"What?!" I screamed, my eyes couldn't widen any more than they already were. I'm sure if it was possible they'd fall out of my eye sockets. In that instance, I was frozen to my seat, my hands spread against each of my knees. My head was turned as I stared at Harry with a futile expression of worry and fear. "I don't mean to sound like a coward, but there is a fucking bomb ticking on the car!"
Harry -- as usual -- disregarded every single word I panted or shrieked. He understood I was most likely afraid and inexperienced. Thankfully, he does have the experience. He knows what he's doing, and I told myself at the moment it is best not to question it.
The car switched lanes just as Harry settled himself in his seat. He grasped the steering wheel and turned the shift knob forward. Immediately, the car sped up much faster than before. A pressure found its home in my chest, my eyes squeezing shut as a result. If I stared out the window I'd become nauseous and possibly puke out the snacks from three hours ago.
When I opened my eyes again, we weren't on concrete. The desert soil was dry and powdered around the wheels. It blew huge amounts of dust behind us as we left a trail of hot, newly burned wheel marks. I felt my lips part from confusion, frowning until I saw what lied ahead.
A tree wasn't' very hard to spot from the distance we were at.
I peeked over at him. "Are you going to crash this car?" I breathed out in horror.
"No. I'm going to make it look like we crashed. Once they approach the grenade, which at an estimation is at two minutes and counting down, it will explode and fuel the gas tank inside the car as well." Harry explained quickly, rapidly turning around to glance behind us, which was originally my job but I can't function properly.
I caught on to his plan quickly. Not a second did I question him and his theories. It was a clever plan, and I'm surprised he thought of it in this car. The little time allowed was almost unrealistically helpful to generate a plan as good as Harry's. Fortunately, he is impressively intelligent. I see what my father sees in him. A sort of determination and outstanding skill.
Harry drove, slowing the car down and putting it into auto drive once more. "Alright. Come over on my side and sit on my lap."
My mouth went dry, this time having the tenable urge to question him. "What?" I aired out in shock, my eyes still pride open.
"Sit on my lap, Catalina. Do it. Don't question me!" He shouted quickly, and by the vein now unquestionably evident, I carefully climbed over the center counsel and lowered myself onto his lap. Thighs were touching each side of his waist as he kept one hand on the wheel, the other already reaching for the door.
Alterations could've been made to his plan, which obviously was to jump. I'm no stranger to movies or novels. My life felt like one at the moment. It is much scarier in real life, however. My heart wouldn't stop beating out of control, and even when staring at Harry and his pale green eyes, that sense of security he gave me isn't enough to stop the rapidness of my breath and the torture my mind simulated at the thought of getting caught or even worse dying.
"Arms around my neck, tightly. Hold on to me as tight as you possibly can. Make sure your head is at the crook of my neck, so if I end up falling on top of you, your jaw will sustain and not fracture beneath my weight," he whispered to me.
I stared into his eyes, not finding the strength to verbally reply, but I nodded with my throat dryer than this desert dirt.
He watched me carefully. "It'll be okay. I'm here to protect you, aren't I?"
My arms went around his neck in an instant, my head next to his basically as he asked. I squeezed my eyes shut forcefully, feeling a gust of wind hit us from the open car door. It flew open without much pressure, considering the speed we were traveling at. I squeezed my arms around him, hoping for the best.
A scream escaped my lips as we were in mid air for a quarter of a second, and then the next second Harry was beneath me, his back on solid, dry dirt. Our weight combined made it easy for gravity to push us further down, yet the force only sustained us on a flat surface. We didn't fall on a flat surface.
We rolled down a hill, my screams ceasing and replaced by wincing. I felt little rocks scratching against my skin, or sharp weeds in the dirt scraping into my flesh. When I was on top, Harry grunted out of pain I'm sure he felt on his back. When he was on top, he clenched his jaw and dug his feet into the dirt as much as he could to decrease our velocity. Even though we tumbled over a small declining level on the ground, Harry kept his arms wrapped around my smaller frame in case.
