TW: talk and details of torture and murder
"You shouldn't have done that." Dylan's voice was low as he spoke to me.
His head dipped low as he looked up at me through his lashes making me feel as if I was going to pass out right here on his bedroom floor.
I could practically feel the anger dripping off of him.
I really shouldn't have done that. I know I shouldn't have. The realization of what I did was now coursing through me as I took in Dylan's appearance and I regretted my actions more than anything.
I knew better than to provoke him.
I know better than to give him a reason to want to hurt me. So why would I do that?
In a split second decision I turned and ran as fast as I could from him towards the bedroom door. His footsteps were heavy as they landed behind me swiftly, my heart nearly stopping knowing he was following after me.
I fumbled with the lock, my shaky hands betraying me as I tried my hardest to steady them and unlock the door before he reached me.
My breathing was erratic and there was a ringing in my ears that was so high pitched it was causing my vision to blur. The sickening fear I felt in the pit of my stomach was starting to make me break out in a sweat.
I think I'm going to pass out.
I felt a hand on my shoulder quickly snatching me around to face him. I let out a sob begging him to stop, but I knew it wouldn't change anything. It seemed as if my tears only fueled him further.
Every time.
I screamed as loud as I could for help. My throat felt like I swallowed shards of glass from how desperately loud I had screamed in hopes that someone would hear me. As I screamed he let out a devilish laugh feeding off of my fear like it was all some kind of sick game to him.
My bottom lip trembled as I met his eyes. Cold. Lifeless. Blue eyes.
"Rori!"
I snapped my eyes open, not able to process my surroundings, sweat coating my body as I panted for breath.
"Rori, I'm here! It's me, it's Chloe." I heard a muffled voice speaking to my right.
I snapped my head over to see Chloe's panic struck eyes searching mine as she gripped my hand tightly in hers.
I swallowed, straining against my raw throat as I brought my hands up to my head to try and control the pounding pressure in my temples. I continued to take in deep breaths and hold them for a few seconds before letting them out slowly to try and get my erratic breathing under control.
I haven't had one of these in over a year. I thought I had finally grown out of them but I guess not...
"What happened?" Chloe spoke softly to me after a few minutes when my breathing had gone back to normal.
"Night terror." I mumbled with my head still in my hands as the pounding continued to course through my temples.
"When did those start?" Chloe's meek voice asked, trying to grip onto any bit of information I was willing to offer her.
I sighed before leaning back into the couch pulling my knees up to my chest hugging them. "When I was ten." I let out a bitter laugh. "It was just another thing for my mom to bitch at me about, as if I could actually help it."
My nightmares started when I was really young, but they didn't turn into night terrors until I was about ten.
My mom hated it. She would complain about me keeping her up at night. She'd tell me to stop them like I had some sort of control over it. Trust me, if it was my choice I wouldn't have had them.
Stacy is the one who finally got me to get "control" over them. By that I mean my doctor put me on more medication. But even then I'd still have them randomly.
"I've never..." Chloe trailed off slightly as I pressed my check to my knees looking at her. "I've never heard you have one before."
"I haven't had one here." I said honestly. "The last one I had was at my old apartment."
"What causes them?"
I lifted my head up from my knees, pursing my lips as I looked to the carpeted floor in front of me.
I wish I knew.
"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that. I'm asking too many questions." Chloe said and I could hear the sincerity in her voice.
"No, it's not that." I shook my head slightly as I spoke. "I just honestly have no idea what causes them, but I wish I did."
I reached my arms up above my head while putting my legs out straight in front of me, pointing my toes to try and stretch out my cramped up limbs the best I could. When I brought my hands back down I looked around for my phone but couldn't find it anywhere on my blanket. I slipped my hand into the side of the couch between the cushion, finally finding it as I moved my hand forward a bit.
I brought it out and tried to check the time but it was dead so I looked up to the clock on our wall.
10:08
"Oh my god!" I gasped.
How did we sleep this long?
"What?!" Chloe's head bolted back towards me with a look of fear crossing her eyes. "What happened?"
"It's past ten!" I gaped at her, still not understanding how it was this late.
We're supposed to be starting our shift at the club right now.
"Holy shit..." She mumbled putting her hand on her chest showing that I had scared her. "Freaking scared me."
"Sorry." I said in slight embarrassment.
