I looked out the window at the unfamiliar streets as we passed them in a blur.
I thrummed my fingers on the handle of the car door, zooming out of the world.
Zoe refused to talk to me or even look at me all morning long, letting Harry do everything she usually asks me to do. Even when I woke her up to give her the shot, she leaned her head to Harry's chest and held his hand, ignoring me completely.
It was now an hour past afternoon, and Zoella was back at the house with Gemma, who enthusiastically agreed to sit with her as we went to the school to talk with her teacher.
But we didn't find her at her usual morning post by the kindergarten; instead, we found a young woman who claimed to be her assistant. She informed us that she would be taking the teacher's place for the day because she called in sick.
Convincing her to give us the teacher's address wasn't as difficult as I thought it to be.
Harry pressed on the doorbell once we stood in front of her house.
I jumped on the balls of my feet as I went over the list of questions I had prepared in my mind.
When the door remained shut, Harry took a step towards it and rang the doorbell once again, instantly met by a woman's voice shouting, 'coming.'
We both drew in a breath as he dropped his arm back to his side, his hand suddenly squeezing mine. I directed my attention towards him.
"Be smooth, okay?" He said, his face pulled in a frown.
I gave him a curt nod and turned my head back to the shut door as his hand left mine.
Be smooth.
But my mind was ignorant to everything except for its thirst for answers. And it didn't care—nor did I—care how it could get them.
My heart picked up its pace as I wondered how many questions would be solved by this teacher.
Growing impatient, I stepped to the door this time, raising my fist and knocking twice before the door flew open.
She stood still as her eyes fell on us. She had a pair of blood-looking, maroon yoga pants on and a white t-shirt which was topped by a navy blue floral robe. Her black hair was secured by a clip as her almond-shaped eyes moved from me to Harry, a small smile spreading over her face.
"H-"
"We need to talk," I said, cutting straight to the chase.
Harry coughed, pushing me out of the door frame as he extended his arm and smiled politely, "Hi, ma'am. I'm Harry."
She shook his hand, smiling hesitantly, as she shifted her gaze back to me and opened the door wider to let us in.
Her house from the inside looked ordinary. Furniture scattered here and there, nothing eye-catching.
We sat down on a brown couch as she took a seat on a chair across from us before standing up again, "What do you guys want to drink?" She asked.
"Nothing, I just want to ask some que-"
"We will have coffee please," Harry said.
She nodded and left the living room, her robe flying behind her.
I looked at Harry, "What are you doing?" I whisper shouted, my eyes searching his face.
"What are you doing? We aren't investigators here, and she's not a criminal. You can't talk to her like that! I told you to take it smooth, Josephine. Smooth."
I huffed, moving my leg up and down impatiently, and looked away from him.
The TV was turned on to a cartoon, and the floor had different colored trucks and toys scattered over it. I remember her saying something about a kid.
I lifted my head and found a few frames hung on the wall. I got up and walked to them, observing the people inside the pictures. Most of them had the teacher standing or sitting alongside a man with brown hair and hazel eyes as they carried a child that didn't look older than six.
"That's my husband and my boy; Kevin." I turned around in time to see her put down a tray that held three cups of coffee as Harry thanked her. She straightened, flattening invisible creases on the fabric of her robe and hugging it to her body. "He is currently sleeping. I was only cleaning his mess now, so sorry for the mess," she said, waving her hand in the air.
"It's fine," Harry said when I didn't reply. I avoided the glare he threw my way and nodded as I made my way back to the couch.
"I wan-"
Harry silenced me again by talking. I clenched my jaw.
"We were at the kindergarten a while ago, and your assistant said you called in sick. Are you okay?" He reached out for one of the cups and gave it to me, doing the same with the teacher, before taking another one for himself.
So, now we are going to have a coffee party and gossip about how Nigel broke up with Abraham.
"Well, I thought of taking a break for a day. You know, it gets a bit tiring having to deal with kids for seven hours every day."
"Yeah. Anyway, the colors-"
"Me and my girlfriend," he said, hitting my knees, "were wondering something."
I wore a poker face. Girlfriend. Am his girlfriend now?
"The colors-"
"The colors," he emphasized, putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me closer to his body, "you gave to Black's sister, Zoella."
Don't punch him. Don't punch him. Don't punch him.
"Yeah," she said.
"Who g-"
He tugged at my hair, "Did you give it to her?"
"Yes, I did. Zoella is an excellent student, so I thought I'd gift her something." She smiled.
I pushed Harry's arm off my shoulder and placed the cup of coffee on the table as I sat at the edge of the couch, "You wanted to gift a kid, so you got her an expensive brand of color pencils?" I squinted at her.
