Jealousy || hs.

Chapter 16.

“You’re so stupid! But I love you; you know that, don’t you?” Niall said taking a bite of his sandwich. I couldn’t understand how he could be eating something so big. I smirked when I glanced at my small chocolate chips cookie.

“I guess so.” He finished eating in a record time and then he drank hald of his drink in one gulp.

“Are you going to finish that?” he asked, impatientient. I shook my head and handed the cookie to him, smiling.

“Can I tell you something?”

“Sure.”

“I had sort of a dream when I was at the hospital” I said in a low voice. I trusted that he wasn’t going to tell anybody. “It was really weird.”

 “What was it about?” he asked and then took another sip of his drink.

“Well, actually there were two. Harry was in the first one” I said and he nodded. “Liam and I were standin in the woods next to the graveyard. Harry was shaking and lying on the floor when a boy ran towards him and kicked him in the stomach severe times. I tried to help him but Liam wouldn’t let me go.”

“That could mean something” he said pointing at me with his finger.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, Liam could be hiding something from you. Maybe he’s keeping a secret, or maybe he just wants you to be next to him.”

“And how’s that possible?” I frowned. Did he really think Liam was hiding something from me?

“Doesn’t matter” he rushed to say. “So, what was the other dream about?”

“Actually, I’m not quite sure if it was a dream or not. It felt real but it was kind of unusual to be true. Jeffrey was there…” As soon as I pronounced his name, Niall froze. He looked uncomfortable. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, go on” he answered. I nodded.

“Well, hm… he was in the party the other night and I think I kissed him. But I’m not quite sure if it was him. Anyway, in my dream, he went to the hospital and told me he was in town to end up with some unfinished business.”

“Did he say what kind of business?”

“No, he said I didn’t have to worry about that.”

“Hmm… that’s strange.”

“I’m starting to believe it wasn’t a dream…” Niall nodded without paying attention and glanced at his clock, still avoiding looking at my eyes.

“Sky, I have to go, I’m sorry. Bye” he said and left the bar before I could even say goodbye to him. I stared at the door and sighed strongly. Everything was so confusing lately.

I paid our meal and left too.

I soon started to think about what Niall had said. Did he really think Liam was hidding something from me? Maybe it was even related to Jeffrey. Maybe Liam was involved in that business he had talked about. But he wasn't like that, he wouldn't have done anything to me or to Harry. He was like a brother to him. 

I shook my head to that thought and decided to go to Liam's. Without realizing how late and dark it was, I walked down the lonely streets, only lightened up by the faint light of the moon and the few street lanterns. It started to rain so I rushed my steps a little bit more. 

Damn it, I whispered when I stepped on a loose tile and splashed my jeans. Rain was heavier every second and I had to get to his house as fast as possible if I didn't want to end up with all my clothes soaked in water.

I tuned on the alleyway in the middle of the street to walk two blocks instead of four so I would be at Liam's faster. The stone floor was wet and slippery, and wells full of muddy water made ​​me have to constantly dodge them not to get my feet wet.

After some more steps, I heard a moan coming from a few metres further. I couldn't tell if it was someone laughing or crying. I walked a little bit slowly trying to hear better. I could feel the blood running through my veins due to how scared I was.

"Hello?" I asked, but my voice echoed along the whole alleway and there was no response. There was a smaller passageway a few metres further which, as I thought, it lead to another parallel alleway. "Hm... someone there?" I raised my voice and walked up to the entrance of the narrow place. There was a strong and loud noise that made me jump and accelerated my heartbeat. It was the kind of noise you hear when hitting something metallic. 

I narrowed my eyes to try to see at the end of the corridor and I noticed someone dressed in black with a black mask covering its face. The moment I saw him I knew he had seen me too. I tried to run away but my body stood still and I was paralized. My legs were immobile while he ran towards me and pushed me against the hard wall. I slided down the brick wall and ended up on the floor, my head pounding due to the strong hit.

He stared at me for what seemed endless minutes, grabbing my neck with his bloody hands which were then being washed by the rain. His brown eyes were filled with fury and a hint of guilt but, under his strong gaze, I was feeling so weak that I thought I was going to faint. I closed my eyes and from one moment to another the preassure on my chest disappeared and I heard his footsteps going away.

Everything went silent, except from the rain pattering the pavement.

I stood up slowly and after glancing around I walked to the end of the passageway  with all the courage I could gather, ignoring the pain in the back of my head.

When I got there, I almost fell on my knees to the morbid image in front of me. It couldn't be real.

"Amber?" I whispered, gulping a scream. I covered my mouth and looked away, trying not to think about how nauseous the bloody and pale body made me feel. I was going to throw up. "Help!" I screamed bursting into tears. My voice was so cracked and shaky that I doubted anyone could hear me.

I panicked and ran away across the long alleway. I didn't know where I was going, but as desperate and scared as I was, I crashed a rigid body that made me fall on my back to the ground.

"Sky, what are you doing here? What's wrong?" Liam asked, trying to help me stand up. I attempted to sit up and hug him tightly but the red spots in his shirt made me stop in my tracks. I felt dizzy and my head was almost literally spinning as I tried to put everything together inside my mind.

"You..." I stumbled on the floor, backing away.

"Me? What? Why are you crying?" he approached but I flinched.

"Get away from me!" I yelled. "You did it! You killed her!"

"What are you taking about? I didn't do anything!"

"The blood... in your shirt" I frantically stammered, and I lost control of my body. Everything around me spun and I fell to the ground, unconscious.