HARRY
"Hey, Harry, can we talk about something?"
I stopped as soon as Ryan spoke, turning my head to glance at him. "Sure, what is it?"
Ryan cleared his throat. "Do you think we could talk about it... alone?" He asked, looking at Raine and I frowned, but decided to go for it anyway.
"You can go outside, Raine," I told her, pointing to the door on the other side of the room, hoping that the back of the building was empty enough to make sure nobody would've bothered her. "I'll be out soon."
"Are you sure?" She asked, tilting her head, not seeming to like the idea, and I nodded.
"Sure, I'll be right out."
"Okay, then," she replied, taking her phone from the table and walking away, soon disappearing into the crowd.
I looked at Ryan. "What did you want to talk about?"
He shrugged. "Just wanted to check up on you and all, you know," he mumbled, the odd statement not going unnoticed.
"Why's that?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. I crossed my arms, frowning, trying to ignore the suspiciousness that had just overcome me, telling myself I was seeing things that weren't there.
"No reason, really," he replied, "I know things haven't been easy with your brother passing away and all."
I clenched my teeth, a tight feeling into my chest. "My brother passed away years ago," I muttered slowly, tasting the bitterness of every syllable as it left my mouth.
I'd never liked pointless conversations, and it looked like that one was just that. It didn't make sense for him to ever be concerned. We weren't that kind of friends. We just used to get together and do stupid shit, that was how it'd always been between us. Talking wasn't us, and it especially wasn't Ryan.
"I know, it really sucks."
I raised an eyebrow at the emotionless statement. The longer he went on, the more I felt like he was circling the topic he was actually interested in, and it annoyed me.
Just get to it, for fuck's sake.
"I know you don't like my friends much since then, but you know, it's good money," he continued. "If you ever need a side job, that is."
I pursed my lips at the offer. "I've told you I'm not interested multiple times" I replied glacially. If there was one thing I hated, it was to have people wasting my time. There was no reason for that useless conversation to even exist.
"Yeah, I know," he said with a sigh, looking at me attentively in the puzzling illumination of the place. "I've always considered you a friend, Harry, you know."
"Okay?" Get to it.
"I'm sorry, Harry."
I raised an eyebrow, disoriented by the sudden change. "What for?"
He shrugged. "It's a lot of money, what can I say? I have bills to pay too."
Sudden dread washed over me as I started to understand what he was hinting at. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I was paid a lot to separate you two tonight."
I furrowed my eyebrows, my mind going silent for a few instants. "What..." I murmured, shaking my head, but I shut up right away. "Raine."
Ryan sighed. "It's nothing personal, Harry."
"Fucking asshole," I spat, immediately throwing myself into the crowd, pushing away whoever blocked my path as I fought my way to the exit.
"I'm sorry!" I heard Ryan shout, but I ignored him.
I reached the door and pushed it open harshly, running out into the street, looking left and right. "Raine!" I shouted, my words echoing in the dark alley.
The metal slammed violently behind me but I paid no mind to it, because standing there, right where I'd told Raine to wait for me, I was alone.
"Raine!" I called her again, running farther into the street, but there was no use. It was like she'd vanished into thin air. "Fuck!"
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked for her number quickly, calling her as I rounded the corner to get to my car. I listened to it ring on the other side, my heart beating quicker the longer she took to answer.
"For fuck's sake pick up, Raine," I muttered under my breath, getting into my car and gripping the steering wheel hard as I tried to convince myself not to drive and hit something.
Be rational about this, Harry.
"Shit!" I hissed when it went to voicemail, throwing the phone on the seat next to me and speeding away so quickly that I heard the vehicle complain from under me.
I turned the corner and slammed my foot on the break pedal just in time not to hit the car that was waiting in front of me at a red light.
I passed my hand through my hair brusquely, a stream of curse words playing into my brain, ignoring the sharp pain that came to me when my rings got tangled in my messy curls. I picked up the phone, calling her again and bringing it to my ear.
"Come on, come on," I whispered to myself, nervously scratching the nail polish off my thumb.
I heard a car honk and I looked up, seeing that the red light had turned to green. I sped away again, barely paying attention to the road as I listened to the sounds coming from the other side of the device.
