on the silent mode so she wouldn’t be distracted.

However, she can still see it from her peripheral vision. She could see how her phone lights up because the caller is calling again and how it turns off because it ended.

And later on, she had her enough.

“Who’s this?”

[What a very polite way to say ‘hello’ after answering a call.]

She’s not familiar with his voice on the call but she can tell who it is by simply analyzing the words he used.

“How did you…”

[It doesn’t matter. I only called you to tell you some things for next week.]

She wants to know how did he get her number. She can’t remember she gave it to him. She was expecting him to talk to her in person.

But she did not force him to answer—his voice sounds in rush so talking about how he got her phone number is like a waste of time.

But why is he in a rush? Not into calls? He could have texted her if that is the case.

[It’s Sunday. Wear a black-tie attire or perhaps a cocktail dress. Pick according to your comfort and likeness.]

Unfortunately, she doesn’t like any of the choices.

“Are we going to a party?”

[A casino.]

“What?” her voice slightly raised in surprise. “I’m not sure if this isn’t obvious but I’m still actually underage.”

[You’ll be fine. You’re with us.]

“It’s not my safety I’m worried about. I don’t want to go to that place. It’s a place full of gambling! I’m too young for that!”

[Oh? That’s a shame. We’re playing poker. Your name is already on the list.]

He doesn’t even sound like he’s sorry for it.

She can’t believe this. Poker? That must be a joke. She knows how to play that game, lucky for them but she’s not going to play it for gambling.

[And it’s not gambling. This game is different.]

She’s about to speak when Lorenzo dropped the call. She only stared at her screen in confusion.

Lorenzo is indeed full of surprises. He is always making her surprise whenever they talk. Is that even good for her? For her heart? No.

She’s now regretting how she felt shy to ask the details of the event. If she only knows they’re going to a casino, she won’t accept it. There’s no way in hell she’s going to accept it.

But why did she agreed to it in the first place? Why did she accept it even with his friend’s threat?

She only scoffed at the answer and left the library.

She found herself walking to the room of her mother. She knows that’s the only place that can help her now. She looked for a dress.

What did Lorenzo say again? Black attire or cocktail? She’s not into those two but if she really has to choose one, it would be the black attire.

A red tight dress immediately caught her attention and she doesn’t know how and why. She’s not into tight clothes. Perhaps it’s because of the color?

It’s a turtle neck dress that will only reach the above of her knee. And since she’s shorter than her mom, it reaches her knee. That will do.

The only problem now is her body. Is her body in perfect shape to wear that thing?

In the end, she put it back. Her body is fine but she’s not that confident to show it to everyone.

She hasn’t worn any dress before. She’s only into pants or slacks and polo or shirt. She doesn’t like to show her skin that much. She’s conservative with it.

She chose the white dress which is not that fitted compared to the red one. It’s fine with her body and fits perfectly to the current level of her confidence and her age.

She was about to leave when she went past the vanity table.

She saw some of the makeups there. She licked her lips, thinking if she should use it or not.

She’s not really thinking about impressing Lorenzo or his friends. She just thinks she has to give everything to this. After all, she’s helping them. She needs to do her best. She needs to show some effort.

She went back to her room with the dress and some makeups on her hands. She has shoes, bags, and jewelry so she doesn’t have to borrow from her mom.

Speaking of her mom, does her mother know about this?

No.

She doesn’t have time to tell it to her though it’s still on Sunday, the day after tomorrow.

How she’s going to explain it? She doesn’t know how and at the same time, Arnie is too busy to be reached.

She spent the rest of her time watching tutorial videos of makeup. She has nothing else to do either since tomorrow is the start of the weekend.

And that’s what she did the whole day until the next.

Lorenzo threw a dart to the board. One of his friends is standing beside him, waiting for his turn.

Meanwhile, the remaining three are just playing billiards. They’re in the entertainment room of the mansion where they’re all living.

“Tomorrow is the day huh?” the guy beside Lorenzo said with a smirk. “I hope this time we will win.”

“I have this feeling that there will be a change this time…”

“How can you tell that? We have an outsider. It will be harder than before.”

“I didn’t say it would turn out good, Ralph. What I said, there will be a change. A change.”

Lorenzo collected all of the darts he threw on the board. He didn’t bother to enter the conversation. It’s now the turn of the guy beside him.

“And what is that ‘change’, Alex?” he asked and threw his first dart.

“Who knows? It’s just a feeling. No particular reason.”

He closed his one eye, aiming for the bullseye then he grinned when he succeeded. “Even if I am not looking, I can tell Ralph doesn’t like the new girl being part of this mission—oh, come to think of it, we still don’t know her name. Do you know her name, Lorenzo?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he answered, only looking at the board. “After this, we’re strangers again.”

“Uhm,” that made him think. “but she’s our classmate. Her name matters?"

And that's when he looked at him apathetically. “If you’re curious about her name, just ask her. Don’t ask me.”

He winced. He’s just telling the truth. She is still their classmate so her name does matter.

But Lorenzo being Lorenzo, it doesn’t. Just look at him, he’s being snooty just because of a simple question.

“I heard her name is Cheska.”

His hands stopped midway when Alex spoke. He failed to throw his fourth dart in shock.