double update!!
Harry Styles
"I'm telling you, she's breaking." I throw a dart that hits just to the left of the board, almost a bullseye.
"Going to Times Square and kissing the back of your thumb doesn't scream true love to me." Niall closes one eye while aiming his dart.
I'm currently in the lead.
"I think he's getting somewhere for sure," Dez says in the booth to the left, polishing cups with Scarlett before the bar opens later.
"Thank you."
"Sounds like she's tricking you," Scarlett adds.
"I agree." Niall shoots his dart but hits an outer ring.
"She's not tricking me this time, I know it."
"I'm sure you thought the same thing before she left you cuffed to a bed with your pants down," Niall says under his breath.
"No, I think a part of me knew that was going to happen."
He laughs.
"You guys won't understand because you don't know her like I do." I get ready to throw my dart. "I saw a glimpse of her last night, not Mariana, Aven." I throw.
Bullseye.
"Harry, she's fucked up. I don't even think she knows who she is anymore." Niall throws but misses the board completely. "For fuck sake!"
He steps up to the board and takes off all the darts, bringing them back to us.
"She is still in there. There's a certain moment when her guard gets down and she's just staring at me as she used to. Deep down she's scared." I start aiming to throw my next dart.
"I think it's a tactic to lure you into bed and cut your dick off," Scarlett adds.
Her input makes my dart miss the board completely with the off-putting imagery.
Niall laughs.
"You're just bitter because she almost killed you," Dez says.
"Yeah, one gun to the head and you suddenly hate her." I agree.
"Sorry? When is that not a plausible reason to hate someone!" She slams her hands on the table.
"If I made enemies with every person that held a gun to my head, I'd have no friends." Niall states.
"He's got a point." I agree.
"Are you seriously telling me to get over it?"
"A little bit." I nod. "And if she wanted to kill you, she would've."
"You guys are dicks, I'm leaving." She starts getting up from the booth.
"No no no—" Dez laughs and wraps her arms around her, pulling her back in the seat. "We're just kidding."
The door to the back room swings open, the blue lights leaking out as Louis stands there looking like absolute garbage in his clothes from last night. Hair a mess and eyes nearly closed, he sways over to us as if he's in a dream.
"Sleeping beauty is that you?" Niall gasps.
"Sleeping beauty slept in the back room last night." Dez polishes.
"You locked up the bar with him inside?"
"What else was I gonna do? He was passed out." She shrugs.
Louis stumbles over and collapses stomach first into the booth side opposed to Scarlett and Dez. He lays there like he's about to go back to sleep, reeking of liquor.
"Another rough night?" Scarlett peaks over at the table at him.
"I think I'm dying." He barely makes a clear sentence with his cheek smushed into the leather seat.
"You said that yesterday morning," Dez says.
"I'm serious this time."
"Listen, I get you're in this whole 'I'm going to destroy myself so I don't feel anything' phase but I think we should start setting you some boundaries," I add.
"Fuck off."
I look at Niall, who shrugs. "You tried."
Louis flips around to lay on his back, propping his head up against the wall and taking out his cigarettes. "I'm not destroying myself," he takes the first drag before speaking again with swaying hands. "I'm simply...you know...living free or whatever."
"You smell like shit." Dez says.
"You look like shit." Scarlett adds.
"Appreciated." He says under his breath.
"Give the guy a break. He's getting more play than anyone. If anything, all of you should be taking notes."
"Excuse me but I'm getting just as much ass as that train wreck, thank you." Scarlett says while pointing at Louis as the train wreck.
"Yeah me too, so speak for yourself." Dez adds.
"Who are you fucking?" Niall furrows his brows at Dez specifically.
"That's none of your business." She chuckles while polishing glasses.
"Are you jealous?" I nudge Niall.
"No—I–She just never leaves this bar."
"He's definitely jealous," Scarlett murmurs.
"Definitely." I add.
"Fuck off, I was just asking a question."
"Your cheeks are getting rosy." Louis points.
"Find, I take it back. You do look and smell like shit." Niall snaps back at him.
Louis smirks into his cigarette knowing he's getting a rise out of Niall, not something that's easy come by. Usually, Niall's the one prodding at everyone else. It's fun to see him in the hot seat.
"Anyway, are you guys coming to the thing next week?" Scarlett states.
"What thing?"
"Scarlett...they're fugitives." Dez shakes her head.
"So? They hangout here every night, what's the difference?"
Dez huffs, "It's a party being held on the upper east side. It's a glow-in-the-dark-themed house thing. She thinks because it's going to be mainly dark that no one will recognize you."
"A party?"
"A big party. It's at one of those fancy multi-level townhouses. There's a pool and everything." Scarlett explains.
"I'll pass." I shake my head.
"I'll go." Niall nods.
"What! You can't."
"Why not? It's glow-in-the-dark, right? Probably the best theme for me to take part in."
