Introspective Strangers [h.s.]

Chapter 42

"Gemma?" my voice sounded both breathless and strained as I tucked myself into an alley off the street that I had been walking down, in hopes of drowning out some of the city's passing noise. With it now being dark out, it seemed there were more bodies and cars out than ever.

"May? May!" the girl through the receiver sounded surprised that I had answered.

"Hi," I muttered, feeling slightly awkward that the last time we had spoken, I left in quite a frenzy and then proceeded not to answer the text message that she had sent hours later. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is great!" she chirped. I didn't say anything, merely tugged my jacket tighter around my arms while I waited for her to speak, not having the energy to initiate any more conversation than was necessary. After a beat, she asked, "How are you?"

"Good," I chewed on my lip, thanking God that she didn't live in the city and therefore would have no reason of knowing that I was not in fact good. "How are you?"

"I'm great. Listen–"

"If this is about what happened at the mall," I cut in, "Uh, I'm sorry I didn't answer your text. That was shitty of me... I just – um, there was a lot going on that day."

"Oh, don't worry about that!" Gemma chided through the phone. I leaned against the brick wall behind me, kicking at a few stones under my feet, when she added, "Actually, that isn't why I was calling. I had something to ask you."

"I – oh?" The surprise in my voice was evident and I cleared my throat, praying that this question wouldn't somehow have to do with Harry.

"Well, you know that it's Harry's birthday next week–"

Spoke too soon.

"It is?" I asked, briefly trying to remember if he had ever mentioned it to me. "Shit, I had no idea."

Gemma snorted. "That sounds about right. The idiot is always going all out for everyone else but rarely gives himself a second thought. I swear he'd forget his birthday if I didn't bring it up."

I gave a meager laugh in response, hoping this wasn't going where I thought it was.

"Anyway," she breathed, "considering you and him are... well – friends," She made sure to stress the word, causing me to cringe. "Bella and I were planning on throwing him a surprise party and..."

The rest of her words seemed to fall away after the mention of her and Bella throwing Harry a party.

Perfect. In-fucking-credible.

I ran a hand over my face, blowing out a sharp breath and then squeezing my eyes shut. Of course her and Bella would be throwing Harry a party, why wouldn't they be? Just like, why wouldn't Bella just show up to Harry's apartment unannounced whenever she felt like it? They were both big parts of his life and I had no right to be at all affected by it.

"May?" Gemma's voice cut through my thoughts and I suddenly realized that she had stopped talking.

With a sobering breath, I managed, "Sorry. You were saying about the party?"

"I asked if you'd be able to come. It's next weekend–"

What happened next seemed to go in slow motion.

I was leaning against the brick wall, staring up at the moon willing it to give me some sort of strength and debating on telling Gemma that I couldn't make it to Harry's party, and then suddenly I was being whirled around and pressed against someone's chest.

My phone went flying out of my hand, clattering to the ground a few feet away, while my arms were restrained at my sides and a knife placed sharply against my throat. The point was dull, meaning that no blood was drawn as whoever stood behind me applied pressure, muttering thickly in my ear, "What's a girl like you doing out here all by yourself, huh?"