A One Way Free Flight

Chapter Four

"Is that Llaine?"

"Oh my, she's really that Llaine on YouTube? Get a photo. Come on."

Everyone in the dinner hall is talking about me, as I walk past them. They know who I am. But I don't know any of them. They had probably watched my vlogs. But I don't know If I should be glad to see them here with me, because it's not a good place for celebrations, as Luna had said, it's dangerous out here.

All of them were, I guess, between their twenties and thirties, and that's more suspicious. There wasn't any single person that could possibly be in their forties and I could tell that just by looking with their faces.

If Luna was right, and her hacking skills were good, it must be true that we were selected, and it's not about anyone's luck to be here, not like what I have been thinking and believing all these time.

"Luna." Someone, not so distant from where we are, had raised his hand and called Luna which she just responded with a nod.

We walk through the crowd and stop beside the table where the two men were sitting, probably waiting for us to arrive.

"Llaine. Meet Quinn, and Ace. They were the ones who visited our room earlier." She said, while pointing her hands towards each of them, saying their names.

I don't know what I should say, but I smiled and slightly bowed in front of them, which I don't know why. It must be because I watch too many dramas because I already adapted their culture of bowing as their sign of respect.

"Hi." I smiled. Luna sat in front of the one she called Quinn, and so I sat across the one who was named Ace. They're both looking at me, watching my every little action, and it's so awkward. Really, really awkward.

"Excuse me, but, could we act… like, normally? I mean, let's be comfortable. You know, it's just too awkward to be watched by so many eyes." I am being frank, but it's the best for all of us in this table.

Well, I know that I am a Public figure, but I didn't know that everyone here knows me, it's just too awkward for me to be surrounded with them in this one enclosed place, breathing the same air. And even though I am doing vlogs, I'm still not used to having this much attention, especially here.

"Y-yeah. Of course." Ace nodded.

"By the way. It's your first meal here, right? We didn't see you during lunch." Quinn asked, looking towards Luna.

"Yeah. We didn't have the time. Llaine woke up past one, and I woke up just before her, and arranging our things took our time after, that's why." Luna's really comfortable with these two. I wonder how long she already knew them to be this comfortable around them.

Well, I still need to be extra careful. I don't know any of them, and I need to keep myself safe. I don't want Mom to worry too much.

Speaking of her, I took my phone out of my pocket and checked if there's a signal. But to no luck, there's nothing. I sighed.

I still remember how I told her that I will find a way to contact her, but I couldn't keep the promise. There's just no way that I will leave without Luna in this kind of place. She knows many things, and I think she could be a help if ever something happens, although I can't trust her fully.

"Good evening everyone." I turned my gaze in front.

There’s a small stage in front that I didn’t notice earlier, and there’s this woman, maybe in her early thirties, who’s standing in front of everyone, making a glance towards the crowd, with her wide smile flushed on her face. But there’s something that bothers me the most. I was just looking at her, but when her gaze met mine, her expression changed. Her gaze felt so sharp, her smiles turned to a grin, and I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but it’s giving chills all over my body. Don’t tell me, she also knows me, because if she does, there's something wrong here. “First of all, We would like to thank all of you for acknowledging our invitation. We are very pleased to welcome you all here, and we will make sure that You'll enjoy EVERY SECOND of your stay here." That's even more suspicious as she emphasizes 'every second' in her sentence, and I don't like how it sounds. She's making fun of us, I can feel it. "Hey. Are you alright?" "Huh?" I look at Ace as he calls my attention through tapping my hand on the table. "Y-yeah." I nodded. "You look so pale. Are you sick?" His eyes were full of concern and I can tell it just by looking. "I'm alright." I whispered. I shifted my gaze towards the woman in front to ignore the man in front of me that I bet will be asking again whether I am fine or not, which he would never believe whatever answer I give him. He seems to be too concerned for a person he only met today, and I don't like that. I know I am not fine. I am just making myself to be one, to fit with this kind of suspicious environment. I am really calming myself, but my nervousness is just way too obvious for those people who were just looking at me, without paying attention to the one who's talking in front. "We have prepared so many activities for you to enjoy, and one of them is the Bonfire later after dinner to celebrate your very first night on the Island. Once again, Welcome to WIC Island, and we hope you enjoy your stay. We have prepared you a feast. The food's on the house, so help yourselves. The dinner is all yours. Once again, thank you, and Enjoy your stay." I caught her glancing at me, before she even walked down from the stage, and I don't know her purpose of doing that. I wonder if someone had noticed that small action of hers. The dining hall was suddenly filled with noise right after she finished her speech, as everyone's just so excited about the food their staff were serving for each table. There was just too much food on the table, and they kept on serving as long as they could see that there's still space on each table. It's unbelievable. I could feel that it's our last supper, and I really hate that thought. Llaine please. Stop being paranoid. I know I'm being like this because of Luna, because of the questions she kept on putting in my mind, but she never intended to answer, and now, I am so paranoid like my Mom, and I couldn't stop thinking and observing my surroundings for the possibility of what might happen. "Aren't you going to eat?" Luna's looking at me, as well as the two men in front of us, who had probably stopped eating their meals just to look at me with those concerned eyes. "Are you alright? I have been glancing at you since earlier, and you look so not fine. Are you sick?" She placed her hand on my forehead, and probably might be checking my temperature. I know I am not sick, my temperature's fine, I just can't find my appetite. But I need to eat. I haven't eaten anything since I left my House yesterday, and the last time I ate was during lunch. It's been thirty hours since then. "You're not even hot. What's happening to you?" Luna's asking as if she really knows me well, like she knew me for too long, but I only met her on our flight, and became my roommate for hours now, but she's talking to me like we've known each other for so long. "I'm alright. You don't need to worry." Her eyes narrowed as she's looking at me, weighing my words through her eyes. "Are you perhaps thinking about what I told you earlier?" She lowered her voice, enough for me to be able to hear it, and because the other two across us were listening, they probably had heard her too. I shrugged my head as an answer and chose to put some food on my plate, but she leaned forward and placed her mouth just beside my ear and started whispering. "Hide your fears. That woman a while ago was constantly looking towards our direction secretly, and we should never be shaken. They might be testing us, so to be safe, calm yourself and control your emotions. Your fear is written all over your face." I closed my eyes so tight, sighing. Alright. She's right. I should never let my emotions control me, and I should never let my guards down. I am not totally trusting Luna, but she's right, and always right, and overcoming my fears can help me, and can protect me from them. I must divert my attention towards something so I could stop myself from overthinking. And the closest thing I can do right now is to eat. It's better to gain weight from eating than gaining weight from overthinking. I smiled a little, and buried every worry that I have at the back of my mind.