Before you start, I just want to say that I'm heartbroken over Fizzy's death. I cried for hours, and I still cry when I think about it. I cried when writing a scene she's in. She'll still be in this story.
R.I.P 'Fizzy' Felicite
Truly, an angel taken too early.
My thoughts and prayers are with Louis, Lottie, Phoebe and Daisy, Ernest and Doris, and the rest of their family and friends who were close with Fizzy.
Amar's POV
"Why is he picking you up at two?" Harry asked from the doorway.
"It's a long drive," I answered.
Harry pushed himself up and entered my room. "Well, when does the show start?"
I stopped scrolling through my phone and looked up. "The doors open at seven, but the show starts at 8, and Cole wants to eat something before getting there.
Harry crossed his arms. "Oh, so you're going for lunch as well? You didn't tell me that."
I rolled my eyes. "I wasn't aware I had to tell you everything."
"Of course you have to tell me! What if something happens, and I don't know where you were or what you were doing?" Harry rambled on.
"Calm down," I said slowly. "I will check in every hour or so, okay?"
Harry nodded, content with that and got up. "Are you done?" He motions towards my plate. I nodded and gave him my plate.
"So at two?" Harry asks again.
I nodded and unlocked my phone when it vibrated. It was a text from Cole.
Hey, I'm picking you up around 2:10. I have to pick my little sister up from a sleepover
I smiled and texted back, Okay :)
*
I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror. After I texted Cole back, I took a long shower then did my hair. There isn't much to do with my hair, so I'm letting it down as usual. I grabbed the clothes that Louis helped me pick out and threw them on. It was a striped shirt with a denim jacket over it. It was a little big on me, so I rolled the sleeves up a little. I paired it with black skinnies and my white and black Adidas. Louis had a good fashion sense.
Harry knocked on the door, and I looked up at him through the mirror.
"Hey." I smiled.
Harry walked in and wrapped his arms around my neck, resting his head on my head. "You look beautiful."
"Thanks."
He patted my arm. "Come on. We better get going."
Cole can't know where we live, so Harry is driving me to our old flat.
I nodded and grabbed my black bag and followed Harry out of my room and down the stairs. As we reached the bottom, I saw the boys sitting on the couch watching some movie on Netflix.
"Boys? What are you all doing here?" I asked. The boys shared a smug look. I knew what they were doing. "Cole is a good guy. Behave. Please."
Louis ducked his head and fixed his fringe. "No promises," He whispered.
Liam got up. "Come on. We don't want to keep Cole waiting."
"Maybe we should," Zayn suggested. "How about we go to this cool ice skating ring near here?"
"If there's food," Niall said and rubbed his stomach, "I'm in."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh stop it, boys. Come on." I headed for the door and stopped next to Liam. I linked arms with him, and we walked out, waiting for the rest of the boys to come out.
I watched as Harry sets up the alarms and locks the doors. Louis, Niall and I go in Harry's car, and Zayn and Liam take Louis' car.
*
Zayn blew a raspberry. "Points off for being late."
I rolled my eyes and checked my phone. It was only two minutes after 2:10. "Cole will be here soon."
"It's not too late. We can still make it to the ice skating-"
Louis gets cut off by Cole rushing in. "Amar! Hey!"
I smiled and got up to hug him, but Harry had other ideas. He gripped my arm, stopping me. I looked up at Harry, frowning. I saw Harry smile sweetly at Cole, his dimples showing.
"Hello Cole," Harry greeted.
Cole's eyebrows furrowed. "Uh, hi? Who are- Oh, wait. I know you. You all come to The Mad Victory."
Harry extended his hand, and Cole grabbed it and shook it. "Pleasure. I'm Amar's brother."
Cole's eyes widened for a millisecond, but quickly composed himself. "Oh, hello, and all of you?" He motioned around to the boys.
I yanked my arm out of Harry's grip and stepped in front of him. "This is embarrassing," I whispered. "Hey, uh, you've met my brother, and this is his boyfriend, Louis." I point at Louis who is standing next to Harry, a stern look on his face. Louis raised his hand and waves slightly then stuffs his hands in his jacket pockets. "These are my friends, Niall," I point at Niall, "Zayn and Liam, his boyfriend." I pointed to the back where Zayn and Liam were seated.
"Hi, Cole," Zayn said. "It's nice to meet you."
"We've met before, at the Mad Victory." Cole corrected.
Zayn ignored his comment. "We've heard a lot about you."
"Really?" Cole looked at me.
I shook my head. "He's joking." I knew this was going to get worse, so I clapped my hands and grabbed my bag. "Well, we should get going." I grabbed Cole's hand. "It is a long drive."
Louis stepped forward. "Take care of her."
Cole nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't let anything happen to her."
Harry crossed his arms. "Good, because I can figure out where you live, and I have a gun."
I could hear Cole gulp. I laughed nervously and tugged at Cole's hand. "Okay, we're leaving now."
Liam poked his head in so I could see him. "Have fun!"
The last thing I saw before I turned around was Zayn giving Liam a 'seriously?' look.
Cole and I walked out of there. "I'm so sorry about that."
Cole shrugged. "It's fine. I have a little sister, too. I would be as overprotective if she went out with a boy."
"What's her name?" I asked.
"Amelia," he answered, smiling. "but she likes to go by Mia."
He nodded. "My mum let me name her, so thanks."
We reached his car, and he let go of my hand. I hadn't even noticed that I still had his hand in mine. He opened the door for me and smiled as he helped me in. He closed the door then ran to his side and climbed in.
"So, this is the plan." He said as he started the engine. "We drive until we reach Grantham, which is like a quarter of the way, and we can get some snacks to eat while we drive to Cambridge and get a late lunch. Then we drive to London."
I nodded. "Sound good, but it's a three-hour drive, so you have to put music."
He smiled. "What would a road trip be without music." He grabbed his phone and connected to his car. '7 Rings' from Ari's new album started playing.
"I hope she plays some songs off her new album," I stated. I looked over at Cole and found him already staring at me, smiling. "What?"