Chloe only brushed it off with a small laugh. "Did Blue Bell drug that ice cream?" As she spoke she used the heels of her palms to wipe the remaining sleep from her eyes.
"I have no idea." I said as I stood from the couch. "We have to get ready for work, we needed to get there a little early so we can run through the routine one more time before doing it tonight. We have no time for anything, I can't believe this!"
"Rori..." Chloe mumbled to me from where she still sat on the couch watching me with attentive eyes. "We're not going to work tonight. I told Imani that we had some personal stuff going on and she told us to go ahead and take a few days to ourselves. I was going to tell you when we woke up but I honestly didn't think we'd sleep until this time."
I furrowed my brows as I looked down to where Chloe still sat on the couch. "Why wouldn't I go to work? The girls have all worked so hard on the routine and—"
"We can still do the routine, just not tonight." Chloe took her bottom lip in between her teeth as she thought for a moment. "Just a few days for you, okay? After everything you've been through you deserve to give that to yourself."
I swallowed, looking away from her. I slowly sat back onto the couch next to her. "Okay..." I mumbled.
"And I'll be here with you. For anything you need." Chloe reached over to take hold of my hand giving it a small squeeze. "I'll always be here."
"Promise?" The question fumbled out of my mouth before I could even think about what I was asking.
Chloe put her arm over my shoulder, pulling me to her softly. "Aurora Brielle Walker, you couldn't get rid of me even if you tried. You're stuck with me like gum on the bottom of your shoe."
I let out a small laugh shaking my head at her words as I pulled away from her.
That's something I've always liked about Chloe. She has a terrible sense of humor but it always makes me laugh anyway.
"Well..." I began, "If we aren't going to work, can we go get something to eat? The ice cream was good last night but I need real food now."
"You read my mind." Chloe smiled as she stood from the couch. "McDonalds?"
"Sure." I shrugged as I stood next to her, both of us sliding on our slippers that were laying on the floor. "You're driving though."
Chloe rolled her eyes as she headed for the front door. "Fine, but you're paying."
I laughed grabbing my phone from the couch, then turned to follow Chloe towards the door, both of us grabbing our wallets and Chloe grabbing her keys.
After locking our front door we headed down the hall to the elevator. We could take the stairs but we live on the third story so we'd rather take the extra time to wait on the elevator to come up to our floor.
Both of us were still in our pajamas. Tank tops, fluffy pants and fluffy socks with our slippers. Chloes were unicorns and mine were rainbow llamas.
Real grown up, I know.
After reaching Chloe's car I grabbed the spare charger and plugged in my very dead phone. Chloe did the same and started to play music, her phone somehow not dying during our hibernation.
I laughed as Hurricane by Halsey was now filling the car.
Chloe began hopping around to the music as she pulled out of the parking lot of our apartment. Parts of her curly brown hair falling from the bun she had thrown it in last night were bouncing with each movement she made.
"I went down to a place in Brooklyn where you tripped on LSD and I found myself reminded to keep you far away from me." Chloe sang, pointing dramatically out of the windshield as if she were Halsey performing this song in front of a stadium full of people.
I shook my head with a smile as I watched her continue to dance and sing when she pulled up to a red light. The car beside us started rolling down their passenger window as Chloe continued to sing along to the music.
"I'm a wanderess, I'm a one night stand."
The guy next to us sitting in the passenger seat of the car stuck his arm out and signaled for Chloe to roll the window down, winking as he gave a smirk.
"Don't belong to no city, don't belong to no man." Chloe stuck her middle finger up against the glass towards the guys in the car as she pressed hard on the gas taking off at a speed making her tires skid against the pavement.
I watched as Chloe went back to her singing and dancing as if nothing had happened, my own laughs being drowned lol it by the music.
But just as quickly as she had taken off, Chloe's expression suddenly changed from a smile to a much more serious one, the words of the song faltering on her lips as she stared out the windshield. She stretched her arm over to turn down the radio as she furrowed her eyebrows together and slowed the car down.
I turned my head to look at what she was seeing. Red and blue lights quickly filling my vision.
"What the hell...?" I muttered.
Cops.
At least six cars were pulled into the hardware store that I worked at. Crime tape was over the entrance and exit so no one could pull in, the same tape covering the entrance to the store itself.
