Deception

Chapter 17: Trust Me

The police show up in nearly five minutes. They take Dominique to the ER because her forehead is in need of stitches. They ask me who I am.

Charlie Wilson, I say, but even I don't believe my voice.

They ask me who did it.

I don't know, I say but for a moment, I think I do. I can feel it in my veins.

Then they leave. They tell me they will investigate and my friend will be just fine. And that's it.

Everything is fine now.

Wrong.

I run out of my dorm and run off campus, stretching my legs to take longer strides. I don't stop running until I am far into town. I run like I know someone is chasing me. A part of me believes someone is.

Harry's POV

God damnt.

Where could she have gone?

"You fucked up." Louis shakes his head at me and pushes his nightstand over.

"Will you shut the fuck up?"

"She's not like them Louis. I told you to stop at the night of the party. We can do better." I whisper.

"Haz, she's perfect." Zayn whispers from across the room. I glare at him.

"You only don't want to because you're in love with her." Louis narrows his eyes at me. I laugh at loud.

"Nail her on my bed for all I care." I say loudly, but even I know I am lying.

"Seriously Harry, were in too deep. What is stopping you? Julia?" Zayn pushes. I turn around and grab him by the collar.

"Charlie will never be Julia." I whisper and Zayn smirks. I push him down and he falls back onto the bed. I begin to pace around the room.

"I am not going to stop. This is a good one. Zayn and I will do it ourselves if we have to but you know he will be impressed..."

"I don't give a shit about him." I seethe.

"He pays you out of his asshole Harry. Listen you came to me a while ago because you needed money for your Mom. You could have left but you're still fucking here and you were the one who told us about Charlie anyway. You're in this wether you like it or not." Louis says, standing up and getting closer to us.

"I won't hurt her." I breathe. I cant hurt her.

"Then don't. Let us take care of it." Zayn smiles and I shake my head. I rush out of Louis's dorm before they can say another word I can't bear to here.

I know they are going to take her. I know what they will do, because I do it. But Charlie, she's different. Her scars scream a story on her body; I have no interest adding more.

I am not in love with her.

But I cannot let them hurt her. She is different.

Charlie's POV

I am in the library, too aghast to touch the keyboard. I know someone will tell me to leave if I don't use it so open up a blank document and stare at it.

I wonder about the course of infinity and if this stupid number eight looking figure could be broken in half. Then it would just be a three. And nothing is special about a three.

After minutes of looking at the document I begin to type.

"I am suddenly standing on sand. The sun is shining bright on the beach while I watch the water glisten. My stomach twirls as I look at the ocean, remembering my first time ever swimming in the ocean and I almost drowned. I step closer to the shoreline and let the foamy water circle my toes. It tickles and I laugh, tilting my head back to the sky. The clouds almost look too perfect to be real. I am so absorbed in the warmth of the sun that it takes me a moment to actually hear a scream. I look out into the horizon at the bobbing figure clinging on to the booey.  She is screaming for help. I look around but the beach is deserted, there is only me. I step closer into the water and shiver at the thought of going deeper. I consider just running away and letting someone else save her but the only direction my feet are willing to go are forward. I take one step, than another until water spills past my knees. It isn't until I hear my name being called that I realize who is screaming. It's Ellie.