When we stopped, I gasped for air and immediately pushed myself off of Harry. I felt dizzy, loopy even. I dazed around and stared at Harry who lied on his back, squeezing his eyes shut and moving his shoulders around.
"Holy shit, that was epic," I laughed out of astonishment. Dirt stuck to my palms, my arms, and possibly my hair. I felt extremely uncomfortable with the dirt in my shoes and inside of my shirt, but decided on not making a comment.
Harry opened his eyes and stared up at me with a neutral expression, which is somewhat new for him because at least this time he isn't angry. "Epic because you hadn't absorbed the impact."
"I'll massage your back later," I smiled, giving him my hand as assistance.
He glanced at my hand before reaching up to grab it, only to apply force and tug at it. I was draped across Harry's body, landing coincidentally on him. I squealed in the instant, feeling my blonde hair flow to my face as I was met face to face with Harry.
Quite seriously, he snickered and mocked, "Get off me."
I frowned at him. "You pulled me down!"
"You fell, so," he defend himself bluntly.
Gasping, I scrunched up my nose and frowned further. "You're ridiculous!"
"Well, why are you so weak? My grandmother can throw a punch much harder than you, I bet." Harry spat, his British accent putting a twist into his little remarks. I scolded in annoyance, pushing myself off of him with my palms against the dirt.
We both stood, and after Harry had stretched out his tired muscles, we were both walking down a path where there appeared to be more vegetation. The setting sun made the wind grow much chillier than before. Harry said that even though we won't be able to really know if those men blew up in our car, we couldn't stay and watch it. We had to move further down the path.
Walking became a horrible task when I began to feel myself tire. Physically, it became impossible to keep walking. I glanced at Harry, who was mindlessly lost in his thoughts, staring around him focused. I watched him for a while before quietly asking, "What are you thinking about?"
Harry paused. "I...am thinking about putting tape over your mouth." I crossed my arms over my chest, frowning a little at the ground and at my feet.
"I wasn't talking a lot," I muttered ridiculously soft. I sounded hurt and like an innocent five year-old.
"I was joking, genius. I thought you were intelligent, Miss Gates." Harry retorted. "Stop being so sensitive."
I sighed to myself, continuing to stare at my feet as we walked, the light around us decreasing slowly as the sun set and the moon began to make its appearance. "Well, you're always saying how annoying I am. And I don't mean to be. I just can't help it. I don't really know why you hate me so mu--"
"I don't," he muttered.
My eyes trailed up to him. "You act like you do."
"I'm not meant to be someone you will like, Catalina. The whole point why your father picked me was because he knows you'll hardly grow attached to me," Harry explained to me slowly.
I huffed. "I'm not a child," I hissed. "I am capable of handling myself emotionally, Harry."
"Well, that's perfect, then. Handle yourself emotionally when you're not around me." He sounded so awfully mean, so emotionless and careless about his words.
Yes, I'm deeply hating his guts at the moment, but I can't help but feel offended and hurt by him. I'm trying not to care, but unfortunately I always care what others think of me. I'm curious as to why he acts the way he does. Is it because he is truly cold-hearted, or because he's trying to push me away on an emotional level. It wouldn't be a horrible thing if we were friends.
"Are you really this mean? Just answer me that. And I won't ever ask you another question about yourself." I stated firmly. I saw something else in him when he pulled me down to the floor. A man without emotions doesn't joke around like that, even though he hadn't laughed or anything. He still did something jokingly.
He ran a hand through his curls. "Yes." Is all he said.
The entire time he managed to look away from me, not finding me interesting enough to even look at my face as I talk. I'm assuming Harry is the type to prefer loneliness over companionship. He detests conversation and getting to know someone, or someone getting to know him. I actually feel a bit bad for him. Pity. I'm sure he'd hate the sound of that, which is why I won't ever say to him.
