"We are fragile. Exploding like feathers from pillows of chaos."
- Christopher Poindexter
Aflame - Chapter 46
"I have to go back! You don't understand! I have to find her!"
"Are you planning your own death right now?!"
Zayn screams out at me as I knew that I shouldn't have ran when she told me to go.
But I did, I ran anyway and it lead me to where I am now.
It's a good thing that I had bumped into Becky and Justin when I have.
I probably would have been running straight into danger if I hadn't.
What made this day even more weird was when I saw Harry pulling up in his car in front of us with no other than Zayn in the passenger seat.
How did that even happen?
Well, I asked Zayn about it and he told me how it all came to this.
I was surprised because I thought that Harry hated Zayn, isn't that why he stopped talking to me?
Because I betrayed him when I started working alongside Zayn?
I just don't understand.
"Paige, you have to stay here, Zayn is right." Becky speaks up this time in a softer tone of voice as she places her hand onto my arm and stares me in the eyes. "We'll go instead."
She looks over at Zayn and Justin.
As I look over to the two of them, I felt someone else's eyes on me.
Harry.
I look over at him and he is already staring as he has his arms crossed over his chest and he is leaned up against the wall, far away from us.
I quickly avert my gaze down to the ground as I feel heat forming up in my cheeks.
It's still very awkward between us.
"Did you just look at me?" Justin speaks up at Becky as she nods her head at him. "We can't just walk straight into the trap, what if he takes us too?!" Justin starts to freak out and I knew that I would be a better candidate than him, but I understand where they are coming from when they tell me to stay. "And the worst part of it all is that; we don't even know who 'he' is!"
"We have our suspicions."
Zayn speaks up as he looks over at me and so does everybody else.
"Who?"
"Peter."
"Peter?" Becky furrows her brow at Zayn before setting her gaze onto me this time and her hazel eyes looks for answers. "The guy who asked you on that coffee date, Peter?" I nod my head at her as she watches me in surprise. "I would have never thought that it would be him, he seemed so nice."
"It's called 'putting up an act'," Zayn utters. "I saw him today, standing and talking to your friend, Blake."
I look at Zayn in confusion as I couldn't understand why Blake would be talking to him.
"Blake?"
Justin questions in bafflement before we hear someone walking into the room.
"Did someone call my name or am I just hearing voices?" Blake walks in with a smile on his face before he realizes that everybody is serious in the room. "Uh, did I just walk into a pile of tension in here, or..."
"It's better to walk into a pile of tension than a pile of you-know-what," Justin starts snorting. "Just like that kid in art class-"
"Does this kid ever shut up?"
Zayn speaks up this time as he points out at Justin and Justin eyes Zayn.
I knew he already didn't like him, at least the feelings are mutual.
"Look," Harry speaks up this time as he gets away from the wall and walks up to Blake with a serious look on his face. "What were you doing outside of campus talking to Peter?"
"I just bumped into him and accidentally tipped over his spray cans in his bag, then we got to talking-"
"Wait," Harry furrows his brow this time as he looks down and holds up his hand as he cuts Blake off from speaking. I couldn't help but stare at him as it has been more than a week since I've last seen him. I still get the same feelings, I wonder if he does too... Maybe he has decided to completely cut me off since he won't even say a word to me, not even a simple 'hi'. "Did you say spray cans?"
"Yeah..."
Blake drags the word out as he eyes Harry curiously and so does everybody else.
"What color?"
"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"
Zayn speaks up as he lifts his hands in bafflement and we are all thinking the same thing.
"Maybe he likes visuals."
Justin mentions as he shrugs and I squint my eyes over at him as he mouths the word 'what?'.
"Just tell me what color it was."
"Red."
Harry's mouth goes agape this time as his eyes widens whilst looking over at Blake.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
Becky questions while she still has her hand on my arm.
I look over at Harry as his eyes are on Becky before they land onto me and I couldn't even look him straight in the eyes because of the guilt inside of me.
