"Here." I accepted the plate from Harry's hands, careful not to touch him, but my attempt failed as the back of his fingers brushed mine. I immediately shied away from his touch, earning a smirk from Harry before he returned to the kitchen.
I slumped back against the wall, feeling considerably less hungry now. I hated how different everything had become in a matter of hours. I didn't know Harry, not one bit, but he had shown a soft side to me, and that wasn't something that I had expected. I felt like it was a bit harsh to suddenly revert to this mystery he had become.
But the thing was, I don't think he ever was kind and caring. Something had changed in him for that period of time, and that might have been who he was once, but for me to believe that that's who he was now seemed completely ridiculous now.
"Eat." His raspy voice brought me out of my thoughts. I looked up at his towering figure, casting a shadow down on me. His eyes looked completely black from my position on the floor, and I guessed that it wasn't just the lighting. For some reason, he was angry.
"I-I'm not hungry," I mumbled.
"Damn it, Alice, just fucking eat!" he shouted, causing me to jump. I shrunk away from his furious gaze as his jaw clenched. Slowly the fire in his eyes died until it was gone, leaving just dark, flat orbs to stare down at me. "Eat," he repeated, before briskly walking into his bedroom.
I stared after him, flinching when the door slammed shut and the wall rattled against my back. I wrapped my arms around my knees and tugged them close to my chest. I could feel myself breaking as time wore on. I had only been here a day, and before my father's offer seemed horrible in comparison to staying with Harry, but now neither option seemed even remotely decent. Harry had made me feel safe and reminded me of my brother, but he wasn't Elijah.
I flinched again as I heard Harry's loud voice through the wall, shouting angrily. I wasn't sure if he was simply raging to himself or on the phone, but it immediately frightened me.
I looked up, an idea suddenly forming in my mind. Harry was losing control in his bedroom and there were no eyes or ears on me. The door was just across the room. It was heavy enough that I would have to support it's weight as I shut it, but I wondered if I could make an escape in that time. I would need just long enough to hail a cab back to my flat... or better yet, Shane's.
I glanced back at the door where Harry's loud voice still echoed off the walls. By the abrupt silences between his rages I presumed he was on the phone.
It took me only a moment to cross the room on tiptoe, abandoning my dinner behind me. I glanced back again nervously before sliding the lock across the door. It seemed to be extra noisy in that moment in time and I flinched away from the sharp sound before sending another look back at Harry's bedroom.
I had to do this.
I tugged on the handle, slowly pulling it open to reveal the set of steps down to the second door that broke off into an alleyway. With baited breath I began to edge the door closed behind me. My hand slipped on it halfway through and I struggled to catch it before it could shake the wall, alerting Harry to my escape.
I gradually inched it shut until it stopped with the faintest thud against the doorjamb.
I felt like my legs couldn't move fast enough as I sprinted down the steps two at a time until I'd reached the second door. I tugged on it's handle and began to whimper when I found it locked. I had the worst luck.
But then, as my hand thudded against it in frustration, it gave way. Push, not pull.
I felt like I was running through quicksand as I hurried down the alleyway. I hadn't paid any attention when Harry had drove to his house before, being too shocked to do much of anything but gape out the window, so I had no idea where I was even going as I reached a fork in my path.