He was quiet for a second then shook his head and switched the gear to reverse. He pulled out into the street, and our drive started, not having any clue how terrible this date would end.
*
"Are we almost there?" I complained for the millionth time.
"We're three minutes out. I see patience is a virtue." Cole said.
I rolled my eyes and groaned. I sat up and grabbed Cole's phone. I scrolled through his playlist, looking for a new song.
"Oh, please, help yourself," Cole remarked.
"You don't have any good music taste, besides Ari." I sassed and kept scrolling. Cole laughs and puts his blinker on, signalling that he was taking the exit to Grantham. Finally.
I scrolled longer until my eyes fell on a song that I liked. I pressed play, and soon, Brendan's voice filled the car with the first lyrics of 'High Hopes' started playing.
I placed his phone down. "First decent song I found on your playlist."
Cole took a hand away from the steering wheel and placed it on his heart. "Ouch."
I laughed at his dramatics. It reminded me of Louis.
"You know, I could keep driving and make you wait longer for food," Cole said.
My eyes widened. I placed my hand on Cole's shoulder. "No! I was kidding! Please don't! I will die of hunger." I dramatised. Cole rolled his eyes and looked at the GPS. "There's a TESCO up ahead." He merges into the right lane. "You can go into TESCO and get us snacks, while I refill the tank."
I nodded and sat back, enjoying Panic! At The Disco's new music.
Cole's car slowed down as we entered TESCO. He slowed down to a stop and took out the keys, turning the engine off. We got out, and I started walking.
"Get me some M&M's!" Cole yelled out.
"Okay!" I yelled back and took out my phone. I walked through the entrance and smiled at a worker that walked by.
I pressed on Harry's contact and put my phone next to my ear. On the second ring, he answered.
"Hello"
"Hey!"
"Is everything all right so far?"
I rolled my eyes. "Yes, everything is fine so far. We stopped at TESCO to get some snacks."
"I'm happy everything's good. I would hate to waste bullets on Cole"
"Harry!" I scolded.
"Kidding, kidding, well not really"
I laughed. "How are things over there?"
"The boys are over, and we're doing a movie marathon, starting with 'Grease', although it's about to be over"
I sighed and grabbed a basket. "I don't know how Tomlinson cannot get tired of watching that movie."
Harry laughed, and I heard Louis yell an offensive "Hey!"
"You're on speaker"
I laughed. "Sorry, Tommo."
"Is Cole being good? Do we have to kill him?" I heard Niall say.
"Hi, Horan. I'm fine, thanks for asking, and Cole is perfect, so, no, you can't kill him."
"Aww, man," Zayn commented.
I laughed and grabbed a bag of M&M's and threw it into the basket along with some other candies; Reese's cup minis, jolly rangers, and some crisps; a big bag of cheddar Doritos, Pringles (sour cream and onion and original), and some pretzels. Yeah, I grabbed a lot, but most of it was for her, and Cole could grab whatever he wanted.
"I know I should've asked before you left, but the show end around 10-11-ish, right?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"So are you coming back after or...?"
I pursed my lips into a thin line. Their reaction is not going to be pleasant. "Uh, we're staying at a hotel."
"What!"
"Well, I knew you wouldn't want Cole and me driving in the middle of the night, so I opted to stay in a hotel."
"Over my dead body!" Harry growled.
"You are not spending the night at a hotel with boy without supervision" Louis argued.
"You 'ought to be crazy if you think we'd let you do that," Niall added.
"We'll drive over there and pick you up," Zayn said.
I sighed and rubbed my temple. "Payno? Any help?"
"Yeah, sorry love, but I'm with the boys on this one," Liam responded.
I pulled the phone away from my ear and placed it on my chest as I pinched the bridge of my nose. I brought the phone to ear again.
"Look, you trusted me to drive three hours away with a boy. The concert finishes at 11, we'll ride for an hour then stay at a hotel until 6, and I'll see you by 8."
"I don't like this," I heard Harry sigh.
"I know you don't, but I promise nothing will happen besides sleeping."
"Fine," Harry said after a few seconds of silence.
I smiled and did a silent victory scream. "Thank you! Now, I have to go."
"Okay, be safe. I love you"
"I love you, too." I hung up and pocketed my phone. I walked towards one of the shortest lines and waited.
When an arm wrapped around me, I immediately reached for my gun that was in my front waist holster.
"You thought you would pay?" Cole's voice said next to me.
I relaxed and took my hand off the gun. I smile up at Cole. "I mean, you got the tickets, I thought I would, I don't know, pay for the snacks?"
Cole shook his head. "Don't worry about it. The tickets were a birthday present."
My eyes widened, and I turned my whole body towards him. "It's your birthday?"
"No, it was yesterday."
I slapped his stomach, ignoring the fact that I could feel the outline of his abs. "Why didn't you tell me! Happy belated birthday."
"Thank you, but I didn't think it was important," Cole said with a shrug.
"I'm paying for this and lunch is on me too," I said with a definitive tone.
"You don't have-"
"No," I cut him off, "I want to, and I'm going to. I feel bad for not getting you anything."
"At least let me pay for the snacks." He looked down at the basket in my hands. "Is this all for us?"
I shrugged. "I told you I was hungry."
Cole laughed and shook his head. We walked up as the person in front finished paying.
*
Louis' POV
I wrapped my arms around Harry and snuggled my face into his neck. "I can't believe you're letting her stay at a hotel with Cole."
"I have to trust her, Lou. She's my sister."
I nodded and pulled away slightly, still holding onto his arms. My eyes glanced down at Harry's lips as they turned into a smile. I looked back up at his eyes and smile as well. We both leaned in and met in the middle for a kiss. Our lips moved slightly, savouring the moment, but the moment got ruined by one of the boys pressing on the horn of my car. Probably Niall. Although the sweet moment got ruined, we still smiled through the kiss. Reluctantly, I pulled away, a smile still present on my face. My smile only got wider when Harry's dimples popped out as he showed me his breath-stopping smile.
