𝑇𝐻𝐼𝑅𝑇𝑌 𝐹𝐼𝑉𝐸
☾

Anna laughed as she threw her card to the table, watching as Michael sulked, throwing his own stack to the side in disbelief. It was their fifth game, and it seemed the Gray siblings would do anything to keep boredom from seeping in- worrisome thoughts often followed, and they were good to no one. Her brother thanked the nurse as she placed their afternoon tea to the side, leaving a single plate of sandwiches in the middle too.

"What are you doing?"

Anna's head snapped back to the nurse as her hands clamped around the handle of Michael's overnight bag, her eyes widening at his harsh voice. She pulled spinning the bag with her wrist straight into Michael's pathway, sending him skidding to the floor. Anna launched herself around the table, sliding beside him as he groaned, hand reaching for his shoulder as the nurse disappeared through the door.

"Oh shit," Michael said quietly as he pushed himself up. Anna's brows furrowed. "The gun was in that bag, Anna."

As realisation sunk in, a gunshot burst through the room, seeming to shake the floor where the siblings squatted.

"Oh shit."

Blood was pooling through his striped shirt, staining the blue fabric red like the cherries they'd eaten that morning. Anna pushed her hand to the reopened wound, dabbing it with the ripped cloth. But Michael pushed her away, using one hand to balance against the bed, his eyes like steel, not moving from the door.

Her breath halted. The man in the doorway had a lazy stare, clouded beneath a deep brimmed hat as if he couldn't be bothered to be there; as if it was another chore in the day. His suit was pressed and dark, the colour of charcoal set against a clean, crisp shirt, a patterned tie lying under it all, clearly American.

"Uh, uh, uh," the man tutted, finger pointing behind them. "Where I'm from, a hat on the bed- unlucky. My family... say it brings death."

The man- a Changretta, she knew- stepped forward only slightly, head tilting as a smirk pressed against his thin lips. Michael's breath was ragged as the man stepped forward. Her brother's hand wrapped around her wrist, tugging her further behind him.

"Maybe that's what happened. Last time my men were sent for you, you got lucky."

Changretta smiled mockingly, his eyes shifting idly from Michael to his sister. He nodded his head toward her, silently ordering his henchman forward. Anna hadn't seen the man at the door. He was dressed identically as if it was a uniform, his hands covered by thick leather gloves that reached out to rip her arm from Michael's grasp.

Anna couldn't move. Her voice didn't want to let her shout out, to call for help, as Changretta's associate dragged her away from the two.

"Now..." Changretta began, hand reaching down to retrieve his gun, the greyish metal glinting in the dull lights of the obscured windows. He brought the nose to his head, placing it loosely in the centre, his arms bent and tired.

"No!" Anna shouted, lunging forward, only to be pulled back. "Michael!"

Changretta pulled off the safety. "Your luck's run out."

"It's over," Michael whispered over to himself, his eyes slowly closing.

Anna flinched as the click of the gun rang out, but no shot followed. Another click. Michael's eyes widened, watching as Changretta stepped backwards, pulling the trigger again, letting the gun click without shooting. He made it to the door, nudging his head, and Anna's arm was let go. She rushed to Michael's side, slipping his arm into hers.

"And tell your mother," Changretta said as he left, his henchman following close. "We have a deal."

After the room was emptied, Michael collapsed against the bed, knees weak beneath him.

"What just happened?" Anna stuttered out, watching where they'd left. Michael was panting beside her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said, shaking her off with a huff. "Anna. Anna. Calm down. We can't tell anyone, okay? Not until I've talked to mum."

"What did he mean?"

"I don't know. Just calm down."

"I'm trying, Michael," she snapped, trying her hardest not to let the tears spill. "You could have died. He could have killed you."

"But he didn't." Michael pulled her into his chest, soothing her shakes. "Tommy will be here any minute. He would have figured it out."

"Not soon enough!" Anna growled, pulling away. She paused. "I'm leaving."

Michael reached for her but his hand slipped from its grasp. "Anna. Tommy will be here. It's dangerous out there."

"I don't want to see him." She shook her head, the words like poison on her lips. "I'll get a lift."

Anna stumbled out of Michael's hospital room and into the empty corridor. Her heart stopped for a moment as she registered the dripping blood that caked the white walls, splattered behind the slumped body of the man who'd been guarding her brother. With shaking hands, she reached for the phone at the end of the hall, messily dialling the number she'd memorised, just as Finn had told her.

But it was not her cousin, who answered.

"Yes?"

"Bonnie?" she stuttered, hearing his confused voice. "Why are you on the phone?"

"This is the gym's phone," he said. "I'm expecting a call from Tommy."

Anna swallowed, trying to hold back the jittering nerves that made her want to sniffle. "Finn said to call this number if I needed a lift."

"Finn hasn't been here since six this morning."

"Can you pick me up? Please?"

Bonnie paused for a moment, considering it. Anna could hear the shouts of his coach behind, in the silence. "I don't have a car."

"I'm fine with walking," she whispered.

"Where from?"

"The hospital."

"Anna."

She had to force herself not to sigh with relief as Bonnie's voice interrupted her solemn daydream, his face appearing welcomingly into her line of vision. He wore his gym clothes still, a grey blazer coat shrugged on over his shoulders and a cap on his head, much like the ones Tommy and the rest of the boys wore. Anna eyed it for a moment, forgetting about the blood that haunted her thoughts only seconds ago.

"What happened?"

"They came for Michael when everyone least expected it," she whispered, looking down at her feet as they began to walk along the street. The gym was only ten minutes away, the closest of all the main places she knew.

"Is he..."

She was quick to shake her head. "No," Anna said solidly. "He's fine. Thank God he's fine."

"Are you alright?"

"Me?"

He nodded, letting his elbow crash into her arm. "You're a Shelby too. I'm here to protect you as much as I am the rest."

She swallowed, taking in his words. Her own position of danger hadn't yet sunk in. "Just a bit shaken is all."

They walked for five minutes in silence, leaving Anna to wallow in her thoughts. Michael's terrified face still stuck to her vision, blocking out any admiration of the small slither of sunlight that had poked through the thick smog of clouds. She could feel Bonnie's unmoving gaze against the side of her face. He was unashamed by his outright look and Anna couldn't find it within herself to blush or hide herself away, as she may have otherwise done. Instead, she turned to look at him flatly, tilting her head so she could look at his face. Bonnie's face pulled into a smile.

"I want you to teach me," she said strongly. "To fight, I mean."

His eyebrows furrowed, elbow brushing against her arm again. "You told me you hated the fighting only days ago."

"That was before my brother was almost killed," she snapped, unable to contain it. "I don't want to be so defenceless anymore. If I knew how to do at least some damage, I could have stopped it myself."

"Michael's fine," Bonnie said.

"That was luck."

"You don't bring fists to a gunfight, Anna. That's not how things work. Not around here," he said, shaking his head.

"Then teach me to shoot!" she shouted, stopping their walk by the front of the gym by grabbing his wrist. "Teach me something, Bonnie. Anything that would help."

He glanced at her hold on his wrist and then to her face, which was nothing but serious. "Why not your cousins?"

"I don't want my family to teach me. I want you," she said, unbothered by the childish tone her voice had taken, unbothered by whatever interpretation that could be taken.

"I want you to teach me, Bonnie."

☾