6th June
Harvey's POV:
I've been sleeping around Milo's every night since he came into my room, he told me that I can't stay in that house with him. He said it's dangerous and not fair for me, i argued with him about it- of course.
But somehow I lost that argument so now I haven't been home since.
It's nice though, being with Milo every second of our day. We wake up and go to school together, his mum doesn't question it. Why I've been there so much, she just makes us dinner when it's dinner time and we sit together at a table. It's nice.
His mum is sweet, she always talks to me at the dinner table. Asking about myself, it's a big change from what I'm used to.
So yeah the last couple days have been fine, more than fine.
I'm just suprised my father hasn't phoned me asking where I am or why I'm not coming back home. It might be because I suprised him with talking back, i don't normally do that. Maybe it has quietened him down.
Or maybe it just made him angrier.
But anyway I'm happy, for now. This isn't a permanent thing, I've not moved in. I'm just sleeping round for a couple nights, it'd be weird if I move in to my-
My friend? Someone I'm dating? Whoevers house so soon.
Everyday that I do try to leave, Milo tells me I can't. Begs me to stay, he told me that I needed to tell someone- anyone about what is going on but I told him it's not that big of a deal. He told me I should tell the police and I laughed at him.
My father's the mayor, he runs the police.
And besides, who would believe me? He tried to convince me to tell his mother but then ended in a big argument. I made him promise that he couldn't tell anyone, not his mother, not our teachers, not my friends and denfintly not the police.
I could see that the promise made him tear apart, his eyes seemed so pained but I got my way. He's the only one who's allowed to know.
I feel like our friends know something though, when we went back to college it was sort of awkward between all of us. Milo wasn't his cheerful self and I didn't talk much, still shocked about everything that has happened. That Milo knows.
But right now we are all in the car, just reaching our desintation. Oakley wanted to go to our hills and it's a Sunday so we thought why not, it's quite warm too.
We all pile out the car with Oakley droning on about his new girlfriend. The four of us, him and his girlfriend, me and Milo, went on our double date Oakley wanted. It was okay, I sort of felt like I was betraying Emmy.
But it's not Oakleys fault for not liking him.
I turn around to see Darcie and Emmy whispering to each other as we walk and I smile. They're probably talking shit about him.
I look down as someone grabs my hand and smiles when I see that it's Milo's hand, I quickly wipe it off as I look up to him and raise my brows in question.
I hear Oakley groan and I glance at him before snorting, his hand is on his back. I swear he's ancient, his bones are fraggil and always cracking. He moans constantly about how something on him always hurts, mostly his back.
"Hey, Oakley?"
"Yeah?" He turns his head over his shoudler and winces, beding down slightly.
I smirk, "do you ride the bus for free?" I hear Darcie and Emmy giggle amongst themselves. Oakley just furrows his eyebrows, looking confused.
"Huh? What? What do you me-" his face turns blank as he catches on. "Oh, because I'm old right. That's the joke?" I grin and nod my head, hearing the two burst out in a laugh and Milo shake his head with an amused smile. Oakley just rolls his eyes and continues leading us somewhere.
We carry on walking and soon... we're at a cliff?
I give Oakley a questioning look because he is the one who told us to follow him because he wanted to show us something. He just grins back manically at all of us. Uh oh.
"Look down below!" He yells out in excitement and Milo goes to walk to the cliff forgetting he is holding my hand. I dig my feet into the rocks so I don't move and he turns back to look at me.
"Oh no, this is your death not mine. You're on you're own" he rolls his eyes and releases his hand from mine. Then he walks to the cliff and looks down, Oakley is beside him looking down below with a happy grin.
Milo whistles, "damn, that's a big drop" Darcie and Emmy come up either side of me and we all give each other a look.
"Yup, and we're going to jump it."
Milo's foot slips slightly after hearing that and his eyes widen, I rush forward to grab his arm and yank him back to me. He holds his chest with erratic breathing and turns to look at Oakley.
