Matching Rings [h.s]

70

POV: BAYLIN GRIGGS

After I woke up from my nap, Alice and a couple other cops were still at the house. I don't know how long I was sleeping for, it felt like hours. I'm almost glad Niall forced me to take a nap— I really needed it. And though I don't feel rested, I'm also not exactly tired.

I'm seriously starting to think that this feeling of exhaustion will just never facade.

Waking up in the silence of my bedroom, I feel unsafe. I made sure to shut the blinds, but I still feel like I'm being watched the second I open my eyes from the calming of my slumber.

I left my bedroom in the same clothes I fell asleep in, which are the same clothes I put on this morning, and began walking down the grand hallway.

I couldn't help but look over my shoulder into the darker end of the hallway, feeling like I should see a strange person with a camera at the other end. I just feel so unsafe, now I have a trail of constant fear of someone following me even if I know there's no one there.

I lazily walk down the stairs, the front door was still wide open but the body of the cat was no longer on the doorstep, and neither was the stained doormat. The red box was also not on the center table, everything looked as if nothing ever happened.

I could faintly hear the sound of whispers coming from the next room, multiple people including Alice's strong voice. Finally when I get to the base of the steps, I see Niall sitting hesitantly on the couch.

"They're still here?" I ask as a way to let him know I was in the room, wrapping my own arms around myself.

He whips his head around to where I stood in the doorway, standing up and clearing his throat before he goes, "Mhm, for the past two hours while you slept."

We meet each other halfway, standing now at the foot of the couch. I hold my gaze on the open kitchen door frame, seeing Alice talking with two other officers, all staring at some papers on the counters and one of them talking on the phone. I try my hardest to hear through their whispers, but it all just sounds like blabber.

"Have they told you anything?" I question, my still puffy eyes feeling dried out.

"They haven't even said a word to me since forensic came and took the cat— which was probably an hour and a half ago."

I'm deciding if I should go in there and ask them about what they think going on, but I lose the battle and plop myself down on the couch— deciding against it because I don't want to bother them. Niall slowly sits down beside me, we both stare off at the blank TV screen in dead silence.

"Are you okay?" Niall checks my well-being, after only a few slow minutes.

I just shrug, staring detached from reality while my brain fucks me over. I've said this before, and I keep repeating myself because frankly I don't know how else to put it— I can't put up with this shit anymore. Every day is the same shit, either there's drama with Harry, or Liam, or something new is found with the case. I just can't fucking do it anymore. At this point I'm completely numb to any reactions, I'm just sitting and waiting for next chapter's plot twist in my never ending story.

I find myself wondering if I'll go missing next like Zayn and Maya.

Or end up dead like my mother... or that poor cat.

This person is clearly targeting me, for who knows what, but now they're getting involved with my relationship with Harry as well, well what's left of my relationship with Harry— if there even is any.

Because if they know about me kissing Liam, that means they're constantly watching me. Especially when I know that they can just grab a camera and take pictures of me whenever they please. And if the letter implying that I'm a cheater means what I think it means... I'm fucked.