My eyes flickered back and forth between his eyes. I loved his eyes. I loved how they were always a different shade. Sometimes they were a vibrant green that got darker as it reached the outer ring. Other times they were so light that the light would reflect so much that they would almost look yellow. I loved his cute little nose, and how it would crinkle whenever he would have to control his fond during school. I relished in the softness of his pink, plump lips that managed to send me over the brink of madness with just one kiss. I loved his laugh that would start deep but end in a higher pitch.
I loved the fact that he has been through so much pain, but he has still managed to pull off a smile. I loved that after so much pain, loss, heartbreak, and grief, he still clung to his morals and didn't give up in finding that happy ending. He has suffered so much, yet, he chooses to be kind and generous to other people. He treats people with the courtesy that everyone deserves, but he will defend and protect the people he cares about until his last breath.
I was in love with him.
I was madly, deeply, absolutely, crazily in love with him.
I didn't know it then, but looking back on it, I fell in love with him the moment I met him.
Blue met Green.
"Hi" and "Oops" started it all.
"C'mon Louis!" A thick Irish accent interrupted my thoughts.
Harry laughed. God, I could listen to that laugh for days, and I would never get tired of it.
"Go," Harry pushed.
I hugged him one last time, but as I pulled away, I grabbed onto his hand and let our finger lace together until they couldn't touch anymore. I smiled at him and turned around, heading towards my car that honestly needed a good wash.
I watched as the boys laughed and made kissy faces at me. I shook my head with laughter and flipped them off.
*
"Bye!"
Zayn and Liam waved goodbye as they walked inside Liam's house. Seeing them have such an open relationship around their families made me want the same with Harry. It made me want to tell my mum and sisters. My mum has sobered up, and my sisters have always been supportive. Plus, they would surely love Harry. Who wouldn't?
I parked my car and got out. I drew out the key to my house and unlocked the door. As soon as I stepped inside, the twins rushed towards me and hugged me, but they could barely hug my waist. My mum and older sisters hugged me properly.
"I was gone, like, four hours," I said, wrapping an arm around my mum and the other around Lottie and Fizzy.
"And it felt like 20 years," Daisy dramatised.
I rolled my eyes but smiled. "I'm sorry being gone so much, especially after what happened at school."
My mum pulled away to take a good look at me. She pressed her hand on my cheek. "S'fine, sweetie, but if you're going to be out, make sure to check in, just until the whole fuzz dies down.
I nodded and smiled at her. I brought my hand up and placed it on top of her. I took her hand off my cheek and grasped it well and led her to the couch. That couch had so many memories, some good, mostly bad.
I remember when dad was alive, we would have movie marathons late at night, but the twins would always fall asleep, no matter how many times they swore that they would stay awake each time. The twins would always curl up next to dad, and he was too scared to wake them up, so he would fall asleep on the couch with them. I remember the study sessions where I would cry out in frustration, and he would always calm me down.
"It's all right, Louis. I know it's hard. Don't stress too much. Take a break. Take a deep breath, and when your head is clear, come back to it, okay?"
Then there were the bad ones.
Where I would come home from my night job to find my mum passed out, half spread out on the couch. I would help her get comfortable and place a blanket on top of her. I remember telling the twins to head up to their rooms because they were sat on the couch, waiting for mum to come home. I remember them asking me where she was, and I would always have to lie before picking them up and carrying them to their room.
"There is never a good enough moment, so I might as well say it now," I said.
"What is this about, Louis?" Mum asked.
I rubbed her hand softly and turned back to the girls. "Sit down, girls, this involves you lot as well."
They walked around and sat down. The twins on the armchair, Lottie on the love seat, and Fizzy sat next to me. They all waited. I knew there's was no going back if I said it. If I came out right then and there, there would be no take-backs.
I released a deep breath and turned to my mum. "Mum, before I say this, just know that you are not the reason why I kept it hidden for so long."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "You're worrying me, Louis."
I shook my head. "Don't be." I released another breath. "Remember how I said that I was seeing someone, well they-"
"Is it serious?" Phoebe asked.
I didn't even think about it. I was in love with Harry. I smiled at them. "Yeah...yeah, it is."
"The person I'm with is Ha- Marcel." I stuttered as I almost slipped up and said 'Harry'. "I'm with Marcel."
I was too scared to look up from my hands. It was too quiet, until,
"Marcel? The one who visited you at the hospital?" Fizzy asked.
I nodded, but in the corner of my eye, I saw my mum's head duck, obviously sad at the comment. I squeezed her hand for reassurance. She looked up at me with love in her eyes, no trace of disgust, hatred, or sadness.
"So...he's a boy?" Daisy asked.
I turned to her and smiled. "Yes, love."
"So you hug him and kiss him?" Phoebe asked.
I looked around at the other two then back at her. "Yes, love."
"Cool!" They both said in unison then turned to mum. "Can we watch a movie."
I smiled at the comfort and acceptance the twins showed with what I had said.
Mum smiled and nodded. "Sure, just be ready for dinner."
The twins nodded and rushed off to their room.
When I heard a door close, I looked at Lottie and Fizzy. "Lot? Fizzy?"
"You know we support and love you no matter what," Lottie told me, smiling.
I returned the smile and got up, Lottie and Fizzy following suit. I wrapped my arms around them.
"I love you, Louis," Fizzy whispered.
I knew they would be accepting, but hearing it from them made it a hundred times better. I could feel the tears start building up in my eyes. I sucked in a deep breath and let go of them.
I looked down at my mum. "Mum? You haven't said anything."
She got up from the couch and grabbed my face. "Oh, Louis," She cooed. "You're my son. I don't care if you love girls, boys, both, hell, you can prefer a unicorn, although I would be worried."
I chuckled softly at her, the tears blurring my vision, but I could see the tears in her eyes.
"I love you no matter what. You'll always be my boobear." Her voice cracked a bit, but she ignored it and wrapped her arms around me.
I hugged her back and laughed at the childish nickname she used to call me. "I love you too."
She pulled away suddenly. "Oh! I have to meet this Marcel!"
My eyebrows furrowed then raised my eyebrows as I realised she was referring to Harry. "Oh! Uh, yeah, I'll talk to him."
