Sunflower | Harry Styles |

Chapter three

Maci's POV:

The air is cool, surprising for a summer night; the crisp wind whispers against my skin, inducing goosebumps that trace a subtle dance. The sun, having tucked itself in for the night, leaves the streetlights to flicker and cast a warm glow. As we draw nearer to our destination, a tidal wave of anxiety overwhelms the positive thoughts, creating a symphony of conflicting emotions in my mind.

"Who are we meeting?" I ask, a conscious effort to divert my focus and momentarily escape the rising unease.

"Oh, my friend Zayn and his mates," she reveals, withdrawing a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. My gaze lingers as she effortlessly places one between her lips, the soft glow of the lighter casting a fleeting warmth in the dim surroundings.

"Since when do you smoke?" My brow raised curiosity struck me.

She chuckles softly, a wistful note in her laughter. "A lot of things have changed since we last saw each other," she remarks, bringing the cigarette to her lips with a practiced ease. Inhaling deeply.

"As in?" I pry, curiosity striking me. Emily's air of mystery perplexes me; she's never been great at concealing secrets, a trait that leaves her unaware of many of mine. Since my arrival in England this morning, she's been slipping away for phone conversations, casting a shadow of intrigue over our reunion.

"Does Zayn have anything to do with all these mysterious phone calls?" I press, observing her gaze falter as it descends to her shoes, a subtle attempt to avoid eye contact. A blush tinges her cheeks,there might be more to these mysterious conversations than meets the eye.

"What is he your boyfriend or something?" I chuckle trying to lighten the mood. A effort to diffuse the growing tension.

"Something Like that" she laughs, not a genuine laugh more of a forced laugh. hinting at complexities.

I open my mouth to ask if she's okay, but she abruptly stops outside a small, dark building. Is this the place? There's no audible music, no visible signs of life. The only illumination comes from a flickering sign above, buzzing intermittently. A sense of unease creeps in as I wonder, where the hell are we? This looks like an abandoned building.

"Uh, is this it? Are you sure you have the right building?" I inquire, a nervous edge in my voice.

"Follow me," she instructs, halting in front of large double doors. There's still no trace of music or people. She knocks on the door three times, then twice, and there's a momentary silence, the anticipation heightening as I wait for any response from behind the imposing doors.

"Emily, where—" I begin, but my sentence is cut short as the door swings open, unveiling two imposing figures. Large black sunglasses shield their expressions, and one of them boasts more tattoos on his face than actual skin. I refrain from passing judgment solely based on appearances, but an undeniable sense of intimidation compels me to take a step back.

"Emily and..." The man's gaze shifts to me, looking at me from head to toe. It's unclear if he's passing judgment or if that's just his face.

"She's with me, Alex," Emily asserts, grabbing onto my wrist and decisively pulling me inside, pushing past the two men. The small room reveals a large red door opposite to us, and faint music begins to invade the space. One of the men reaches forward, twisting open the door to expose dark red, narrow stairs. The thumping music grows louder, echoing in the confined room. Before I can fully grasp the situation, Emily tightens her grip on my wrist and propels me down the stairs, the sound of the music drowning out my thoughts.

"Why are you in such a rush?" I yell above the pulsating music, but she doesn't reply. Leading us down the stairwell to a chaotic atmosphere.

The room is enveloped in darkness, illuminated only by the glow from the DJ booth and the sporadic flashes of lights cascading onto the hundreds of people dancing on the crowded floor. Smoke hangs thick in the air, intensifying the humidity. Taking in my surroundings, the pulsating music vibrates through the space, creating a sensory overload as the energetic crowd loses itself in the rhythm.