Don't Touch!

Chapter 2: New friends

Markus's Perspective



I sighed deeply as I stared at my college debt. I've been staying in a motel for a few days now, applying left and right to several different school positions and some private tutor jobs as well. I'm hoping something will come through soon. With no money and no job, life right now is hell. I spent the rest of my money paying for the next few days in this horrible motel.

I glanced around at my surroundings and rubbed my temples. The room was horrible, with a queen-sized bed right in the middle of the room that creaked whenever you sat or laid down on it. The springs hurt my back, and I don't think I've had a good night's sleep in some time. The green carpet on the floor matched the bedding, curtains, and bathroom tiles. The tv on the dresser barely worked, and I only got the local news channel. At least I had a small circular table and chairs to be able to work on my laptop. The green in this room was making me sick. A throbbing headache started to form.

A new ping on my computer alerted me to a new email that had just come through. I dreaded opening it because it was probably another debt collector. Taking some Advil, I clicked on the little email icon in the right-hand corner of my screen. I blinked a few times in surprise, not believing the words I was reading.

"Dear Mr. Winsor,

We are writing back to you about the private tutor position you've applied for. We have looked over your credentials, and we believe you would be a perfect fit for the job. We have three students we would like for you to tutor in English and World History. If you are still interested in the position, we suggest you respond immediately.

We look forward to hearing from you.

~ Ward Company."

I couldn't believe my luck! Something this big just landing in my lap was a miracle, and it couldn't come at a better time. I quickly wrote back my response that I would be more than happy to take the position.

I grinned from ear to ear. I was so happy this was happening. It was the first step down the right path for me. Nothing was going to stand in my way. I know you'll do great things!

I stopped in my tracks. Why am I remembering that now? I haven't even seen or heard from Aidan since I was fourteen. Even though he left when I was twelve, he still stayed in contact with me until one day, nothing. No calls, no letters, no texts from him at all. That memory of him encouraging me was so long ago too. I was only ten when I realized I wanted to be a teacher. Aidan was always there for me, and then one day, he wasn't. My mind keeps going to the worst-case scenario too. He's either in jail or dead. I didn't want to think those things, but that's what keeps popping into my head. I guess it's only logical once you don't get any responses.

A ping on my computer brought me back to the present. It was another response from the Ward Company. Clicking on it, I shoved that distant memory into the back of my head and hoped it stayed there. I needed to be focused entirely on this job.

"Dear Mr. Winsor,

Thank you for getting back to us so quickly. We would like to set up a meet and greet as soon as possible to see how the students will interact with you. I know it's late notice, but it's still early in the day. Would you be free this evening, around six p.m? This would allow us to get to know you better and get accommodated for the upcoming sessions with the students.

Hope to hear from you soon.

~ Ward Company."

I glanced at the time. It wasn't even noon yet. It was late notice, but the sooner, the better in my mind. I quickly wrote back saying it would be my pleasure. I would just need the address and any special instructions if there were a gate. I immediately got a response back from the company giving me the address and to park on the road.

I looked up the address, and I was surprised to see it was in the south district. Being 45 minutes away, I nervously went over some lesson plans on my laptop. I had no idea how old the students were, so I pulled up lesson plans for each age group. I got lost in my work, and soon enough, it was one.

I grabbed my computer and headed out the door. I didn't have a car, so I had to take the bus. I decided to stop in the big part of Seattle for some lunch. They had a Costco that didn't require you to have a membership to be able to access the food court. The baked chicken was my favorite, and pairing it with a churro afterwards made it so much better. I headed to the library down the main strip, hoping it wouldn't rain. I didn't bring my umbrella or a jacket. I just had my vest, which kept me plenty warm. You never know in Seattle though, it could rain at any time.

I finished printing out some basic lesson plans to show the parents or, rather, whoever is in charge. Having visible lesson plans can help the parents understand where their children may be or where they need to be. The one I printed out had several different markers for different age groups. The most effective way to gauge a child's level of understanding is a test. Unfortunately, most parents aren't keen on tests, especially right out of the gate when we first meet.

I was organizing my papers in my computer bag when I overheard a weird conversation.

"Did you hear about what happened last night?" A pretty blond behind me said. She was putting some books away on the shelf with a redhead.

"No! What happened?" The redhead whispered, but her excitement came through in a high-pitched question.

"A guy was killed in the ally by my apartment." The blond whispered, "The police are saying the guy was in the mafia, and he got killed by a rival gang."

"That's so stupid, though. We don't have gangs or a mafia here. Seattle isn't that big." The redhead hissed at the blond.

"But we do have a mafia. They've only been here for a few years, but they're starting to get more attention." The blond hissed back, "One of the girls in my class said she saw the head mobster at a party, and I guess he's really good-looking."

"How good-looking are we talking about?" The redhead responded.

"She said she would be willing to give up her journalist career to be with him." They both started giggling, but then the blond added, "I don't think it matters, though, but she said several girls hit on him at the party, and he wasn't interested in them at all."