The call went to voicemail again and I didn't wait before calling her again, biting my lower lip so hard I felt the taste of blood in my mouth when it did again, straight away.
I took a turn into the main road and only then realised I didn't even know where I was going, so I stopped the car roughly on the side of the street, throwing my phone to the side again and leaning my forehead against the steering wheel with a sigh.
Be rational about this, Harry. But what the fuck does that mean?
Raine was nowhere to be found and Ryan had separated us on purpose, and the fault was only mine. I was so angry at myself I felt sick. How hadn't I seen right through him? I'd always been able to read people easily, but I'd been tricked by him like a fucking idiot.
Why the hell had I even told Raine to wait for me outside? Why had I thought it was a good idea, how could I even think she'd be safer outside, by herself?
I should've known Ryan was planning something. I'd suspected he was, but I'd got it all wrong. I'd thought I was the one at risk, as it always had been. When I'd told her to wait for me I'd only taken into consideration things that could've happened to me, not the other way around. I would've never thought the target wasn't me, but Raine.
You'd think I would've got better at it after years of being in the shit storm, but it turned out that wasn't the case.
I felt so fucking guilty. I couldn't even protect her from her own friends.
Friends.
Indigo.
I raised my head and looked at the phone, that was staring at me accusingly from the passenger seat.
I was losing my mind.
I picked it up and called her number quickly, putting my elbow on the car window, hiding my face in my hand, as I waited for her to pick up.
"Oh my god Harry it's past midnight, what do you want?" She said as soon as she did, and I would've laughed if we'd been in a different situation.
"Ask your fucking best friend," I replied more violently than I was planning to, "Raine vanished and I'm sure he knows something about it."
"Wait what? Slow down." I could hear some sounds on the other side, and then she spoke again. "What do you mean, Raine vanished?"
I sighed, gripping my thigh harshly, trying to calm down enough to tell her what was going on. "I went out with Raine, told her to wait for me outside and now she's nowhere to be found," I explained quickly after some instants.
"Have you tried calling her?"
"Of course I have," I blurted, removing my hand from my thigh when I realised that if I'd squeezed it any harder I would've been left with a bruise for days.
"Calm down Harry, it isn't my fault this happened."
I let out a breath at her reply, leaning my head back against the seat of the car. She was right, it wasn't her fault, it was mine. I'd allowed it to happen, it was on me. I was directing my aggressiveness towards her as if it would've done anything good, but it wasn't the case. She deserved better than having me shout at her at past midnight because I felt guilty because I'd fucked up, and Raine deserved better than to disappear because I couldn't fucking protect her.
"Take a deep breath, okay? She's fine, we'll find her," she said again, a bit kinder than before.
"You don't know that."
"Don't do that to yourself, Harry," Indigo said calmly into my ear, "come get me, we'll figure out the next step together."
"Okay, I'll be there in ten." I closed the call and put the phone next to me again, not before raising the volume to make sure I would've heard every incoming call.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down enough not to get into an accident, but before I could even realise what I was doing I called Raine again, being hit by the voicemail one more time.
What the hell was I even supposed to do at that point? Should I have called the police, called Joel, gone to his house? What was the next step?
I felt powerless, like I was seconds away from going crazy and there was nothing I could do to stop it, but at the same time I knew I couldn't let it happen. I had to think carefully before doing something, because Raine was in danger and every single one of my actions would've faced a repercussion. I had to be smart about it.
I started the car again and drove away, that time around trying not to think of all the terrible things that could be going very wrong in that exact moment.
What if something bad would've happened? What if it had already happened? What if that was the last time I would ever see her, and I hadn't even told her I loved her that evening? What if that was the end of everything?
"Oh for fuck's sake, Harry" I muttered to myself, trying to bring my attention back to the road but only partially succeeding.
All of a sudden the phone next to me rang, almost making me jump in my spot. I turned to look at it and stopped the car in the middle of the road when I saw the name at the top of the screen.
I picked it up quickly and answered the call, shortness in my breath because of the stress. "Raine?!"
