*The author wrote a sound track for this chapter, so..........*
CHVRCHES, Gun
One Direction, Right Now
5 Seconds of Summer, Beside You
5 Seconds of Summer, Wherever You Are
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Eleanor kept her head on her palm, tapping a finger on her chin repetitively. She seemed to be in deep thought, still slightly confused and flustered about the whole Gemma thing, but Louis refused to tell more, saying he shouldn't be saying anything at all. But he trusts her, anyway, and Harry isn't here, so he told her and I.
Louis continuously pressed buttons on the remote controller, searching for something amusing or entertaining to watch. So far, we've come across at least seven news channels, but he also recommends us not to watch them, saying that probably half the things reported on the T.V. are because of Harry and the other boys, including Lou.
Eventually, Louis gave up with a huff and left the television playing some news channel, clearly not noticing. Then there was a slight tapping noise; somebody knocking at the door.
"Thank God," Louis huffed and jerked off the couch, speeding towards the door. Still sitting on the couch, I craned my neck to see Louis twist a key into the door, yanking the doorknob so the door flung backwards, revealing a young blue-eyed boy. He had dark hair, quiffed up, and wore some kind of orange uniform that seemed way too big for him. Probably because he was so skinny.
"Louis?" Sivan's voice echoed through the household, snapping some sense into Eleanor while Louis grabbed his spare key back.
"Troye! It's been so long." Louis said, giving him a bro-hug thingy. They both had massive smiles on their faces as they chatted. The cardboard box in Troye's hands was dark at the top due to the steam, and I felt my stomach growl.
"Yeah, I just finished my shift." Troye said to Louis and gestured outside, making Louis peer out. "I've got my car instead, so I'll be going home after this."
"Troye," Louis said, "why don't you come in? I'm sure you're hungry, working in a pizza shop for hours with no lunch."
Troye shrugged his bony shoulders and pursed his lips. His gaze fixed on me for a split second before he returned to Louis, who was watching him patiently. "I dunno. I snuck in a slice today." Troye said casually, pretending to not brag.
"Evelyn." I barely heard Eleanor breath as her shaky hand landed on my shoulder, shaking me weakly. I turned to her but she was staring at the television with wide eyes and parted lips, in astonishment. I looked at the T.V. to see a woman in a suit as tight as snakeskin, clutching a microphone. Beside her were two other people. My mother and my brother.
I heard myself gasp but didn't realize, probably because I turned numb. Everything went in slow motion, there was nothing but the television which was blurry to me because of my tears. I blinked furiously and swiped at my eyes. Now is not the time.
Louis chuckled and patted Troye's back. "Badass." he laughed. "C'mon, it'll only be for a few minutes." Louis pressed, and I caught Troye sigh.
"What the hell." Troye murmured under his breath and took a step inside, smiling at Louis' cheers. "But I'm not hungry, I'll just sit."
"By the way, where's Harry?" Troye asked as he gazed up at the roof, turning to Louis when he grabbed the pizza off him gently.
"Harry's on a rage." Louis cooed the last word and directed Troye into the living room where El and I were currently in. Troye looked like he wanted to say something about Harry but he caught his eyes on my friend and I smiled warmly.
"Troye, meet my girl, Eleanor." Louis beamed at Eleanor as she waved at Troye who grinned back. Then Louis turned to me and pointed: "And this is Harry's; Evelyn."
I didn't pay attention to him.
"Hello, ladies." Troye was extremely charming, and very polite.
"This is Troye Sivan!" Louis spoke the obvious and placed the pizza on the coffee table, flipping the box open. Steam poured out of the meal immediately, and Louis grabbed a slice, biting down on the tip.
"Dig in." he mumbled with a full mouth.
"So," Troye began and waved off Louis' offer for a piece, "what did you mean about Harry's rage?"
Louis froze for a second and gulped down his food, leaning in to Troye. He said something very quietly that I couldn't catch, but Troye's reaction told me that he heard about Gemma. "Oh," Troye murmured and looked down at his lap, "that's sad, man. He must've gone crazy."
"I don't know." Louis said calmly. "I haven't seen Harry, actually. Evelyn has."
"...so the London Resistance team is still searching for your sister?" The woman on the T.V. said, bringing everyone's attention to it.
"She's strong." my sister sobbed as I covered my mouth, feeling Eleanor slide her hand down my back. "And still out there. They can't give up." Holly grabbed the news reporter's wrist and brought the microphone to her lips. "Evelyn, we're going to find you." she stopped to swallow. "And you'll be back with us. We'll find you! We're going to find her, right, mum?"
The T.V. went black, I whirled on Louis to see him clutching the remote with a tight jaw. He lowered his arm and sighed slowly. "Not now, Evelyn." he murmured.
