We all met back in the hall by the staircases, joined first by the upstairs group, then the downstairs boys shortly thereafter.
Kota stepped forward again for their group, and I instantly noted the mean glint in Greg and Eric's eyes, Marie's impatient snort and Jay's calculated guise of indifference. I'd done my best to warn him, but I still couldn't just let him be a target.
I stepped forward, isolating myself from the safety of our floor's small group of four, and forced myself to speak without a trembling voice.
"All of our windows on this floor are barred, but I... We overlooked something this morning. They aren't completely covered, though it's still impossible to get out that way. There's no way we're still in Charleston, there's snow on the ground. We could be anywhere." I said quickly.
Dark and Broody shot me a glare as though he knew exactly what I was doing, but didn't speak up. His face sank even further into his trademark scowl as he processed the information.
There was a long pause as a few people split off to look through the closest window, seeing for themselves that my words were true.
"All the windows upstairs are blocked off too," Jay added, his dark eyes darting over each person. "They're barred, but also covered from the outside with slats of wood, you can't see out."
"And downstairs? There's gotta be a way out, we got in somehow, right?" Derrick asked.
The downstairs group seemed to exchange looks for a while, as though they were silently having a whole conversation only they were privy to. There were tight lips and brows turned down with worry, but at the end of it they all stood tall and firm, resolved to their conclusion.
"There's nothing," the Giant spoke softly, his deep voice carrying some kind of European accent, "Windows and doors are all completely blocked."
"There's no way out," Kota said, the finality of those words drilling down our new reality. "But I think we'd all feel more at ease if we each had a chance to check every inch of this place ourselves. Twenty sets of eyes are better than one."
"We're really stuck here?" Danielle asked, her voice wavering slightly as her eyes watered.
"People will already be looking for us, there's no reason to panic. The worst thing we can do for ourselves is to let fear overwhelm us. Help will come. Now, the bathrooms have running water, if you're thirsty, drink it. There were no supplies of food downstairs, anyone else find anything?"
Kota had a voice like someone with authority, he spoke so surely. He was unquestionable. Like just because he had said so, there really was no reason to panic, and help really would come. The kids around me were the type to usually rebel against authority, but I could see them reflexively responding to it now.
At the mention of food my stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch, reminding me how empty it was. I hadn't been allowed dinner the night before, and had nothing during the school day. Honestly, I wasn't sure what my last meal was before the apple I'd managed on the way to school yesterday. I was used to hunger, but by the grimaces on some of the others' faces as they came to the same realisation, I realised that they were not.
All of us denied being able to find food in the house, and my nerves started to creep back in. I glanced to Kota's face, which was strategically blank. He stood to his full height, shoulders back confidently. But it wasn't enough to convince me, to calm me. He was worried too, even if he was trying not to broadcast it. He was as helpless as the rest of us.
Hunger made people desperate, I knew that. I had a feeling some of the people here wouldn't bear it as long as I could - they weren't familiar with that particular brand of suffering, or possibly any type at all. I already felt lightheaded, weak, unsteady. What would happen when the hunger went on too long?
I'd zoned out while the others were speaking, only focusing back in when they all started moving to go downstairs. I quickly checked in on Karen who was still sleeping like the dead, leaning on her doorframe for a moment to steady myself before quietly shutting the door. I glanced around the empty hall before slowly making my way through the rooms on the middle floor again. I let my eyes run over every surface as though it might reveal a new way out that someone had missed.
When I was sure I'd searched every inch, I took a deep breath and decided to venture downstairs with the others and see for myself where we were being held. I took the main, larger staircase down, not wanting to be caught going down the much narrower spiral set if someone was coming up. With my luck, it'd probably be someone with half a mind to shove me down the stairs.
Almost everyone was still downstairs, judging by the whispers and chatting that carried from the adjacent rooms. As I took my last step down, the floor opened up into a large hallway, which separated into two doorways on the right, one on the left. Unwilling to face anyone quite yet, I crept cautiously further into the hall, discovering two bathrooms on either side of what I imagined might have been a grand entrance. Ridiculously I found myself noting, with no small amount of envy, the massive bathtub in the bathroom on the left that seemed designed to take up almost the entirety of the room.