I reached for my phone, tapping the screen to see I had fourteen missed calls and nine texts.
"Holy shit..." I whispered as I read some of the texts.
"What?" Chloe looked to me quickly, then back to the road as we passed the store.
"It's Frank." I mumbled. "Someone broke in after closing and... Oh my god!" My eyes snapped wide. "He's dead. Someone killed him."
"What?!" Chloe's shrill voice caused me to jump at her sudden outburst. "What do you mean someone killed Frank? I didn't even get to expose him for being the grimy cheating pervert he was." She slumped back against her seat as she continued driving.
Okay... not the response I was expecting.
"Kaia text me and said that someone broke all of the cameras and wiped the surveillance in the store for the entire day today and yesterday." I paused scrolling down to read the next part, "They tied him up in the back room with rope and..."
"And what?"
"They tortured him." I put my phone into my lap, locking the screen after I read the last text.
"Tortured?" Chloe pressed. "What do you mean tortured?"
I pursed my lips as she pulled into the McDonalds driveway. "He had missing fingers, some of his teeth were next to where he sat tied in the back room and his tongue was cut out." A swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat, "He also had stab wounds."
Chloe's head snapped over to face me as she pulled in behind a white truck in the drive thru.
"Holy shit..." She muttered.
"Yeah." I nodded my head. "Apparently when they were done they cut his throat and left him there."
"How did the cops find him if it happened tonight right after closing?" Chloe asked. "How do we even know all of this if it literally only happened a few hours ago. I mean, the store closed at eight, right? It's only..." She paused looking down to the time. "Ten thirty."
"Apparently his wife has been suspicious of him cheating for a while. When the store closed at eight she waited for him to come out at his usual time around eight twenty, but he never did." I looked down at my phone as a new text came through. "She waited until after nine and by that time she figured the girl he was cheating on her with was in the store with him. She planned on using her key to get in but when she walked up she saw that the lock had been busted. She searched the store and finally found him like that in the back room."
"Woah..." Chloe's eyes widened as she began to process what I had said to her. "He was a terrible person but I feel bad for his wife. I couldn't imagine finding someone I love like that... I wonder who did it."
I shrugged. "No idea. Kaia only knows because she babysits their younger kids from time to time so Frank's wife text her to let her know. Kaia only told me because she had a feeling I wasn't coming back after what happened last night."
There were a few moments of silence as Chloe pulled up a spot in the drive thru.
"Well they knew what time the store closed and they wiped the surveillance, so obviously had a plan going into it. If they tortured him they must have wanted information or something..." Chloe spoke lowly as she reached down to press the button for her window to roll down.
I stared at her wondering where all of that had come from. My wide eyes looked at her in questioning as she turned her head towards me.
"What? My dad was the sheriff of the town I live in before moving here. It's not the first time I've heard about this stuff." She shrugged before speaking again. "One thing's for sure though... Whoever it was, they knew what they were doing."
———
I opened my journal in front of me from where I sat at the kitchen table and began to fill the pages with everything that has been going on lately.
Chloe was right.
Well, she usually always is but that's not my point.
I really did need a few days off. A few days to recenter myself and let myself breathe.
Honestly, it's been great. Chloe and I have been binge watching a lot of shows and even finished a few of them that we'd previously started together. At the moment I have her hooked on Adventure Time.
Can you believe she's never watched a single episode?!
We had to get Hulu to watch it but it was totally worth it if you ask me.
She says the Ice King is creepy and yeah, he is, but he has a pretty cool backstory as the show progresses. But the whole kidnapping princesses thing is still weird.
We spent the majority of yesterday doing face masks, getting our nails done, our eyebrows waxed and getting hair cuts. Well, I got a trim, not really a full cut. Just the dead ends off and a little bit of layering touch ups.
My mom always made me keep my hair really short when I was younger. She said it was easier to manage and that since I was her child it was her choice.
So after I started living with Stacy I let my hair grow out. It's actually pretty long now and I love it. I've never dyed it or anything so it's pretty healthy as well.
I've loved the time I've gotten to spend with Chloe these last few days. Everything feels good.
I feel good.
But it makes me nervous. I just feel like something is going to happen.
Everytime I allow myself to be happy, something always comes in the way of it and ruins it. I know that sounds dumb and I shouldn't think that way but it's the truth.