"Yes, that's my technique for motivating the kids to behave well."
"I understand, but the colors aren't what you usually get for a kid who didn't pass five years of age. Artists use these colors. Unless you have got hundreds of dollars in your pocket that you don't know what to spend it on, this is absurd." She took a sip from her cup of coffee as she nodded.
"What Black is trying to say-"
I snapped my head toward him, "Babe, let me talk," I said, my voice laced with venom I didn't know I owned.
He clenched his jaw and smiled tightly, as he nodded.
"I know it may seem a bit weird, but I wanted to award her, and I know she likes drawing," she said. I searched her face for the signs of nervousness that I found yesterday, but her face held nothing but a smile.
"I will act like I believe you," I said, unlocking the phone and opening my photo library in an attempt to find a picture of him.
I found a picture of him standing in front of a tree we planted in our backyard when we were six. He had his red hat on backward, so his features were more distinctive than others.
I pushed aside the pain and turned the screen towards her as I observed her facial expression thoroughly, "Have you ever seen this guy around?"
She inched closer to the phone, furrowing her eyebrows. I gulped as hope bloomed inside of me by every second that passed.
She shook her head, "No, I didn't," she said, getting back to her place.
I stood up, anger taking control over my mouth, "Why are you lying to me?" I raised my voice.
They both stood up simultaneously.
"I'm not lying to you," she said faintly.
"I will take it from here," Harry said, picking me off the floor and walking to the door.
"Harry, let me down," I gritted, hitting his arms that were wrapped around my waist.
"Thank you so much for the coffee. We are sorry for disturbing, have a great day!" He said over the threats that I directed towards him.
I calmed my rapid breathing.
He was causing my blood to boil.
"I will ask just one more question," I said, pushing at his arms as the blood pounded vigorously in my ears, making me unable of hearing what the teacher was saying. "One more," I managed to say calmly, as I stopped my limbs from working.
He gradually let my feet touch the ground, but kept his arms around my waist. I turned around to be able to look at both of them.
His lips were set in a thin line as he searched my face in confusion.
'What are you going to do now?' His face seemed to speak what his mouth failed to utter.
I took a deep breath and shifted my gaze to the teacher, who had a hand on her heart as she looked back at me with a frown.
"What's the brand of the colors? I will believe you if you answer correctly." Harry moved his head to the side, waiting for her to answer, but she just stood there and stared at me. "At least tell me approximately how much does it cost."
Nothing.
She was silent, not attempting to even test her luck by saying random answers.
She let her arm fall to her side as she looked at a flower vase sat on a small, round table.
Harry turned around to get a better look at her, letting go of my waist in the process.
I clenched my jaw, disappointment flowing through my blood, "I trusted you with my little sister," I spat and turned back to the door, as Harry stood still in his place.
This was why I shouldn't have trusted anyone. There is venom running through everyone. A dark buried side that will one day rise and destroy you when you are vulnerable.
"He threatened to hurt my son," she shouted, making me spin around.
"Who did? Who was it? Was it the guy from the picture?" I shouted back, taking a step towards her with each word I said for Harry to get me back to my spot and stand in front of me, his face unreadable.
She took a shaky breath and shook her head, "No, that wasn't him, but he looks familiar. That's why I took so long to answer when I saw the picture, I had a feeling I saw him before," she said, her voice turning back to a softer tone as she looked down at her hands.
My heart fell to the floor as it became difficult to draw in a breath. I attempted getting my wrist out of Harry's grip, but he tightened it.
"Saw him where? Where did you see him?" Harry asked the questions that made my heart roar.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know?!" I was finally able to say.
She lifted her eyes to me, "I mean, I don't know! I see hundreds of people every day, and we live in a big, busy city. I could have seen anywhere!" She took a step toward us, her voice dominated by an edge of desperation, "Try to understand. A guy who I only saw twice kn-"
"Saw twice?" Harry cut her.
She nodded, shifting her blue eyes to him, "That was the same guy who came to ask if Zoella was okay—the guy with the curls." She looked back at me, "He knew everything. He knew my son's and husband's names; he knew where I live. He told me all I had to do was give her the colors and that he would know if I didn't, so I did—because I was scared. He told me not to mention a word to you or anyone, and he won't do anything, so I listened to him. Kevin is my only child.
I thought of calling the police later that day. I asked for permission to see the footage of the kindergarten's camera, but the footage of him coming to the kindergarten—both times—were gone. And I knew that this was no game. But I swear I wouldn't have let him touch a single hair from your sister, those kids are like my own, and the colors looked harmless." She took a deep breath as she moved her eyes between us.