"My gallery got broken into," My eyes quickly avert back up to Harry as I was even more shocked at what's coming out of his mouth. I knew how happy he was whenever he would speak about it, and now to know that someone broke into it... "They spray painted over my photographs, in words of red."
My brows lift this time as it all makes sense why he would ask Blake that question.
"So, it's official; Peter is the one."
"Or just an accomplice."
I finally speak up as I look over at Becky and her eyes are just as fear-filled as mine.
"Can someone please tell me what's going on here?" Blake questions in confusion. "And where is Holly? I thought she would be here too?"
Holly...
My heart sinks as I still hear her screaming and I try to push the image out of my mind.
"Paige can explain," Zayn speaks up as I look over at him with wide eyes, but he just walks out. "You and you," He points over to Justin and Becky. "Come with me."
Becky smiles down at me as she rubs her hand onto my back in comfort and I smile back over at her as she makes her way out with Zayn.
We all look over at Justin who was still stood there.
"Even though I'm a bit fearful of all of this, I'm doing it for you, Paige." He walks up to me this time as his blue eyes looks sincere. "I wasn't there for you the first time-"
"You were-"
"But not like how I wanted to be," He lets out as he looks down and then back at me. "This time you're not in this alone, we're here for you."
He smiles down at me and then looks over at Harry and Harry nods his head at him in respect as Justin then makes his way out.
That was really heartwarming of Justin to do.
Even though he's the goofball of the group, he's also the one who cares the most, probably.
I just pray that they come back in one piece.
This time, they have all left and only Blake, myself and Harry were stood in the living room.
I cross my arms over my chest as I keep my gaze down and still felt Harry's eyes on me.
"So... Are you going to tell me where Holly is?"
Blake steps closer towards me as I look up at him with wide eyes and my heart races with concern for how he's going to take all this.
He is the closest to Holly and I can only imagine how angered he's going to be when I tell him the news.
"Uhm..." I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear this time as I quickly set my gaze onto Harry and he encourages me to go on. I look up at Blake as his gray eyes held fear and anxiousness. "We don't know who yet, but someone was after us and I managed to get away... Holly on the other hand."
"What about her?"
He questions as he has his hands on my forearms and I could tell that he knew what I was about to say next.
"Blake... They took Holly."
His mouth slightly parts as his gray eyes widens when he hears all that came out from my mouth.
"No."
He shakes his head at me before taking a step back.
"Blake-"
"No!" He screams out as he then walks out of the room and I run to follow behind him as he attempts at opening the door, but I quickly stand in front of him so that he doesn't run out of here and does something that he would regret. "Paige, please get out of the way."
"You have to think about this before you do anything that might get you into danger as well. This guy is smart, Blake, and if you step in the way he might just-"
(start song)
"But Holly..."
His voice is soft this time as his sad eyes are on me and I see how Harry walks into the room as well.
"Blake," Harry steps in between us as I watch him through my lashes. "Paige is right." My heart flutters at his words and I knew that he knew that I was watching him. "You have to think about this, Zayn, Justin and Becky are out there now and they will find her. She will be okay, just trust us."
Blake lets out a sigh this time as he looks down onto the both of us.
"I do... I just pray that they find her and that she's not-" He stops speaking as his eyes hits the ground and I felt so bad for him in this moment, knowing all that they have went through. "Where's your bathroom?"
He looks down at me and I can tell that he is worried about the whole situation and probably needs some time to himself.
"It's upstairs, the first door to the left."
"Thanks."
"No problem."
I give him a kind smile as he nods down at me before making his way up the stairs and I watch as he disappears.
Leaving Harry and I all on our lonesome.
I knew I had to say something, but...
How do I start?
Where do I start?
I become fidgety as I look over at him and he looks a bit uncomfortable.
"Are you alright?"
I lift my brow in surprise at the words that slips from his mouth as his green eyes are on me and I notice that they aren't as intense as they were before. Even his voice is soft as this is the first time that he has spoken to me since our last incident that had happened.
