My throat goes dry as I listen to the familiar, poisonous voice on the other end of the phone. I blink quickly, repositioning in my seat, scared to move a muscle.
How does he know where I am?
"Oh, Louis, my love! How are you?" the voice coos into the phone, causing my hands to go numb.
"D- David-" I manage to squeak out, my voice cracking in terror. An evil-sounding, devious chuckle rings in my ear.
"Oh, darling! It's just like old times! All you can manage to cry is my name!" he says, laughing heartily, obviously very proud of his joke. My face heats in anger and my grip tightens on the phone.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME, DAVID?!" I sob into the phone, tears welling up in my eyes. "WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH MY SISTER?!" I add, my cheeks growing wet from the tears running down my face.
"Louis, don't cry, my love! Your sister is doing just fine here with me. A very well behaved little thing! As you always were," he mutters, his devilish smile almost audible through the phone. I try my hardest to remain calm, taking deep breaths and gripping tight onto the steering wheel with my right hand.
"David, let Lottie go."
A loud laugh bursts into my ear, making my insides twist and turn.
"And why should I do that?" he asks, his voice stained with confusion. "You are with someone who I do not approve of you being with... so, why not put you in the same position?! You obviously do not like Lottie being in my possession, so what are you going to do about it then, love?" he asks quietly, his cold voice sending shivers down my spine. I close my eyes tight as more tears spill down my cheeks.
He is trying to make me choose between Harry and Lottie.
"Would you like to talk to your sweet, little sister?" he asks as I hear the phone rustling around and the muted cries of my sister.
"LOTTIE!" I scream, my heart racing in my chest.
"LOUIS! LOUIS, PLEASE!" I hear Lottie yell back in a muffled voice, sounding extremely panicked.
"LOTTIE! I'M COMING TO GET YOU! I PROMISE!" I sob, as the phone is rustled around again.
"NO! NO! NOO!" my sister cries in the background, causing me to completely lose it.
"DAVID, PLEASE!" I scream loudly. "I'LL DO ANYTHING!"
"Oh, will you?" he hisses with a quiet chuckle.
I sob silently, covering my face with my hand. My heart aches with an overwhelming pain that feels as if it may never go away. I know David, and he's not going to budge. He is going to make me choose between my sister's well-being and my relationship with Harry. And what hurts the most is the fact that I know exactly what I have to choose.
I am so sorry, Harry.
I take a deep breath, trying to regain my concentration as I put the keys in the ignition. My heart feels as if it is being stabbed as I twist the key and the car rumbles to a start.
One step closer to Lottie.
But now, one step further from Harry.
I shakily put the car in reverse and sigh as a tear drips down onto my lap. I grip the steering wheel tight with one hand and look up at my reflection in the rearview mirror. My eyes are puffy and red, while my face is a raw shade of pink.
I am the definition of miserable.
"David," I begin, choking on a sob and swallowing hard.
"I'm listening, baby," he whispers in response. I take a deep breath, filling my lungs completely with air before releasing all of it slowly. Every breath I take makes my chest grow tighter in agony.
"Where are you?" I manage to whisper as two tears race down each cheek. I listen as David clears his throat and continues to remain silent for another minute or so.
"Louis," he says in a gentle tone. "Do you remember what the worst night of my life was?" he asks, his voice barely audible. I blink in confusion as I listen to the faint sounds of crying, coming from the other end of the phone. I debate on questioning him any further, but I speak before my brain can grant permission to my tongue.
"I don't under-" I begin, but am quickly cut short.
"I SAID, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE WORST NIGHT OF MY LIFE WAS?!" David screams into the phone, causing me to jump in fear. My heart races faster than the tears dripping from my jawline.
"DO YOU REMEMBER THE NIGHT THAT MY WHOLE WORLD WAS RIPPED APART?! THE NIGHT THAT I SWORE I WOULD NEVER LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY?!" he continues to yell, his voice cracking every so often.
"DO YOU REMEMBER THE NIGHT THAT THE PERSON I LOVED MOST TURNED ME DOWN?!"