"No, try again," a low voice replied on the other side, and I clenched my teeth.
"Joel," I said lowly, hearing a quick laugh coming from the other side.
"Yeah, sorry to ruin your evening."
"If you even as much as touched her, I swear..." I started saying, but he interrupted me.
"Save it, Harry," he told me, his voice suddenly sounding graver than before. "I suppose you figured out by now that I'm here with my..." He let out a chuckle. "It's funny 'cause I was about to say best friend but you had to ruin that for me too, so probably your girlfriend is more fitting."
A car honked behind me and I was forced to start mine again and drive away slowly. "What do you want, Joel?"
He sighed. "You got it all wrong Harry, as always. What do you want, Harry?"
"Leave Raine alone."
"Yeah, it's a little too late for that, isn't it?"
My heart dropped at his words. "Let her go."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." There was an instant of silence, and then he continued. "Don't you worry, she's unharmed... for now."
"Let me talk to her, then." I reached Indigo's flat and parked on the side of the road again, giving my full attention to the phone call.
"Talk to her?" He repeated, sounding unsure for the first time. "Let's see." I heard some shuffling and muffled voices, and then he spoke again. "You have twenty seconds" he informed me, and then he went quiet.
I rubbed my eyes out of tired and nervousness as I waited, brushing my hair back while trying to fight the instinct to claw at my skin.
"Harry?" I heard after some instants, and my heart fell out of my chest.
"Raine?" I replied quickly, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine, Harry, I'm fine! Please don't come-" Her voice was abruptly cut.
"Always going against the rules, aren't you?" I heard Joel say, and then he spoke into the phone. "That's it. Do you want her back, Harry?"
I closed my hand in a fist at the arrogance in his voice. "I do," I replied lowly, feeling defeated. He could have all he wanted, I just wanted Raine to be safe. She didn't deserve to be put in the middle of his shit, she hadn't done anything.
I just wanted her back.
"Come get her, then," he challenged me. "You can't tell the police or anybody else, though. If you do that I'll kill her. Come alone."
I looked down. It was obvious that he was planning something, but what else could I do? Raine was in danger, I didn't want to do anything that could've made him hurt her. She had to be safe. My safety was irrelevant if I couldn't guarantee hers.
I saw something move from the corner of my eye and looked up just in time to see Indigo was about to enter my car, so I raised my hand to tell her not to make a move.
"Alright."
Joel seemed to be pleased with my reply. "There's an abandoned cabin in the woods not too far away from where we buried Thomas," he stated, "you can find us there. And remember, Harry, come alone."
"I will."
He closed the call as soon as I replied and for some instants I just sat there, listening to the silence.
I looked up after some instants signalling Indigo to get in, and she did right away.
"What happened?" She asked as soon as she closed the door, looking at me worriedly.
I sighed. "Joel has Raine," I told her, "I have to go there."
"There where?"
"In the woods," I said, realising how dark it sounded in the second I spoke. "He said there's a cabin close to where you buried Thomas. I have to go there alone."
She widened her eyes in shock. "You can't do that, Harry," she said quickly, "he wants you to go in the woods by yourself at night? You aren't gonna get out of there alive."
I stared at the asphalt in front of my car in silence. She was right, I knew it. I knew that doing what Joel was asking me to do was dangerous. I knew there was a high chance I wouldn't have survived that, considering how deranged Joel had become, but what else could I do? If I'd alerted the police Joel would've hurt her, and I could've never lived with myself after that.
Going there was basically asking him to kill me, but I had no other option. I had to make sure Raine was safe, I had to help her, whatever the cost of my actions would've been.
It wasn't right for her to pay for something she'd never done. It was my fault, I was the one Joel wanted, not her. If the only way to save her was to offer myself up instead of her, then it was what I would do. It seemed a fair exchange.
"I know," I replied lowly. Why could I feel my own breath be fainter already? "But I have no other option."
"Don't be ridiculous Harry, there's always another option," Indigo said quickly.
I looked up at her. "Not this time."
She shook her head, staring at me as if she thought I'd suddenly gone crazy. "What then? You think you can just go there and let yourself be killed and Raine will be just fine with it?!"
