buckle up besties...it all turns around from here.
Elaina Basset
When Harry and I returned from the gallery, I instantly noticed how odd he was acting. Weirder than usual.
The second we returned to his villa, he got on the phone and stepped outside so I couldn't hear the conversation. When he came back inside, I didn't ask him anything despite how curious I was. I knew it would only piss him off.
I had taken a nap for about an hour afterwards, not knowing nor caring what Harry was doing. But, when I did wake up and go downstairs...he wasn't here.
I had realized it was completely empty, and even tried calling out his name, but there was nothing.
In a moment of curiosity, I peeked out the window that overlooked the driveway. His car that he took us to the gallery in wasn't here, but a black heavy-duty SUV was.
I felt my stomach drop when I saw the black vehicle with tinted windows parked at the end of the driveway. If I'm alone and these people are here looking to rob Harry or something, then I'm fucked and these people will hurt me.
However, that anxiety I felt was quickly turned into annoyance once I found a note from Harry that was left on the kitchen counter with messy writing carelessly scribbled onto it.
'went out to get some things. car is just a precaution but don't talk to them.
be back soon.'
I roll my eyes instantly, alone and being fucking monitored. I don't know why this is necessary...why Zayn and Harry feel like they need to send people to watch me.
It only makes me question more things. Why do I need to be watched. Who am I being protected from?
And what are these guys involved in?
I feel like I've been in the dark ever since I met the guys. No one tells me anything, and bottom line, I'm over it.
Not being able to take out my frustrations right this second, I just exhale a deep and frustrated breath before taking out my phone.
I need to call Angela. She always makes me feel better.
I bring myself over to one of Harry's couches, plopping myself down on the seat with a huff as I click on Angela's contact name for facetime.
It rings for a moment before she picks up and her face appears on the screen. She smiles in greeting.
"Hey!" she says.
"Hi." I smile back, trying to sound as positive as I can.
"Oh no," her face falls, "what's wrong?"
She can always tell.
I shake my head, holding my phone out in front of me. "No, nothing. I just miss you."
She tilts her head and pours her lip slightly. "And I miss you more, baby. But I know there's something up...did Zayn do something?"
I exhale through my nose and just shrug. There's really no way that I can hide my feelings from her because somehow she always sees right through me.
"I'm just...overwhelmed right now. I'm sure it'll pass."
"Well I wish I was there to comfort you. Do you have any idea why you're overwhelmed?"
I lean against the backrest of the couch, my hair fanning over the cushions behind me. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just stressed over the whole painting thing. I haven't heard anything back yet."
Also, Zayn and his friends are hiding something from me and I have no idea what it is...
"You're talented, El. You'll get in." she tries to reassure me.
I just nod in hopefulness, looking at her through the screen. I notice how it's dark in whatever room she's in, and I can only really see her face from the phone light.
"Where are you?" I question.
"Denver." she immediately answers, quick and short.
I furrow my brows. "Yeah, but where? That doesn't look like your room."
The camera shifts a bit as she moves a little. "I'm in my guest bedroom. Wifi's better in here."
"Ah." I nod, still a little confused over her tone but I'm positive that it's nothing. "How was your road trip?" I ask out of curiosity.
"My road trip?"
I tilt my head. "Yeah, the one you went on with your college friends?" my voice slows down with confusion. I swear she told me about some trip she took.
"Oh! Oh, yeah...right. Sorry, it was good! Really good..It was a bunch of friends from my computer science class."
As I go to answer, I suddenly hear the faint noise of the front doors unlocking from across the house. Harry's back.
"Hey, I'm really sorry, but I've gotta go." I tell her. "I can call you back tomorrow or something."
"I'll call you. Bye, love you."
"Love you too." I murmur as we hang up right as Harry walks through the doors.
We make eye contact from across the villa. He's got a few bags in his hands that he immediately sets down by the door. Sunglasses sit over his eyes but I can tell that he's giving me a look of judgement.
"Where were you?" I ask.
He walks past me and into the kitchen, tossing his car keys down onto the marble counter.
"Getting some things." he says passively as he opens the fridge and retrieves a water bottle. "What were you just doing?"
I look back to the couch, then at him. "I was calling my friend."
He takes the cap off of the water and brings the bottle to his mouth. "Denver friend?" he questions before taking a sip.
I nod. "Denver friend."