I'm scared.
I don't want to lose this feeling.
I wish things could stay like this. Pure happiness. The kind of happiness where you don't have to try, it's just there.
I don't feel empty right now.
These last few days have helped me more than I could have ever imagined. Finally being more open with Chloe has allowed us to get closer and I've realized what it truly means to have a best friend.
Growing up I wanted a sibling just to have someone to talk to, but I knew it was best for me to be an only child because of how bad things were in my house. Even in my loneliest of times I never wanted someone else to have to go through the things that I was.
Yet there was always an empty feeling, like I needed someone else. A feeling that I shouldn't be alone.
Then I found Chloe.
From the start everything with us was easy. Her outgoing personality brought me out of my shell and before I knew it she was dragging me to bars around town.
Chloe comes from a small town in Texas, and she always told me how she grew up a bit "rebellious". Since her parents both worked for the city she had a lot of rules in her house.
I bet they would have a stroke if they knew half of the stories Chloe has told me. Most of them are from her high school days, but all of them consisting of very illegal things.
After a few weeks of knowing each other I felt a bond with Chloe that I have never felt with anyone before. She's shown me that life can be better.
You just have to keep fighting.
"Are you ever gonna tell me what you're writing in there?" The sound of Chloe's voice pulled my attention back to reality and away from my journal.
I looked up from the kitchen table to see Chloe sitting cross legged on the couch eating ice cream straight from the tub.
I shook my head with a smile, "Gotta keep some secrets to myself."
"Ooh... Secrets?" She raised her eyebrows with an amused look. "Haven't you ever heard that secrets don't make friends?"
The theme song to Adventure Time started playing from the TV and Chloe's eyes shifted back over to the screen.
"A cross over episode! Marshall Lee better be in this." Chloe snuggled into her seat on the couch as she shoveled another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
"He is." I laughed.
She cocked her head looking over to me. "How many times have you seen this show?"
I shut my journal, standing up from the table. "This show started around the time I moved in with my aunt and I had a TV in my room so I was able to watch episodes when they aired. I've seen all of them more than once, that's for sure." I let out a small laugh at the end.
"I can't believe I didn't know this show existed." Chloe shook her head as she looked back to the TV. "I'm hooked."
I grabbed my journal off of the table and headed towards the hallway. "I'm gonna take a shower."
"Alright." Chloe answered as I stepped down the hall towards my room.
I threw my journal onto my bed and walked back out to the bathroom across the hall. Chloe's room had a bathroom attached to it so I just used the one in the hall. It didn't bother me thing. Chloe puts in extra money for rent every month since she has the bigger room and bathroom.
I've told her countless times that she doesn't need to do that but she's hard headed. Once she gets set on something, there's no changing her mind.
I walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me and headed for the shower. I turned on the water to heat up then began to strip from my pajamas.
I swear Chloe and I have lived in nothing but pajamas for the last few days.
I stepped into the shower allowing the hot water to envelop my body. I sighed in relief as I felt the water begin to loosen my tense muscles.
I tilted my head back to let the water soak into my hair before reaching down to grab my shampoo. I lathered the coconut scented shampoo into my hair before rinsing it out and putting the conditioner on the ends of my hair.
I found that using it only on the very ends of my hair works best for me. I used to put it up to the middle of my hair but it just ended up looking greasy the next day so I started only putting it on the ends and it has worked out so much better.
I grabbed my loofa from where it hung on the side of the shower and squeezed out some of my watermelon lemonade body wash Chloe had gotten for me a few weeks ago when a store was having having a sale. It smells so good.
I quickly wash over my body before grabbing my razor. We finally go back to work tomorrow so I decided to go ahead and shave tonight.
It's annoying but it's not like I have the money for any kind of hair removal.
After placing my razor back against the magnetic strip on the wall I turned my body to face the water. As the water ran down me, my eyes trailed down to look at the skin of my left hip bone.
I slowly trailed my fingers along the jagged scar across my skin. The deep red and white colored tissue standing out from the rest of my olive tone.
If I looked hard enough I could still see the faint marks from where the stitches had been to hold my skin back together and help it heal properly.
My fingers shook as I traced the tips of my fingers across the prominent scar, my mind falling back to how I had gotten it.
