Lost and Found

Nervous

             I stood still, speechless, for a few moments like a deer caught in headlights. I wasn't really sure how to defend myself and my actions because I wasn't even sure if I was even allowed to go down the hallway in the first place. I mean, I hadn't even known it existed! Even Lorenzo seemed at a loss for words.

          A few moments later we heard the footsteps of whoever was talking in the room I was eavesdropping on coming down the hallway behind me. I was still standing facing Lorenzo, my back facing the hallway. He always seemed to have a look on his face like he was deeply thinking about something.

            A hand came down on my shoulder from an unknown person behind me and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. I probably jumped a foot off the ground too.

           I'd been really jumpy lately, especially after the whole pocket knife, big men, and dark alley situation a few weeks back.

           Luke and Leo came into view and Leo was quick to apologize, "Whoa, sorry Lizzie, didn't mean to scare you." I gave a half smile in response while trying to mentally reprimand myself to stop trembling.

           I was different lately, all my brother had done was lay a hand gently on my shoulder and I couldn't stop shaking? What was that about? Luke still had a slightly concerned look on his face but Lorenzo and Leo had the usual deep in thought look on their faces. Sometimes I worried about their lack of emotion.

          A split second later, Lorenzo finally broke the silence by barking out more orders for his younger siblings to follow and obey, "Luke and Leo- do something more productive than standing around, staring down your sister. Lizzie- follow me." Luke and Leo didn't even hesitate to do exactly what he said which still struck me as odd for some reason. They were both easily in their early twenties and they still obeyed their brother's every word?

           Leaving my thoughts, I rushed after Lorenzo back down the mysterious hallway, his pace was surprisingly fast.

               We entered a room that had a large desk with a few chairs in front of it and a couch against the side of the wall. I assumed it was his home office area? "Take a seat please Lizzie." He said calmly. He took a seat behind the large oak desk as if it was the most comfortable place in the world for him. I sat down in one of the seats across from him, trying not to let him intimidate me. 'He's my brother, he's harmless', I had to remind myself over and over again. I sat up straight and waited for him to reprimand or yell at me or something.

           "This is my fault." He said, looking me in the eye. His words truly shocked me.

          "You...what??" I managed to stutter out. I actually had to bite my lip to keep my jaw from dropping.

           "I should have told you not to come in this wing of the house." He said. "If you heard something bad," His eyes darkened. "Or something you weren't supposed to hear..." My shock turned to confusion and it must have been clearly visible on my face, because he seemed to stop himself from saying too much. "Lizzie... what did you hear exactly? It would make this a lot easier on me if I knew what I have to explain."

             His words seemed pretty sketchy to me. What did he even mean by "something bad"? I realized I was taking too long to answer his question when he started tapping his fingers on the table restlessly.

          I still wasn't really sure why all of this was making him so nervous, what could I have possibly heard my brothers speaking about that could have been so important? Or so bad?

           "All I heard was voices from the hallway when I came downstairs to the kitchen to get water and I was going to ignore them but then I heard my name so I walked down the hallway to hear but I couldn't really hear anything then I heard people coming out of the room and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be here since it wasn't on the tour so I went to go back upstairs because it's really late," I checked my watch and my eyes almost bulged out of my head, "Like almost two in the morning..." It was at this point that I realized I had been nervously rambling again, and stopped talking.

            My words had seemed to calm Lorenzo, but I still wasn't sure what he thought I had heard that was "bad".

           He leaned over his desk and folded his hands together confidently while keeping his gaze aligned with mine. "While I'm not certain what Luke and Leo were talking about when your name was mentioned, I can assure you it was nothing you should concern yourself with, as it was probably about your injury and how you are holding up and recovering. And you are right, it is very late so you should go to bed right now because you'll want at least a few good hours in before you start school tomorrow."

             I assumed he was finished talking and got up to leave and go back to my bedroom before what he said hit me. "Did you say I'm going to School tomorrow?"