She smiled and wiped her tears away. "Phew! Okay, I, uh, I have to check on the food."
"What are you making?" My stomach growled at the sound of food, although I ate at Harry's.
"You're favourite," We shared a look as I already knew what the dish was.
"Grandma Margret's noodle dish?" I asked.
"Grandma Margret's noodle dish." She confirmed with a laugh.
*
Amar's POV
"Ugh! It feels good to eat something besides crisps and sweets," I exclaimed.
"You were moaning over them in the car." Cole objected.
I shrugged. "What can I say? I love food."
Cole chuckled. "I can tell." He took a bite of his slice of pizza and then a sip of his water. "Are you excited for the show?"
"Mhmm," I nodded. "I've been a fan of hers for years."
"Mia was disappointed when she found out she wouldn't be coming with me to the concert, as I am the one who got her hooked on Ari's music."
"Why didn't you bring her?" I asked.
"Because I wanted to come with you."
I smiled and looked down at my almost finished burger. Cole always found a way to make me blush.
"Plus, I promised her I would get her a t-shirt," Cole added, knowing I was flustered.
I looked up, a smile still on my face, and grabbed a slice of his pizza without breaking eye contact. "Good, or else I would've felt bad. Not as bad as taking a slice of your pizza though."
Cole scoffed through a gasp. "Hands off my pizza. You said you wanted a burger and chips." Cole shook his head, and I simply laughed. "Unbelievable."
"Oh come on! You can't be mad at me."
"Yeah, I can't." Cole sighed. "You're too cute to be mad at."
I smiled and rolled my eyes, knowing the blush was prominent on my cheeks. I cleared my throat and checked my phone. It's been an hour since I've last checked in with Harry, so I clicked on his contact and pressed my phone to my ear.
"Who are you calling?" Cole asked as he chewed on a fry.
"My brother."
Harry quickly picked up. "Hey, how's it going?"
"Great. Cole and I finally stopped for some food." I said, giving Cole a nasty look. He rolled his eyes.
Harry laughed. "Sounds like you're having fun. Text me when you get to the concert"
I nodded. "Okay."
"All right bye. Love you and be careful."
"Will do. I love you, too." I hung up and set my phone down. "Sorry, I told him that I would check in every hour," I explained to Cole.
He shrugged. "No need to apologise. I understand."
I gasped as I remembered. "I forgot to tell you, but I did find a nice hotel, and it's only forty-five minutes away from the show."
Cole nodded and raised a finger to show he would talk when he was done chewing. He swallowed. "That's good. Did you book a room?"
"No. The hotel doesn't have a website, so I guess we will have to do it in person."
Cole nodded again and took his last sip of water. "You ready to go?"
My eyes widened. "You have four slices left, and I still have some chips."
Cole brings his finger up to his lips and whistles, catching the attention of a waiter. Cole waved him over. "Hey, can we get a to-go container? Thanks."
"I'll go refill our waters," I told him and got up, grabbing our cups. I walked over to the drink section and grabbed the pitcher filled with water and poured water into both cups.
When I come back, Cole is standing with a plastic bag in his hands.
"Ready?"
I nodded and handed him his drink. He smiled and took it. He extended his other hand for me to hold. I don't know why, but I hesitated. Maybe I had to remind myself that it was Cole and not some manipulative raging psychopath. I returned the smile and grabbed his hand, lacing our fingers. The butterflies that erupted in my stomach were like none before. It wasn't those butterflies that you get when you're anxious for a presentation, or when you have to ask your parents if your friend can stay the night. No, it was like when you see someone for the first time, and you know. You know you're meant to be with this person.
I was simultaneously happy and terrified at the new feeling.
*
I quickly pulled my phone out and texted Harry that Cole and I were at the venue and I would text him after the show. I pocketed my phone. Getting in here, I was nervous. The weight of my gun felt massive as the line got shorter and shorter. When it was my turn to pass through the metal detector, I could feel the world slow down. Swallowing the lump in my throat seemed to be extremely difficult. I had sent a silent thanks to Charlie when I passed without setting anything off. I would have to ask Charlie what he did to the gun.
"I know we ate, but I want a snack," I told Cole.
He chuckled and flicked his head towards a food stand, and we walked over there. "What does the lady want?"
I laughed at the comment and observed the choices. "I'll have popcorn, please."
The lady behind the window nodded and went off to get the popcorn. It was only a few seconds before the lady returned and handed me a striped blue and white bag with popcorn inside. I grabbed the bag and flashed her a thankful smile. A frown immediately made it to Cole's face when I let go of his hand, but I had to get my wallet out. I pulled my card out and handed it to the lady.
"Will you like your receipt?" The lady asked, handing me my card back.
I shook my head. "Have a nice day."
"You too, darling. Enjoy the show."
Cole and I turned around. A frown was still evident on Cole, but he soon smiled as something clicked in his head. He placed his arm around me and smiled down at me. I returned the smile. It was nice that he always wanted to be close to me. I wasn't going to lie; I enjoyed it.
*
Alex's POV
"Carter, do you see her?"
"Locked eyes on her. Should I approach?" I heard Carter's voice over the speaker in front of me.
I shook my head. "Hold your position."
My eyes flicker through all the screens. My hacker, whose name I learned was Vincent, got access to the restaurant's cameras. My eyes landed on the screen that showed her. She was laughing with three older girls.
"Get her away from her friends," I ordered.
"Copy that"
I watched as Carter got up from his seat and walked towards the door. He messed his hair up a little and pretended to shuffle in with a family. Carter was roughly 5'7, white, had brown hair with red streaks. He was good looking for a 14-year-old.
Carter took his phone out and passed by their table. "Ugh!" Carter exclaimed, getting the girls attention. "Damn phone!"
He turned to see the girls and shyly smiled. "Hi, ladies, uh, do you know where the," He paused to make the effect that he was confused, "Angelo Hotel is at?"
"You're not from around here," Waliyha stated.
Carter flashed her a smile. "Is it that obvious?"
Waliyha giggled.
Carter stepped forward and placed his hands on the table. "Uh, my family and I came here for vacation, but I blew them off, and I got lost, and if my day couldn't get worse, my phone just died. Can any of you help me out?"