I nodded, inhaling deeply. "Um, yeah...So what are we going to do about the miles of dirt we have ahead of us? We can't just walk all of it."
"I don't have signal here. I'm sure your father has sent someone to come for us in the direction from the States. After we get you all the way to Texas, I'll be making sure you get home and then I fly to Italy to meet your father there. He'll assign people to stay around your house in case of an emergency. And that's pretty much it. You won't see much of me afterwards."
The thought was reassuring. I'll be able to see my sister and live with her in peace -- hopefully. Those men who were after me would be lucky to find me in whatever dead beat town my father will hide us in. They'll look half way across the world for me, and they won't know I was just another state away.
Nodding once again, I said, "So...I guess I should thank you now, huh? For protecting me with your life."
"Unfortunately, I don't usually protect people. It's the opposite. Nevertheless, you are welcome." He replied with a nod of his head, staring ahead with focus once more.
I chuckled. "I'm standing next to someone who'd shoot me if it wasn't for who my father is. And I'm not even shaking with fear."
Harry remained stolid as he spoke. "I'm sure you are naturally accustomed to feel endangered. Impressive considering you seem like the cowering type. As frail and kind as you look."
My mouth fell open, a bitter chuckle escaping as I crossed my arms over my chest more firmly than before. "I happen to think my body has the normal amount of muscle."
"I can probably pick you up and throw you a mile or two. So shut it," he demanded. I opened my mouth but he pointed his index finger at me and narrowed his eyes. "I won't hesitate to show you."
As I suspected, I began to feel tired the longer we walked. The moonlight was our only source of light and our guide even through our silence. Throughout the forty-eight hours I've spent with Harry, I've adapted to the silence that continuously roams the atmosphere when we're together. I find it easy to keep my mouth shut, although there are many things I'd like to know about Harry.
Regardless what I wanted to know, he was in my life for different purposes. Not because fate brought us together or because we're meant to be friends. We're nothing but somehow business coworkers or a relationship similar to that.
My legs began to give out. My feet were throbbed at the heel and the area below my big toe. Not to mention thirst was attacking my senses as well. Harry didn't seem affected by much of his needs or our surroundings, which was shockingly impressive. If I couldn't hear him breathing, I'd think he was a robot.
"Harry, I'm tired." I yawned.
"What's your point?" He asked barely.
I shook my head, grumbling, "Nothing." I wasn't in the mood to start another argument. Harry quietly hummed to himself, tossing around a small rock between his hands as I tried to ignore the pain in my feet. We've been walking for quite some time, although he exact number was countless now.
Harry suddenly stopped humming, and turned around sharply. I stopped moving, feeling my gut splattered with remains of my stunned heart. Immediately, I was not breathing and keeping up with every single inch Harry moved. He dropped the rock onto the dirt, watching behind us.
"Get behind me," he whispered hastily, which I responded to just as fast by moving behind his tall silhouette. There was a loud slam that sounded like car parts screeching against concrete. Gasping at the noise, I accidentally placed my hands on Harry's hard back, eyes widening as the sound increased in volume.
It was like a car being scraped against the road, creating those sparks you get from friction. With my hands still on Harry's back, he began to move towards the noise, and so did I. He didn't seem to mind my hands, so I kept them there for reassurance.
"What is it?" I asked in a hushed, urgent tone.
Surprisingly, Harry didn't snap at me to be quiet. He walked up the hill we had fallen down that had dragged for miles. Crouching, with me following, he whispered, "Be prepared to run."
"Okay," I replied, certain that even though my feet were killing me, I'd still force a run as long as I have to.
I let my finger tips dig lightly into his back out of concern and anxiety. Whatever Harry was hearing had stopped, because I didn't hear it anymore, either. I tried to force my hearing, but there wasn't any other movement. Whatever it was, it was closer now.
A/N: had to end it thereeee! ;) give me your opinions and perhaps vote!!!
btw Nicola Peltz (a.k.a Catalina Gates) picture on the side!