As I backed out again into the main hall, I found myself staring dumbly at the sight before me. A sparkling chandelier hung overhead, the crystals shimmering from their golden fittings as though the piece were polished and dusted daily. Directly in front of me, however, instead of the beautiful double set of doors I imagined leading outside into pristine gardens, there stood a ten foot high expanse of cold steel spanning the entrance.
"All of the windows and doors down here are like that." Came a smooth baritone voice from behind me.
I spun, meeting the wavy haired gossiper of the downstairs group. He seemed to be in less pain than he had been earlier, and stood straight and tall with his shoulders rolled back and head held high. As I met his rich whiskey brown eyes, I noticed that they seemed to change in the light, as though he were lit from within by deep burning embers that were just now being stoked back to life.
"Oh," I replied weakly.
The boy glanced down, shoving his hands through slightly tangled hair. He ripped them out mercilessly when they caught in knots, his cheeks tinting slightly when he glanced back up at me.
"My name is Victor Morgan," he said finally, his shoulders sagging slightly.
I looked him over again curiously. I guess he did seem like a Victor. He wore his crumpled dress shirt and slacks like they were still impeccably pressed, and as though they were the most comfortable attire anyone would think to wear to a party-turned-kidnapping. He seemed like he belonged in a century long gone, and I could imagine an intricate portrait of him embellishing the halls of an old manor somewhere. Even though I imagined his family would have sought out the finest painter known to their generation, they wouldn't have ever quite captured his fire eyes. Yes, the name suited him very well.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Victor shot out, something bitter creeping into his tone.
A blush instantly fired up my cheeks, as I realised I'd been caught up in my silly thoughts for far too long.
"I'm sorry, I was... I was thinking about how much I like your name. Victor. I think it really suits you..." I trailed off lamely, rubbing my hand against my hot face.
He seemed to perk up instantly, seeming immensely pleased. "Oh."
Victor was still smiling at me several moments later, seeming as though he was having a rather pleasant day, instead of standing in a barricaded fortress in the middle of nowhere with a stranger he'd never even really talked to before being kidnapped.
I groaned slightly, finally remembering my basic social skills. "Sorry, I'm Sang."
"I know," he said instantly, still unreasonably cheerful. "Would you like to see the rest of this floor?"
I nodded quickly. I didn't want to let myself think that he'd protect me if I got into trouble, but I did feel a lot better having the company. It made me feel like less of a target.
I couldn't help the slightly hysterical giggle that burst from my lips when Victor offered me his arm, like a true gentleman out of a classic novel. He just grinned down at me, not retracting his arm. Finally I settled my arm through his, resting my palm lightly on his forearm. His sleeves were neatly rolled to the elbow, and the foreign feel of the slightly coarse hair over his smooth skin sent a shiver down my spine. I wondered if this was the first time I had allowed myself so close to a man, the first time I had willingly touched one. It was entirely innocent, but my heart thundered anxiously anyway.
We moved together towards the room on the left. As the great open archway that separated the new room from the entrance hall didn't require a door, the spray painted numbers 1 and 2 were scrawled on the inside of the arch. This room was easily twice the size of the room I'd woken up in, and was incredible. I could almost imagine, being in this room, that this was once someone's home, even though it was now bare and lonely. There were beautiful landscape paintings on the wall of foreign countrysides, and even more wondrously, a grand piano on the far side of the room by another massive steel slab that might have previously been a gorgeous series of bay windows.
"Trouble!"
I turned, already with a half formed grin, to find Gabe leaning against the archway, smirking at me as he jerked his thumb back at the spray painted numbers beside his head.
"Oy, look! I'm number one. King of the kidnapped kids!"
Victor let out a groan. "Please don't joke about that Gabe..."
I rolled my eyes at Gabe, though I couldn't hide my giggling. I liked that he was trying to lighten the mood, even when our situation seemed impossibly bleak.
I patted Victor's arm, ours still entwined, and shot him a conspiratorial look. "Well, are you sure Victor isn't number one? I think he might just be the new prince of this place."
Victor's cheeks went a little pink again, and he smiled softly at me, replying without even looking at Gabe, who was starting to sputter incoherently at us. "Yeah, you heard the lady, Gabriel."
I shot Gabe a smug look, enjoying how worked up he'd gotten over our teasing. I'd figured 'Gabe' was just a nickname, but I was surprised by how much I liked his full name. It was lovely, and I wasn't sure I could call him by anything else now that I'd heard it.
