Style Me Curly (A Harry Styles Love Story)

Chapter Thirty Two: Farwells

Tia's P.O.V.

The warmth radiating from Zayn's big hand entwined with mine was the only feeling of safety I found. Many pairs of eyes watched as the flames consuming the once beautiful house meshed with currents of flowing water. The flames that had danced around the house hours ago were mostly gone, causing no more destruction. But the house was falling down to its ridges, leaving a pile of rubble and debree in its place. My eyes, the size of globes, reflected nothing but pure horror as I watched what was left of the grand manor disappear. The lump in my throat began to rise, scratching the sides of my throat and making in burn. I tilted my head to the side, sucking in a deep breath as I fought back the fresh batch of tears threatening to spill down my cheeks.

Liam was gone. 

He was never coming back.

"It's going to be okay." Zayn's voice broke as he pulled me too him. I melted into him almost immediately, grabbing fist fulls of his sweatshirt in my hands as the hot liquid rolled down my pink-tinted cheeks. My tears soaked into the grey faded fabric, but he held me close, whispering soft words into my ear while he tried to stay strong. I felt his lips graze by my ear as his whispers of support attempted to strengthen me. I wanted to be strong. For Destiny, for Vanessa, for Mrs. Grey, for Niall, for Louis, for Harry, for Zayn. I wanted to hold on to the hope that CeCi would be okay. That maybe she would escape, or just maybe, we would find her. I wanted to believe Liam wasn't in the house when it burned down, that maybe he had gotten away, or wasn't home in general. I wanted to think everything was going to be okay. That maybe this was all just a simple dream. This couldn't be my reality. It couldn't be. 

"How can you say that?" I chocked as my voice struggled to find the right words to say. I looked at him with my swollen eyes, waiting to hear a reason to make me believe. But his dark eyes just stared at me blankly.  "Nothing is going to be okay." 

"I say it because I want to believe it." Zayn whispered. I held my breath as his palm rested on the side of my face. "I want to believe that everything will get better. God dammit Tia! I can't lose you! I just can't. Not after Liam."

"I'm not going anywhere." My voice was soft as I placed one of my hands on top of his. The other reached towards his face, skimming my thumb over the fat tears that began to fall from his eyes. "I promise you."

"CeCi said the same thing to Niall. And look what happened to her." My heart leaped inside my chest as I heard her name. More tears cascaded down my cheeks as I thought of her. My friend. My beautiful amazing friend who was kidnapped because she had figured out the secret. They took her because of how clever she was. And we did nothing to save her. 

"CeCi.." I mumbled, my head pounding like a gong as I thought of her. I could just imagine those denim blue eyes, wide with fear and slowly losing color as she faded from this world. Never again would I hear those shrieks and peals of joyful laughter. Never again would I get to run my hands through her soft hair as I braided it for her. Never again would she comfort me. My heart ached for Niall, the poor boy who's world she made up. I could hear his cries from a few feet over, his shaking body held tightly in the arms of Vanessa. I could see the pain written on her face, most for the heartbreak she must have been feeling for Liam. But at the same time she was conflicted, still feeling as if he tried to kill her. I could see her fighting herself. Her eyes allowed others to read her like a book.

"It's all my fault. I should've saved her. I'm the reason she's gone. All my fault." Niall moaned.

Hearing his words made my heart sink even lower. His pain was agonizing to watch. My dear friend, howling like a wounded animal at the loss of his love. He truly did love her. With every fiber in his being I know he did. And now, she was gone. Nothing but a memory. My CeCi.. His CeCi. Gone.