He hums as he screws the lid to the bottle back on. "Is she as annoying as you?"
I snap a harsh glare at him, watching as his lips curl upwards into the slightest smirk.
"Dick." I mumble before turning around, getting ready to walk away.
"I was joking, Picasso." he chuckles under his breath, but it wasn't a friendly chuckle...and that wasn't a friendly joke.
"No, I don't care." I say with a head shake as I turn back around to face him. "You can't make jokes like that when I know that's actually how you feel."
I don't care if he doesn't like me, because I don't like him either...however, making jokes like that won't fly if we're not friends. I have to set my own boundaries.
He furrows his brows as he brings the sunglasses off his face. "Okay, if you want me to treat you the way I feel about you, fine." he mutters as he starts to walk past me again, knocking my shoulder with his. "I'm gonna be leaving again tonight for a few hours so you'll be alone again—"
"What! No!" I protest immediately as I start to follow him towards the staircase. "I'm sick of being left alone and then watched as if I'm some sort of caged animal."
Harry shakes his head as he stalks up the stairs, "The men in the cars? They don't bother you so what's the issue?"
We get up onto the second level and I still find myself following him like some lost puppy. "It's embarrassing! I can handle myself!"
"Oh, I'm sure." he scoffs as he walks up to the seating area that was here on this level.
"I don't need people watching me. I've survived on my own before." I say as he sits on a couch and I stand right in front of him so he looks up at me.
"Picasso, you're rambling-"
"Fucking stop calling me that!" I snap. "If you get those men to come here then I'm calling a cab and getting out of here myself."
"Assuming the men won't try to stop you?" he arches his brow. "Be my fuckin' guest."
I stand in front of him as I throw my head back with an exhale of pure frustration.
"You try and leave tonight and those men will not waste a second grabbing you and locking you back in here." he explains further, with a threatening tone that only pissed me off more.
I can't help but look at him with hatred, shaking my head. "What is this? Why do I need to be watched? What are you all hiding?"
He just scoffs under his breath with an eye roll like I was being dramatic.
"Where are you even going tonight?" I add on to my questions.
"None of your concern." he murmurs as he extends his arms along the back of the couch.
"No!" I finally become fed up enough to yell, making Harry's brows raise as his head tilts but his expression doesn't change.
"I've been forced to stay here with you because for some reason I can't stay at Zayn's villa alone, and now I have people watching me here! Tell me what is going on!" I shout, being loud enough to alert someone if there were even anyone around.
Harry remains completely calm and kept together as he stands up from the couch. His eyes remain on me as I take a timid step back, suddenly losing my ability to breathe properly as he came towards me.
If he was planning on hurting me, he's probably going to do it now. Is he even capable of that? He looks like it.
I keep backing up until I find myself against the wall, trapped with Harry now inches away.
As he gets closer, I start regretting raising my voice. "Wait—I-I'm sorry, wait—"
"Shh." he shakes his head. "Don't be sorry. I'm not mad, Picasso."
His tone was so...calm. Nonchalant. He really didn't seem mad, but that didn't even matter because his demeanour was unsettling.
"You're not..." I stammer, "you're not mad?"
He pouts his lip slightly as he shakes his head again, just looking at me. He looks at my eyes, my nose, and my mouth. He then brings his hand up and tucks a loose piece of my red hair behind my ear, instantly sending a chill up my back.
Trapped between the wall and his body in his living room, all I can do is stare at him. He wasn't pinning me down in anyway, I had the freedom to run.
But I was frozen.
"Course not." he says in such a chill tone that it was making me question my own thoughts. "You may think I'm a 'dick', but I have some control over my own temper."
"I was just...frustrated—"
"Mhm." he nods, like he understood. His palm rests on the wall above my head as I look at him. "Well, if you're so sure that you can take care of yourself...I'll call the men off."
My eyes go wide as I look up at him in surprise, my lips parting open. "What? You will?"
"Sure." he shrugs. "But let me ask you this,"
I wait and watch him, my breath hitching as he looks at my mouth.
"If something happens to you, who are you gonna call to come and save you?" his tone suddenly turns dark. Still calm...but low and chilling.
Like he knows something bad will happen.
Im left speechless, giving him his answer. He then brings himself even closer, his mouth coming right next to my ear.