Gabriel eyed me closely and shook his head, but he was smiling too. "You're definitely Trouble."
I pouted. "That's not fair, Meanie."
He gasped, eyes widening as he flapped his hands at Victor. "Vic, make her turn that shit off. Turn it off, Trouble! That girly shit doesn't work on me."
Victor stepped slightly away, my arm falling through his, though his palm quickly brushed against mine. Our fingers entwined effortlessly, and with far too much ease, considering how the simple gesture made my stomach flutter so wildly. His fire eyes ran over my face assessingly, before crinkling at the sides as he smiled.
"Oh my god, you're like a puppy. He's totally lying, that definitely works on him."
I turned my eyes back to Gabriel, my lower lip wobbling slightly as I tried my best not to laugh at his expression. The poor boy looked so distressed. One hand was slightly covering his mouth, lips parted in horror, while the other hand was slightly outreached towards me. And Victor thought I was responsible for that? These boys were good at teasing, but it didn't feel like they were joking at my expense this time, rather they were including me.
"Sang, darlin', put the lip away. I'll be good, I promise. I'll never tease you again! I'll do anything you want!"
A snort came from the doorway, and a blonde boy was peering in from behind Gabriel with an expression of utter glee. It was surprising to see him look so happy, after he'd looked so drained out in the hallway earlier.
"Sugar, I've got to know just how you made my best friend renounce his dignity so thoroughly. I mean, he's lying for sure, but I think he thinks that he means it."
"Fuck you, Luke! Tell me you wouldn't do anything to stop th- Oy! What the fuck, why are you grinning at me you wicked little wench!?"
My eyebrows went up at that but I was still laughing. I couldn't even be offended, because somehow, I knew he didn't mean it in a bad way. I was pretty sure we were maybe even friends, if it were possible to make friends so quickly.
"Turn in back on," Victor whispered in my ear, stirring up the hair at the nape of my neck and sending a shiver down my spine.
I let myself smile for a moment longer before pouting, even lowering my head as though I were wounded by his words, peering up at them with wide eyes through my lashes.
Gabriel immediately crumpled, muttering, "aw, fuck."
Luke, who hadn't had the full exposure of my pout before, as it'd already been creeping into a grin, looked first amused and then a little concerned.
The blonde boy started frowning, until his happy chocolate eyes began losing some of that excited gleam. I could feel my own face falling further at his reaction. It didn't seem like light hearted fun anymore, and I wasn't sure what had changed. He took a small step forward, his hands fisting in the air by his sides.
Victor huffed out a breath beside me, and shot me what looked like an apologetic smile. Then he planted his palm in the small of my back and shoved gently, until I was stumbling in Luke's direction.
Luke caught me up in a second, before I even had the chance to worry about falling. A moment later Gabriel was crowding in behind me and wrapping his arms around the both of us.
"I don't like that, Sugar, you looked too sad. You're not allowed to cry, okay? I don't even have any chocolate on me to make you feel better."
"Told you you'd be putty. You're fuckin' trouble alright, Trouble." Gabriel softened his words by squeezing me tightly to him, causing Luke to reflexively grasp me tighter as he was also slightly crushed. My head was spinning slightly, and I kept my hands down by my sides while they pinned me between them.
"I wasn't going to cry." I wheezed at them, bewildered.
"Uh, is she okay?" Came a voice from the doorway.
Seeing as I was currently swathed by two tall - and disconcertingly strong - teenage boys, I couldn't tell who was speaking, but the voice was certainly familiar.
"Everything's good, Nathan, we just discovered Sang's secret power, is all," Victor replied, not hiding the amusement colouring his lovely baritone voice.
I snaked my arms up from where they were trapped by my sides, and placed them firmly on Luke's shoulders. I pressed down, standing on my tip toes and simultaneously trying to hop up to see over my improvised prison of boys.
Luke chuckled in my ear, and I was jostled slightly as his arm moved, then Gabriel was swearing and recoiling back from the two of us like he'd been burnt.
"Oy, don't tickle me, you shit head! You know I'm sensitive!"
