XXVIII

366 20 8
                                    

The next day was Friday, meaning it should have been spent at school, but I didn't want to risk seeing Ryder or Ramon, so I stayed home. Waking up, I had a strong ick in my back that I could blame on the couch. Miranda was no longer there, meaning she'd gotten up in the middle of the night. I'd taken a shower and eaten a bowl of cereal when I realized I'd pretty much have the house to myself. Miranda didn't get off until 5 and Ellen had just gotten off of work at 7 this morning, she'd be sleep most of the day.

I told myself I'd The day dragged along. After showering, I decided to do some light cleaning, homework, and then laundry. The house was quiet, giving me time to let my thoughts run freely. It wasn't until almost 3pm that Ellen had woken up. 

"I'm a freak, not a masochist, should've known you had the baddest bitch-"

"Alexa, turn that off!" I hear Ellen yell from upstairs, putting a stop to pop rap song that blared from the little device. I roll my eyes at the sudden loss of music as I now heard her impossibly heavy footsteps. I walk to the sink and squeeze out the rag I was using to wipe down the counter top.

"You know better than to be blasting music." She comments sarcastically as she walks down the steps, her hair pulled into a sloppy  bun atop her head and her eyes brimmed red from her sleep. She squinted at the clock on the wall behind me.

"I'm just straightening up." I mumble. I'm not in the mood for her comments. 

"Do you need to enjoy a concert to wipe down the tables?" She gestures to the kitchen.

"I'm going to my room." As I'm heading towards the stairs, I hear my phone ring on the couch, where it had been all night last night, and all day today. I didn't bother to check it for obvious reasons.

"What did your mama say she was making for dinner."

"I don't know." I huff out as I grab the phone from in between the couch cushions. I hear the fridge opening and bottles being moved around mumbling about my smart mouth. Ignoring it, I reread the notifications. A few from Instagram, a snapchat from Ramon, and text messages from...Styles?

Harry: They're hosting a party tonight. Let me know when you get this message.

Yesterday, Harry had told me that the best way to get information about ChiPhi is by attending their parties. While everyone is drunk and high, the basement is often left unattended. Supposedly, that's where everything is. Yesterday had been such a long day that I'd forgotten about the conversation.

Me: Okay.

"Hello?"  Ellen snaps at me. I jerk around to see that she had been standing there, her eyebrows raised as I shakes a jug of milk, the swishing noise on the inside told me that there was less than a tablespoon left. "Did you do this?"

"No, Ellen. I didn't"

"A simple no would suffice. You know that, right?"

"I got stuff to do." I figure I can clean my room and pass the time until it was ready to leave. And in all honesty, I couldn't stand to be around her.











________











If today couldn't get any weirder, I found myself walking down the driveway to Harry's Cadillac, prepared to go to a frat party with him. He told me we couldn't dress like ourselves, meaning I couldn't wear anything that would identify me to other people there. Including Ry. I knew there was a possibility that he'd be there. And Harry'd warned me of it too.

"A dress?" He comments as I open the passenger door. I adjust the burgundy flared skater dress around my waist and roll my eyes. I'd gotten the dress when I was 16, my long legs had outgrown it so I put a pair of black stockings underneath. I felt horrendous, but that was the point.

"It's not something I'd wear." I say before glancing him up and down. A pair of jeans, a plain black tee and a beanie. My eyes travel up the multiple tattoos on his arms that flex above his skin as he spins the steering wheel to back down the driveway. 

This feels weird. I'd seen him in casual clothing before, but never anything like this. He genuinely looked like a college student.

The ride to the party itself was longer than I thought. After a couple of turns I stopped counting them and adjusted my eyes to the outside of the window, watching the tall foresty trees race by as Harry went well over the speed limit. I prayed this feeling in my stomach would go away. Despite all the shit that's been going on in the last few days, I still felt like something even worst was going to happen.

"Don't talk to anyone, someone might recognize your voice. And don't drink anything." He instructs as he parks the car a block or two down. The entire street was flooded with vehicles. Some people even took it upon themselves to carry the party to their own homes. I nod and open the passenger door, stepping out into the cold wind. Luckily, the dress was longsleeved and I had a jean jacket to go over it. I run a hand through my hair as I squint down the road, releasing a puff of air.

Harry walks around the front of the car, glancing up at the dark sky before looking back at me. "You ready?"

"Yeah."











The closer we got to the frat, the louder the music got, and the larger the student population grew. The walk had taken a toll on my legs. They barely had any covering and it felt like the freezing air had been nipping at them. I rub my hands over my arms and look back at Harry. For the first time, he wasn't wearing a jacket.  Instead, his fist were shoved in his pockets, leaving his arms stiffened.

"Check it out freshman!" A scruffy blonde shouts over Big Sean from the lawn as he stumbles over his feet, pointing at me sloppily. The girl that stands next to him giggles and I roll my eyes. I wasn't offended by the catcalling as much as I was offended at the assumption that I was a freshman.

The front door to the party was opened and groups of students stood there, chatting amongst themselves. They paid us no mind as we walk up the stairs to the house. I feel the warm air from the inside and instantly melt, but I'm pulled back by a large hand encasing mine. The rings that graze my own hand tell me that it's Styles' and it sends a bolt of electricity up my arm. I have to remind myself to put the small feelings aside and focus on getting whatever information we needed to get from the basement.

Both of our cases depended on it.










wut do u guys tink is gonna happen o.O

Law and Order- completeWhere stories live. Discover now