"And, for the record, if you were to ever find out what I do...I'd be forced to kill you."
My stomach drops into sickness as he mutters the threat into my ear.
He just told me he'd kill me. And I believe him.
Nerves spread through my veins as he backs up, not giving me another glance as he walks away. I'm left breathing heavily against the wall with his dark words ringing over and over again in my head.
After that altercation, I officially decided that I wasn't going to sit back and take this anymore.
I'm done sitting and waiting in the dark. I'm tired of it.
Tonight, I will find out everything.
I didn't speak, or barely even look, at Harry after he threatened me. He used his words to tear me down but I'm determined to figure out what's going on.
I know he said he'd kill me, but Zayn wouldn't allow that...
Would he?
Regardless, I need to take this into my own hands. Maybe I can go to the cops or something once I figure out what they're up to.
Harry went through with his promise of calling off the men, but I know he didn't do it to be kind. Harry isn't kind, he's conniving. He called them off to test me, to see if I'd try to leave.
Well I wonder how he'll feel when he learns I left to follow him.
It was nearing midnight when Harry left without saying a word to me and I knew that I didn't have much time before I lost him. Moments after he left, I snatched the car keys he threw onto the kitchen counter and I hurried out the front doors.
He has two cars, the grey one and a black one which he took tonight.
I still have no idea what he's doing tonight, but if it gets me answers, then I'm willing to risk anything.
Harry was probably only down the road when I put the keys in the ignition. I had to be careful about this, because if he so much as looked through his rearview and saw his own car following him, I'd be done for.
Pressing down on the gas, I underestimated how fast these sport cars go. I had to adjust the speed by lessening the pressure of my foot on the pedal. I was driving down Harry's driveway and out onto the main road before I knew it.
Harry can't be too far ahead of me. I just need to find him.
When Harry drove us back to Zayn's villa, he took the backroads that went through the countryside. It would make sense for him to take those roads again, but if I were to follow him, he'd without a doubt see me.
Unfortunately for him though, those backroads all connect to the main road where everyone drives into the city. I'd catch up with him if I took a separate path eventually, but I don't have much time to deliberate.
I take a left turn to exit onto the highway where there would probably be some traffic. This was the only highway that led into the city from where we were, so Harry would have to merge onto here at some point.
Weaving through the other vehicles, I try my best to get into a spot where I could see things clearly. I can't run the risk of missing his car because that just defeats my whole purpose here.
I don't know what you're up to, Dreamboat...but I'll figure it out.
Zayn—my best friend—has been lying to me. All the guys have been lying to me. And it all circles back to Harry.
Due to the late hour, the number of vehicles was lessened than what it would be in the daytime, but thankfully it was enough to keep me hidden. The darkness also helped.
Just like that, if I blinked I would have missed it, the sleek black car signalled and slyly pulled onto the highway two lanes over from me.
To be sure it was him, I signal over to my adjacent lane. I was now in the lane next to the black car and one car behind it. The headlights on this grey car allowed me to see in the side view mirrors of the black car.
Sure enough, in the drivers' seat, curly dark hair and chiselled features were reflected into the mirror. He has a cigarette in his mouth. The window rolls down and his arm comes to nonchalantly rest on the sill, cigarette smoke blowing from his mouth and out the window into the Italian night air.
He's in a black long sleeve with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, so with his arm resting on the open windowsill, I could see his tattoos.
Got you.
Keeping my focus on the road and on his car was quite the task, but now that I have him, there is no way in hell I'm losing him.
He picks up his speed, causing me to panic a little and press down harder on the pedal. I was going 15km over the speed limit, but he had to be going at least 20.
Where are you in such a hurry to get to?
He weaves lanes, now in between two cars on the other side of me but just a bit ahead.
There's an exit coming up. Is that where he's headed?
In a quick snap of judgement, I signal over to that same lane, now two cars behind him. I still had my sights on him, and I didn't intend to take them off.
We drive over a bridge, him staying in this same lane that would eventually branch off onto an exit.
Him, the two cars between us, and I all take that exit when it arrives. This will take us into the heart of the city.
Driving into the quiet civilized streets of Milan, Harry was still speeding. With the roads being even more empty, it's like he had the freedom to do so. He's in a hurry, but why?
I maintain my distance so he doesn't see me, remaining behind or around him as I follow him through the streets. He's headed in the same direction that we were going in earlier today.