"Does anyone want a drink?" I desperately needed this conversation to end, feeling uncomfortable at the memories of Harry's bloodshot eyes and lanky movements and depressed look. Yet he carried a dark aura around him, keeping his scary persona. I've decided to think about this once I escape one day.
Everyone wanted water so I made my way into the kitchen and stood on the tip of my toes to reach for four glasses. After filling two, I left them on the coffee table and went for the others. As I clutched both glasses in my hands, I moved through the dining room to get to the kitchen. On the ebony table, I caught sight of Harry's wallet and keys.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I quietly placed the glasses on the table and leaned closer to the open wallet. Inside, there was a fake ID that read his fake name, age, date of birth, et cetera. The keys were the things that caught my attention: There were about seven of them. Some looked new, or sturdy, at least. Whereas one was slightly rusty and very fancy.
My heart pounded in my chest, and though here there was one key for my freedom, I was stuck. That fancy key was definitely for the upstairs room with the old padlock, and I've been wondering what was in that room since I've seen it. But Harry wasn't home, and it was a good opportunity to escape, even though Louis and Eleanor were here. I'm not even sure if Eleanor will come with me.
I almost hit myself right there. Of course she'll come with me, why the hell would she want to stay with some murdering, thieving criminal?
"Evelyn?" A voice startled me. I quickly grabbed the cups and turned around to see Eleanor standing a few feet away. She walked up to me and took one of the glasses from my hands. "Are you okay? You've been taking a long time."
I wasted no time, and snatched El's cup from her hands and silently put it back on the table. She seemed confused as I grabbed her hands and looked her in the eye.
"Eleanor," I breathed, feeling my heart pound into my chest with every second. "Look." I turned my head to the keys and picked them up, still holding one of her hands. "The keys." I shook them as quietly as I could in front of her face. I thought I saw her shoulders slump but I ignored it.
"So?" she answered blatantly and stared at me with cold eyes.
"Eleanor, we could escape!" I hissed under my breath. "What's wrong? You don't seem as happy, as I do."
My body was shaking whereas she stood there with a creased forehead, her arms dangling by her sides. I was utterly confused as to why she wasn't excited. Who wouldn't be? And I didn't want to think about Harry at the moment, because that stupid naïve part of me might feel sorry for him and his loss and decided to stay or something.
"Evelyn," she scratched the back of her neck, touching her tattoo. "I-I,"
"We'll make it!" I urged impatiently, looking over her shoulder to see if any of the boys were getting suspicious or decided to check on us. "Look--this is a chance I doubt we'd ever get. This is good, anyway. Louis is busy with Troye, one of these keys opens the door--"
"And then what?" she snapped, all of a sudden. "Run all the way home? We don't even know where we are! I have no goddamn clue how to get home!"
"Eleanor," I begged, grabbing her arms tightly. "There is civilization all around us. And we can take Harry's car or something. We can't just expect the cops to find us. You just said we don't know where we are, so how will they find us?"
What is going on with her? Yes, I was acting like a robber and a hypocrite but it was either that and an escape, or to just remain here.
Eleanor took a step forward. "What if I don't want to leave?"
I froze, dropping the keys on the ground.
"What's going on in there?" Louis' voice questioned through the hallway. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah! Everything's fine." my voice shook slightly as I called that out, feeling Eleanor's look on me the whole time. I bent down and picked the keys up, shoving it in her face.
"So, you don't want to do this then." I confirmed for her, running my fingers over the keys. I looked up to her to see her sad eyes staring at the ground.
"You can go." she barely whispered, and I thought I'd drop the keys again. I wanted to throw the collection at her. "I have nothing here. My parents are in Australia. My sister's married." Eleanor looked up at me, having glossy eyes. "What's left there? You're my only friend. Nobody would trust two dirty girls running around in the streets. We have no money for buses or anything. How are you going to get home? I have nothing to go back to."
"I," my throat closed up. I had to swallow twice to breathe again. "I don't know." I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Eleanor, my family...they believe I'm alive! You make everything so damn hard!"
She stared with a pale face, emotionless and blunt. I thought she would slap me. "Go." she whispered. "This is your chance. I love Louis, and I don't mind staying here. It's better than that crappy apartment I stay at. I would cover you up. Now," she pointed upstairs, "go. I'm not coming."
I clenched my jaw just when Troye came through the hallway. "Louis is busy stuffing his face. He said if you don't come, he'll eat everything."
"We're coming." she harshly answered, and I smiled at Troye to soften his expression. He nodded politely and left without another word.
"It's your choice." she whispered and followed Troye.
I watched her disappear through a corner before clicking the rusty key out of place. That's it. I can't leave. Not right now. I need to convince Eleanor once more before I try to leave. For now, I'm going to check what the hell is in that room upstairs.