"What are you on about, no we're not!" He yells out and I nod hurriedly in agreement, seeing Emmy do a salute and turn around to leave but Oakley grabs him.
"Um yeah we are, why so you think I told you to wear your swimsuits under your clothes?" Everyone groans at that but I perk up.
"I don't have my swim clothes, does that mean I don't ha-"
"You are jumping too, just jump in ur clothes. Or strip i don't care" he shrugs with an unbotheterd face and Darcie giggles, Emmy snickers while Milo... blushes?
Which I have to admit makes me blush.
"Well I care!" I gasp out flustered. He rolls his eyes and explains that he has always wanted to jump off a cliff into water because he's seen so many films and shows and it looks cool.
"What about the ones where it goes horribly wrong huh?" I retort back smugly but he goes on to say that it adds to the thrill.
I deflate but I watch as Milo looks over the cliff again and seems to have a debate in his head to himself. I see how he grabs at the hem of his shirt and I raise a brow, hell no.
"Um excuse you!" I yell out and Miko turns around with his hands up in surrender, "wasn't you the one that said we are not doing this, hmm?" I stalk over to him and poke him in the chest and he rubs his neck.
He gestures over to Oakley, "yeah but he's right, the movies make it look fun. And I can't let him do it without me doing it, he'll call me a wuss!" He huffs out and I hear Oakley- the devil, chuckle and I turn my head to glare at him.
He shrugs, "I mean, he's right."
Shaking my head I turn around to the others and they glance at each other so I narrow my eyes. "You guys aren't wanting to do this right?" I walk closer to them and they stand up straighter, "you wouldn't want to jump off to your near death right?" I question sweetly but they glance to each other again.
I defelat yet again, knowing that they have been convinced I throw my hands up, "is there anyone who isn't easy influenced." I turn around but I groan when I see the other two just in their swimsuit.
There's no way I'm doing this.
I can't help but let my eyes linger on Milo's bare chest, he's quite toned. Has a few light abs, his arms look strong and he has a golden tan that glows on him-
"Hey eyes up here" he snaps his fingers at me and I look up to his face, his smirking face. It's annoying when he's smug.
"I wasn't finished" I say back and his mouth falls open for a spilt second before shutting, his cheeks going pink. And now I'm the smug one.
"Okay, not that this isn't adorable. Because it is, and that's not sarcastic in any way" I glare at Oakley. "But" he stretches the word and points behind him, "can we hurry up and do this." He grins and I roll my eyes.
"Why, scared?" Milo says and he huffs, defending himself. Saying he is the one who planned it and he is not backing down at all, blah blah blah. I look to the others but see them both in swim suits too, Darcie in an orange bikini that complements her skin and Emmy in bright blue long trunks.
"Okay are we doing this or not!" Emmy says and I see him shake a bit, he's scared but he's still going to do it. He's brave, me on the other hand...
"Um no, get your ass up" Milo tells me after I take a comfortable spot on a rock. I look up and raise my brows at him like he's gone insane.
"Uh no, you didn't think I was joking about not doing this suicide mission did you? Because believe me I am not-" I get dragged up to my feet by Milo and I sigh. Accepting my death, why fight it right?
All the others have lined up on the top of the cliff in their bathing suits and I want to scream. How have I been dragged into this?
He keeps a firm grip on me and I try to pull away but it's no use, "I hope you fall wrong " I hiss into his ear and he fake gasps, getting the attention of the others.
"And here I thought I meant something to you" I roll my eyes at his dramatics.
"Not right now you don't."
He smirks at me, "you're a stone cold bitch aren't you?" I shrug, "you've only just learnt this?" He snorts as Emmy calls us over.
We walk- more like I'm dragged, to the cliff and Milo's hand is in mine in a comforting way, I feel my other hand shaking slighlty but Darcie grabs it. Giving me a smile.
"Are you sure we're doing this?" I question to no one specific but Milo pipes up.
