Payton's POV
It's taken me about a whole entire week to get back to my daily routine of living as a college student. I finally got my grades back up and I haven't missed a single class since. My days have gone pack to normal with my girls, spending time at each other's dorms after class and gossiping about the latest news. We haven't really gone out much since it's been crunch time on testing, but we still have had our fun.
Being back home has really made me miss my lifestyle. I felt pure again, as if I was cleansed from Harry's gang life. It felt good to be normal again.
I sighed as I folded my towel before I placed it on top of my drawer, feeling relaxed after my warm shower. 9:52 pm showed on my clock from my night stand as I slowly approached my drawer and pulled out my phone.
I peered down at my messages from Claire, asking if I was alright and if I made it to my dorm okay. I smiled before I swiped her message and replied back, letting her know that I was safe and all good.
I then placed my phone down before I took off my other towel, tossing it on the bed and making my way towards the drawer. I pulled out a fresh pair of underwear with a matching bra before I quickly slipped it on.
I searched for one of my oversized sweatshirts before I grabbed out my maroon one and tugged it over my exposed body. It hung on me just above mid thigh, keeping my body warm. Just as I was about to go grab a pair of socks, the door to my room suddenly opened.
I gasped as I stepped back, watching in fear as a tall figure stepped inside. Their head wasn't facing me so I couldn't see who it was, but something about their persona felt familiar.
I wrapped my arms around myself in shock as they closed the door quickly and locked it, turning around to face me before pulling the rather large hoodie off their head.
I widened my eyes as I stared into his green ones, completely shocked that he was here inside my dorm right now.
"Harry?" I gasped as he quickly took the ball cap off of his head, tossing it to the side carelessly.
"What are you doing here?" I questioned as he looked right at me while marching towards me.
I swallowed hard as I backed away as quickly as I could, realizing he wasn't stopping.
"I knew I'd find you here." He said as I tripped on something and almost fell but he quickly caught me.
I gasped as he pulled me up by my elbows, holding me in place as we were only inches apart.
"Harry- what are you doing here? You shouldn't be here! You could get caught." I said with panic laced in my voice.
"Meaning what? You ratted me out?" He snapped as I flinched.
"No. I didn't rat you out. You'd be on the news if I did. I didn't mention you once. You're safe if that's all you're worried about." I said madly as I shoved him off me and took a few steps back.
"That's not what I came here for." He said as his eyes remained locked on mine.
"Then why are you here?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"To bring you back home with me." He replied as I dropped my jaw.
"I am home Harry. Don't you see that?" I said in disbelief.
"No, you're home when you're with me." He said as he tried to grab my wrist but I quickly lifted it away from him.
"No I belong here." I shook my head as he tightened his jaw.
"No you belong with me." He stated as he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him.
"Are you serious right now? Not this again Harry." I sighed as I tried to yank my wrist out of his grip.
"I have the car ready for you. The guys are expecting us to be back soon." Harry muttered as he already began walking towards the door.
"No! I'm not going anywhere with you!" I said as I pulled my hand out.
He turned around to look at me as he narrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" He asked.
"Don't you see it? I'm already home. I'm back at my college where I'm with my friends and family. I'm safe Harry. I'm back where I belong. I don't belong in your gang life and I certainly don't belong with you." I said as he looked taken back.
"I hope you know I wasn't very happy when I realized you were missing. I searched inside and out of Luke's house, wondering where you went. I was worried sick about you." Harry said as he took a step towards me.
"Well you don't have to worry anymore. As you can clearly see, I'm fine. And I'm happy." I said harshly, not wanting to get attached to him. I had to be harsh to get him out of here. I can't fight this battle anymore. I choose my friends and family. I can't choose him. I saw what I did to my friends when I was gone this entire time. I can't do that to them all over again. It's not fair.
"Why did you do it? Why did you leave? You left without saying goodbye." Harry sounded offended as I scoffed.
"Are you that blind Harry? I've been begging you for days to set me free! Every day in that house I asked you to let me go, to take me back home . But you never did! You kept me to yourself because you were selfish! But I've had enough! I couldn't be away from my friends and family any longer so I left." I said as he swallowed.
"You could of told me what you were doing." He said as I looked away.
"Why? You wouldn't have let me do it even if I told you!" I defended as he clenched his jaw.
"Then how did you do it huh? How did you manage to escape without a trace?" He asked as I bit my inner lip.
I looked down before I tried to think of a reason. I couldn't talk about Luke. I couldn't tell him that Luke rescued me and brought me here. It would cause chaos. We made an agreement that I wouldn't tell anyone about it, not even Harry. It felt wrong lying to him, but I didn't owe Harry anything.