I smirked as I watched the scene play out. Carter was always such a good liar.
Waliyha turned around to face the three girls and mouthed 'He's cute'. The girls smiled and winked at her. She turned back to Carter and got up. "Umm, here, I'll help you find your hotel."
Carter trailed behind her as they exited the restaurant. They walked a little further, but the camera could still film them.
"It's a long walk, but if you take the tube, it'll take you, uh, about thirty-five minutes, more or less." Waliyha smiled at him.
I quickly looked over at my computer. "There's an alley up ahead."
Carter walked a bit ahead. "Uh, the tube? I'm sorry what is that?"
Waliyha chuckled and walked towards him. "The American term for it is the Subway, I believe?" She extended her arm, pointing down the street. "In two blocks, you'll take a-"
Waliyha was cut short by Carter clamping his hand over her mouth. She struggled, but Carter dragged her into the alley, and I lost visual.
"You don't have much time. Do it now." I ordered.
"Stop moving!" Carter hissed.
Waliyha must've put up a fight. I could hear her muffled cries of help over Carter's earpiece.
"Don't take this personally."
Struggling sounds stopped coming over the speaker. I smirked. She wouldn't be able to survive three drugs that injected in sequent could be lethal. Sodium thiopental, to induce unconsciousness, then Pancuronium bromide, a muscle relaxant that'll leave her paralysed, and finally, Potassium chloride, it increases the blood and cardiac concentration of potassium to stop the heart, or as everyone knows it, death by cardiac arrest. I thought it would be nice to gloat. I may not know my way around a computer, but I'm a master of chemicals and drugs.
My head snapped back to the camera that showed her friends. They were getting out of the restaurant in search of Waliyha.
"Get out!" I yelled.
"Just a little longer, sir," Carter replied.
I watched as one of her friends walked towards the alley. "Get out, Carter! That's an order!"
"Done," Carter whispered, and I heard a female voice.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
I heard a thud that must've been Carter dropping Waliyha. The feed was static because Carter was running. In the distance, I could catch her friends yelling 'Call an ambulance!' and a frantic 'I can't find a pulse!'.
Soon enough, Carter opened the door to the van and climbed inside. I smirked and turned around on my chair.
"Good job, Carter. Waliyha will be dead by the end of the night."
*
Amar's POV
"Oh my gosh! London!" Ariana yelled into the mic. "You've been utterly amazing! I wish I could stay longer, but this is the last song! Let's make it the loudest, London!"
The intro to '7 Rings' started playing above all the screaming.
Yeah, breakfast at Tiffany's, and bottles of bubbles
Girls with tattoos who like getting into trouble
"I told you she would play this song!" I yelled at Cole, but I wasn't sure if he had heard me. I was sure when I saw him laugh. I couldn't overhear him over all the screaming not that it mattered. The mere sight of him smiling was good enough. He looked beautiful. I didn't believe any man could look beautiful, but he did. Cole always seemed gorgeous.
My eyes widened a little bit at what I had just thought. I looked away from Cole and went back to look at Ariana.
*
"Oh my gosh! Finally!" Cole exclaimed when we caught a glimpse of his car. We had been searching for hours. Okay, it wasn't hours, but it sure felt like it.
"All right, so where's this hotel?" Cole asked, and the engine roared to life.
Instead of answering him, I grabbed his phone and put the address into his GPS. Meanwhile, Cole is trying to get out of the venue. The robotic voice says to turn right.
We have to get out of our bloody parking spot first, I thought.
"Oh god, I'm exhausted," I mumbled, resting my face in my hand that was leaning on the armrest between Cole and me.
"Well, yeah, you were jumping around and screaming like a crazy person," Cole said, tiredness laced in his voice.
I placed a hand on my heart. "Ouch. You're one to talk. You were jumping around just like me, and you can't judge me because it was fucking Ariana Grande." My voice cracked at the word 'fucking'. Cole looked at me, a smile on his face. I shook my head, and we started laughing.
"My voice sounds horrible," I said after the fit of laughter was over.
"Mine too," Cole replied.
I couldn't help but think that his voice did not sound horrible. His voice was sexy. It was low and hoarse, giving it the effect of huskiness.
"Hey, are you okay?" Cole asked. "You're turning a bit red."
My eyes widened, and I turned to face the window, knowing damn well that I was only getting redder by the second. I had to stop thinking about Cole like that.
I cleared my throat. "I'm fine, just a bit cold."
Cole reached out and turned the heater on, as well the seat warmers.
It took us a while before we could get out of the venue, and then another while to get out of traffic. We made it to the hotel in almost an hour and a half, and we were both ready to drop dead from the exhaustion.
I yawned. "A single room. Two beds, please."
The receptionist pursed her lips into a thin line and scrunched up her face. "I'm sorry. We just gave away our last room with two beds."
Cole and I shared a look.
"We do have one last room with a king-sized bed if you're up for it?" The receptionist suggested.
Cole and I shared another look.
I shrugged. "I'm too tired to care."
Cole nodded, agreeing with me. "We'll take it."
I don't remember much of what happened next, but I do remember flopping down on a soft king-sized bed.
My eyes fluttered open when I felt the bed dip next to me. Cole was going to sleep on the bed, too.
Well obviously, Amar. He wasn't going to sleep on the floor
I turned around, facing Cole, my tiredness fading away quickly. He was facing away from me. As creepy as it sounded, I laid there and watched him as his body rose and went down as steady breaths escaped his lips. We were both too lazy to get under the covers. I don't remember how long I stared at him, but soon, Cole turned around, facing me.
"Thought you were tired," Cole stated.
I shrugged, not sure how to respond. All I could do was stare at Cole and admire all of his beautiful features. He noticed my not so subtle staring and smiled. I was oblivious to his movement. I found myself suddenly being able to feel his breath on my face. My breathing was cut short.
Cole sensed my uneasiness and smirked. "You scared, princess?"
My heart fluttered at the nickname. It wasn't original, but hearing it come out of Cole's mouth made it all the more special.