"She's going to take a shower." I heard Eleanor speak through the other room. I felt guilty for pushing her but she didn't have to act so damn cold. Who would want to stay here? Not me.
I stumbled up the stairs, clutching the rusty key in my hand. I heard a door slam as soon as I reached the top of the stairs but I ignored it. Rushing through the narrow hallway, it took me about two minutes to find the room. The padlock remained on the doorknob so I brought my shaking hand up and tried to slide the key inside.
I frowned and tried again. My attempts were useless. The end of the key wasn't identical. The puzzle didn't fit. The key was too big and thick.
I cursed under my breath and clutched the heaviness of the padlock in my hands, trying to put it in. I turned the key around, flipping it over, turned it upside down but nothing worked.
Thinking I heard footsteps, I rushed beside the stairs. Peering over the metal railings, I caught a body standing beside the front door, clear in sight. Dressed in dark jeans and a leather jacket.
Harry.
"Oh, God." I breathed, feeling my chest rise and fall rapidly. I'm not ready to see him yet!
I quickly rushed into his bedroom and closed the door behind me. Pacing back and forth, I searched for a place to hide the key. Swearing repetitively, I sat at the end of Harry's bed.
"Whatever." I turned to the lamp he had on one bedside table and lifted it up, sliding the key under it with a finger. I dropped the lamp onto the key as quietly as possible, then scrambled off the bed and ran to Harry's bathroom just when I heard his voice outside of the door.
I slipped inside and closed the door, remembering how there was no lock. Frantically moving around, I wondered if I should go in the shower so nobody disturbs me. But then again, Harry is careless and would probably come in to nag me. Maybe the others have left already? I desperately hoped not.
Making a decision, I quickly peeled the dirty outfit off and folded them on the toilet lid, climbing into the shower. I was grateful for how tiles lined the walls around me so no one could see whoever was showering. Unless they ripped the curtain aside.
The sigh I released trembled, and so did the hand that reached out to turn the water on. Hot water instantly poured out as I tried to keep my mind off what was happening downstairs.
I wasn't even washing myself for a couple of minutes: just standing there, listening if Harry was going to come upstairs, or realize his key was missing.
I shook my head so water splattered on the walls and threw my head back so the water pelted on my beck and chest. I washed my face to clear my thoughts and worries.
At some point, I thought I heard a door open and close. It panicked me both physically and emotionally, so I peeked out. The door was closed, resulting in another relieved sigh. But then I saw the pile of clean clothes and a towel on the sink.
Was it Harry who put those there?
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I proceeded to dry myself and put the clothes on myself. They were obviously Harry's--large on me and it carried that heavenly aroma of his cologne (I said his cologne is heavenly, not him)
With the towel in both hands, I tried to dry my hair as I walked into his room. And there he was, sitting at the end of the bed, the key I tried to hide in his hands.
Harry slowly looked up at me with solemn dark eyes, observing me intently. I froze in my spot, lowering the towel so I was holding it with one hand.
"Y-you're...back." I choked out, holding my breath.
Harry nodded and looked back down at the key. "And not very happy with you, Evelyn." The way he had an edge to his voice, and how my name rolled of his tongue told me he was more than upset.
I kind of missed the deepness of his smooth and calm voice. But this time, he sounded eerie.
"You do realize that this was the key to my shed." Harry crooned and stood up, keeping his gaze fixed on me.
"Was it?" I stuttered, sliding my hair behind my back. "Oh, I t-thought it was for...your car."
Really? Are you serious, Evelyn?
"And," Harry took a threatening step forward, "why did you need the key to my car, exactly?" He slid his pink tongue along his bottom lip and pressed both lips together. He held the key in the air with his thumb and forefinger, awaiting a reaction.
"How did you even find that?" I blurted out without thinking, eyes going big. Harry didn't seem surprised by my answer. Right in front of me, he slipped the key into his front pocket. I clenched my jaw incase I said something else that was stupid.
"I have my ways." he murmured, keeping his hands shoved into his front pockets. "You really tried to escape again, eh?" Harry turned his lean body away from me and walked towards the other side of the room. "I'm not surprised. Oh, wait. I may be a little." He suddenly turned to me with raised brows, crossing his arms over his stomach. "Everyone would like to leave here, but why you? Do you hate me?"
"I do." I bit back without thinking, unsure if I did or not. "I do hate you."
Harry smiled coldly and bitterly, making his face a hundred times more scary. "No." he confirmed. "No, Evelyn Bale, you don't hate me."
Harry turned away once more and opened the door to his bedroom. He faced me, and said, "But you will if you continue that inappropriate behavior."
He finally left, leaving the door open behind me so I could hear his words: "Strike one."
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