Quickly I pulled my hand away with a deep sigh closing my eyes. I don't need to think about that now.
I double checked to make sure all of the conditioner was out of my hair and that the soap was off of my body before shutting off the water and stepping out of the shower.
I patted the towel over my legs to try and stop most of the water dripping before wrapping the now damp towel over my body and heading out of the bathroom.
I walked into my room and headed for my dresser. I pulled out a black tank top, my black and white plaid shorts and underwear.
After drying myself off a little more I dropped the towel onto my chair and quickly pulled on my clothes. I grabbed the towel again and roughed it through my hair a bit.
I know it's not good for your hair to do that but my hair holds too much water and I don't want it to drip all over the floor.
I walked back out into the hallway, stepping into the bathroom and hanging my towel back up on the hook then headed back towards the living room.
"Rori..." Chloe trailed off with a whine in her voice.
"What?" I narrowed my eyes as I looked at her knowing she was about to ask for something.
Chloe's face broke out into a huge grin as she folded her hands in front of her in a pleading manner. "Will you please please please get me some cookies from Subway?" She stuck her bottom lip out as she looked up at me through her lashes. "I'd go myself but you've gotten me addicted to this stupid show... but I really want cookies. You can even take my card and get whatever you want."
It's after midnight but there is a 24 hour Subway just down the street from us that Chloe loved to go to after a shift at the club.
I pursed my lips as I shook my head watching her childlike behavior. "Please?" She pleaded again.
"Okay, I guess I can get you some cookies." I agreed as I slid on my slippers and stuck my phone into the pocket of my shorts.
"Really?" Chloe's face lit up as she watched me head for the door. "You're the best."
I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my wallet and keys from the table next to our front door. "Yeah, yeah, I know."
Our apartment building is pretty safe. You need a code to access our parking garage and there's cameras everywhere, so I never feel like I'm in danger when I'm walking to or from my car at night. Granted, I do still keep myself aware of my surroundings just in case.
After waiting for what felt like ten minutes for the elevator it finally came up to my floor and carried me down to where my car was parked.
I unlocked my door and got in, turning on the car and plugging in my phone. I started pulling out of of my spot and heading towards the gate. On my way there I pressed shuffle on my music, Sex, Drugs, Ect. by Beach Weather starting to fill the speakers in my car.
"Late night, telephone. Calling all the wallflowers I know." I listened as I began to pull out of the parking garage.
I could listen to music all day while doing absolutely nothing else and be totally fine with it. Honestly I think I owe everything to music.
I dance to music.
I do all of my artwork while listening to music.
And when the world is too much sometimes I just sit in my room with the lights off and tune out everything else. I just put in my headphones and let reality slip away while listening to music.
I may not be the best singer, but when I'm alone in my car I put on full concerts for anyone driving by. It's kind of funny to me because of how shy I am, yet when someone puts on music I turn into a totally different person.
"Out of touch in harmony. Designer drugs from dead-end streets. Break the air to feel the fall, or just feel anything at all."
I opened my mouth and was about to sing along to the next lines when I heard a deafening pop coming from the left side of my car as I hit a bump in the road going through the green light a couple of blocks away from my apartment building.
"No way!" I nearly screamed as my car jolted hard to the left.
My car slowed to a stop as I pulled up to the edge of the road near the sidewalk, my entire car now visibly slanted to the left.
I looked around at the dimly lit street, only a few street lights were working and this street was pretty dead at night. Honestly, it's giving me the creeps.
"Of course this would happen to me." I leaned forward and hit my head on the steering wheel letting out a frustrated groan.
After another minute of self pit I opened my door and looked down over the door to see my tire was in fact popped.
I let out another frustrated groan as I walked around my open door to look down at the tire again. I threw my head back and threaded my fingers into my still wet hair as a car zoomed past me on the road.
I looked over to my left when I heard a screech as the black Range Rover that had flew past me came to a stop about a hundred feet past me. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as it started quickly backing up towards me.
I walked around to where I stood by my open door, able to jump in quickly if needed and watched as the black car continued to back up until it was even with me, stopping next to me about 6 feet away.
As the car continued to sit there I backed up a few steps, feeling my car against my back as I bumped into it. I was about to jump into my car and lock the doors but the window started rolling down in the Range Rover.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me." I mumbled to myself as I watched the window lower to reveal the face of the person sitting in the passenger seat.
