Glitter And Dust [L.S]

𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉

"You should change that." - She mumbled in between tears.

I smiled softly at her for the first time in almost three months and hugged her again.

"Thank you."

~

"Hey." - I said into the phone once I was out of the house.

I quickly took a look at both sides of the road and started walking fast towards Liam's place.

"Gems, hey. Are you okay? Do you need something? I'll do anything." - He said softly.

"I need your help with something, Li." - I said, still looking at every corner and behind every parked car so nobody could surprise me.

I was panicking.

"Yes sure, anything." - He said on the other side of the line.

"I want to get information on my own, I want to go to the manifestations and move people, I want to do something and for Harry to know that I didn't give up on him."

"Okay."

"I need this. Mom needs this." - I said, containing my tears that were threatening to fall once again.

"I'll be there for you in everything you need."

"I don't know where to start though."

"I... think I have an idea. Can we meet up?"

"I'm already on my way to your house."

"Great. I'll prepare the kettle."

I said goodbye and rushed through the last two blocks to Liam's house.

I shoved my phone inside the pocket of my jacket and almost ran the remaining distance.

When I finally knocked on his front door and he let me in, I felt safe again.

I didn't know why, but I started crying as loud as ever before, and Liam was fast to wrap me in a hug.

I was scared.
Walking alone was scary and I knew I wasn't safe in my city anymore.

I knew my brother was probably having the worst time of his life, maybe being tortured or hurt, and I was here receiving a hug.

It wasn't fair.
It wasn't fair that I was feeling safe in my friend's embrace, when my brother was missing.

After long minutes of crying on Liam's shoulder, gripping onto his shirt and mouthing for air, I started to calm down a bit.

Liam, without saying a thing, guided me to his sofa and handed me a cup of tea. He sat by my side and looked at me with sadness and worry readable in his face.

"I'm scared." - I breathed out.

"We all are."

"I want him here, I want to hug him and never let go." - I sobbed, taking a sip of my mug with trembling hands.

"I know." - He whispered. - "But I'm glad you're finally feeling like leaving your house, Gem. You got me so worried. It's great that you want to take the initiative to do something else, to get involved."

"I can't stay in and do nothing anymore."

"I understand, that's why I want to tell you about my idea." - He smiled gently, resting a hand on my thigh. - "I had been thinking, actually for about two weeks now, that something needed to be done with all these disappearances. And I thought, why not make a searching organization? We could also get a place to set a foundation and a shelter, talk to everyone at the manifestations and make it big, reach the tv news channels and make it noticed. Maybe some of the missing people would see it and return home.
In the meantime, all the families could work together to find their loved ones.
We could offer support to the families too. Because you're right, Gem. I think that the police won't solve this anytime soon. And maybe if we keep waiting, it would be too late."

"You thought all that because of Harry?" - I said, surprised about all the things he has thought so far.

"I was touched from close. This is my cause too. I'm here to help you. To be your rock."

"You're the best friend ever." - I said, pulling him in a hug and containing a new batch of tears.

"I have the perfect place to set the shelter and we can also use it as a place to gather the families."

"Where?"

"The ex clinic. It has been closed for a year now, I think we can use it.

"You really think your dad would let us?"

"My father is really compromised with the cause too, remember his nurse, Zayn?"

"Yes?"

"He went missing too."

"Really?"

"Yes." - He sighed. - "No one is safe anymore."

I swallowed thickly.
He was right.

Nothing was assuring us that we would return home today, nothing was given.

"Let me call Maura, she'll help us." - I said.

"Great, we can make some flyers and hand them on the manifestations."

"Yes, that would work."

"So, when do we start?" - He smiled, squeezing my thigh.

"Now!"