"You don't have to if you don't want to, we're all scared to-"
"False."
"But come on, it's a fun thing to do. Adrenaline and all that, atleast once you've done it you can say you've done it." I sigh at that, it's true but it's not a great argument to risk my life.
The water below is quite large, but it's a nice blue clear colour.
I'm in gucci shorts and a plain white shirt thankfully so it's not like I'm ruinning anything expensive.
"Oh come on Harvey, even Emmy is doing it" Oakley says, "hey" Emmy squeaks out in response. Not helping my nerves, "okay fine, even Darcie is doing it" he laughs.
I glance over to Darcie and see her looking out into the sky with no care in the world and I turn back to glare at Oakley, "she doesn't care. She's not even here right now!" I hiss out and he rolls his eyes.
"Hey, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?" Milo says hesitantly, like he knows I'm going to murder him for it. I glare at him.
"No, what doesn't kill me disappoints me. I'm not coming back on crutches thanks" I huff out and Okaley chuckles. "You'll come back in far worse than crutches" I give him a look and he shrugs his shoulder.
I feel a tug at my hand and turn to Milo, "we only live once right?" I look to him like he's crazy.
"False! We live every day, we only die once thanks" he rolls his eyes at that and I hear Oakley 'whoop' but it sounds in the distance. Rasing a brow, I turn aorund and see him already halfway down the cliff, I widen my eyes when I hear him splash down into the water afterwards.
He screams up to us how fun that was and Darcie quickly follows, curling her body up and falling in a ball.
Then Milo tightens his grip on my hand and gives me a comforting look as Emmy hesitantly falls down. They all come up from the water with laughs and cheers and we hear them call us down.
"You ready?" Milo questions with a comforting smile and I give him a shaky one, grabbing his hand tighter.
"Maybe" I say and he chuckles.
"You are one of the bravest people I know, I know you can do this" my heart flutters at that and so I prepare myself to not disappoint him. I nod when he asks me if I'm ready and he nods back, counting down.
Straight after 3 we take a step off the cliff and we are falling down. I close my eyes when I feel our hands break away and soon my head is falling through the water.
I open my eyes underwater and see everyone's legs kicking around and I want to cry, I rush up and gasp and then I break out into a laugh.
Milo grins and paddles over to me, "wasn't that amazing!" He yells out with an open mouth and I smile.
"I'm just glad I'm not dead" I say and he rolls his eyes with a smile and nudges my shoudler. The others come swimming our way.
"That was the best thing I've ever done! We need to do that again!" Oakley yells out in excitement.
And if I dunk his head under water, that's no ones business beside ours.
*****
I finally manage to get away from the others, we drove back all soggy and wet and we all went to Milo's. We all took turns to shower and change into new clothes we brought over before going to the hills.
I told Milo that I wanted to go out- at first he asked me where but I told him that I meant by myself. We have been spending an awful lot of time together since... well, everything. And I wanted to go out on my own.
Not a break, I love hanging out with Milo and the others. But I was hoping to get out, maybe see if I can find Hadrian. I haven't seen him in a while.
And luckily I only had to spend 10 or so minutes in the cafe by myself until Hadrian strolled in. "What's up bitch" I roll my eyes at his antics as he jumps into the booth, sitting opposite me. His legs are criss crossed on the chair and he's already calling a waitress over.
I sigh as he recites practically the whole of the menu, including his tea and cookies just how he likes. The waitress walks off and he turns to me.
"So, what's new?" He questions and I squint my eyes at him, wondering if he can read minds because there is definelty new things going on in my life. "Don't look at me like that, I can tell somethings happened. You're all..." he waves his hands at me as he tries to think of a word, "uptight, more than usual I mean." I glare at him but he just shrugs.
"Nothing is wrong." I tell him and glance down at my tea that has been sitting there a while.
"Oh, nothing?" He mocks and I almost want to run him over with my bike again.