"Hello darlin'." He gave me a wide grin. "Need some help?"
Is this the universe's way of laughing at me?
After having a good week, a great week actually, the world decided it was enough. I didn't deserve anything else good to happen.
So that's how I ended up here. On the side of the road with a flat tire in the middle of the night with Niall smiling at me from the passenger seat of the Black Range Rover.
Could this get any worse?
"Pull over would ya? Let's help the lady out." Niall looked over to the driver as he spoke.
Shit.
Of course H would be with him. Why wouldn't he be?
So I guess to answer my own question, yes. Yes, this can in fact get worse. I watched as the car parked in front of mine, backing up until it was only a few feet away.
The passenger door opened and Niall stepped out shutting his door before walking over to me.
Of course all of this has to happen to me when I'm in my freaking pajamas.
Oh no.
I looked down to see my fluffy rainbow llama slippers on my feet. I seriously couldn't have put on my vans? I had to wear these?
I groaned softly as I cupped my hands over my face, hearing another car door shut assuming it was H.
"You got an extra tire?" Niall's voice rang out causing me to drop my hands from my face and look at him.
"Mhm." I nodded as I tried to pull my tank top down a little further to cover the small portion of my stomach that was showing. "It's in the trunk."
Niall nodded and headed towards the back of my car as I saw H lean against the back of his car looking down at his phone.
"As long as you notice I'm hoping that you'll keep your heart open. I'll keep mine open too." Prey by The Neighbourhood started to play out of my speakers through my still open led car door. "If you don't ask, I won't tell. Just know that, just know that. It all hurts, it all hurts just the same."
"Can I?" Niall pointed to my trunk asking if he could open it.
I nodded and wrapped my arms around myself as I watched Niall open the trunk in search of the tire. After fishing it out along with the metal thingy to change the tire with, he closed the trunk and walked over to the flat while rolling the good tire along the pavement.
"Something is wrong, I can't explain."
I watched as Niall leaned the tire against my car, dropping the tool in his hand to the ground and started walking towards the back door of the Range Rover they were in.
I looked to H to see him still scrolling on his phone, leaning against the back of the car with his right leg kicked over his left, his free arm resting on his lower stomach.
His button down shirt was done up a little more than halfway. The headlights from my car shining on him to highlight the features of his face.
I swear it should be illegal for someone to look that go— Shut up, Rori.
My thoughts seem to run wild anytime I look at him without him realizing. When he doesn't meet my gaze I don't feel intimidated by him so I allow myself to fully study him. But anytime his eyes look into mine I feel like I'm going to pass out from anxiety.
"So I'll probably take you aside and tell you what's on my mind. But you, you'll just keep it inside. Probably tell me that you're alright."
I look away from H as I hear Niall shut the car door. I heard the scuff of his shoes against the pavement as he turned towards me and started to walk over.
When he reaches me I look down to see a red and black flannel in his hand and a car jack in the other. He extends his hold the flannel out to me while saying, "Here, it's kind of cold."
I look to the flannel and realized I still had my arms wrapped around myself to try and shield some of the cool air from my body.
It's May but it still gets cold in New York and tonight was one of the cooler nights this week. It's 58 degrees which doesn't sound too cold I know, but I'm also wearing shorts and a tank top, and my hair is still wet from my shower.
I look back up to his eyes, "You sure?"
"Well yeah, I don't want you to get sick. Your hairs wet." His eyes move to my hair.
Well, that was thoughtful.
I reached out to feel the material between my fingers before taking a hold of it myself. "Thank you." I said to him as I slipped the material up my arms and the tops of my shoulders.
I pulled my hair out from underneath it and layer it over the flannel, my shoulders instantly feeling warmer now that my cold hair wasn't lying directly on them. The flannel is actually pretty thick so it's really warm. It fell a little above mid thigh on me so it covered more skin than my shorts, but at least I felt less exposed now.
It also smells really good.
I breathed in deeply in a sigh, the scent from the flannel filling my nose as I did so.
I wrapped it tightly around my body as Niall knelt down to start working on my tire. "Don't thank me darlin', it's not mine'."
I felt my body freeze as I stared at the back of his blonde head.
Who's flannel is it? Why did he offer it to me of it's not his?
