In The Woods ➳ H.S.

☙ f i f t y - f i v e

Guys I neVER SAID I WAS GOING TO DELETE THE BOOK OMG. Why would I delete this book after 50+ chapters of hardwork?

I would never abandon you guys, I was just saying I was getting sloppy with writing bc honestly all the fandom drama happening lately is just draining and wow I thought I stan a boyband but apparently it's a reality show more aggravating than jersey shore.

Anyway, no worries of this story disappearing any time soon, but thank you for the kind words I really appreciate it. Ily guys :)

Btw remember, this is an a.u. okay? Things get a bit weird here but I need to slide it in for um certain reasons.

_______________

"What are you doing here?" I ask, jumping up to my feet immediately, bow in hand, and aiming an arrow at Niall.

He raises an eyebrow at me, and he doesn't seem even remotely threatened by my actions. "You're going to kill me with the weapons I bought for you? I'm hurt, Annalyn." He says, obvious sarcasm in his tone as if he knew I wouldn't dare.

He was right, I wouldn't. Not after the words he said.

Niall realizes that I really wouldn't shoot him, though my grip never wavered from the bow, nor my aim from the spot between his eyes. He glances down at Gemma who was still sitting on the tree root with her face frozen in panic. "And what made you come along, my lady?" He asks, his tone more teasing than curious.

I don't bring my arms down, but I do direct my eyes at Gemma too, seeing her already looking at me as if demanding me to launch the arrow, but like I said - I can't. "That's none of your concerns." I answer instead for Gemma, my voice only in a whisper as my heart accelerated.

Harry was just a few steps away. Just a few steps away. A few steps away. My mind was practically screaming for me to drop everything to find that idiot, then punch him and hold him at the same time. (A/N: literally me rn with 5/5)

But no, I have to be strong. I'm no one special to him. I'm just a poor girl who was so obviously desperate for affection and easily fell in love with the first man who gave it to her. And now it hits me that love won't always be requited - most cases it seems that it's only one sided, leaving nothing but heartbreak and a bitter feeling of betrayal.

I love him, true - I can never deny that now - but that doesn't mean I'll let him walk all over me.

"I guess you're right." Niall says, his attention back to me. "And we don't really have time for chit chat, do we?" He looks over his shoulders, looking for signs that Harry was close.

It then strikes me that he wasn't planning on bringing us to Harry. I'm thankful for it, but I couldn't help but wonder what the hell he was planning.

He opens the filthy bag slung on one of his shoulders and rummages through it. I hear glass clinking against each other, the sound of it making me remember the injury I suffered not long ago. Despite the amount of walking we've done, it doesn't seem like it opened up the wounds on my thigh as I didn't feel any pain shooting up my leg.

Niall brings out two small vials from his bag. Each of them was about as small as my big toe. Black liquid swirling around inside it. He holds one out to me, an expectant look on his face.

I hesitate for a moment. Niall was playing a game for sure. Not one of chess or checkers - but something more deadly, more dangerous and that's exactly why I shouldn't be playing along. But what did I have to lose? My family's dead and my first love is fawning over his childhood friend.

The anger the sung in my blood at those thoughts made me act on impulse as I lowered the bow and arrow before snatching up the vial he held up to me.