And suddenly, it all makes sense. I take a deep breath and begin to sob silently, knowing exactly what he is talking about.
"Dav-"
"THAT'S WHERE I AM!" he sobs as the line goes silent and the call is ended. The phone falls out of my hand and crashes down into the cupholder loudly. The hot tears in my eyes overflow and spill down my pink cheeks. Suddenly, all of my sadness and despair turns into pure anger. I quickly throw the car into reverse and fly out of the parking space before skidding out of the lot. I fly down the empty, abandoned highway, vacant from any cars in the middle of the night.
I speed through green lights with ease, tears flowing steadily from my eyes. My furious grip on the steering wheel is turning my knuckles white. I sniffle hard and get onto the next ramp, beginning my long journey home.
A long way to Doncaster, but one step closer to Lottie.
And one step further from Harry.
_______________________________
My eyelids are heavy as I drive through the dark night, struggling to stay awake. The lines on the highway are starting to hypnotize me, quickly passing by in perfect timing with the car.
I have been driving for almost an hour now, but I know that I still have a lot more distance to cover. I reach over and turn on the radio in an attempt to keep myself awake. I plug the aux card into my phone and hit shuffle, sitting back in my seat and repositioning my hands on the steering wheel. The intro to How to Save a Life by The Fray begins to fill the car with the sweet sounds of a delicate piano piece. I sniffle, realizing just how appropriate the song is for the situation I am currently in. I reach up and wipe my eyes, wincing at the harsh touch against my tear-burned skin.
My heart aches miserably as I realize how much I truly rely on Harry for everything. Over the past couple of weeks, Harry has become my rock. He is the person who keeps me stable, keeps me safe, and keeps me sane. He is always there to comfort me when I am having a difficult time or problem in my life. He's not only there for moral support, but he also does everything in his ability to fix the problem.
But not this time.
Out of my own decisions, I decided to take matters into my own hands. And I am beginning to question if I am doing the right thing. As of right now, all I know is that I am one hour away from my soul mate and my heart is hurting with an overwhelming urge to turn back around.
Just as the song comes to an end, I swallow a cry, taking a deep breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. I glance over at the passenger side of the car, reaching over and laying a shaky hand on the soft fabric of the seat. My fingertips caress the seat, so badly wishing that Harry was here with me. I feel as if I could cry more, but I have cried myself dry. The emotions are there, but the tears will not surface, only making this drive more painful than it already is.
I stare at the speedometer as I fly down the empty highway, watching the needle hover between seventy-five and eighty. There are absolutely no other cars on the highway, so I decide to increase my speed a bit. I press down a bit more on the gas pedal until the needle hovers a little over 85, almost 90. I let out a rather large sigh and continue the journey back to my hometown. Sadly, I won't be going back home to visit my mum and dad, my siblings, or my grandparents. I won't be sitting on the couch with my nan, watching old cartoons and talking about past memories from when I was a child. I won't be taking my younger siblings to Toys 'R Us and treating them to a toy of their choice. I won't be badgering Lottie about her current love interests and threatening to beat them up if they do her any wrong. Instead, I will be fighting to find a psychotic ex-boyfriend who is holding my little sister hostage.
I grip the steering wheel a bit tighter as I take the next exit, gritting my teeth in anger. I step hard on the gas, causing the car to jerk forward and roar as I speed at 95 down the empty highway. No matter how fast I drive, it seems like I am making no progress. It seems as if the time on the digital clock is frozen and I just keep driving in circles, even though I am not. I begin to bite at my nails in frustration, not having one care in the world about the silly habit at the moment.
I keep glancing down at my phone that is sitting upside down in the cupholder, the aux cord plugged into the bottom of it. Every so often I think I see the screen light up out of the corner of my eye, but it never does. My stomach churns at the thought of getting a text or call from Harry when he realizes that I am gone. And I know one thing for certain, it's not going to be a pleasant phone call. I am actually quite surprised that he hasn't went upstairs to check on me yet. But what surprises me even more is the fact that I was able to sneak out successfully.