My eyes looked up as I turned my head towards H, his eyes already locked on me.
Seriously?
His lips pressed into a flat line as his eyes slowly trailed from my face down to my llama slippers. He paused for a moment before looking back up into my eyes.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't—" I stammered as I lifted my arm to my shoulder to pull the flannel from my body.
Niall's head turned so he could look back towards me, "Don't apologize to him, it's not like he was using it."
"I can't just wear someone's clothes without them saying it's okay." I argued back.
Niall rolled his eyes, glancing over to H before looking back towards my car. "Doesn't look like he minds to me."
I sighed, crossing my arms against my chest as I looked up to the sky in defeat. Niall wasn't going to let me take off the flannel so I guess I'll just sit here wearing it and smelling it like a weirdo.
I looked back towards H to see his attention was no longer on me and that he was back to scrolling through his phone. Maybe Niall was right. If he had a problem with it he would have said something, right? He could have said something when he was looking at me or when Niall had said he didn't mind.
Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better.
I stepped over to my car, ducking in to turn it off and take out the key. I unplugged my phone and stuffed it into my pocket before getting back out and closing my door.
I leaned against my car watching as Niall continued to change my tire for me.
After a few minutes of sitting in silence I decided to speak up again. "Thank you for stopping."
Niall let out a laugh as he turned his head towards me again, laying both of his arms down to rest on his knees from where he was crouching. "Well we wouldn't want some psycho stopping and offering you help, would we?" He said to me with a flat look before giving me a smile.
Something about that sentence made my stomach flip.
"Heard about what happened at the hardware store you work at." Niall spoke again as he started back to work on my tire. "Whoever did that is still out there and a girl like yourself doesn't need to be on the side of the road alone in the middle of the night."
I pursed my lips, looking down to the pavement. "Yeah, it's awful. I feel bad for his wife."
"Have you been back there since it happened?" Niall questioned.
I shook my head even though I knew he couldn't see me. "No... I actually quit that night... the night you guys were there, I mean." I decided not to give any details. I didn't really want to think about it anyway.
"Hm..." Niall hummed. "Boss was was a dick anyway."
I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at the back of his head. "When did you talk to him?"
Niall looked to his left to give H a look. H had his head cocked with his eyebrows raised as he waited for Niall to respond.
Niall looked back to my tire as he stood up, dusting off his hands. "Doesn't take a genius to know he's the reason you were crying that night." Niall looked towards me, his blue eyes meeting mine. "I saw him looking out from the back door when we were about to leave and got bad vibes from him. Then I heard him calling for you when I turned around."
A snickering laugh caught both mine and Niall's attention, our eyes moving to look at H.
"What's funny?" Niall questioned with a hard look as he folded his arms over his chest.
H shrugged, raising his eyebrows and nodding his head towards Niall. "You tell me."
There was a moment of silence as they stared at each other. H was a smirk on his face as Niall clutches the car jack in his hand.
Then finally Niall shook his head looking back at me. "Anyway... Your tire is all good now. Shouldn't be causing you any more problems tonight."
"Thank you so much. Honestly I should have paid attention to what you were doing, I need to learn how to change it myself." I said with a small laugh.
I watched as Niall grabbed the flat tire, his eyes flashing up to meet mine. "Well maybe I'll teach you sometime."
I hope not.
It's nothing against Niall. I think he's really nice, it's just that wherever Niall is, H is always there too.
I honestly don't think I can handle being around him anymore. His attitude is awful and he makes me angry without even saying anything. He just put out bad vibes and I don't like it.
"Yeah, maybe." I gave Niall a smile.
"We'll take care of this for you." Niall motioned down to the old tire.
I heard a door shut and saw that H had already gotten into his car. I watched Niall open the trunk, the rope they had bought the other night wound up on the floorboard.
He shoved the tire inside before slamming the trunk shut, then turned to me with a wide smile, "See ya around, darlin'." He gave me a wink before walking around to get into the passenger seat.
Before my brain could even think of a response the sound of squealing tires filled my ears, the Range Rover shooting forward at an ungodly speed.
I rolled my eyes reaching into my pocket for my keys. "Aw, shit." I cursed as I looked down to the flannel still on my body.
I groaned, throwing my head back a bit dramatically. I looked back down to my car and unlocked the door to get inside and slam the door shut behind me.