Luke's laughter turned into quiet snickering, and he placed his palms firmly at my waist. I had only a moment to register that our position suddenly seemed rather intimate, instead of simply playful, before he started lifting me. My face had been firmly mashed into the front of his half-undone baby blue shirt, my nose tickling slightly at the surprisingly pleasant scent of vanilla and sugar that hung on either his undershirt or his skin. It made me wonder if he wasn't holding back on me with a secret stash of candy, after all. As I was lifted up though, my eyes met with his, no longer dull and sad, but once again sparkling with unrestrained mirth.
I couldn't read anything sinister or unsettling in those eyes, so I smiled back, not wanting to feel intimidated by the proximity if he didn't even register it as being anything unusual. I was so out of touch with people sometimes, but neither Gabriel nor Victor seemed too concerned.
As Luke kept lifting me, until I was dangling in his unwavering hold high enough to see over his head, I finally saw the owner of the voice. Nathan looked almost as amused as Victor had sounded, shaking his head at his friends' antics. His copper toned hair still looked ridiculously soft... like unreasonably soft.
Nathan grinned at me, as though he knew exactly where my thoughts were, and I wondered if I'd spoken aloud again. It was kind of mortifying to think that his first impression of me might be turning into an ongoing habit.
I slapped my palms over my mouth, just in case, my cheeks already burning. I was a little miffed when I noticed that Luke didn't even adjust his hold. I was pretty sure I'd been doing at least half the work of holding myself up, but his arms didn't so much as shift as all that weight I'd been supporting shifted to him.
Considering that Luke seemed to be some kind of superhero with that unflinching strength, I was afraid to even contemplate how strong Nathan was. That boy was pure muscle. Not that I had the impression that any of these boys would hurt me, it just seemed kind of unfair in the universal sense of things.
Maybe if I hadn't been actively trying to numb myself to any kind of negative emotion since this morning, I might have actually been scared to be surrounded by these boys, who were still realistically just strange men to me. Men who could hurt me without a second thought. It could have just been the intoxicating feeling of freedom I had at being given another respite from facing up to my mother. But at that moment, truly I was only morbidly curious as I pondered the possibilities.
I'd once failed a PE exam because I'd adamantly insisted in the short answer section that it was physically impossible for a human being to run ten miles. I hadn't even been joking.
Now, I knew that I wasn't fit, and that my perception of fitness was pretty laughable anyway. I couldn't leave the house unless it was straight to the bus to school, so it wasn't like I got that much exercise. I was bound to my house except when mother dictated otherwise, and she loathed letting me out. Gym classes were my sole source of excercise, and they were mostly always brutal. I always felt so incredibly weak, on the verge of collapsing, even after only a minute of running. The school nurse chided me for forgetting to eat or trying to show off and push myself in class, on those few occasions I'd pushed hard enough to actually pass out. But for the most part now, the gym teachers just knew I wasn't cut out for sports, and cut me a little slack as long as I held up on the theory side of things.
I suppose my complete inadequacy in that area made their strength kind of unbelievable. Inhuman, maybe? It was on the tip of my tongue to just ask Nathan to flick that massive steel wall blocking the front doors out of the way for us. With muscles like those it'd probably just crumble out of sheer intimidation. I was pretty sure he could crush me if he wanted. No strain or anything, just snap, there goes Sang. I giggled a little at the thought, and had to wonder if I wasn't possibly slightly delirious.
I bet he could run ten miles. Then, I got the impression they probably all could.
I tuned back in from my thoughts when I noticed a hand being waved in front of my face. I looked down into Kota's bemused face, who seemed as though he wasn't quite sure what to make of me. It took a moment longer to realise that the remaining two that made up the seven were now also gathered in the room and watching.
Honestly, I felt kind of like Simba being held up for the kingdom to see, with all the boys staring up at me with their wide eyes. I figured that was less out of pride and awe, than utter confusion.
"Lucian, what the fuck are you doing with her, she's not a damn ragdoll!" Dark and Broody roared.
Surprisingly, Luke's arms seemed to go slack for a moment, and he quickly lowered me back to my feet. I had to shuffle back a little to tilt my head up to see his expression. He looked upset again, and I instantly felt bad for putting that expression there, even though Grumpy had been the one to yell.
"Hey," I murmured, nudging Luke while pretending I couldn't feel his angry friend's death stare. "You can't be sad, I don't have any chocolate on me at the moment, either."
Luke focused back on me, smiling a little. "You'd really share it with me if you had any?"
I nodded rapidly, watching his eyes light up and feeling oddly as though I were entering into a sacred sugar pact, "of course!"
