Afterlife: Reincarnation

16

June 10

HARRY

My eyes were down at my phone, my thumbs tapping on the small keypad. I was hunched low in my seat, my head dipped down out of view. I could hear nothing around me beyond the blaring music from my ear buds, streaming from my phone as I texted Liam.

Liam: You coming tonight?

Me: yeah, soon

Liam: hurry the fuck up.

Me: piss off, I'm almost home

I turned my attention out the window at my side, the rain casting long, distorted lines along the glass. It altered the view of the outside, what little of it I could see in the dark. All I could make out was the faint outline of trees, illuminated only partially from the headlights of the car. It had been a long, boring, mind numbing day, and I just wanted to get the fuck home. I honestly didn't even want to meet up with my mates, but I guess I should. I hadn't seen them much this week.

I nodded my head in time with the music, my hand tapping on my thigh. The smooth ride of the car made it feel as if we were gliding through the trees. We were on a quiet back road, winding through the hills. I had gone along this route before on my bike, the steep incline a good workout, but the best part was the ride down. Flying through the curves, never knowing what was around the next corner. Many of the corners were blind, and you would have to slow. Of course, I didn't.

I was lost in my own little world, my mind drifting to Chelsea Parker, wondering if she would be at Liam's tonight. Fuck, she was hot. Hands down the hottest girl we knew. She had been flirting with me a bit over the last few weeks, but I had been playing it cool. Louis told me not to seem too eager. Not that he knew anything, the prat. But the advice sounded fair.

A sharp slap to the side of my leg caught my attention, bringing me back to the now. Turning my head to the other side, I pulled an ear bud from my ear.

"Did you even hear me?" my father asked, glancing at me momentarily. His eyes returned quickly to the road in front of him, his hands on the wheel. I could faintly hear the sounds of the wipers on the windshield, flicking back and forth a mile a minute against the downpour of rain.

"What?"

"You need to do the garbage tonight when we get home," he said, his head angled only slightly in my direction. "You were supposed to do it yesterday."

I rolled my eyes, nodding.

"Harry,"

"I heard you," I groaned, popping my music back into my ear to drown out his annoying drone. Turning back to the passing world, I lost myself again in the music.

A sudden jolt startled me, my hands flying outward to my sides. One sprawled over the empty seat beside me, the other gripping the handle of the door. My eyes moved back to my father quickly, his own wide. His hands were ripped onto the wheel tightly as the car swerved, sharply twisting. I could see my fathers lips form a curse, but the sound was drowned out still by the blaring music in my ears.

I could see headlights ahead of us, the blinding white light illuminating my fathers face. The car spun, losing traction with the road thanks to the slick rain. I moved my gaze to my mother, who I was seated behind. I couldn't see her clearly, her body blocked from my view by the seat. I could see the curve of her hair, the strands lit from the headlights that seemed aimed right at us. Her arm was clutching the door just as I was, her other had shooting out to grab my fathers leg.