"I'll go too." Louis nods.
"Are you guys insane?" I shake my head.
"Lighten up, we will go late when everyone's hammered and leave before it dies down."
"I agree with Harry, it's not a good idea." Dez shakes her head.
"I haven't been to a real party in ages," Niall says.
"That's nearly not worth it enough to go to prison." I add.
"You're just saying that because you don't drink or do coke anymore."
"I'm saying that because it's a stupid decision." I clarify.
"This is going to be our lives forever, Styles. You have to make the most of it." Niall shrugs.
"Don't call me to bail you out."
"Okay, so you guys will go? Minus Harry?" Scarlett smiles.
"Sounds fun." Niall nods. "Liam probably will too."
"Beautiful! So, who's driving?" She claps once.
"Oh, so you want us to come so we can give you a ride?" Niall laughs in speculation.
"It's just an added bonus."
"Harry will do drop off and pick up." Niall volunteers.
"Harry will not be doing that." I decline.
"What else are you gonna do? Cry yourself to sleep."
"Niall!" Dez furrows her brows.
"Don't be an ass." Scarlett adds as well.
"What! You're gonna tell me I'm wrong?" Niall gets offended.
"Harry, you don't need to drive us. We will be fine." Dez nods while polishing. "I'm opening in twenty minutes, you guys need to bail."
We all nod, Louis groaning as he gets up from the booth.
Aven Brooks
"Mariana..."
"Mariana."
"Mariana!"
I shoot my eyes open in startle, flinching awake to see a blurry sight of Zayn standing at the foot of my bed in a sweater and gym shorts. The room is still dark from the drawn curtains, but I can sense light peaking through. With one eye open, I look at the clock.
6:04 am.
"It's Friday! I don't have to train on Friday!" I shout as my head meets the pillow again.
"There's training when I tell you there's training." He states. "Now get up, the sun is already out."
I ignore him and shut my eyes, knowing I only went to bed three hours ago. It isn't until the curtains get drawn open that the blinding sunlight invades my senses.
"Zayn!" I shoot up straight.
"That's the glorious thing about May, you start noticing how the days get longer." He smiles obnoxiously. "And today is going to be a very long day. Have you forgotten?"
"Yes, I know!"
"You need to train, clean yourself up, eat, meet with the stylist, have lunch with Leslie, then get ready for your parent's event tonight at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens."
I rub my eyes as I have to listen to him lay out my entire day like almost every morning.
"I hate you."
"I'll give you five minutes before I come back in and dump water off your head." He makes his way to the door. "Oh, and your father wants me to tell you it's important you wear that necklace tonight. The one he lent to you from the banquet. I'm assuming you have it in safekeeping?"
"Obviously, Zayn!" I shout out of frustration of this entire situation.
"Then wonderful. See you in four." He exits the room with the door shutting behind him.
I groan to myself and drop my head in my hands, rubbing my temples as my headaches from the slight hangover he knows I have. Blinking my vision clear, I get out of bed in a silk robe I must've slipped on last night. My arms cross over my stomach as I walk towards the bathroom. Passing my vanity on the way, I freeze in my tracks when I see the velvet box of the multi-million dollar necklace I stole once upon a time. It feels like ages ago that I've gotten a good look at it.
I step over to the vanity and grab the box, opening it up to take a peak.
But, it's empty.
Initially, my eyebrows furrow as I assume my mother actually didn't give me the necklace inside to have laying around in my bedroom. But that's not true at all, she showed the necklace to me when she gave me this box. It was once in here, and now it's not.
It's gone.
There's a sickness in my stomach, making the back of my neck sweat. I bite the inside of my cheek, shutting the box and starting to shuffle through my drawers in a slight panic. To my memory, I haven't touched the jewelry since my mother handed it to me. Are you telling me somehow lost it?
Or someone stole it.
A vision of Harry pops through my mind, his silhouette standing in my bedroom. On two occasions he was here—to my knowledge anyway. Did he steal it? I wouldn't think he would. But maybe he did. He doesn't care about materials. He couldn't have stolen it.
What the fuck am I going to do tonight? If Malikai finds out the necklace vanished under my supervision—I'll be punished.
Zayn swings the door open again, right as I'm digging in my vanity. I turn my head to him as he sees me still not dressed in my training clothes.
"Hurry up!"
I shut the drawer and walk over to my closet.
"What were you looking for?"
I swallow, knowing I can't tell him the truth either.
"My hair ties."
//
chapter 26 is up!
where do I begin, I feel like there's so much to say but I can't nearly sum up these past few months of my absence. life has been a rollercoaster with many great highs but rough lows but I'm happy to be back. I'm sorry for worrying anyone. bare with me, and thank you for your patience.
I'm not going to abandon writing! writing this story is something that truly brings me ease and joy.
love you always.
now go read the next chapter, it's a good one.