I follow him en route, watching as he makes the familiar turn that him and I took earlier this afternoon.
Is he going to the—he can't be...
The gallery. The Pinacoteca di Brera. It's just up ahead, I can see the parking lot from here.
In a quick decision, I pull over and park this car so Harry wouldn't become suspicious of anyone following him. With my car parked along the side of the street next to some pub, I watch as Harry drives ahead.
And then, he enters the lot of the gallery.
My brows furrow, his car disappearing into the parking lot. The gallery closed at 7pm. What the hell is he doing there now?
I turn the car off, sticking the keys in my pocket and unbuckling my seatbelt. I have to follow him on foot now, he'll notice another car watching him—especially his own car.
I run.
I hurry down the cobblestone sidewalk, sprinting all the way up to the crosswalk and not waiting for the light to turn to cross it. There were no cars coming. My anxious feet carry me towards the lot. There's pillars and an arched entry way that encases the clean, polished parking lot.
The lot, it's empty...apart from Harry's black car and another vehicle, this one was white.
I immediately get behind a pillar, anxiety closing up my throat. I've never done anything like this—sneaking around in the dead of night this way.
I keep my back against the pillar, taking a few deep breaths knowing Harry and others were just feet away.
I take one final inhale and exhale of determination before turning around and peeking around the pillar.
Harry is getting out of his parked car, dressed in his all black attire.
I look at all of the doors to the white car opening, making my mouth drop open with shock when I see who steps out of the vehicle.
Five people. The guys. Niall, Louis, Liam...a woman...Zayn.
Zayn stepped out of the backseat, beat up and bandaged but nonetheless standing and able. He was supposedly in the hospital just this morning. Was that a lie?
Harry told me Zayn didn't want visitors. Lie. There was nothing for me to visit because he wasn't even in the fucking hospital except for when I went to visit with the guys.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
My eyes flick to the girl that stepped out of the backseat with Liam and Zayn. She had black hair, a tall slender build— not super tall but slightly taller than me.
For a second, I thought my eyes might be deceiving me...but it was uncanny.
Angela.
My best friend from Denver. The person I trusted. The person I could always confide in. The person I'd complain about Harry to.
She was here. With the guys. She told me she was in Denver.
What...the fuck...is going on?
I stare ahead in disbelief from behind the stone pillar, watching as the deceit unfolds before me.
Zayn's not in the hospital. My best friend is here interacting with these guys like she's known them forever. They're all gathered at the gallery that I took Harry to.
I have to be dreaming. This isn't real.
"You're sure we'll get in unseen?" I hear Niall speak.
Liam opens the trunk of the white car and pulls out a large black duffel bag.
"I scoped out every security camera earlier." Harry answers Niall, then looks at Angela. "You got into the system and shut 'em down, correct?"
What.
I watch with wide eyes as Angela nods at Harry. "We won't have any trouble."
Are they...are they breaking in? What is going on?
Do I call the police?
Before I can even think of my next move, a sudden vibration and ringtone sound off in the back pocket of my pants.
I gasp out with a flinch and immediately go to grab my device, but it was no use, because I knew that ringtone was loud enough to be heard by them.
I press my back against the pillar again and fumble with my phone, seeing Isaac's name flashing across the screen, calling me.
Stupid fucking time zones.
When I'm finally able to end the call, I realize that it had gone completely silent between the group. They without a doubt heard everything.
Nothing was said between them, which made me even more scared. I can't see what's happening.
What if they kill me now that I've caught them? I feel sick.
I need to run.
Getting ready to sprint away to some form of safety, I suddenly am stopped by someone grabbing me from around the pillar.
My upper arm is grasped tightly as I'm pulled directly into the lot and then pressed up against the other side of the pillar by Zayn.
My immediate response should've been to scream for help, except I found myself to be completely frozen and silenced by shock and fear.
When Zayn realizes it's me that he grabbed, his eyes go wide. He holds me against the pillar and stares at me with shock.
"Elaina?"
The raw feeling of fear was all I could muster. Looking at Zayn, and then looking at the rest of them watching, I felt dizziness take over and drift me away from reality.
My head is spinning, my eyes roll back.
The last thing I heard was Zayn and Angela shouting my name before everything drifted into darkness.
//
THEORIES?? THOUGHTS?? IM SO EXCITED