I closed my eyes at everything she just threw on the table, not knowing if I was trying to forget what she said or memorize it.
Tugging my wrist out of Harry's grip, I didn't bother with saying anything else and left the house, needing fresh air.
I slammed the car door behind me and sagged into the depths of the chair beneath the weight of life.
Harry didn't follow me until ten minutes later, getting into the car and starting it without saying a word. His stone cold face and the tight grip around the steering wheel enough to tell me what he was thinking of.
I suddenly started laughing as her words echoed in my head.
"Deleted school footage," I said, turning my head to Harry and laughing again like it was the funniest thing I have ever said.
Harry glanced at me before getting his eyes back on the road, "Are you alright, Black?"
I opened my mouth to reply, but out came more and more laughs as I closed my eyes and leaned my body towards my legs. They came in waves, and I couldn't stop once it started. I tried to catch my breath or to prevent the tears from falling from my eyes due to my excessive laughter, but I couldn't.
I felt the car halt as Harry placed his hand on my back, "Black?" He asked, this time in a worried tone.
I lifted my head to look at him from my blurry vision. He slowly searched my face, his lip pulled in between his teeth.
"Isn't it funny?" I asked, wiping the tears from my face.
"What is?"
I snorted, falling into another surge of laughter, "I went in there thinking I would get answers, but I got extra questions," I said out of breath. "I'm literally walking in circles." I smiled. "I always do this to myself, I just build up more questions. There is bob the builder" I pointed at myself, "and there is Black the questions builder." I threw my head back, laughing a bit more. "Drive, drive, I have got a child, who hates me, to take care of," I said, the ghost of a smile still present on my face.
I sighed and leaned my head against the window. He exhaled loudly and lifted his hand off my back, starting the engine.
Before the car could move a centimeter, his hand wrapped around my hand that was resting beside my leg.
The numbness that spread through me didn't let me object or move my hand away, so I left him to move his thumb over my skin as it was the only thing that grasped my body and didn't let it fade away from this world.
As the car came to a stop in front of his building, he squeezed my hand to draw my attention, "Will you be able to go up alone or will you need my help?"
"Alone," I said quietly.
I saw him nod from the corner of my eye. "In case I came home late, be ready at 10 pm. We have got a plan to achieve."
~
I avoided looking at my face or body in the mirror as I braided the blonde mess that was usually set around my face.
Zoella's laugh penetrated the walls of the room, followed suit by Gemma's. They have been on the black couch in front of the tv ever since I came back from outside, watching stupid movies as Gemma claimed.
Zoe only spared me a glance when I entered the apartment and refused to talk to me when I went to sit by her to greet her or get a hug—because I needed her hugs so much—but all my attempts were to no avail.
Gemma was the one who told me that Zoella was okay and had eaten breakfast, then she offered to remain with her because I looked exhausted and both of us didn't appear to be on good terms.
I agreed because I couldn't kick her out of her brother's apartment, but I sat down with them for a few hours just to make sure that Zoella was really fine.
I left when Harry called, claiming that he won't be back and that I will have to come to him myself to omit risks of being caught.
"Wear a jacket, it's chilly."
After braiding my hair, I retrieved my black leather jacket from the bag I still had to unpack and wore it above the white v-neck shirt I had on.
"Now pay attention to how you will come here."
I sighed, walking to the bed where my bag sat and opened it.
A knock echoed through the room the same time my eyes fell on my bow. I looked at the door, hope blooming inside of me. I closed the bag, moving my hand over the fabric of my jacket, "Yes."
The door opened, and a tall figure that didn't belong to my sister came in. I deflated.
"Hey." She smiled, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she closed the door.
I gulped, but kept my face straight, "Hi."
She walked towards me, placing her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. Being Harry's sister, she was so petite in comparison to him.
"I came to ask what you want for dinner, but you are leaving?" She checked my clothes then looked at the bag. I fisted my hands to prevent myself from reaching out for the bag and throwing it out of sight.
I nodded.
"With Harry?" She smirked then dropped it when I stared at her with no reply, shaking her head and smiling, "Sorry, that was so creepy."
"No, it's fine," I said, "yes. Yes, with Harry." I wasn't lying, after all, I was going out with Harry, but probably not in the way she was referring to.
Yet my heart did a backflip at the thought of going on a date with Harry. I wonder where he would take me. Was he the restaurant date type? Or was he the fun and adventurous date type?
I wonder how my life would be if where a guy would take me on a date was what clouded my mind and took up my time.
"From earth to Black." She snapped her fingers in front of my eyes.