What a security team.
I smirk to myself and reach up to scratch my head. I get extremely bored when I have to drive long distances, but it's even worse at night. Everything looks the same, no matter where you glance; same road, same lines, same darkness, same everything. I let out an exhausted sigh and shift around in my seat, attempting to get comfortable.
I keep my eyes glued on the road until I believe I see my phone light up in the cupholder. I shake my head, laughing in annoyance at myself. This is about the twentieth time I have believed to see this and I am no longer giving in to my hallucinations.
I continue driving, chewing on my nails, until it happens again. I quickly glance down at my phone to see that, indeed, the screen is lit up in the cupholder. My eyes widen and it feels like all of the air has been ripped from my lungs. I scramble to grab my phone with one hand, keeping the other gripped tight on the steering wheel. My breathing accelerates as I stare at the screen.
There is a message from an unknown number with a picture attached. My heart races as I unlock the phone and stare at the message. There is a picture of David and I, dressed up in our suits, on the day of high school graduation. My hair was much longer, covering my ears and forehead, as I smile cheekily in the middle of a laugh. David stands next to me, his arm wrapped around my waist as he stares at me in admiration, a wide smile on his face. His dark hair is perfectly sculpted in the front, his cheek bones highly visible as he smiles at me. I swallow hard as I quickly glance back and forth between the road and the phone, over and over. I scroll down, reading the message that is attached with the picture:
Those were happier days, weren't they, Louis?
Tears well up quickly in my eyes as I stare at the picture once more, my mind flooding back to my high school days. . .
Dry leaves crunch beneath my feet as I walk through the busy schoolyard. I stroll over to the picnic table where David and I always eat lunch, my satchel over my shoulder and my brown bag lunch in hand.
David sits at the picnic table with a novel open in front of him and headphones in his ears. He taps his fingers on the book to the beat of the music as he reads. I smile and walk up behind him, pulling an earbud out as I quickly kiss his cheek. I earn a chuckle from him as he turns a page in the book.
"Hey babe," he says with a smile, watching me as I walk around to the other side of the table. I sit down and swing my legs under the table, setting my satchel on the space next to me.
"Hi," I respond, quickly pulling a notebook from my bag and opening it up to the bookmarked page. I can feel David's eyes on me the entire time.
"How has your day been so far?" I ask, pulling a pencil from the pocket of my trousers. I quickly begin to scribble down words on the paper, working on a journal entry that is due this afternoon for Philosophy. I feel David's feet begin to intertwine with mine, playing an entertaining game of footsie.
"Pretty boring," he responds, bookmarking his book and closing it. "But I'm much better, now that you're here," he adds, making me flush and smile meekly down at my notebook. I glance up at him from under my eyelashes and he laughs happily.
"Your flattering complements are distracting me from my work," I say jokingly, scribbling more words down into the notebook. I am quickly stopped when David reaches over and closes the notebook as I am in the middle of writing a word. I squint at him in annoyance, upset that he made me lose my page.
"What did you do that for?" I ask, glaring at him playfully, attempting to open the notebook once more. David keeps his hand on the cover to prevent me from opening it before he takes it and places it on the bench next to him. I sigh in defeat and put the pencil behind my ear.
"You are impossible," I murmur, tracing the spirals in the wood of the picnic table with my index finger.
"And that's why you love me," he says, his smile almost audible. I shake my head and laugh, locking eyes with him.
"No, I love you because you are a dimwitted, annoying, immature, IMPOSSIBLE bastard," I joke, a devious smile playing on my lips. David quickly leans forward and kisses me, stealing my smile and claiming it as his own.
"Jerk," he mutters, brushing his nose against mine before kissing me again. I blink fondly at him as he pulls away, resting my chin in my hand. A few girls glare at us as they walk by, obviously appalled by our public display of affection.
Our "gay" public display of affection, that is.