I stopped listening after that. I shouldn't get wrapped up in gossip from others. It was terrible on my part. Grabbing my computer bag, I headed out the door. I still had some time to kill, but I didn't want to be late. I hurried to the bus stop and checked with the bus attendant about which bus I should take. She was more than happy to help and even gave me a free bus pass for three days. She probably thought I was a teenager.

Based on my appearance, I don't blame her. I wasn't that tall, but I wasn't short either. I could help elderly people get stuff off the top shelf when they needed, but I wasn't cut out to play basketball or volleyball. With curly blond hair, blue eyes, and a slender build, I get mistaken a lot for youth. I was made fun of a lot for my looks when I was younger, but once I got into college, I got lots of different looks from lots of different people. Professors took an interest, other college students, both male and female, and even college staff, like the vice-principal as well. I've always turned them down though. Having someone in my life would just drag them down. I'm not fit to be with anyone, emotionally or physically.

The bus arrived right on time and dropped me off at the end of the road. The sky looked dark and gloomy, giving the houses on the block a scary feeling. Slowly walking down the road, I stopped in front of the address listed in the email. The house was huge. With a built-in fence around the house, a beautiful stone walkway, and rose bushes that looped around the screened-in porch, my nerves were shot to hell as I approached the property. I was ten minutes early, but they were expecting me. It was better to be early than late. Ringing the button on the side of the fence, I waited for some kind of response.

A deep male voice came over the buzzer. "Name, please?"

I pressed the speaker button, "Markus Winsor?"

There was a loud beep and the gates clicked open. I quickly walked through, excitement running through my veins. I was excited to get to work. I know it was only a meet and greet, but I was proud of myself for making it this far. I followed the stone path up the porch and a man met me outside.

He nodded towards me and offered me his hand. "Mr. Winsor, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Nathan. I'll be escorting you around the house today." Nathan was huge. His shoulders were three times the size of mine. I glanced up at him, shaking his hand.

His piercing blue eyes met mine and instantly, I knew something else was going on here.

I forced a smile on my face. "It's a pleasure meeting you, Nathan. I hope I'm not too early."

Nathan let go of my hand and directed me inside. "Not at all. The three are in the living room to the right."

I made a swift entrance inside. I went through a double set of open doors into a huge living room with an L shape sectional centered to look straight at the TV and the stand sitting kitty-corner. An oval-shaped coffee table with some yellow files on it sat in front of the sectional. Three figures sat on the sofa, two boys and one girl. Moving around the section, I came into view and I saw the shock on their faces. I bet this isn't what they were expecting. Nathan walked beside me and stood off to the right.

Nathan made introductions, "This is Mr. Winsor. He has applied for the tutor position to help you three along." Nathan gestured to me, "Why don't you three introduce yourselves?"

The girl was the first to stand up. "Hi! I'm Monica." Her voice was at a high pitch and she looked nervous. She pushed her long blond hair behind her shoulder. "I'm 17, and I'm a junior. I need help with English." Her bright blue eyes told me exactly how it was going to be with her. I've encountered several girls like her and it always ends badly. I'll have to watch out for her. Once she sat down, the boy in the middle stood up.

He was taller than I was, and his striking green eyes told me how he really felt. Crossing his arms, he said, "The name's Trent. 18, senior, and I need help with English and World History."

The other boy stood up and I realized we were dealing with twins. Brown hair, striking green eyes, same facial features, but their voices were entirely different. Trent's was smooth, but this boy was rough and gritty. "I'm Trever. You can clearly see we're twins. 18, senior, and I need help in English and World History." The two of them sat down together and looked away. This was going to be interesting.

Nathan grunted. "Sorry about their attitudes. We know they can be a handful. I'll be here the entire time though. So if they get out of hand, I'll handle it."

I smiled up at him. "Are you their guardian or the person who hired me for the job? It didn't have a signature, just Ward Company on the bottom of the email."

Nathan replied, "Daniel should be here shortly. He was dealing with some company business. I hope you don't mind waiting." Nathan gestured to the couch. I nodded and sat on the other side so I was facing the kids.

Trever glared at me. "Why don't you tell us about yourself?" Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly wasn't expecting this.

I smiled at the three of them. "My first name is Markus. I just graduated from WGU. I majored in English and Mathematics, minored in World History and Science."

Trent clicked his tongue at me. "You're not even qualified to teach us World History then."

Nathan butted in. "Trent, that is enough."

I smiled at Nathan, "It's alright. I can understand his concern. I'm supposed to be top-notch if I'm being hired." I looked at Trent, smiling. "Just because I spent more time on English and Mathematics, doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to other subjects."

Trever frowned. "But doesn't majoring in something mean you spent more time on it?"

I nodded. "Your right, however, I spent more time on those two subjects because it was something I lacked. Majoring in something for your career paths like English and Math helps the process along while minoring in something like World History enhances it."

"I don't follow," Trent said, looking away.

"The main classes we take teach us everything we know to be able to do the career you choose. For example, the core classes I was taking to be a teacher, taught me everything I need to know for high school." Trent glanced at me, waiting for me to explain more. "For example, why can Spanish teachers teach something else besides Spanish?"