"I managed to find a phone and called an Uber, I waited outside till I was picked up and I left." I lied as I looked away while crossing my arms.
He then lifted up my chin, cupping it in his hand as he made me look up at him. He searched my eyes for the truth as he peered down at me with faint pain in them.
"Is this true?" He asked quietly as I sighed.
"Yes Harry. I left, because I knew you weren't going to ever return me back home." I said as I moved his hand away.
"You don't know that. I was going to take you back." Harry denied as I laughed sarcastically.
"When?! When Harry?! When were you ever going to take me back?! You wouldn't even let me leave your sight! You didn't want me to go, you said it yourself! You weren't ever going to release me!" I bursted in anger as he watched me.
"I had to take matters into my own hands because I needed to go back to my life Harry. I have a mother, I have three best friends, I have school.... I have a life I need to live." I said as he blinked at me.
"And what about me?" He sounded hurt as I swallowed.
"My friends were in pain this entire time I was gone Harry. My mother lacked sleep, she lost weight, my friends flunked their tests. Lives were hurt when you took me Harry, including my own." I ignored his comment as he stared at me.
"I can't go back with you.... ever." I said as his eyes widened.
"You don't mean that." He chuckled softly as I remained serious.
"Payton, please, come back with me." He said as he reached out his hand towards me.
"No Harry. I need you to leave." I said as I didn't bother taking it.
His eyes widened as he paused, slowly lowering his hand while I stood my ground.
"This is for the best. We can't be together. It won't work, believe me." I said calmly as he began to think.
"I promise I won't hurt you, or let anyone hurt you for that matter." He said as he took a step forward, causing me to take one back.
"I need you to go Harry." I repeated as I narrowed my eyebrows.
"Payton I won't hold you against your will anymore, just reconsider-"
"No Harry. This can't work. You're a criminal and I'm a college student. It doesn't make sense. It never will. I'm already happy being back here so just please.... leave." I said, feeling my heart break as I saw how upset he looked.
"Is that all I am to you?" He sounded offended as I swallowed hard.
"What about that unspoken thing between us?" He asked as I closed my eyes.
"There is no unspoken thing. Just please go!" I said, suddenly raising my voice as our eyes met.
"So everything you did... was just to come back here? None of it meant anything to you?" He suddenly sounded serious as he narrowed his eyebrows at me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I suddenly clenched my hands into fists, trying so hard to ignore all my feelings towards him.
"Correct." I said even though it felt like a lie.
"I had to do what I needed to survive and get myself back home. If you were in my shoes, you'd understand." I said as he looked down.
"Even when I took you to my spots?" He asked, causing my heart to stop.
"Were you still trying to gain my trust just to leave?" His eyes were full of pain but his demeanor showed a defensive act.
"I wish things were different Harry... I really do. I wish you never kidnapped me, or held me hostage, or did all the things you did. Cuz maybe then I'd allow you back into my life. But I just can't. And you need to accept that." I admitted.
"So that's all I am to you then? Just a criminal?" He asked, causing my heart to break.
I didn't reply to him as I looked down, not knowing how to answer that.
"You were no longer a hostage to me as time went on. You were a friend. But I guess I meant nothing to you this entire time." Harry said seriously as I met his eyes.
"Were you ever going to tell me why you kept me alive this whole time?" I asked as he clenched his jaw.
"I guess that no longer matters to you. Goodbye Payton." He said coldly before he grabbed his hat and placed it over his hair.
My eyes widened as he threw the hood over his head before making his way towards the door.
"Wait Harry-" I felt bad for the words I said to him as he unlocked the knob.
"Just so you know, just because I did what I did, it doesn't mean I didn't give a damn about you." Harry growled as he faced me while I took a step back.
"I would of fought every person in this town, if they ever laid a finger on you. I would of protected you with my life. And that's something your silly college will never do." He said madly as my eyes widened.
"And I would let you do it. I would. But I'd be a fool if I chose to leave everyone again." I said as tears filled in my eyes, causing his face to soften.
"You're not the only one who's hurting Harry." I said as tears streamed down my face.
He sighed before he turned back around and wiped the tears from my eyes, trying to comfort me as best as he could.
"I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you. Including your friends and family." He whispered above me.
"You have to let me go Harry. It's what's best for us. You go back to your life and I go back to mine. We're better off this way." I said as I wrapped my hands around his large ones.
"You don't have to protect me anymore. I'm safe here." I said as I slowly pulled his hands away.
"I never wanted you to go." He whispered as I swallowed hard.
"I know, which is why you have to now." I said as he stared into my eyes with deep pain.
He then took a step back before he looked at me one last time, eyeing me up and down. Without saying another word he turned around and left the room, closing the door behind him as I felt my heart sink to the floor.