"Hey, fuck off, would you?" David yells at them, intertwining my fingers in his. I keep my eyes down, staring at the table as the girls walk away, snickering and laughing at us. David has always been so unaffected by people's stares and rude remarks about our relationship, and I don't know how he does it. I know that I shouldn't be ashamed of our relationship, I truly don't think I am, but it's just difficult.
It's difficult being different.
And I have learned that the hard way.
David lifts my chin with his index finger so that my eyes are locked with his. He shakes his head with a serious look, silently telling me not to be affected by the rude comments. I nod and swallow hard, releasing his hand and digging through my lunch bag. I pull out an orange and begin to pick at the peel without any intent of actually peeling it. I can feel David's eyes burning into me as I do this, but I try to remain unaffected.
"Why do you let people like them rule your life?" he asks quietly, but in a serious tone. "Think about it, Louis. They are trying to make us feel different just because they are WAY more different than we will ever be. It's only a sick attempt to make themselves feel better," he continues, rubbing his ankle against mine.
"Love is love, baby."
I look up at him, my eyes beginning to sting with tears. I force a nod, agreeing with him as my heart flutters. He always knows exactly what to say.
David is my rock.
"Now, let me help you peel that orange." . . .
I begin to really sob as I lock my phone, placing it back in the cupholder. I stare blankly at the road ahead of me, my heart yearning for the love I used to have towards David. My eyes widen as I mentally slap myself in the face.
What are you thinking?!
You love Harry!
HARRY is your rock!
Why are you sympathizing with the enemy?!
You are doing EXACTLY what you heard Harry say he was afraid of!
You are sympathizing with someone you used to have feelings for!
That was the past, Louis! But this is the present!
Stop living in a fantasy, Tomlinson!
Open your eyes and see life as it really is.
I take a deep breath and chew on my bottom lip in frustration, my knuckles turning white as I grip onto the wheel.
David is the enemy.
You WILL get Harry back.
_______________________________
I sigh in relief as I pass the large sign reading, Welcome to Doncaster, in large letters. I am so close to saving my sister and my blood is boiling with adrenaline. I glance at the digital clock on the radio reading, 4:51 a.m. I really should be exhausted, but the panic and urgency to get to my sister is keeping me on high alert.
I know exactly where David is. All of his clues and little hints were more than enough to give me the assurance of knowing a definite location. As the morning grows closer and closer, more cars appear on the roads. Not many, but more than the empty highways I travelled on earlier.
It is the slightest bit comforting seeing home. I enjoy seeing all of the familiar sights, remembering things from when I was a child, and recalling memories from the past. But the realization of why I am here right now hits me hard, pulling me out of my innocent reminiscing.
I drive through the familiar streets, my heart rate increasing as I grow closer and closer to reaching my destination. Finally, the sign that I have been so anxiously awaiting to see, appears in the headlights of my car.
Woodland Waters Campgrounds
I quickly pull my car onto the beaten path, dust flying in the bright rays of light being projected from my headlights. I take deep breaths, trying my hardest to stay calm as I drive deeper into the heavily wooded area. I park my car in the empty lot and shakily twist the key, pulling it out of the ignition, as the car goes silent. All that can be heard is the loud singing of crickets, bullfrogs, and the frantic racing of my heart.
I reach down under the passenger seat, pulling out the pistol that I keep there for my personal safety. When I moved to London, my mum suggested that I get a gun permit to legally carry a firearm. She was worried that I would need a gun with me at some point, and she was definitely right, even though I thought she was crazy at the time. I carefully slip the gun into the back pocket of my sweatpants and then put my phone in the other.
After some deep breaths, I shakily reach for the handle of the car door, wincing at the cold surface. I slowly pull the handle, listening to the familiar pop of the door opening and the dinging that sounds through the car, alerting the passengers that a door is open. I step one leg out of the car saying a silent prayer to myself. I really hope that I live to see another day.
I hope that Lottie lives to see another day.
I step completely out of the car and gently close the door behind me, gulping in fear. I gather the courage to take my first step, every step after that being fueled by the adrenaline that is surging through my veins. I walk along the dirt path that leads from the parking lot to the lake.