Trever's eyes lit up. "It's because the main classes teach everything. You went into English, Math, World History, and Science more though."

I nodded. "When you go to college, your supposed to major and minor in something. Usually, it's just one subject for each. I was bad at English and Math so I took extra classes to be able to understand it better to teach better." I explained. "I went a little extra into World History and Science to enhance my learning and come up with better material."

Monica nodded. "You turned something bad about yourself into something great. That's wonderful!" She clasped her hands on her lap, leaning forward, hanging onto my word.

Trent sighed and looked away. "I... understand now. I'm sorry for what I said."

I smiled at him. "That's alright. It was just a misunderstanding."

Trent looked surprised like this is the first time someone is taking the time to explain something to him. Before anything else could happen, another man walked in and I immediately stood up. He was good-looking with dark brown hair, cold blue eyes, and deep facial features. Shaking his hand felt like I was being honored. He was taller than me too. I must be in the world of giants.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." The man said, "I hope they weren't showing their bad side yet." He dropped my hand.

"Not at all," I replied. "We were just getting to know each other."

He nodded. "That's good. I'm Daniel. I'm in charge of their education." He glanced at the kids and then back at me. "Should we talk in private?"

I shrugged. "I don't mind. I have some lesson plans to go over with everyone. We can do that later though."

Daniel nodded and gestured to the hallway. "Let's go to my office before we get too deep." I followed me down a hallway full of closed doors. I walked past a middle door and I could someone yelling. Daniel opened the door on the end and said, "Sorry about that. The owner is having some difficulties with some new developers."

"I see, " I said, walking into his office. "I hope all goes well." His office was small. It was just a square room with a desk in the middle, a computer chair on the side, and two leather puffy chairs on the other side. I quickly sat down in one of the chairs.

Daniel closed the door and sat on the other side of the desk. "Nathan tells me that Trent gave you some trouble, but you handled it pretty well."

I was surprised at how communicative they were with each other. "It's alright. Don't worry about it. I'm new to them and probably not what they're used to. Anger is just the front emotion they display. Confusion, nervousness, and anxiety are the underlying emotions."

Daniel looked surprised. "You're good with children, I'm guessing."

I nodded. "Taking care of kids at an early age has helped."

Daniel nodded, before going through some papers on his desk. "Fresh out of college, a motel is listed as your home address, no vehicle, and loads of debt." I swallowed hard. It didn't sound so bad saying that to myself, but hearing it from another person made it worse.

"Is there a question somewhere in there?" I asked, my guard instantly going up.

Daniel looked up, surprised. "Sorry about airing out your laundry, Markus." Daniel set the papers down on his desk. "I'm guessing you haven't heard of the Ward Company and what we do."

I rubbed the back of my neck, embarrassed, "You are correct. I had assumed a financial group of some sort."

Daniel smirked. "You could say that." He leaned back into his chair. "I'm going to make this really simple for you, Markus, because I like you. You seem like your an up-front guy and know how to handle your shit." Daniel didn't wait for me to say anything.

"In the public eye, we're seen as a business that buys houses, renovates them, and sells them, making easy profit. In the underground crowd, people fear us and run the other way. We control a very big part of Seattle, in and off the streets."

I frowned. "I'm sorry, I'm not following." I cleared my throat as he turned his gaze onto me. "I may have gone to college, but I'm still pretty young and I don't pay attention to the media due to the dilution and exaggeration."

Daniel blinked a few times. "I'm surprised, but I'll beat around the bush." Daniel licked his lips, staring at me. "The mafia is offering you a position to teach their children."

Fear is usually the first thing that sinks in when you hear something like that, or at least it should be, but I never felt it. I was confused. "The mafia is the Ward Company and vice versa?"

Daniel nodded. "Correct. Our boss takes education very seriously and wants only the best for those closest to him."

I raised an eyebrow. "Those aren't his children?"

Daniel shook his head, an amused look in his eye. "No, Monica belongs to Chad, our house doctor. Trent and Trever belong to our financial accountants. On the contrary, our boss is very young, so children should be in the picture soon." I nodded, understanding. Daniel clicked his tongue at his phone, annoyance seeping into his face. "I know this is a lot to take in and we can't just hire anyone off the streets. We've already run a background check on you and everything looks great, but..."

I frowned. "But?"

Daniel met my eyes and I resisted the urge to shiver. "Our boss has to approve of you first and for him to do that, he has to meet you."

I nodded. "I'm fine with meeting him."

Daniel blinked a few times. "You'll still take the job?"

I frowned. "You just explained why I'm here. I have no place to call home, I have no car, and I have lots of debt. A job is a job. Plus, I think it's going to be interesting working with the kids."

Daniel stared at me for a minute before getting up. "I'll be right back."

Once the door was closed, I relaxed. I couldn't believe how intense it was. I knew it was going to be different, but I never would have thought it was going to be like this. The minute I met Nathan I knew I was getting involved in something else. I've seen movies and read books about this stuff happening, but I never thought I would be in this situation. I just hope the boss likes me.