Chapter 31
Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness.
The sun has set over the horizon as I'm the only one in the staffs dance room. Lilly came in a few minutes ago, saying she's turning in for the night and reminded me to lock up. Before she left, she took a good look around the room, and I felt like I could read her mind right then. She was thinking about Harry and Thomas' confrontation.
And now he's dead and she still doesn't know.
I couldn't bring myself to tell her. I only said he wouldn't be coming here anymore, which is partially the truth.
Now I wear my point shoes and stand in the middle of the room waiting for the music to queue with my hands in first position. The feeling of my tights and leotard calm me, giving me memories of when I was younger and my mum was telling me how to move my feet and hands.
The music begins to play and I fluently progress with it.
While I was walking here this morning─ after not being able to go back to sleep and my thoughts race about Harry ─I listened to my iPod music and stumbled upon this song and couldn't get to my desk fast enough to burn in onto a CD. I've spent the hours of the afternoon choreographing a routine. I work fast, so it only took a few hours to work everything out. Now I'm here to perfect it.
This is the song I'm doing for the solo Lilly's been nagging me about.
I steady on the flat tip of the shoes and lift my leg to make a perfect straight line, and my torso and head fall towards the floor. I lower my leg and continue.
"That's a really good dance."
A voice overpowers the music and makes me miss my spot as I whirled in multiple pirouettes. I catch myself before I fall.
Jess stands in the doorway of the room with a smile playing on her lips. I won't lie; she did startle me and my heart races still as I click a button on the remote and the soft melody cuts off. I didn't expect to hear from her for a while since we aren't on the best terms really, and yet here she stands.
"U-uh," I stutter. "What are you doing here?"
"I was trying to find you," she explains, walking further into the room. "And the front door was unlocked. You should really lock it if you're the only in here. Not very safe, you know."
I narrow my eyes, but nod anyways. "So you've found me."
Jess takes in a deep breath, walking to the ballet bars that line the back wall. "This may be way overdue, but...I want to say that I'm sorry," she says. Her eyes are wide, apologetic and real─ she's not lying. "I'm sorry for making accusations against Harry and you. I was being a bitch when I said he was toxic when I know nothing about him. I just said that stuff because I didn't want to see you hurt."
She finally said it. She said she was sorry.
"Oh, it's fine," I smile. Her eyes snap to mine from being trailed on the floor. When she sees I'm not messing with her, a grin appears and she runs to embrace me in a hug─ the kind that means everything is behind us. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too!" She squeezes me harder. "Okay, so tell me everything that's happened," Jess demands, pulling me to sit in front of her on the hard wood floor.
I shift through everything that's happened in the past month, debating on what to tell her. I can't tell Jess about Harry's work since I'm not even supposed to know. So that rules out the alley, anything about Evan, excreta. But not Emily.
"Well, most recently, I saw Harry's ex-girlfriend kissing him."
She gawks. "And you're not mad at him?"
"He was actually the one to push her away. It's not his fault," I clarify. "I mean, I didn't know that until later, so I scratched her," I say more sheepishly.
"No!"
"On her face."
"Oh, Shay!" Jess laughs. This feels so much like old times; laughing and gossiping with my best friend. "I never pictured you as a clawing type."
"Neither did I, until then."
"Okay, anything else," she pushes.
"Um, no. Not really," I lie.
Jess sends me a playful narrowed look. I know where this is going. "Have you two had sex yet?"
"Jess!" I squeak, hitting her arm as she giggles. "No, of course not!"
"Then what have you done?" She expels. I can feel the heat rush to my cheeks and I'm positive Jess sees it too. "Oh my... Shay! You let him touch you?"
I jump with my hand outstretched to cover her mouth. "Shut up!" And I let go.
"Oh, by who? The ghost?" She rolls her eyes. I realise she's right. I shouldn't be ashamed of anything, she's talked to me about her experiences even if I didn't want to hear them, but I can't help but I'd be sharing something that should stay between me and Harry.
But who am I suppose to turn to when I don't have a mother or sister. Sure as hell not my dad. I can't really talk to Harry since it's about him. Jess is my only option. She's practically my sister, ever since we were young. We've told each other everything, why should this be so different?
"Fine!" I give up. "Yes, okay. Happy?"
"Shay, you shouldn't be embarrassed," she says. "Okay, now have you done anything for him?" Her eyebrows rise.
"No, in case you haven't noticed, Harry's my first boyfriend I've ever done anything with."
"And he hasn't asked for it?"
"No," I state. "Why?"
"Well, most guys are like that, you know. They give, and then they want. You should ask him about it."
"What? You want me to talk to him about...p-pleasuring him?"
She snorts at my words. "Ha! Pleasuring. You can't even say it." Jess leans back on the palms of her hands. "I'm just saying maybe you should consider it."
Well...
"Can we please stop talking about this?" I plead. I really don't feel comfortable. "What about you? Anything new?"
It's her turn to blush as she finds her hands interesting suddenly. "Well, maybe. I mean, we're still just talking."
"Oh my gosh, Jess. Tell me everything."
"Okay, so we met at the farmer market downtown and he helped me when I knocked over a display. Least to say, he was very charming and charismatic. We exchanged numbers and so far we've been on, like, three dates." Jess looks off into space like she's dreaming.
