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I walk up seven flights of stairs and enter my small apartment room. It sucks living so far up. Sometimes I wish I'd never left that orphanage, but of course I couldn't have stayed there if I wanted to. Too many... Complications.

When I finally reach my door, I slip my key into the hole and unlock the knob. The door gives way with a push, and I'm tackled by a small child.

"Oaklyn! You're finally here! Now we can play, right!?"

I chuckle and close the door behind me. Yesterday I'd applied for a babysitting job. ( I need to pay off my rent SOME way) and recently I've been taking care of 6 -year-old Amara. She's a tiny sack of pure sugar.

I get down on one knee and put my hands on her shoulders.
"Yes, of course. Why don't you get a game started and I'll grab us some snacks?"

She nods seriously and runs out to the living room to set up a board game. She's addicted to monopoly, and as boring as I find it, Amara is sure to find ways to make it interesting.

I smile to myself and walk into the kitchen to fix two glasses of juice. I absentmindedly note to myself that the juice I'm pouring into the cups is the same type of punch Jack spilled on me yesterday.

I let out an irritated sigh and tip the contents of the glass into my mouth. I mean... Juice is juice. Still tastes great.

I grab a bundle of carrots and hummus, then make my way to find Amara in the living room.
As soon as I sit down on the rug, she grabs the carrots and bites off an end.

"Where's Astrix?"

I purse my lips. She's probably still tipsy from all the alcohol she drank... But I can't tell Amara that.

"Um... She's sick."

Astrix usually accompanies me on my babysitting endeavors. Amara is not a problem, but some of my past few charges... Yikes...

Amara nods begrudgingly and slides a monopoly piece to me. I got a shoe. Amara smiles.

"Call it the shiny slicker snickerdoodle sneaker."

I hold back a laugh. "Um, all right. What are you going to name your piece?"

Amara picks out a car.

"I'll call it the pretty, pretty princess ride!"

I bite my lip. "Pretty, pretty princess ride? It suits it, especially since a pretty princess herself is riding it!"

Amara giggles, and begins the game by rolling the dice. She makes up her own rules to play by, but I don't mind them. It makes it all the more fun.

We end up playing for a full hour before I get a text message from Amara's mother.

I'm sending my son to pick her up. Send her down and he'll be there.

I nod to myself and tap back a reply.

All right. We're coming down.

I tell Amara it's time for her to go and she whines like the toddler that she is, but I eventually get her to help me put back the monopoly pieces and clear out the rug. I need to get Amara out of here soon. I have a Chemistry test to study for, after all.

I get her to put on her little shoes and coat, and then lead her down the steps carefully. We make our way to the lobby and stop under the stoop to look out for Amara's older brother. I've never met him before, but if he's anything like Amara, I'll know what to look for.

A few minutes later, Amara tugs on my sleeve and points across the lobby to the front of the door.

"That's my brother! Over there!"

I look to where she's pointing and see a familiar figure leaning against the glass enclosure. His jaw works up and down as he chews something, and his arms are crossed, his mouth pressed into a thin line

I open my mouth in shock and Amara jumps up and down in glee. We make for an iconic pair. I finally rip my gaze away from the boy standing across from us and stare down at Amara instead.

"Um, are you sure that's him?"

She nods. "Yup. That's Jack!"

I internally slap my forehead. Of course...Amara's last name is Travels, and she's new to the town. Just like Jack. I should have known. The universe hates me, so why not?

This just proves my point. The world is conspiring against me...

I sigh and grab hold of Amara's hand, leading her across the lobby. I gently push her towards Jack, and fold my arms in front of my chest.

"Didn't know you two were related."

Jack raises an eyebrow. "Well, isn't it obvious?"

I roll my eyes. "Now, looking at you guys up close, yeah."

The corner of his mouth twitches, and he slips his hand into his sister's. It's funny, seeing the two of them together. Jack is the type of person you'd expect to see in some sort of gang, however extremely cliche it sounds, while Amara is a sweet, innocent little girl.

I wonder what goes on when they're at home.

I sigh and start to walk away. "Tell your mother to drop her off tomorrow at the same time."

Jack nods. "Will do. Hazel."

I turn half-way around and glare at him. "That is not my name."

Amara looks up in confusion. "Her name is Oaklyn."

I nod appreciatively. "Thank you! Jack, listen to your sister. Maybe you can learn a thing or two from her."

I start to walk away again, but Jack stops me. He slips a fifty dollar bill into my hands without breaking eye contact.

"That's for taking care of her. Usually, sitter's can't stay for much longer than a day or so."

With Amara? I find that hard to imagine.

I start to give him back the money. "Your mother already paid me beforehand."

He doesn't let me release my hold on the bill. He pushes it firmly into my palm and starts to back away.

"It's not from my parent's. It's from me. Keep it. I know you're still paying off the funeral debts."

I stand there in complete shock, the hand holding the money starting to tighten into a fist. How could he possibly know about that? Unless he did his research....But that would have really taken a lot of effort.

I stare back at Jack incredulously, biting my lower lip. And he looks back at me, his eyes hiding something, his mouth continuously chewing spearmint bubblegum.