Good Fortune (2)

"JACK!"

"Uncle!"

"What are you all yelling for?" Jack frowned, wiping his shirt. "It's just some dirt."

"Oh."

Perhaps Jack was imagining things, but he felt Cindy was disappointed that it was just some rubbish. She would have been happier if it was a deadly object like a bullet or a knife.

Does she think I would have jumped to protect her if that was the case? I love myself more than anyone.

Jack scoffed in his mind before Cindy jumped before him, affectionately wiping the dirt off his shirt. But the next moment, Jack grabbed her arm and pushed her behind him.

He didn't know what was going inside her head. The crowd was still angry and there she was, doting on him. Only then did he see another cameraman standing in the distance.

Suddenly, it made sense why she was acting so affectionately. It was all a ploy for another video.

Jack couldn't form an opinion about Cindy because he was having a hard time deciphering her true intentions. One moment she was cold and proper like a princess, the other she was all over him.

It wouldn't have been a problem if her mood switched before a camera, but that wasn't the case. Sometimes she had been kind to him when the camera wasn't rolling, and she was cold when it wasn't.

This is why I hate these damn influencers.

Just then, he felt Juan's arms wrapped around his thigh and noticed he was scared. Perhaps he, too, had PTSD around a mob. He needed to get the kid out of there.

He turned to Cindy, "You should leave while you still have the chance."

"I can't leave everyone—" she said, looking at her crew.

"Look, Myers," Jack interrupted. "You're a good girl, but your crew is just awful. You say you work to help the homeless, yet I've only seen them ridiculing them. Perhaps they are not as good as you think."

Cindy wanted to say more, but Jack didn't let her and kept talking over her.

"You should leave before the crowd gets out of control. I don't want you to end up in such a situation."

Jack said that because, despite everything, Cindy had helped him a lot. It was his way of repaying that kindness, but she saw it differently.

Her cheeks flushed as in her mind Jack had practically confessed his feelings for her. Why? Because everyone around her always treated like a princess, Jack was the only one who treated her like a woman.

He was different from the rest, and she didn't know how to process those feelings. So, her mind branded them as love and couriered it to the heart. Usually, people either had the head or the heart in the right place, but for Cindy, everything was out of place.

"A-Alright!"

Cindy carefully stepped back. Her crew looked at her with pitiful eyes, expecting them to run to their support like always. Little did they know, love had taken over her mind and Jack's dependable back was the only thing she could see.

However, before leaving, she turned around. The crew thought she was worried about them. Instead her eyes were fixed on Jack.

"D-Do you still have my number?" she asked.

Jack sighed before nodding.

"Please call me when you have the time," she said, playing with her hair. "W-We need to talk about things… you know…"

"Sure, just go now!"

Jack agreed, thinking she wanted to settle the money issue, so he agreed.

Cindy left for her car, practically hopping on her feet. The crew members were shocked to realize she had such a side to her. Desperate for help, they then turned their gaze towards Jack, giving him the puppy eyes.

Sadly for them, jack was more into pussies than puppies. Instead of sympathy, he gave them a smile that sent chills down their spine. That was the moment they realized he would not help them.

A second later, the crowd descended on them, but Jack wasn't done. He pointed at the other cameraman.

"These shameless people are still thinking of making profits," he instigated the crowd.

"Get him too!"

"Don't let them leave before the cops get here!"

"Let me grab a broom first."

With that, half the crowd stayed beating the crap out of the crew, while the other half went for the other guy.

Jack smirked. These fuckers had ridiculed him over and over, so he didn't feel any sympathy for them getting their asses handed to them.

That's when he noticed Juan was still clinging to him and patted his head.

"Why is my brave nephew crying?"

Juan smiled upon hearing Jack call him his brave nephew. He quickly wiped the tears away and even puffed his chest.

"W-Who said I was crying? It's… something got in my, that's all, dumb uncle!"

Jack chuckled, seeing the crybaby turn into a dependable lad before him.

"Alright then, tough guy, should we head home? Granny would get worried for no reason."

"Yeah!"

Just as Juan said that, both his and Jack's stomach growled.

"Perhaps we should eat something first."

—x—

"Nothing beats that old man's tacos," Juan chirped, rubbing his belly.

Unlike him, Jack wasn't so content with the situation. Not because of the money he spent, but because his mouth was on fire. He couldn't remember Mexican food being so spicy, but that was because he had never had proper Mexican food before.

But as a man, he couldn't let it show and prayed for Fortuna to give him strength the next morning.

"Granny would love these!" Juan smiled, lifting the takeout bag.

"I hope she does," Jack replied absentmindedly.

The time for fortune was getting close.

Just an hour and a half more. Damn, why can't time go faster!?

He couldn't wait to see what the good fortune would be, but just then he saw something that made mind go blank.

A police cruiser was in front of Granny's home.

Multiple scenarios went through Jack's mind.

Did someone report him? Could it be Jessica, or did Cindy ask for a wellness check on him?

Jack wanted to turn around and run, but then another thought hit him.

"Did… something happen to Granny?"

Just like that, he forgot about everything and rushed inside.

"Uncle? UNCLE!"

Juan yelled, but Jack didn't pay attention.

"Granny, are you alright—!?"

Jack yelled, only for someone to shove him against the wall, and forcing handcuffs on him.

"You're under arrest!"