"Don't fucking encourage each other," Broody groaned, "That shit is bad for you."
Kota sighed. "North, even Luke would be hard pressed to find chocolate in this situation. I think we can let it go."
I glanced at North to assess his reaction, but true to form, he just grunted and eyed us as though we were planning on giving diabetes to puppies. I was being the bigger person, so instead of indulging in the childish urge to stick my tongue out, I simply rolled my eyes at him.
What a grump.
At least I knew nearly all of their names now: Gabriel, Kota, Victor, Luke, Nathan, and North. That only left the giant of a boy who stood beside North, looking decidedly friendly with his large smile. Despite being so huge, he had a soothing kind of air about him, as though he'd sooner be found hosting a tea party than axe murdering someone to death. Or maybe he'd be using that axe to chop up firewood for his elderly neighbours in the winter. I was pretty certain, in any case, that mother's lectures didn't quite apply to these boys.
I stepped away from Luke, smiling shyly at the large boy. I held my hand out to him. "Hi, I'm Sang. It's nice to meet you..."
The boy stepped forward to meet me, his hand engulfing mine with a brief, very gentle squeeze, before he slowly released me.
"My name is Silas, little song bird. Would you like to hear a joke?" He asked, with a gleam in his eyes that seemed almost as mischievous as Luke's.
"Yes please," I said quickly, already smiling in anticipation.
Silas' face suddenly lost it's carefree warmth as his smile dropped, though the shine of amusement in his eyes hadn't left. It wasn't exactly as he'd looked before going upstairs earlier, but it was close. He was settling into seriousness and putting aside everything else.
"I saw a kidnapping today," he reported grimly.
My eyes widened, my smile fading instantly. Did he mean to say he knew something about what had happened?
Before I could even open my mouth, he was continuing, with barely a change of expression. "I decided not to wake him up."
It took me probably a minute too long of staring confusedly into Silas's deep brown eyes, listening to his friends groaning, before it hit me. And then I was giggling like a mad woman.
It was a dark kind of joke to make, given the circumstances. And also ridiculous. But oh my goodness - that face. He didn't even crack a smile at the punchline, just watched my reaction with that happy gleam in his eyes.
"Want another, Aggele?" Silas asked, ignoring the pained sounding protests from around him.
Breathless with laughter, I flashed him the thumbs up, trying to rein myself in so I wouldn't miss a word.
He waited until I was silent, save for the stray, uncontainable hiccuping laugh.
"I'm glad I know sign language," Silas remarked, continuing without waiting for me to react, "it's pretty handy."
I was instantly laughing, but I was also way more thrilled about what he was saying. I quickly moved my hands at him, feeling my heart race with sudden excitement. 'You know it too?' I signed.
Silas's eyebrows shot up at my response, and though he was shaking his head in surprise, he was also smiling.
Luke bounded in front of me, grabbing my hands with a crazy smile on his face, before he let go to quickly sign back at me. 'We're definitely keeping you.'
Kota sighed, "don't scare her off, Luke," he shot a longer look at each of his friends, as though he was addressing all of them. Then he turned to me with an interested glint in his eyes, "Where did you learn how to sign, Sang?" He seemed truly curious to know the answer, the other boys even staying silent to hear my answer.
I shifted, a little self conscious. "I'm self taught, honestly I might be doing it wrong. I only learnt from diagrams in library books, and I've never had anyone to practice with."
The boys all stared for long enough for me to feel uncomfortable and weird, a deep blush staining my cheeks. Ugh, they probably thought I was a massive dork right now. I started to hide my face, feeling foolish.
"So," Victor started, clearing his throat. I looked up to find him glancing around at his friends as he spoke, before his eyes landed on me. "Everyone is checking out upstairs now. Would you like to come up with us and have a look?"
I frowned, wondering if I'd overstayed my welcome and they were just trying to be polite. I probably should go anyway, even if the thought of running into my sister or my classmates kind of terrified me. Unbidden, my hand rose up, my finger pressing my lip in against my teeth as my nerves finally started to catch up with me.
"We don't mean to impose, Sang. It's just that we'd all feel better if you weren't alone for now. You're free to stay down here with us, if you'd prefer, too." Kota spoke up before I could, his kind green eyes seeming to try to express more.
