For Your Eyes Only

N i n e t y - t w o

I had no idea what Taylor was planning. I was jet-lagged and I was absolutely tired but I still try to keep up with her energy. Alison was still asleep so I took the liberty of carrying her around. When we got to her place and there was barely anyone around, Taylor decided to take her car and we just drove around the old town. Alison was sleeping in the back whereas I was behind the wheel. . . a good thing Tay was already seated in the passenger seat.

"Won't your family grow suspicious when they find out your car isn't in the garage?" I asked, starting to go on the road.

"No. I texted mom so. . ." she replied and then turned the radio songs. It started blasting out Christmas songs. Unfortunately, there were barely sad Christmas songs. . . as much as it was alright, I barely got a reason to be happy.

"Where do you want to go then?" I asked, knitting my eyebrows together. She said to drive around town, sure but she certainly didn't say anything specifically.

"Uhh, Perrie's place?" She asked.

"Perrie is in England. She won't be there." I said and I thought I just saw Tay's eyes drop.

"The school or-- ugh, never mind, just go wherever." She said, "I mean, you know, like we used to."

And then we spent the rest of our time driving around and just, talking about things. Until, we've got to one of the subjects that I'd usually avoid.

"Harry," Taylor called out so I took a second to glance at her and response a little with a hum. She seemed like she was hesitating but since I couldn't keep my eyes unfocused, that was all I saw.

"Harry, I know this might sound like a ridiculous question and I think I kinda know the answer but. . . why do you fear my dad so much?" She asked.

I raised an eyebrow at her. She knows the answer, why ask?

"I uh, I kinda want to hear the answer from you." She said, also scratching her arms.

"Simple, the accident." I replied and stopped my mind from flashing the memories again. I'm so done with that. "Remember he treated me like I'm his son before that but, then it happened. I almost killed--"

"You didn't."

"Almost did."

"No."

"Stubborn girl." I muttered out. "But anyways, after that was the worst."

"I know that part." She said.

"Then what do you want to know?" And please make it quick. . . the memories were starting up again. I excluded that part since it would have been rude.

"Umm, why until now? I understood it back then, but now you've got nothing to be afraid of."

I sighed, "I've got a million things to be afraid of." My eyes stung harshly and I bit my lip. The memories were awful, I tried not to dwell. . . but since I was focused on that, I didn't realise that time escalated too quickly. Before I knew it, I was pulling up at the Swifts' driveway.

I stared for a second at the two cars at the opened garage, then at the lights inside the house. Now is the only time that I've realised that it was already eight pm so it's most likely that the Swifts are all inside the house.

Like all the other nights, it was dark and cold. Snow crunched as I took a step down to the ground. Taylor was way ahead of me. She went down the passenger seat with Alison and put her down on the ground. She held Alison's hand and Alison seemed quite excited yet anxious as well. . . me? Maybe just a bit excited, and a load more anxious.