"What does he look like?"
"He has black, almost buzz-cut styled hair. Brown eyes, full lips, and he's really broad and strong," she describes. If I'm being honest with myself, he sounds nothing compared to Harry, though I'd think that about every guy.
"And does this man have a name?"
"Yeah, his name's Evan."
***
I pace with my arms crossed in front of Harry and Lucas' flat. I've rung the door bell for the past two minutes and I go reach for it again. Harry's car is parked on the side of the road so he must be home. I sure hope he is because it looks like it's going to rain soon, and I walked here.
It was last night that Jess told me she was seeing Evan and it took everything in me to not get up and leave right then to come and tell Harry. I didn't want anything to be rash and I didn't want Jess to suspect anything and start asking questions. She's completely innocent, not knowing who Evan really is and what he does. But that makes her so much more susceptible. He could hurt her any minute.
I have no doubt that Evan just didn't stumble upon Jess. He knows who she is, and he knows her relationship to me as my friend, and then my relationship to Harry. He knows he can get to Harry and possibly the rest of the organization if he has leverage.
And I realised this all this in the early hours of the morning when I couldn't sleep.
Now I'm here to tell Harry, but he's not answer, damn it!
I resort in knocking loudly until someone hears. Maybe Lucas is home.
After another round of knocks on the door, it finally swings open to reveal Lucas, not Harry. And he's just as baffled to see me standing with frantic eyes in front of his house.
"Hello, Shay," he says. "Harry isn't here right now─"
"So where is he?" I push past him, into the foyer that only showcases Lucas' door, a small table, a plant, and the stairs that lead up to Harry's flat. I bound up a few steps and sure enough, Harry's door in closed with no light in the space between the door and the floor.
"Working."
"Okay, then." I turn on my heel and start for the door again. I need to get there before it starts raining.
"No." Lucas catches my elbow before I could walk out. "He's not at work." He lets me go.
"Then where is he?"
Lucas stops short of answering, his mouth gaping. "I can't tell you that," he sighs.
"Why not?" I counter.
"Listen," he almost chastises, "why'd you come here anyways? You seemed pretty worried outside."
I deliberate internally on the situation. Should I tell him? He is Harry's boss, and Harry trusts him. He's here, Harry's not. I have to tell someone now or it'll explode out of me. Lucas is the one who wants to stop Evan, maybe he will help.
I huff, plopping down on the second step, and lace my hands through my hair. "So my friend, Jess, said that she's been seeing this guy, okay?"
"She's the one with the blonde hair, brown roots, right?"
"Yeah," I confirm warily. I don't want to know how he knows her. I shake away the image of him behind a computer, pulling up her files.
"So, what? The guy she's seeing works for Evan?" He crosses his arms.
"No...The guy is Evan."
Lucas' eyes go still along with his body and he looks at me like I was speaking a different language. I don't blame him; I reacted practically the same way.
"This isn't good," he mutters, pulling something from his back pocket. "C'mon."
I follow without question into his apartment. He closes the door behind me and pulls the chain into place. His place is cleaner than I thought it would be, but it looks comfortable and homey. There's a small living room with a sofa, love seat, and coffee table with a TV sitting in the corner when you walk in. Only two entryway without doors lead from this room, one to the kitchen and dining room and the other looks like a hallway to the bedroom and bathroom.
A female's voice comes from the kitchen after a few bangs of pans hitting each other. "Lucas?"
A ginger haired woman comes out into the living room where Lucas sits on the sofa, opening a computer. She looks at me with a confused look before recognition takes over─ I don't know her from anywhere.
"Shay," she greets me like she's known me for years. Wiping off her flour covered hands; she holds hold it out for me to shake. "It's great to finally meet you."
"I'm sorry," I say, still shaking her hand. "Do I know you?"
"Oh, I forgot. Shay, this is Regina," Lucas introduces, completely focused on the computer. "My fiancé."
I take note of the diamond ring placed on her finger. "Yes," she backs up. "If anyone knows Harry, they basically know you, too," Regina giggles. "Lunch is almost ready!" She tells Lucas, who grumbles in response, and then heads back into the kitchen without question. She must know to not ask about Lucas' work. That's very unlike me.
I take the spot next to Lucas on the sofa, watching his fingers glide over keys and type in things that I don't understand.
"She's very pretty," I comment. "You're lucky."
"I am."
And suddenly a blue light comes on next to the video camera, and the screen is black. Then another man pops up, looking serious with a business background behind him. It's the organization work place.
"Yes, Boss," he says.
"I need everyone back at the organization now," he stresses. "I'll call Styles and tell him. I need eyes on Evan and Jess Mitchell for the next few days too."
"Sure thing, Boss."
And the feed cuts off with the man yelling for everyone to get ready.
And the only thing I'm thinking as Lucas dials a number is: what have I gotten myself into?
+++++
Hello Loves!
So updates should be going back to normal now.
AWE no Harry in this one, but it sets up for the next chapter.
Q: What do you think of Jess coming back? What about her dating Evan? What do you think will happen next chapter?
Dedication to zayaloves1d4eve for the votes! Thanks Love :D
-A xxx