This is the campground that David and I would always hang out. We would sneak in late at night to lie in the grass by the lake, just talking; talking about life, talking about love, whispering sweet nothings, and sharing the occasional touch or kiss.
It was simplistic, yet beautiful.
Life seemed so perfect at the time.
Whatever happened?
I continue to walk down the path, my feet kicking dust clouds into the air as I walk. I swallow hard as the lake suddenly comes into view, the still water sparkling in the moonlight. There is a full moon out tonight, aiding in being able to see everything around me. I approach the lake, looking around wearily, scared of what might happen next.
My heart stops when my eyes lock on a shadowy figure standing on the arched, wooden bridge that stretches across the lake. The figure is leaning on the railing, its back turned to me, as it stands completely motionless.
I know it's David. I know it is.
I gather every ounce of courage in my body to begin walking towards the bridge. My footsteps are completely silent but I am way more concerned about my racing heart being louder. I finally approach one end of the bridge, stopping in my tracks as I stare at the motionless figure. I run my hand over the smooth wood of the railing as I place my foot on the bridge with a creak. My eyes shoot up to look at the figure in panic, but it has not moved. I blink in pure terror, my heart pounding wildly in my chest as I take another creaky step. I make my way slowly to the middle of the bridge where the figure is leaning on the railing. My breathing is now irregular and ragged in fear as I stand a few feet away from the shadowy figure.
"This place," the person whispers so quiet it's barely audible. Even though the voice is so silent, it still startles me insanely. My heart jumps and I breathe quickly in terror.
"A lot of things happened here, at this place," the voice continues, soft but raspy, and oh-so familiar. The bridge creaks as the person stands up straight, causing me to take a step back. The person turns their head so I can now see their face. It feels as if the air has been knocked out of me as I lay eyes on my past.
David.
"Do you remember all of our memories from this place?" he whispers. "Do you still think about all of the memories we made here, Louis?" he asks, startling me when I hear my name being said. I stay silent, truly not having the ability to speak. He chuckles quietly and lets out a sigh.
"Oh, sweetheart. Always so impossible," he says, stressing the last word, jogging my memory of the moment I was reminiscing on in the car.
"But you see, I am quite impossible, as well, as I have been told by someone long ago," he says, taking a step closer to me, causing me to take a step back in fear.
"And that is quite correct, Louis. I am VERY impossible," he hisses at me. "I have learned over the years that it is way more fun to do the impossible. And these past couple of days, I definitely have accomplished the impossible!" he says in a laughing tone, taking another step closer to me.
"I mean, I abducted your cute, little sister with ease, found a way to put a tracker on your phone, managed to give you enough clues to lead you here... FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, LOUIS!" he screams, making me jump as his voice echoes through the woods.
"LOUIS, I MANAGED TO BRING YOU HERE! I MANAGED TO BRING YOU TO THE EXACT SPOT WHERE I PROPOSED TO YOU! THE PLACE WHERE YOU DENIED ME!" he screams, gesturing his arms out at where we are standing on the bridge. He clears his throat and appears to be straightening his tie as he steps into better view, lit up in the moonlight. I gasp as I realize what he is wearing. He is wearing the exact suit and tie that he wore after graduation when he proposed to me; the suit from the picture he sent me. The pants are a bit short on him and the jacket is tight, making him look even crazier.
"So, indeed, Louis. You can say that I am rather impossible," he says with a smirk; a smirk that sends me tumbling back into the past once more.
"And I brought you here," he says fixing the collar of his suit jacket. "To give you a second chance," he finishes as he gets down on one knee, making my whole body go numb.
"David-" I manage to squeak as tears quickly blur my vision.
"But-" he adds quickly. "There is one thing I should mention," he says, biting his lip.
"You don't really have a choice here, love."
He smiles deviously, his eyes crinkling at the outer corners as he looks behind him.
"Zayn!" he calls out loudly, making my eyes widen in shock.
What?!
