Last Train Home (5SOS and 1D)

Chapter 12

More than fifty years ago, when Harris Theater wasn't even named as Harris Theater and just a plain old theater, there used to be a group of students who practiced their musical instruments inside that room. They'd go there every day and play to perfection. There were the violinists, the cellists, and a pianist. The pianist was a pretty girl named Mary Grace Redrose.

She loved playing the piano. She lived to play the piano. The university even said that she was the best pianist that the School of Music ever had. She would've made history with her incredible talent but all of that fell short when something happened before their competition. Someone sneaked in Mary Grace's room the night before and broke all of her fingers.

She woke up while her fingers were being broken, but she could do nothing to stop it. Her wrists were bound and so were her feet. The landlady of her dorm found her and set her free, but Mary Grace was emotionless. Not only her fingers were broken, but so was her soul. Her friends looked for her, but she was nowhere to be seen. They went back to her dorm and saw that Mary Grace had hung herself.

A few weeks after her death, witnesses claimed that they heard the piano being played here inside Harris Theater starting at midnight, and it would go on until the morning. They said it's Mary Grace's ghost, still showing her utmost dedication.

I didn't care about any of that as I walked in Harris Theater. I had no sleep at all and all I wanted to do was to get a few minutes off so I headed to the sixth row where it was the most comfortable. The air-conditioning was just right at that area.

Right then, Liam and Zayn walked in and sat beside me.

"Good morning, Chief," Zayn greeted while Liam patted my head.

I was really drowsy and all I could do to acknowledge them was to lazily raise a hand. I'm sure the two would understand. I closed my eyes and soon, I was drifting off.

You know the feeling when your dream just started, like a vivid picture of a strange place and you know you're already in dreamland? That's what happened but all of a sudden, the golden field before me vanished when I felt something hit my head, jolting me awake.

Whoever did that was going to pay.

"Watch it, mate," I heard Zayn say.

I got up and spun around and saw Luke, Ashton, Michael, and Calum all staring at me. None of them spoke. Michael opened his mouth and closed it again, like he was speechless. He must be the one who hit me.

"I...I'm sorry, Victoria, I r-really am," Michael stuttered and he also apologized to Zayn and Liam who were giving them daggers as they stared back. Michael looked like he was about to pass out and I felt guilty. I had every right to be grumpy but I felt sorry for Michael. I didn't mean to scare him. Now I'm wondering how terrifying I looked.

I accepted Michael's apology and the four of them sat back down. Liam looked up at me, his eyes asking if I were all right and I nodded to him. He was quick to forgive. Zayn turned back to the front and I was about to sit down when I remembered that I had to return something to Ashton. His drumsticks.

I opened my bag and pulled out the white drawstring pouch. "Ashton." I handed it back to him and he looked like he was the happiest boy on earth when he took it in his hands. The drumsticks must've meant a lot to him.

"Thank you so much," Ashton said, clutching the pouch to his chest. "I thought I'd lost them forever." He smiled back at me and it was one of the most heartwarming smiles I'd ever seen and all annoyance I felt from what happened earlier had now completely vanished.

"He was going crazy about it last night," Luke said. "He was frantically searching everywhere."

"Glad to help," I said and sat down.