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The loud sound of my alarm makes me jerk awake. I blearily open my eyes the morning sun shining way too bright. Blindly, I pat around for my glasses and phone on the nightstand so I can slide the alarm off. I groan as my fumbling around yields no result, so I lift my head to finally stop the noise.
Saturday.
As much as I like my kids there's something so nice about a relaxing weekend. Some weeks it seems like the weekend can't come fast enough, this past one was one of them. Having to chase kids around to get their homework in on time while also having lunch duty takes a lot out of you. I stretch my arms above my head and groan.
I let myself lay in bed for a few more seconds before I officially get up. For a moment I contemplate having a lazy morning but decide to get up and be an actual adult for once.
Sliding out of bed I yawn as I prepare myself to get ready for the day. I take a brief stop by the bathroom to do my business then start getting dressed. I stare at myself in the mirror as I get ready. I ruffle my dirty blond hair and throw on a random t-shirt, jeans, and slip on my converse.
Making my way to the kitchen I let out another yawn. Not to sound like a cliche coffee mug, but I'm not me without my coffee.
"You're late."
I jump out of my skin at the sound of Stratt's voice. "Jesus, Mary, and Jospeh!" I cry. "Stratt what the hell are you doing in my house?"
She tsks and stands from where she sat on his couch. "It's almost ten o'clock, Dr. Grace. I thought a teacher like you would wake up at an earlier time."
Frowning, I cross my arms feeling self-conscious. "It's the weekend so I wanted to sleep in. Besides," I glance at the locked door. "How the hell did you get in?"
Stratt gives me a Look and dismisses my question. "Do you really think your house lock could keep me out?"
I sigh. She's right, of course. What Stratt wants is what she gets, whether it's breaking and entering into my living room, or two cups of coffee. Shaking my head I give an awkward smile and rub my arm. "I guess you got me there. So uh, what brings you to my humble abode?"
If I didn't know any better I'd say the look that flashes across Stratt is trepidatious. I straighten my up a little, suddenly wide awake. If there's something out there that could make Eva Stratt herself a bit nervous then it must be something big. Bigger than big. "Is something wrong with the astrophage? Did something happen?"
"I've sold you. You'll meet your new owners today."
…What?
I blink. "Huh? I uh, I didn't know you made jokes like that. Haha..." I laugh. "What?"
Her face doesn't change. I half expect Carl to jump out from behind the corner with a camera saying 'Pranked!' But there's no one there. I'm standing in my living room staring at my boss as she just said that I have been sold.
I want to pinch myself but I'm so stunned I can't move. Stratt moves on quickly, something she's known to do after dropping a bombshell statement like the fact that I (a private citizen by the way) have been sold. "Your new owners. They're on their way to get you. My best suggestion is to start packing now."
Somehow I manage to speak past the lump in my throat. "Stratt. You-you can't be serious. What? Sold? I don't," I clear my throat. "I don't understand, what do you mean sold? Slavery has been illegal in America since, if I remember correctly, 1895 with the 13th Amendment. You don't just sell? People?" My voice increases in pitch at the end, the incredulity of this whole situation astonishing me.
Stratt bulldozes on, like always. "Funding for Project Hail Mary has been low. This lucky opportunity landed on my desk just in time." There was a glimmer in her eye. Perhaps it was pity. "It won't be for long."
"Funding has been low." I repeat hollowly. "So you decided to just sell me? Do I even get an option?"
I knew the answer before she even says it. "No. However, if it helps," she starts. "They seem nice."
It doesn't. But, as mentioned before, what Eva Stratt wants is what she gets. "Do I even get to know who they are? My new owners, that is."
"Are you familiar with One Direction?"
I blanch at her. "The band?" She nods. I close my eyes in disbelief.
"Just making sure," I say, tilting my head towards the sky in some desperate prayer. "We need more funding to make more astrophage and so you resorted to human trafficking? To One Direction?"
Stratt makes a small noise and tilts her head. "Yes, exactly."
I run my hand through my dirty blond hair and let one leg of my glasses hang off my face. There is no way this is my life. First I get stolen away from my teaching job to experiment with literal alien lifeforms to save our sun, then thrown onto a team working on sending three astronauts on a suicide mission, and now I've been sold to a random boy band by my boss. I need to sit down.
A crackle of a radio disrupts my spiraling thoughts. Carl's voice comes through. "They've arrived. Should I send them up?"
Reaching for the radio, her eyes briefly flickered towards me. I look back at her, still feeling and looking lost. She must see something that I don't and radios back "Yes, send them up."
I, Ryland Grace, have been sold to One Direction. I, Doctor Ryland Grace PhD., will be meeting world-wide phenomenon and popular boy band One Direction in my living room while wearing a stained t-shirt and before I even had my morning coffee.
A knock sounds at the door. Stratt moves to open it before I could even protest. I flounder a little, clumsily moving to follow behind. In a quick motion, she opens the door and stands to the side so I'm made to stare at the people on the other side face to face.
One Direction stares back from behind the doorframe. Harry Styles flashes a smile at me. Zayn Mailk grins. Niall Horan, Liam Payne, and Louis Tomlinson all wave.
"Hi Ryland," Harry says. "We're happy to meet you."