I'm a matter of seconds I was pulling away from the curb and beginning to drive again, this time in silence.
Well, that is before I stopped at a red light a few blocks down.
Squeezing my eyes shut I let out the loudest scream I could. Even with my windows up I'm sure if there was someone on the other side of the street they could have heard me.
After screaming there was a feeling of instant relief washing over my body. Sometimes you just need to do it, you know?
I was lost in my thoughts the entire time I drove to get Chloe's stupid cookies. I wasn't going to originally, but I decided to go ahead and get some for myself too. I deserve them after tonight.
I grabbed the bag of cookies, my key, my wallet and my phone as I got out of my car once I finally got home. I locked my door and headed up towards the elevator hoping it wouldn't take a long time.
But, as always, the elevator took next to forever. Just another thing to annoy me tonight I guess.
By the time I made it up to my apartment all I wanted to do was curl up in my bed and sleep until I had to get up for work tomorrow.
"Hey!" Chloe's voice rang out as I stepped through the door, laying my keys and wallet on the table. "I was worried about you, I tried calling you like fifty times!"
I looked over to see her standing by the kitchen table with her phone in her hands. Her expression changed from worried to confused as she looked down to the flannel I was wearing.
"You weren't wearing that when you left." She stated.
I rolled my eyes as I walked towards the kitchen table. "Sorry, I didn't get your calls. I had my phone on do not disturb."
"What the hell happened?" Chloe's eyes watched me cautiously as my hand dove into the bag to fish out a chocolate chip cookie.
I took a big bite out of it, my eyes closing in happiness as I ate the first bite of my cookie.
"I blew a tire." I mumbled through the cookie.
"What? How?" Chloe asked as she grabbed a cookie of her own.
I shrugged as I swallowed. "No idea."
Chloe watched me expectantly as she waited for me to continue, taking a bite of her own cookie.
"You'll never guess who drove by." I walked over to the fridge as I spoke.
I pulled out the jug of milk and reached into the cabinet to grab a glass. "Who?" Chloe asked while I poured the milk.
"Niall and his stupid friend." I grumbled as I shoved the milk back into the refrigerator.
I looked over to see Chloe staring at me with a shocked expression. "No fucking way."
"Mhm." I hummed into the cup as I took a few gulps, then another bite of my cookie.
Chloe shook her head as she reached for another cookie. "Still don't know mystery guys name? Bet I could find him on social media or something and we could figure it out. You'd just have to tell me what Niall looks like."
"Nope." I said through another mouthful of the cookie. "I don't care to know H's name. I don't plan on talking to them again."
"What happened this time?" Chloe questioned as she leaned against the kitchen table. "Did he talk more?"
I took another drink from the milk in my cup before tossing it into the sink. I ran water into the cup and decided I'd wash it tomorrow. "He's just annoying. And he's always an ass."
"So he talked to you? What's he say?" She asked.
I shook my head. "No, he only said like three words the whole time. But this is his flannel." I held my arms out to show her the shirt I was wearing.
"His?" Chloe's confusion evident in her voice. "Please explain."
"Well..." I started. "Niall convinced him to pull over and after he got the tire out of my trunk he walked back over to the Range Rover, yes I said Range Rover, and he came back with this stupid flannel. He didn't tell me it was H's until I had it on and was already thinking how good it smells." I paused to lift my arm and walk towards Chloe, "Sniff it."
She furrowed her eyebrows at me but quickly obliged. She ducked her head down and took an audible smell of the flannel. "Wow... It really does smell good." Her eyebrows shot up as she pulled away.
"Mhm." I agreed. "And I tried to take it off but Niall said it was cold and H wouldn't mind. Which, H didn't say anything so I guess he didn't? I don't know. Then Niall brought up the hardware store and Frank being murdered, and said something about me not needing to be out late by myself, then the tire was fixed and they left." I ended my long rant with a huff.
Chloe pursed her lips as she nodded her head. "Sounds like you had an eventful night."
"That I did." I agreed as I grabbed another cookie. "And now I'm going to bed." I turned and headed towards the hallway leading towards my room.
"Okay." I could hear the amusement in Chloe's voice. "We can talk more about it tomorrow."
"No way." I groaned as I reached my door. "I never want to think about them again."