I still couldn't find my voice, so all I did was shake my head, not wanting to admit that I was indeed scared. More than scared, I was terrified.
Cole cocked his head, not believing me. He got closer if that was even possible. All the while, I was freaking out, and he could tell.
"Why are you scared?" He asked.
His breath tickled my cheek. That was how close he was to me. My cheeks flared up because I didn't want to admit the obvious.
"Have you never been kissed?" Cole whispered. His voice was light, barely above a whisper.
I still didn't speak, afraid my voice will defeat me.
Surprisingly, Cole smiled. He raised his hand and cupped my cheek. His hand was warm. I unintentionally leaned into the touch, a hum of content leaving me. I was blushing so much that one would believe I was a clown. I didn't want to meet his eyes, but his stare was captivating. Again, I could make out all the beautiful colours in his eyes. I was grateful that neither Cole and I turned the lamps off.
"I'm glad no one has touched these lips of yours. I have the honour of being the first and, hopefully, the last." Cole whispered.
I smiled at his words, a blush coating my cheeks for sure. Cole returned the smile.
He leaned in closer, only inches away from my lips, our lips barely grazing together. "Can I kiss you?"
Everything going on finally hit me. It hit me that Cole's soft, warm hand is on my cheek. It hit me that Cole's lips were only one move away from being on mine. The want for his lips to be on mine hits me like a ton of bricks. It hit me that Cole was looking at me, worry in his eyes. It hit me that Cole just asked if he could kiss me.
With that, I finally spoke. "Yes".
Any trace of worry in his eyes disappeared and got replaced with happiness. He smiled, and his gaze flickered down to my lips. His eyes closed, and he closed the small gap between them and pressed his lips against mine. I closed my eyes and let him take the lead. His lips moved slowly, almost as if he were savouring the moment. His lips were unbelievably soft. I always thought that guy lips were rough, like sandpaper. Boy, was I wrong.
Soon, I got the hang of it and started to move my lips. As cliché as it sounds, it felt like their lips were moving in sync. Cole pulled me closer, deepening the kiss. I lifted my leg and draped it over his legs, getting closer to him. He removed his hand from my cheek and snaked down to wrap my waist, pulling me even closer, almost on top of him.
I could feel my oxygen running out, but I didn't want to pull away. Cole got the idea, or maybe he was running out of breath as well because he pulled away. I was still pretty shocked at what just happened because it took me a while to open my eyes, but when I did, the sight of a smiling Cole was in front of me.
"Your lips are soft," he paused to lick his lips, "and warm."
I smiled and for once didn't try to hide the coming blush.
"Aww," He cooed. "You're blushing red like a rose."
Now I tried to hide it.
I pushed my face into the pillow, trying my best not to blush. Who would know this dork would make me blush too many times to count in ONE day?
"What are you doing?" Cole chuckled.
"Hiding."
"Are you hiding because you're blushing?"
I responded by nodding. My head moved to the side when I heard him laughing.
I pouted. "Don't laugh at me!"
He shook his head. "I'm laughing because you're too cute!" He said in between laughs.
I tried to look mad, but my smile deceived it. I couldn't help it. Cole was too cute, especially when he was laughing.
We grew tired after Cole's laughing fit. We fell asleep with lamps on and tangled in each other's arms.
*
I woke up to my phone vibrating on the bedside table. My eyes fluttered open then closed as the light from the lamps hit my sensitive eyes. I had forgotten we never turned them off. I tried to move to get my phone, but I found myself pinned under a heavyweight. I looked down at my waist and saw Cole's arm wrapped around me tightly. The sight was heartwarming, but I had to answer my phone. I carefully grabbed his arm and took it off of me. I stretched over and grabbed my phone. It was from Harry.
I slid my thumb over the screen, answering his call. I pressed my phone next to my ear, and immediately, Harry started rambling. That was the fastest I've ever heard him talk.
"Woah, Woah, Woah, slow down," I told him and sat up.
Harry took a breath and sighed. "Zayn's sister is in the hospital. Someone drugged her." He sighed. "Amar, the drugs belong to O.B.D."
My eyes widened. "Alex did this?"
"It appears so. I would've called sooner, but with everything going on, I lost track of time. How fast can you get here?"
"We'll be there as soon as possible," I told him and hung up.
I got up and started gathering our stuff. I guess I was loud because Cole woke up.
"What's going on?"
I didn't have the time to admire Cole's husky sleepy voice. I sighed and stopped what I was doing. I gave him the same story Harry gave me, leaving out the whole 'O.B.D being responsible' part.
Cole got up from his seating position on the bed and walked up to me. He cupped my face and looked at me with worry in his eyes.
"Calm down, princess." He whispered, caressing my cheek with his thumb. "You get our stuff, and I'll check us out."
I nodded, and he pressed a soft kiss on my temple then left to check us out. I finished gathering our stuff and headed down to Cole's car. When we got into his vehicle, Cole noticed that I was still a bit shook from the news. The boys were my family. I couldn't bear the thought of them in pain.
Cole grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze along with a small smile. I was grateful I was with him.
*
I shut the door to Cole's car and ran into the building. We got here in almost two hours, but only because Cole ignored the speed limit and some stop signs. I was grateful that we got there quick and Cole didn't get a ticket.
I slammed my hands on the counter to get the nurse's attention. She was too busy flirting with some doctor to notice me.
"Excuse me? Can you tell me where Waliyha Malik's room is at?" I asked, my voice trembling a little.
The nurse gave me a once over. "Are you family?"
I gritted my teeth. "Yes, I am family."
She rolled her eyes. "Mhmm, whatever, she's in level 6, room 611E."
I swallowed my anger and nodded. "Thank you."
Cole appeared next to me and then we were running. We rushed into the elevator and rushed out, pushing our way through a few nurses that were waiting for the lift. I yelled out an apology and kept running. I read the numbers as fast as I could until I finally reached the door. I barged in without knocking. All the boys turned to see me.
"Oh, Amar!" Harry exclaimed and wrapped his arms around me.
