Midnight Memories

f o u r t e e n

"The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls." - Edgar Allen Poe

"So." I asked Derrick, absentmindedly turning the page of the Cosmo magazine I had been reading. "What are we doing tonight?"

For the last few days, whenever I didn't have class, I was with Derrick at his apartment. After all, since everyone had decided to turn on me, he was all that I had. But that was more than enough. Asher didn't know what he was talking about, Derrick was kind, and loving, and caring. I had no hesitance in saying that he was probably the best boyfriend I had ever had.

"Well," Derrick called from the piano, where he was scribbling notes on a piece of paper, looking like a God with the top three buttons of his white Oxford undone and his sleeves rolled up. "I got a call from Tripp while you were in class, there's a new club opening downtown and he wants to go scope it out."

"That could be fun, possibly." I agreed. "What's it called?"

"Avenue. Supposedly it's the place to be seen. Well that is until the Townies and NYU undergrads figure that out." He smirked.

My blood ran cold. "Did you say Avenue?"

"Yeah." Derrick nodded, scribbling something on his sheet music. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Um, well, I did see something on Perrie's Facebook about how all my old friends were planning on going there tonight."

"So?" Derrick laughed. "They're just a bunch of kids with fake IDs."

He always seemed to forget that him and I had an six year age difference. "But still, it could be awkward."

"Babe," He began, still scribbling. "Why are you so scared of them?"

"I'm not scared." I lied, my heart beating in my chest. Of course I was scared, scared that once I saw all the people that I had once loved and trusted that I wouldn't be able to hide the pain anymore. In the light streaming through the window, the glimmer of gold on my wrist in next to my Michael Kors watch caught my attention. It was the Cartier Love Bracelet Niall had given me, what seemed like lifetimes ago. Suddenly, the luxury piece felt like a handcuff, chaining me to my old life. I felt nauseous.

"Come here." Derrick said, patting his legs. I pushed myself up and walked slowly towards him, take aback as he swiftly grabbed a hold of me and pulled me in between his knees.

"Don't worry about them, love. They can't hurt you anymore." He said soothingly. "You're mine now."

Something about the way he said those last three words made me uneasy, but I didn't have too much time to think about it as we were interrupted. The front door slammed and I heard heavy footsteps and loud voices coming down the hall. "Vanderbilt?!" One of them called menacingly.

"In the living room." Derrick called wearily.

Tripp Hartley was the first to enter, his imposing figure as intimidating as ever. This was the first time I had seen him in the light of day, and it was now easy to see his resemblance to Ryder. He had handsome features, with the same light blonde hair and ice blue eyes as his brother, but looked as if he would be more at home in a Vogue editorial spread than the dark and dangerous city streets. Put simply, it was hard to believe the man standing in front of me was a criminal.

Ryder followed somewhat sheepishly behind his brother, dressed inconspicuously in jeans, Sperry deck shoes and a Burberry polo. He gave me a small wave, which I politely reciprocated.

"To what do I owe the delight of your presence, Tripp?" Derrick asked wearily.

"Don't try and get clever with me, Vanderbilt. You know why i'm here." Tripp said menacingly. "You never answered my question."