Chapter 1

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[Edited]

-Harry-

"You promise?" He asked softly, his fingers playing on the collar of my shirt, barely brushing against my skin.

I waited until his eyes met mine before I answered.

"I promise." I smiled.

"Okay...have a good day. I love you, and I'll miss you." He said, moving his hand to my cheek.

"I love you too Lou," I whispered, kissing him gently before turning to leave.

"And I'll miss you too." I called as I walked down the hall to the lift. I rode down to the first floor, pulling my hood on before stepping out into the grey, rainy, Monday morning atmosphere.

I drove to work, thirty miles per hour at the fastest because of all the traffic. London was quite big, and expressed how crowded it was on rainy mornings.

"Morning Harry." My co-worker Isabel nodded to me as I came into the front office.

"Hi." I smiled taking my hood off and sending my fingers through my curls.

"Coffee?" She offered.

"No, thanks." I said making a face. I selected a small bottle of apple juice from the mini fridge sat next to her desk, then made my way to the break room.

I worked as a social worker, mainly traveling to different schools and helping kids, but lately my schedule had been rather casual. I took a seat on the ancient sofa next to another co-worker of mine called Nina.

"What're you up to?" I asked, struggling to open my apple juice.

She sighed, taking her glasses off and rubbing her eyes. "I've been working on this case for almost half a year. It's hopeless. You know what else is hopeless? My career, and trying to fill out mental institution forms." She said sharply, glancing at me with her ice blue eyes.

I frowned, giving up on the apple juice and focusing on her. "What case?" I asked.

"This guy...I believe he's around your age, maybe older. His boyfriend was murdered eleven months ago, and he's....not right. He acts as if the boy was killed a week ago." She scoffed.

"But he's not right Harry." She said again, looking at me.

"He...just the way he talks and acts...when he talks and acts, which is rare. I just don't feel right about him. I've tried to help him, and get him back out there and interested in things, but he won't have it." She shook her head.

"All he does is stay locked away in his flat all day, smoking cigarettes and talking to himself." She continued.

"I just, I'm done. I can't do it anymore, he's hopeless." She finished with a sigh, pushing her cherry coloured hair away from her eyes.

"What all have you tried? You know to like, get him to open up?" I asked her.

"Everything!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air before letting them smack against the file resting in her lap.

"So....you're filing to lock him away in a mental institution?" I asked.

Nina nodded, giving me a look severely lacking hope and patience.

"Maybe I could talk to him." I offered.

She raised her eyebrows. "Seriously? He's a tough case Harry. Very moody and dangerous." She warned.

"I think I can handle him." I nodded with a small smile.

"Well...okay, I'll go ask Mr.Green about it." She smiled getting up. "Thanks Harry." She smiled at me before exiting the room, leaving the file in her seat.

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