I shook my head, "Pardon?"
She smiled, biting her lips, "What were you thinking of?"
"Nothing. Anyway, I'm sorry for getting you stuck with Zoella without even asking," I said, changing the subject.
She rolled her eyes, "If you just stop apologizing about this already! I have loved Zoella the second I laid my eyes on her, and I feel upset when my 'babysitting' is over because I never want to leave." She took another step closer to me, "Maybe I don't know much about you, maybe I only met you like a week ago, and maybe I don't know what kind of circumstances threw you and a four-year-old to live with a guy like my brother, but I trust you, and I already consider both of you as family. I hope you do too." She rubbed my arm, smiling warmly.
I do.
"Thank you."
She nodded, "I'm going to go back to Zoe then."
"Okay."
She left the room, and I checked on my bow and arrows before going out as well.
Zoella was still sitting on the couch, eating popcorn and engrossed in the movie playing, her legs covered with a blue blanket. Charlie and Jessica were lying on top of each other on the floor in front of her.
"Zoe," I called out. Her attention remained fixed on the tv as Gemma got out of the kitchen to look at us, "I'm leaving. I'm sorry for leaving you alone so much, but I won't take long I promise."
She kept silent as I sighed and went to the table where a set of colors sat, picking them up and walking to her.
I bent down and offered them to her, "Here take them." She removed her eyes from the tv and placed them on the colors. She took her hands out of the bowl and reached out for the colors, but instead of catching them, she pushed them away.
"I don't want them," she softly said.
I sat down on the floor, "Zo, c'mon. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to s-"
"I don't want them. I asked mommy if she sent them and she said no." I lowered the hand that held the colors, looking deeply into her eyes. "And she told me to forgive you, so I will." She took the colors from me and placed them on the couch before wrapping her arms around my neck.
I relaxed against her body, leaning my head to her shoulder.
"Don't shout at me like that again, you scare me."
"I won't, I'm sorry." I kissed her neck and hugged her back as her body took away some of the stress from my body.
We let go a few minutes later, and I got up, even though I would rather stay in the safety of this house because I didn't know if I was ready to face whatever was going to be revealed tonight.
But I pushed those thoughts back, knowing deep down that this won't end as planned just like every time.
"I won't be late," I whispered, and she nodded, smiling softly. I turned around, wondering what I would have done if I had a different sister.
Gemma stood by the island, her hand on her heart as she smiled at us warmly. I walked towards her to get to the door, catching some tears in her eyes.
I furrowed my eyebrows in a silent question.
She smiled broader, lifting her hand up and rubbing her eyes, "I'm quite the emotional one."
I smiled slightly.
She caught me by surprise when she closed the distance between us and hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her awkwardly.
"Is Harry downstairs?"
"Yeah," I lied and pulled away.
She nodded, and I made to leave.
"Zosie." I turned around. "I lied," she said, pulling at her fingers. I cocked my head to the side in confusion. "Mommy didn't tell me to forgive you. I forgave you because I love you."
I heard Gemma awe as I walked towards her again to kiss her then left.
Getting my phone out, I unlocked it and opened the messaging app.
"Text me when you leave the house."
I sent him a message, notifying him that I was on my way before walking down the stairs.
Who was I even chasing anymore? Who was I expecting to see?
I huffed. For me to do this, I need a clear mind.
I breathed in some of the air that hit my body, closing the zip of the jacket to protect myself from the chilly night.
"Take a left when you are out of the building, and keep walking until you see your first right then take that right."
~
I took a deep breath as I eyed the alley where everything was to take place, my mind running with all the possibilities of what could go down in the next few minutes.
The place, as he said, didn't look busy. There were only two people in the street, both making their way out of it.
I calmed my racing heart and proceeded walking to the mouth of the alley.
"I need you not to worry or stress. I'm here; I will keep you safe."
A hand wrapped around my mouth and pulled me into the dark alley, taking me by surprise even though I knew that it was going to happen.
"Now, Black, you need to fight me like I'm an intruder who is trying to hurt you. Angel, to make him believe that what's happening is real, you need to believe it as well. Don't scream though. Don't attract more attention than needed."
I elbowed him in the ribs, kicking him to get out of his grasp, but he was too strong. He pushed me deeper into the alley, making me almost fall face first to the ground. I turned around, throwing a punch blindingly but he caught it and used it to push me against the wall, pinning it above my head and knocking the wind out of my body.
"Harry?" I whispered when he inched his face to mine.
"Angel," he said with a gruff voice, sending shivers down my body.