"I don't know what I'm thinking!" I blurted, slamming my hand on the steering wheel. "It's what I have to do to make sure Raine will be safe."
"This is so stupid, Harry," she muttered, letting out an exasperated sigh. "So fucking stupid."
"The game is over, Indigo," I told her quietly. "It's been going on for way too long anyway." I looked at the time, pressing my lips together when I discovered it was half past midnight. "I have to go now. Goodbye," I murmured, my voice faint.
She stared at me from the passenger seat, but didn't make a move to get out of the car. "You don't know where Thomas was buried," she said, "I can show you."
"I have to go there alone."
"I know, but you don't know where it is," she repeated. "I can just tell you when we're close and then I'll stay in the car." She sent me a quick glance when she noticed the suspicious look in my eyes. "I don't want Raine to get hurt, Harry. If the only way to be sure she won't get hurt is for you to go there alone, I won't follow you."
I bit my lower lip, pondering my options. "Okay," I replied after some instants, "but I mean it Indigo, stay in the car."
"Sure," she nodded quickly. "Do you mind if I go get a coat first, though? It's a bit cold tonight."
"Okay."
She got out as soon as I spoke, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sighed and rolled down my window, putting my hand out of the car.
Indigo was right, that night was a bit cold, considering we were at the end of May.
What a shitty period to stop existing.
It was rather pathetic how the end was about to come only hours after I'd confessed my love for someone, too.
It looked like that night was a collection of pathetic moments. I'd surely never thought that would've been the end of the road for me. How quickly things can change.
The door opened and Indigo got in the car again, wearing a black jacket. "Okay, we can go."
I nodded and let out a deep breath, and then started the car and drove away.
I followed Indigo's directions to the woods, parking the car when I could no longer drive forward.
I looked down, shaking my head when I remembered the time I'd been to the woods with Raine, unaware of all the terrible things that had happened in that place. At least I hadn't brought her anywhere close to that spot, I could only be glad for that.
"Just go straight ahead, Harry," she told me, "you'll see the cabin after a few minutes." She took a torch from the pocket of her jacket and handed it to me. "Please don't get yourself killed, okay? Be careful."
I took it, turning it on and giving her a faint smile. "I'll try."
I only wished I could keep that promise.
"Okay, bye," she said, hesitating a second before throwing her arms around me. "I mean it Harry, don't do anything stupid," she murmured, letting me go. "Bye."
"Bye, Indigo."
I opened the door and got out of the car, taking a deep breath before turning on the torch and walking into the night.
The moon was bright but the woods still preserved some of their obscurity, that the light of the electric torch in my hand could hardly cut through. I tried to shut my mind up, refusing to be stuck with my thoughts in such a place in that specific moment.
It didn't take long to reach the cabin Joel had talked about, the turned on lights making it clearly visible in between the trees.
I turned off my own light and slowly and silently approached it, looking around as I did to try to locate the people inside it.
The building was small, probably just one room, and while all the windows were closed, the front door was open.
I got close to it and peeked inside, discovering that Joel was nowhere to be found.
It's a trap.
Maybe he's somewhere else.
He might be setting something up.
I closed my eyes for an instant, pushing the thoughts away and looking inside again. Raine was in a corner of the room, sitting on a chair with her hands tied behind her back, staring straight at the floor.
What were the chances? Probably none, but I had to at least try.
I looked inside again, and then outside. Joel clearly wasn't inside the cabin, and he didn't seem to be anywhere in the nearing woods.
It's now or never.
I got into the cabin stealthily but quickly, and Raine looked up as soon as I did, her eyes widening when she saw me walking towards her.
"Harry?" She whispered quietly to me as I tried to undo the knot that was keeping her hands tied, a shocked look on her face. "What are you doing here? You have to leave!"
"I'm not leaving without you," I told her quietly in reply, freeing her and helping her stand up. "Are you okay?"
"I told you I'm fine! You shouldn't have come here, Harry," she murmured fast, "you shouldn't have-"
She was suddenly interrupted by the door of the cabin slamming close behind us.
"Oh, Harry. How predictable can you be?"
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. x
Miki