Lost

Chapter 3

Back in the bathroom, I take off the towel and put it on the sink along with my clothes. I look up, and have to do a double take. Look at me, look at these scars and bruises. They made me ugly. My fingers slide across the scars and bruises, as tears fall freely for the first time in 10 years. How could they do this to me? Tears of sadness were rolling down my face and slowly grew into tears of hatred and anger. As I look longer in the mirror at my fragile, beat-up tiny figure, it makes me even madder. Without thinking, I as hard as I can, punched the mirror, shattering it, and fell to the ground. Luke and Hunter came running into the bathroom as fast as they could. Stopping, shock in their eyes when they see me naked, crying, and bleeding on the ground. Luke walks over slowly, grabbing the towel from the counter, crouching down and wrapping it around me like a blanket, while Hunter walks to the bathroom cabinet, grabbing a wash cloth and getting it wet so he can clean my hand. Luke is the first to talk.

"What happened, princess? Why did you punch the mirror?'' Before I can respond, a stinging pain rings through my hand and I hiss as Hunter cleans it.

"Sorry little one, but I have to stop the bleeding," he says as he continues cleaning.

"Nina. My name is Nina." The guys look at each other, then back at me.

"Okay, so why did you break the mirror?" Luke asks again.

"They made me ugly." Those broken words are all I can manage to get out before looking away from the two guys trying to help me. Tears are still flowing freely.

"You're not ugly, little one," Hunter says as he holds the washcloth on my hand.

"Princess, look at me," Luke says as he lifts my chin with his hand. "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen." The words he speaks are foreign. No one has ever told me I'm beautiful.

"The scars." That's all I get out before Luke interjects.

"Show that you are strong. You got away princess. You survived. It's going to take time to heal, but after all you've been through, no one can blame you for having a moment. It's okay."

Hunter and Luke helped me bandage my hand and helped me to the bedroom where the maid was making up the bed. One look from Hunter, and she stops to come over and starts to help me get dressed while the guys are turned away. Then she helps me brush my hair. I didn't realize how long my brown hair was. It was almost down to my butt, with subtle waves. My hair was actually kind of pretty once it was washed and brushed. The maid clears her throat as a sign that we were done. The guys turned around and smiled.

"That's much better. You truly are beautiful, little one," Hunter says as he comes over and rests his hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing. "Now, I have to get back to work. Luke here is going to hang out with you for a bit if you're okay with it." I nod, and he walks out the door with the maid.

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yes."

"Good, would you like to talk? Or watch a movie?"

"I don't know."

"Okay, can I ask you some questions?" He asks as we both go to sit on the couch. He sees the look in my eyes. "You don't have to answer and question you don't want to."

"Okay."

"What is your last name?" I didn't respond.

"How about...... What is your favorite book?"

"I'd only read a few, when I snuck them into the basement, my old bedroom. I guess my favorite one was Divergent. The main character was strong, and knew what she had to do to make things right within the factions. To find what else was out there. Something better. I guess I could relate. That's why I liked it so much." Luke smiled at that, it made me smile a little too.

"I'll have to read it sometime then. Okay, next question, when is your birthday?" With that I look down to the floor. A sadness moving through me again.

"I don't know."

"How do you not know your own birthday?"

"I was never allowed to celebrate it. The best I can figure, my birthday is sometime in January. I think towards the end of the month. I know it's after all the loud banging goes off when it's still cold outside." He has a look of anger mixed with sadness.

"Well, we will just have to fix that. Why don't you pick a day, and we will make that your birthday."

"Umm, okay i guess. How about the 20th."

"Sounds good. We will make a celebration out of it."

"Thank you, Luke. And thank you for being so kind to me."

"It's easy to be nice when I'm around you. Not sure how you do that to me. But I kind of like it." We sit and look at each other for a beat before we decide to turn on a movie. Luke has to pick because I don't know any. He picks an action movie, but before too long I fall asleep on the couch.

The next morning, I woke up to the maid putting clean clothes into the closet, then walking over to the window and opening up the curtains.

"Good morning, Miss Nina. Clean clothes are in the closet and breakfast is ready in the dining room. Please get dressed and join Mr. Hunter and Mr. Luke. My name is Lucy. If you need anything at all, just let me know." She smiles and walks out the door, closing it behind her.

I sat up and realized I was in bed. Luke must have carried me to bed after I fell asleep. That was sweet. I get out of bed and get some clothes out of the closet. I put on jeans and a cute tank top with some flip-flops, then go to the bathroom to brush my teeth and brush my hair. At least most of my scars are hidden. I walk out of the bedroom and head down a set of stairs I see. Looking around at the huge space, I'm in awe of how beautiful it is. There are elegant pieces of artwork and beautiful vases and various sculptures around. I see some pictures of Hunter, Luke, and three other men who look the same. Brothers of Lukes, apparently. I wonder why I haven't met them yet. Probably better for now.

"We're in here, Princess." Luke calls out. I fallow his voice.

"I told you my name."

"Yes, but I like Princess." He smiles over at me while I go to take a seat at the table. I smile back.

"Morning," I say, looking at Luke and Hunter. "Look, I want to say thank you for everything you have both done for me. I know I must be a burden, so I will get my old things and leave after I get some breakfast, if you don't mind." They look at each other and Hunter talks.

"Little one, you are not a burden. We don't mind that you are here. We would like to offer to have you stay with us. That way, we know you're safe and, plus, we haven't even had a chance to get to know you."

"And we have a birthday to celebrate in a month," Luke says. I almost spit out my drink when he said that.

"My birthday?" I ask. Luke smiles.

"Yes Princess. I told you, we are going to celebrate you." Smiling, I look at the two men smiling back at me. Can this be true? Have I found a place I belong?

BANG, BANG, BANG.

Gun shots ring out. And the world goes dark.