I hear distant footsteps approaching as a figure suddenly appears, walking up the opposite side of the bridge. As I look closer, I see that the figure is dragging someone along beside him. When I realize who it is, my heart drops into my stomach.
Lottie.
My mouth drops open, not knowing if I want to scream or cry, but nothing comes out. The figure drags Lottie over closer to us on her knees, her quiet cries barely able to be heard. In the moonlight, I can see that she is gagged and the man that is standing next to her is Zayn. I look at him in anguish, fury, and confusion all at the same time. He stares back at me blankly before pulling a gun out of his back pocket, loading it with a gut wrenching click that echoes through the forest. He places it to my sister's temple who lets out a terrified, muffled scream. My eyes overflow with tears and they stream down my face quickly, my lip quivering.
How? Why?
Zayn?
My eyes shift back down to David that is kneeling in front of me and I sniffle hard.
This is it.
I know what I have to do to save my sister.
Tears continue to drip down my cheeks as David reaches into his back pocket. I so badly want to sob, scream, just anything, but I choose to remain silent. David pulls out a very familiar, small, black velvet box and slowly opens it, revealing the same silver band that he proposed to me with almost four years ago. I sniffle hard and stare down at him in agony.
"Louis William Tomlinson, love me until the end of time?" he asks quietly but firmly, and I can tell that this time, it's not a question. My eyes flicker over to Zayn standing with the gun against my sister's head, then to lock eyes with Lottie's horrified, panic stricken stare, and then back to David, who is staring up at me calmly, a small smile playing on his lips. I take a deep breath and swallow hard before I slowly nod.
"Yes," I whisper.
David quickly stands up and takes my face in his hands, crashing our lips together in a kiss that is exploding with passion. He holds my neck gently with one hand as he moves his lips against mine in perfect rhythm. His other hand rests on my side, holding me close to him. I close my eyes as more tears begin to run down my face.
"Oh, Louis. I love you more than anything," David coos as he plants passionate kisses on my swollen lips. His hand grips my side tighter as he takes notice of my silence. I swallow hard and slowly pull away from his lips.
"I love you, too," I respond, looking him in the eyes, feeling an intense aching throughout my whole body.
This is not right.
I watch as David motions for Zayn to put the gun down. Zayn tosses the gun to David who slips it in his back pocket. Then Zayn takes the gag off of Lottie and unties her hands from behind her back. She quickly stumbles over to me, kneeling on the ground behind me and burying her face into my thigh. She is shaking terribly, but I am scared to make over her too much at the moment with David staring straight at me.
David carefully takes the ring out of the box and looks at me with a small, expectant smile. I shakily and hesitantly place my left hand in his and watch as he slides the band up my finger to reveal a perfect fit. He sighs contently before taking both of my hands in his.
"Forever?" he whispers, blinking at me from under his eyelashes. A few more tears roll down my cheeks as I begin to nod with my eyes closed. I open my eyes and sniffle, taking a deep breath.
"Forever."
My heart jumps at the sudden sound of a gun being loaded with a click from behind David. I breathe hard, my eyes wide, unable to move a muscle. David's eyes squint in suspicion as he goes to release my hands and turn around.
"Don't you even think about moving a muscle," a familiar voice threatens from behind David. I swallow hard and manage to move my head enough to see who it is.
Charles, the head of security, with a pistol to the back of David's head.
I blink wildly as I hear the sound of police sirens approaching in the distance. The flashing blue and red lights begin to light the dark forest. I sigh in relief, wanting to fall to the ground in exhaustion.
But at the end of the bridge stands someone who has seen a few minutes too many.
Harry.
As the moon illuminates his visage, I can see the tears that are spilling down his face as he stares at me with a look of disbelief and horror. Our eyes are locked together; both frozen in time. I don't even notice Lottie crying into my leg, the policemen dragging David and Zayn away, or Charles asking if I am alright.
I look down at the ring on my finger and then back up at Harry, the agony and pain obvious on his face. I open my mouth to yell something, but words refuse to form in my throat. I watch as Harry gives me a slight nod, taking one last look at me, before walking away and disappearing into the black of the night.