I dropped my finger, twisting my hands together. It stung a little that they only wanted me here out of some misplaced sense of protectiveness after what Wil and Karen said. But despite feeling silly and pitiful for it, I liked them, and I really didn't want to go... It wasn't like I'd notice anything the other nineteen wouldn't anyway.
"I'd like to stay with you all, if it's really okay."
Kota smiled, seeming pleased. "You're very welcome to stay with us Sang. Luke, North... I need you upstairs. You know what to do."
The two boys nodded, standing at attention from the moment Kota had said their names. I half expected them to throw him a salute, but Luke simply shot me a smile before silently following North out of the room.
Gabriel stepped up, taking on the role of tour guide as he grabbed my hand with an almost startling level of familiarity, and started gesturing around the room. "So, Trouble, this is the room Vic and I woke up in. One and two."
He swept us back out into the entry hall and straight across into another room, his friends trailing behind us. This room was far smaller than the first, and though the far wall had another mirror running the length of the wall up to a closed door, the entirety of the other two walls facing into the room were dressed with ceiling high bookcases full of old leather bound volumes. A crazy part of my brain whispered that it might not be such a bad thing to be stuck in this particular room.
"This is the room Kota and I woke in," Nathan supplied, pointing to the painted numbers 3 and 4 on the open doorway that Gabriel had breezed past.
"The next room is Luke's, number five," Victor added, as Gabriel opened the door, entering into the new room.
Luke's room was the smallest I'd seen in this house so far, though still easily larger than my room at home. The only embellishment in here was the mirror, with simple downlights providing the only source of illumination.
We exited quietly, our mood becoming more sombre as we passed another slab of steel walling off one side of the hall, past which Gabriel pointed out another large bathroom. Between Luke's room and the bathroom was the entrance to another larger room. Silas stepped in front of Gabriel as we entered the room.
"This is where North and I awoke, little bird. Six and seven, and that is the last of our group." Silas's voice became wistful at the end, though I couldn't imagine why.
I pulled my hand from Gabriel's, staring around the space. From where I stood I could see straight through to where this room opened back up into the entrance hall with the staircases. It was another large room, this one with a mahogany table fit to seat at least twenty guests, though strangely, there were no chairs. At the far end of the room, in a duplicate of Victor and Gabriel's, was a metal wall imposed over what I imagined had been another set of beautiful bay windows.
The only other feature, again, was the low mirror that ran along the far wall. They were in every numbered room, but for the life of me I couldn't understand their purpose.
I stared into the mirror for a moment, ignoring Gabriel and his friends lurking close behind me as I moved around the massive table to stand before it. It reflected nothing more than the floorboards and our legs. My bare feet and calves beside the boys sneakers and jeans, or Victor's slacks and dress shoes. Darn, I guess my shoes were still in Rocky's house where I'd left them before falling asleep. I suppose I was used to going barefoot, probably even preferred it, and I hadn't really noticed.
I spun to face the boys. "What do you think the mirrors are for? They've been in every occupied room I've seen so far."
"I'm not entirely sure, but-" Kota began, though he was almost immediately cut off.
From all around us, the sound of static errupted. We froze as it buzzed through the air without a source, as though projected from every surface and every direction all at once. For a bizarre moment, I felt like I was back at school and zoning out to the sound of the PA system buzzing overhead, left on by the elderly receptionist, yet again.
The static hitched strangely, until the sounds cleared enough for us to recognise it as someone's distorted breathing hissing across the open line.
Then it spoke.
A/N:
Okay, so this chapter turned into over 5,000 words. I'm losing the will to edit, so I'm afraid this is probably more a case of quantity over quality. My usual length is somewhere around 2,500.
This story is planned to end at 46 parts, and the chapter lengths might vary as I write them. I tend to cut them where it feels right, but I'm curious, do you have an ideal length?
altinSony has a new story No Breaks, which is an all 14 with a male OC. It is really good, and I love Sang, but I'd totally throw her out the window for this OC. Definitely have a look and/or add it to your library.
While I'm raving on, IllusionBound has gifted us with The Littlest Sang. Ugh it's so ridiculously adorable, if you've missed it, check it out!
As a last little note, if you've come over from I Will Never Let You Go, I'm sorry I've been totally slacking on updates. I'm trying to figure out how to get back on track with where it should be going and back into the swing of things.
Thanks for reading 😊