"We got here as fast we could," I whispered and looked at Zayn. He was sitting on a chair next to Waliyha's bed, and he looked horrible. His hair was everywhere as if he ran his fingers through it too much (which I knew would never be the case because Zayn loves his hair way too much to ruin it), his eyes were bloodshot and puffy from all the crying, and his trembling hands held onto Waliyha's hand for dear life. The rest of the boys didn't look any better.
I let go of Harry and approached Zayn. I placed my hand on his shoulder. "Zayn, I'm sorry."
Zayn gets up and turns to me. He doesn't say anything but hugs me and buries his head on my neck. My heart stung when I heard him sniffle. I knew he was trying to be strong, but this was killing him, and it was killing me to see him like this.
"I'll be outside." I heard Cole mutter. I listened to the door opening then closing.
With that, Zayn pulled away and looked down at his sister. "Alex did this?" He was asking Harry.
I looked up at Harry, waiting for him to answer.
Harry sighed and closed his eyes and nodded. "I'm sorry Zayn. He wouldn't have gone after Waliyha if I hadn't gone and told Tessa she was adopted."
Zayn shook his head and ran his hand down his face to wipe away his tears. "No, none of this is your fault. Alex did this to Waliyha. He's a raging psychopath who will stop at nothing to get his way."
"I do like getting my way, but the credit goes to Carter. Well, he was only following orders. My orders, but-"
Harry whipped around his gun in hand, aiming right at Alex's head. "How the hell did you get in here?"
Alex completely dismissed Harry's question, ignoring the gun aimed at him. "I got to agree with you, Harry. None of this would have happened if you had just stayed out of my life."
Harry scoffed. "Like you stayed out of mine?"
Again, Alex ignored his comment. "If you think about it, none of this would've happened if Harry had never entered any of your lives."
I turned to look at Harry, whose arm wavered a bit as if something clicked in his head.
"Well, it's a real shame no one asked for your shitty opinion." Louis sassed.
I shook my head. "No, Harry did nothing wrong."
"Ah, Amar, the orphan." Alex grinned.
I furrowed my eyebrows. "W-what do you mean?"
Alex feigned a gasp. "You haven't heard? The Massarani's perished in a horrible accidental fire." He smirked. "I heard only the penthouse burned before the firefighters put it out, but unfortunately, Alyzea and Jay burned to a crisp."
I sputtered, not finding the right words to say. I could feel tears brimming my eyes. Sure, they might've been horrible, but they didn't deserve to die. Now, Amjad, Ahmad, and Ayham are alone.
"You're a monster." I spat.
He shrugged. "I've been called worse." He sucked in a breath and clasped his hands together. "Well, I only popped in to see if she had died. Maybe I'll have more luck next time."
"You ought to be crazy if you think I'm letting you walk away from here alive." Harry threatened.
"You won't do that."
Harry scoffed. "Don't think I won't. You don't mess with my family and live."
Alex smiled sickeningly and dug into his pocket. He pulled out a device with a red button in the middle. "I know you won't. You shoot, I succeed in killing her, along with a few other thousand patients, and let's not forget about the few hundred civilians inside and outside of this hospital."
Louis scoffed and crossed his arms. "You're bluffing."
Alex squinted his eyes. "Really? You want to risk it?"
Harry put the safety back on and lowered his gun. "Go. Next time I see you, I will kill you."
Alex smirked. "Until next time then."
Alex walked out the door, and Harry turned to us. "We have to find that bomb."
"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Zayn asked. "He could've said all that so we would let him leave."
Harry shook his head. "One of the classes Alex taught the trainees in the gang was how to assemble and disassemble a bomb."
"What other classes did he teach? Lock picking?" Liam asked in a joking matter.
"Yes," Harry answered without hesitation.
I wasn't surprised, as I've seen him done it before, but the boys were, except for Niall. He didn't look as shocked as the rest which led me to believe that might've seen Harry pick a lock before.
"That's not important right now." Harry shook his head. "I need the layouts of this hospital."
"The offices should have blueprints," I suggested.
Niall raised an eyebrow. "You want to break into the offices of a hospital."
Harry thought about it then shook his head. "No, that'll take too long." He paused briefly, thinking. "I can pull them up on my phone."
Harry dug into his pocket and took out a weird phone that I haven't seen before.
"You got a new phone?" I asked.
"No, this is my...work phone."
It was silent as we watched Harry type something into the phone then rotates his phone sideways. "Got it."
"Great, what are we going to do now?" Louis asked.
Harry bowed his head, furrowed his eyebrows and bit his lips. "I vaguely remember Alex saying something about maximum damage." He pauses again. " 'To cause maximum damage, you have to be smart. There are many places to do so. With a surprise bomb in a large building, take away its support. You start at the bottom, and the rest will crumble down'." He recited.
Liam cocked his head. "Hmmm. Lovely."
"I want all of you to get out of here," Harry ordered. "If I don't disassemble the bomb in time and the building goes down, I need all of you to be safe."
I shook my head. "No! We're not leaving you."
"Amar, please," Harry pleaded. "I can't worry about the bomb and worry about all of you at the same time."
Harry took out his keys and threw them at Niall. "Get out of here and take Waliyha with you." Zayn nodded. "Amar, get with Cole and let him drop you off at the flat. Niall, you'll pick her up and drive her back to the house." Niall nodded. "Amar, I need you to call Charlie and tell him to meet you at the house. He can take care of Waliyha."
We all nodded one last time. Zayn and Liam help an unconscious Waliyha into a wheelchair. They gathered their stuff and left the room. Before I followed, I hugged Harry one last time.
"Be careful," I whispered.
Harry's POV
"So, where would this bomb be exactly?"
I turned around to see Louis. My eyes widened. "Louis, what are you doing? I told you to get out of here."
"Yeah, I heard you. I'm staying."
"No, you are leaving. I can't let you get hurt because of me again."
Louis walked towards me and cupped my face with his hands. "Hey, don't let Alex get in your head. My life is so much better with you in it. I'm staying with you. To the end."
I smiled at his sweet words and leaned down a tad bit and captured his lips with mine. It was a short but sweet and passionate kiss. When we pulled apart, I couldn't help but blush a tad bit. I so badly wanted to tell him I loved him, but it wasn't the right moment.