I ticked out the possibility of him being another guy attacking me, and raised the fist of my free hand to his face, "Take this."
This time my hand collided with his face successfully as I raised my foot to kick him, but my actions were too slow.
He trapped my body with his against the wall, the arrows in the bag on my back brushing my back uncomfortably, but my limbs refused to give up as they twisted and tried to get out of his grip.
I knew he was wondering the same thing, where was he? Why didn't he show up till now?
"Scream, angel," he whispered in my ear, but I didn't. Screaming will draw more attention than needed as he said; he could get in trouble. "Do it now."
I locked my thoughts away and opened my mouth to scream, but all that came out was a gasp of air as I saw another figure join us—a hooded figure.
"Harry," I managed to say. He turned around in time to deflect the punch that was thrown his way.
"If he shows up, stay away; don't interfere until I tell you so."
I stayed against the wall, watching as they both threw punches at each other. My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest, my hands and knees shaking.
This might be it.
The guy kicked Harry in between his legs then pushed him, running to the other end of the alley. He straightened and ran after him.
"But you will have to interfere if he ran away. There are two escapes. If he is smart, he will run back to the street, where he is in public, that's when you run deeper into the alley. You will find an iron gate, climb it and run to the left till you see a right which will take you out on the street again—the end of the same street so we would circle him. Do the opposite if he runs the other way."
I held the straps of my bag and pushed my body to run out of the alley.
I let the wind knock the air out of my body as I ran like my life depended on this—it did depend on this.
Perhaps a while ago I would have doubted that my knees would be able to carry the weight of my body just to walk, leave alone run, but right now, I ran like an eagle soaring across the skies.
I ignored the weird glances that were thrown my way from those who still walked the streets and the people who stopped to look at me as I bumped others with my body, hoping that the air would carry my apology to them.
They probably saw me as trouble or as a mad person, and either way, they would keep a good amount of distance between us.
From a distance, I saw the other mouth of the alley, and I quickened my pace.
I entered it, removing the backpack off my back and unzipping it before getting out my bow and an arrow, then threw the bag on the floor.
I lifted the bow up and hooked the arrow in the string, waiting.
The alley here was brighter than the other end, and that helped me to see the two figures who ran towards me.
The guy stopped as soon as he saw me, and turned around for Harry to knock him to the floor.
Harry looked wild. Dark. Scary.
His curls were flying in different directions, his eye color darker than any time I have seen it. He breathed harshly, looking like an angry beast.
I looked at the guy who tried to scurry away like a rat. Harry took a step towards him as the guy stood back up. He twisted his arm and pinned him against his body before taking the hood off his face.
I almost dropped my bow as I peered at his face, searching desperately for the brown hair and the blue eyes, but his sharp features were nothing compared to my brother's soft features.
Trying not to show the disappointment that dropped on me like a heavy rock, I aimed the arrow to his heart as I shook my head to Harry.
That's not my brother; that isn't anyone I know.
"Who are you?" Harry snarled.
"Me?! Who am I? Who are you?! Are you some kind of thieves? Look, take everything but leave me alone," he said desperately, struggling against Harry's body. "I don't have anything on me that's worth stealing except for those beats and 40 bucks, I swear!"
I shifted my gaze to the beats that were around his neck then back to the desperate hazel eyes and black hair.
Something was wrong.
"How do you know her?" Harry demanded.
"Know her? How will I know he-"
"Answer correctly, and with no questions or you will regret it," he gritted.
The guy moved his eye up and down my body, "Look, man, I swear I don't know her! I was trying to help her, I thought you are a rapist!" He searched my face, "Do I know you? Do you know me? No, we don't know each other. Can you let me go now?"
"Harry," I called out, ceasing my grip around the bow.
"I swear all what happened was that stupid guy showed up and interrupted my session of listening to mus-"
"What guy?" We asked in unison.
"He doesn't work with you?"
Harry twisted his arm harder, making him screw his face in pain. "I don't know, I don't know! He showed up and told me there was a girl who needed help, and I ran towards the alley. He was following me a second and the other he just wasn't!"
"What did he look like?"
"I don't know! I won't stand and admire how someone looks when they tell me there is a girl screaming for help!"
I shook my head and dropped the arm that held the bow. I knew it.
Harry let go of him and watched me. The guy looked at us then sprinted out of the alley.
Frustration built up inside of me, making me want to scream out and pull my hair out of my scalp or even drop to the floor and cry like a baby as I have a tantrum.
Yet "I told you I should just give up," was all I said as I walked away as well.
~
AN// It's almost four in the morning and I'm exhausted as hell but I didn't want to sleep until I update, so I hope you like it!