"Fine, there's a few things" he sits back in the booth with victory written on his face and I sigh, then I tell him everything. I don't know why, but I've wanted to tell someone everything- my friends don't know any of it. They can just tell something is up.
I go into detail of how Milo, "the guy I'm dating" I say, saw my father hit me. And that I told Milo everything about my father and how he occasionally does that. I then tell Hadrian how I'm kind of living with him but not really- "he told me I can't go back to my house after that so he's making me sleep round his for a couple nights."
Hadrian just nods along, listening well. Sipping his tea and nibbling on his cookie, then finally I'm finished with my whole story and I sit back.
"Wow, that was an earful. When I asked if there was something new in your life I was expecting you to say 'I've got a new pony' or something." He shakes his head with a little chuckles and I roll my eyes.
"I don't even have one pony" I tell him becasue its true, I don't even like animals so as if.
He chuckles again, "oh no, are you sad you don't have a horsey" I hit him on his arm and he laughs again. Then he shakes his head and downs the rest of his tea (with is boiling may I add).
"Okay, well it's nice that Milo is looking out for you. And it's good that someone you love now knows" I choke on my drink, physically choke.
"Huh!?" I shout out and a couple heads turn, Hardian looks around and nods at everyone as if telling them nothing is wrong.
"What?" My eyes widen at him, his dumbness.
"I do not love Milo" I whisper out and he looks as if he doesn't believe me which pisses me off. "We're not even together, we've been on a few dates, you know I used to hate him when we first met" I lean forward and point a finger in his face.
As if I'm trying to convince him that I don't love Milo, he just puts his hand up in surrender. "Okay jee, you don't love him. I just thought that because you always talk about him." I deny that instantly.
I do not love Milo, there's no way I do. I like him- I know that but it's too soon for love. And I've never been in love so I don't know what it feels like, I don't know how I would even know I'm inlove. "Anyway, what about you. Anything new with you?"
He lifts one shoudler up in a shrug, "eh, same old same old" I nod along with that. Feeling... upset for some reason, his same old same old isn't good. Last time we met he told me, well he told me how he gets money. "I met a guy" I glance up to him and he's looking down at his fingers in thought.
I don't push him to contuine but when his eyes meet mine, "it's not like that though, he didn't want anything from me. He apparently helps out people living on the streets, mostly kids."
"Oh" I say, not expecting that, then my eyebrows furrow "how?" He shrugs again and chomps on the rest of his cookie.
"I'm not really sure, he came up to me and told me how he helps out people like me. People who are alone and homeless" my forehead creases at that. It sounds sort of dodgy but if its not that's great, Hadrian getting help. He deserves that.
He leans forward, closer to me. "Can I ask you for a favour?" He seems jittery, his fingers are tapping along the table and his knee is bouncing up and down. I tell him yes, "could you look him up, this guy. I don't know if I can trust him and I need to know something- anything about him."
I nod along, feeling my heart pick up a bit at how serious he looks because he is never serious. "Okay. What is he asking you to do?"
He finally leans back and he doesn't look so erratic. "He's not from here, he's from a town called Ravenswood. So I'm guessing we'll go there, it's not too far from here." I nod along, "his name is John Field, just search him up and see if you can find anything."
I sigh at that, on one hand if this guy is telling the truth Hardian will no longer be in New Hill, but he'll have someone to help him. I didn't think he'd want anyones help since he's been by himself for a while.
"Okay, I will." He nods his head and tells me his thanks, "you're going to miss my birthday you know, it's quite soon" I tell him to lighten up the mood and soon his face is cracking a smile.
"What, would you have invited me?" He questions with a small smirk and I bite my smile away.
I shrug and pretend to be deep in thought, "eh, you're right." He rolls his eyes and chuckles and soon i join in.
It's been nice getting to know Hadrian, he's been... alright. And he understands, since he's been through simular things with his own father.
I look to him and smile. Wondering if I'll miss him once he's gone, and I'm sure I will.