"The bomb would be in the janitors closet near the exit on the first floor," I whispered.
Louis grabbed my hand. "Let's go then."
We rode the elevator down to the first floor, trying to act as casual as if there wasn't a bomb that could go off at any moment.
The door of the elevator open, and we gave a courtesy nod to the nurses that walked past us.
I pulled out my phone and enlarged the screen. "It's around the corner."
I lead the way, again, trying to act casual. Louis stood guard as I twisted the nob, walking inside.
"Are you sure the bomb is in here?" Louis asked.
"Positive," I stated. "It's the best place. If it were to blow, the damage would block the main exit causing chaos. Plus, the janitors don't come in until night, and no one else has permission to come in."
"Given how easy it was to walk in, they should lock it."
Harry gasped. "Be glad it wasn't."
Louis walked towards the back as I carefully open the box. "It's tiny."
I shook my head. "This is a pipe bomb. It causes a relatively massive explosion, but not enough to bring down a building."
I patted around my jacket then pulled out my little box with tools.
"Do you always carry a disarming kit with you?"
"Always got to be prepared, Lou."
Louis chuckled, shaking his head.
I took out the screwdriver and popped open the cover to reveal four different coloured wires; blue, green, yellow, and green.
"Do you know how to disarm one?" Louis asked.
"Charlie taught me how."
I took a deep breath and followed the wires with my finger. Some led to the sides of the pipe, definitely not touching the blue or yellow one. Yellow led to a glass bottle with shards inside. Yep, not touching yellow either. Green it is.
I pressed the blades of the scissors against the green one.
"Are you sure?" Louis asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, like a solid 78% per cent."
Louis scoffed in a scared manner, but I grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly. I shut my eyes as I cut the wire. Louis and I flinched as we waited, but nothing happened. Instead, a phone started ringing behind us.
I turned around and saw a flip phone vibrating. I grabbed it and opened it. I raised it to be in between our head.
Immediately, I knew it was a recording as Alex's voice came out of the phone.
"Well done, Harry. I'm not surprised you disarmed the bomb, but let's see if you can disarm the other two in five minutes."
Louis and I shared a look, and a beep rhythm starts going, and on the screen, there's a timer.
4:59, 4:58, 4:57...
"You must find one, and I the other. Check supply closets, janitor closets." I handed Louis another pair of scissors.
Louis nodded. "Okay."
We rushed out of the closet, I, with the timer, went to the left, and Louis went to the right. I started opening all the doors that led to supply or janitor closets. I smiled and apologised whenever there was someone inside. I opened the far door to my left and walked into the supply closet. There was a single lightbulb that didn't illuminate much. A wooden box in the far corner caught my attention. My phone went off as I neared the crate. It was Louis.
"I found it, but Harry, it's-"
"C4," I cut him off. "Yeah, I know. Okay, I'm going to walk you through it. Don't touch anything. We can't leave fingerprints."
I heard him swallow. "Okay"
"All right, do you see a green wire?"
"There's two"
"That's fine. Cut the one that leads to the black box on the side."
After I hear him cut the wire, I cut mine. "Is there a red one?"
"Uh, there's two again"
"Cut the one that leads to the top left corner," I instructed. I looked over at the timer.
2:09, 2:08, 2:07...
The numbers started to go down quickly and stopped abruptly at 35. "Uh, not good."
"What?"
"The timer went down. We have 30 seconds."
"What do we do now!"
"Is there a blue one?"
"Yes!"
"Cut it! Now!" I cut the blue wire and immediately looked at the timer. It stopped at 16.
I laughed out of relief. "We're okay."
Louis let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness"
"I'll meet you in the waiting room."
"See you there"
I hung up and chuckled.
"Congrats Harry," The recording of Alex said.
How did it know I had succeeded? I thought.
"You might've won this time, but trust me, I will not stop until everything and everyone you love is gone. Unless you stop."
"Stop what?" I muttered, but then realised that it was a recording.
"Stop living this lie. Stop fighting. Stop trying to survive. Just give up. Give yourself up. Stop protecting these people. You know the only way to keep them safe is to leave them."
The phone made a weird sound then the screen went black.
The recording of Alex left an unsettling thought in my head that would later be the cause of my doom.
What if they are safer with me gone?
.
A/N
Louis: You're gone for more than a month and you leave them on a cliffhanger?
E: I might've been gone, but that does not mean I changed my ways.
Harry: Oh, you mean your torturous ways?
E: *rolls eyes* It's not torture. You've never heard of that saying? "Every good book has a cliffhanger."
Niall: I don't think they meant in every chapter.
E: Not all of them have cliffhangers. I've ended like one with Larry fluff.
Zayn: Yeah, then in the next chapter, you kill someone.
E: I haven't killed any of you.
Louis: You shot me!
E: Did you die? No. So stop complaining! I'm not killing you...yet.
Louis: Thank- Wait, what!
E: No time! Sorry!
Okay...
Hello Lovelies!
I know. I was gone for a while, and I'm begging you, don't kill me. The second semester started and my college classes overwhelmed me with midterms and presentations and eulogy's, and high school wasn't any help. I had to do a bunch of presentations and projects. I haven't even started on my FINAL grade presentation for my AP Human geo class.
Anygays,
I am back, and I will not be gone for too long ever again. I will find time for this story, and I will take every opportunity to write. I am going back to updating twice a month. Once every two Sunday's. So you'll get chappie 32 on April 7th.
QUESTIONS!
Do y'all ship Cole and Amar?
If yes, what should their ship name be?
If no, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU! Jk, it's fine if you don't.
Who wants Alex dead?
*raises hand*
Who's waiting for Louis and Harry to confess their love?
*raises hand again*
What do you think Harry is going to do? What did it mean when it said that recording will be his doom?
Please, share your thoughts. I like them, and your comments make my day. Like srsly, I smile like an idiot when I see one of you commented.
Okay, this is long enough, you've waited long enough.
*Dolan Twins Voice* PEACE!!!!!
- E