H A R R Y
I knew I was absolutely crazy for sneaking her out of her house to come with me to an abandoned town more than an hour away. It was clear that if her dad found out, he surely would refrain me from ever seeing her again. I wouldn't be surprised if he put a restraining order against me.
I couldn't help steal a few short glances at her as she looked outside at the passing trees in amazement. She found almost everything amazing and that's what I loved the most about her.
"Do you mind if I turn the radio off?" I asked, already doing it without a response but she didn't seem to mind. It suddenly got silent besides the sound of the car on the road.
"What's on your mind love?" I asked, noticing she was deep in thought. She shrugged her shoulders and placed her head against the window.
"Everything. I'm scared my dad is going to realise I'm not there. I don't want either one of us to get into trouble." She sighed, finally turning to look at me. I turned the car and decided to park it on the side of the road, giving my full attention on her.
"Do you want to go back? If you feel really uncomfortable coming with me, I totally understand." I told her. Although it would ruin the whole purpose of the trip, I didn't want her to be travelling with the baggage of guilt and worry.
"No Harry," she sat up, taking my hand In hers and bringing it up to look at it. "I want to come with you I just...I don't want you to get into trouble with him and never be allowed to hang out with me."
"You know I won't let that happen. I promised you when we were 7 that we would always be best friends." I gave her my best smile. She finally looked to her right at me, flashing me her oh so perfect smile.
"Yeah I remember," she closed her eyes and leaned her head against my shoulder, her hair laying around her chest. "Good times." I hummed in response and placed a kiss on her forehead, leaning my head down to rest on hers. I could soon hear her soft snores so I decided to push her head back against the window so I could start driving again.
Maybe taking her wasn't exactly the best idea. I could have waited until this drama died down...but this is important too. Even if it means risking losing her to her parents.
Once I started the car, I pulled off the side and back onto the road. It felt as if getting there was taking such a long time and I was beginning to get impatient.
We eventfully arrived an hour and half later and I decided to park in the same spot I had always stood. Looking to my left, I noticed her begin to open her eyes. She blinked rapidly a few times to adjust to the darkness before turning to look at me.
"Are we here?"
"Yeah babe. Come on, I want to show you something."
I jumped out of the car, a cold breeze instantly hitting my bare arms but it didn't bother me anymore. I walked to her side and opened the door wide for her to step out. I took her hand in mine and i could instantly feel the goosebumps on her palm rising, signalling she must have been cold. I released her hand from mine and took my winter jacket from the backseat, wrapping it around her arms.
"Thanks," she mumbled, taking a long deep yawn.
At this point, you could slowly begin to see where the sun would rise with its red and orange tint to the dark sky. Taking her hand in mine again, I led her towards the hill that i had occasionally walked up to in my time of pain.
The walk up was quiet and being cold, the hill was difficult to climb. But Lana never complained. She quietly followed me closely behind, giving me a reassuring smile everytime i looked back to check on her.
"Wow," She muttered as she looked ahead at the view on the top of the hill. I looked ahead, having viewed this multiple times but still being mesmerised each and everytime. "I don't even know what to say..." she awed, stepping closer towards the edge but still keeping enough distance so she wouldn't roll down the hill.
"Do you see that really tall building with all the vines around it?" I pointed to the distant building that was now washed in a layer of rust and gunk.
"Yeah."
"It used to be a children's hospital."
I watched as her expression fell and she slowly turned to face me. I knew she kind of figured out what had happened to this area, but she was too scared to say it.
"There was an attack here, bombs firing and people crying." I sighed, recalling everything I knew about the place.
"What about the kids?" She asked, her mouth remaining wide open and her eyes slightly glossy.
"Only 4 survived the attack. But 3 of them died weeks later due to terminal cancer." I stepped closer, wiping under her eye lid where tears had began to fall.
"That's so sad." She turned back around to look at the dead city. I wrapped my arms around her from behind and rest my arms around her tummy, planting a kiss to her shoulder.
"February 1st, a handsome little boy with straight brown hair and green eyes was born in Ward 11." I repeated my mum's words. "His name was Edward Harold Styles."
She was quiet for a few seconds. "I didn't know you were born here."
"That I was my love." I smiled, playing with her fingers entwined with mine. "What a name though ay'?"
"Sounds like an old British man." She chuckled, the vibrations from her laughter forming goosebumps along my arms.
"With dentures and an old walking stick with a tennis ball." I joined in.
"And his favourite pass time is playing Bingo with Bill and Geoff."
"Bingo is more an American thing."
"Well I am American Edward Harold."
"But I'm the old British lad." I teased, pinging her side who let out a little squeal. "You're basically British too."
We both stood there enjoying the sunrise and each other's company. It felt as though it had been so long that we had really had a chance to be alone and do things we used to always do.
I miss the days we would hang out with each other every single day and never get sick of each other. To be fair, this was the first holiday we hadn't constantly spent together, so it was a bit of a dramatic change for us
"I'm glad you brought me there." She smiled, sipping at the coffee laced between her hands. "That place literally left me speechless. I still can't believe that happened to all those children."
"I know." I brought my coffee up to my lips. "But don't think about that okay?"
I paid for our drinks and the pancakes we got to share before exiting our favourite diner and taking her back home. It had just reached past 6:30 when I parked two houses down from hers and turned the engine off, turning my body to face her.
"So..." she trailed off, her cheeks tinted red after being warm in the car again. I smiled at her awkwardness and leaned over across the glove box, taking her face in my hands and kissing her. I felt her body relax as she kissed me back, causing me to smile in satisfaction. I pulled away first after a while, pressing my forehead to hers.
"Can I see you again tonight?" I whispered, pecking her lips again.
"Yes." She grinned. "Text me this time."
"Not a chance." I chuckled, pulling away. She rolled her eyes and opened her door. I did the same and followed her to her door, taking her hand in mine and kissing her again when she tried to reach for the door knob.
"Hmm..." she mumbled through the kiss. "At this rate I'll never get inside."
"I'm okay with that." I pulled away to speak before kissing her again. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I wrapped mine around her waist. I was contemplating on slipping my tongue in her mouth, until the door was swung open.