"It's hard to be fine after going through what I've went through."
I admit in an honest tone of voice.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be there in time."
Harry's head lowers this time as I could tell that he feels disappointed.
"You're here now," I place my hand onto his arm as he looks down at the contact. "And that's all that matters."
I couldn't hide the love I feel for him, I just hope that he finds a way to forgive me for what I have done to him.
"I-"
"Help!" Just before Harry could say something, we hear how Blake shouts out for us in fear. "Someone, help me!"
"Blake." I say in an alarmed tone as I make my way up the stairs, but I feel how Harry tugs onto my hand and I look back at him in confusion to what he is doing. "Harry, what are you-"
"You stay here, I'll go."
"No, I have to-"
He takes a step up on the stairs as he looks me deeply in the eyes and that intensity is back once again.
"I'm not going to put your life into danger again, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."
His voice is stern as I stare into his green eyes and Blake shouts out once again and I feel my heart beating against my chest at who it could be that's up there with him.
Harry quickly lets go of me as he is now running upstairs to where Blake is at.
I didn't want to stay, but I didn't want to go against Harry's word either.
No.
I can't just sit on the sidelines and do nothing, this time I'm going to be brave and fight, for once.
I make my way upstairs as fast as I can and just when I reach the top of the staircase, I hear a loud thump and my heart races even faster this time.
I slowly make my way up to the bathroom, but I knew that I had to have something to help me out.
All I had was a useless vase on a table, another one of my Moms' vases that I'm going to have to break.
I take out the flowers from it as I hold the vase close to me and slowly make my way up to the bathroom.
The door is open and all I could see was a hand lying out.
I gasp at the sight and pray to God that it's not Blake or Harry...
But I knew that it was either one of them.
I was just praying that killed the intruder instead.
I quickly open the door further and I hold onto my mouth at the sight that is in front of me.
"Harry!" I let out in shock. He's lying there, completely motionless as I put the vase down beside me and I begin to shake. "Oh my gosh, Harry! Please be alive, please be alive!"
I look around and notice that Blake is nowhere to be seen, but the window is open.
Did they take him too?
I hold onto his face as I was about to check his pulse and the tears are pricking at my eye.
But when I was about to do so, I hear something behind me and I quickly turn my gaze and notice someone stood there, but I couldn't see the person's face properly.
I quickly get up as I take the vase into my hand and my eyes then land onto the persons' face and I couldn't believe who was stood in front of me with a syringe in his hand and a smug smile on his face.
"Time to say goodnight, Paige."
My heart races fast as I knew what he was about to do.
"Don't do this... Please-"
He steps forward and I do something I've never done before; I swing the vase up to his face and hit him with it, hard.
I felt bad for some reason, but I knew I had to get out and fast!
He winces in pain and I take it as my chance to get out of there, but Harry...
"Get back here!"
He shouts out at me as I was making my way downstairs with my heart beating in my throat and I knew I couldn't go back now. My mind not functioning correctly as it is being overtaken by adrenaline.
Just as I was about to open the front door, I see a big hand stop me from doing so and I am completely frozen on the spot as I notice the red marks on his hand.
The spray paint?
Does this mean....
"You were behind this?"
I question him as I don't look him in the eye and still have my back faced towards him.
He then holds me still as I shut my eyes, knowing what's about to happen.
"I'm sorry."
He whispers into my ear as he brushes my hair off from my shoulder.
"Don't do this, please!" I struggle to get loose from his grip, but he is too strong and pushes me up against the door this time as I feel the needle being shoved into my neck. My body becomes weak as I feel the poison invading every part of me. "Blake... Please..."
(A/N: Hi again! :) I hope that all of you are doing good and that you had an amazing Christmas (to those who celebrate it) and a happy new year! :D Sorry about this depressing chapter, it's not really fitting in with the holiday cheer, now is it? Lol.
Anyway, please tell me what you thought about Blake being the one behind all this and also what you think might possibly happen. I'm interested in hearing what you think, make sure to vote! Love you all Xx)