The Criminal's Eyes - Daniel Howell

Chapter 6

A/N: I'm writing this in a maths exam and my crush is watching rip my life
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"So, we get a map from Verona Hall, I think we should check the outer sidestreets first and then make our way inwards-"
"Is this shade a bit too dark, or can I get away with it?"

I'm at Ciara's. I had decided last night that if I was going to find Dan, I couldn't do it alone, and Ciara knows the city streets like the back of her hand, yet right now she wasn't being very helpful. I sit on Ciara's bed, trying to devise a plan, while she decides which of the three identical shades of baby pink nail varnish will go best with her dress for the masquerade ball.

"Ciara! Can you concentrate for a second, please? - and what are you even going as?" I say, patience running thin.

"I told you, I'm being Maid Marion, and Derek's Robin Hood. You're so lucky, Derek said Phil's crazy about you ever since he spotted you in the library that time, imagine if we were going out with the same set of brothers! We'd practically be sisters," she says, and I try to work out how her last sentence makes sense.

"Phil?"
"Yeah, his friends call him Phil,"

I may not have mentioned this, but, yes, Derek and Phil are the honourable Lester brothers. Anyone who associates themselves with a Lester is considered as one, as you're either classed a Lester, Howell or outcast. Me and my mother were classed Lester when she divorced my father, a Howell, and Lady Lester treats my mother as her own sister. I feel my mother wants me to marry Lady Lester's son, Phillip, so we can officially be Lesters. Yet, despite my father being a Howell, I feel no sense of hatred towards the rest of them. The actions of one person can't justify the whole group, right?

"I don't know, Ciara, I mean, I don't even think I like Philip."

"What?! Have you seen him, though - he has the features of a God, I swear it must run in the family or something. Just wait until you dance with him, you'll change your mind in a heartbeat. But God have you seen his eyes? They're gorgeous. And it's Phil, not Phillip," Ciara describes, as if it's someone else other than her boyfriend's brother.

"You should know, if anyone, that I don't really have the same taste as you... and everyone else in the city," I say, mumbling the last part under my breath, but she hears anyway.

"That's not your fault," Ciara says, while I try not to get offended and change the subject.

"Look, this isn't what we're talking about. I need to find Dan, and we need to figure out where to start. We don't have long, Ciara!" I say, becoming exasperated as she rolls her eyes and gives in.

"Okay, okay, Kira. But, and I hate to break it to you, the chances that we're going to find him are very... slim. I mean, how are we going to find the one person that doesn't want to be found out of a city full of people?" She says, and the more time passes, the more I start to believe it. "Face it, hun, he's gone," she says, all traces of sympathy gone, as she goes back to her nail polish.

For the next few minutes I pretend to be interested in what she's doing, all while thinking over everything again... Is she right? I guess I'll have to accept the fact I'm never going to see him again. Then again, what did Dan say?...

"If we're lucky enough to cross paths again, I'll label it as fate"

Maybe I should leave it up to destiny.
* * * * *

I can't say that I didn't keep an eye out, because that would have been a lie, but I didn't purposely go looking for him. I noticed I was being way more vigilant than usual, but I couldn't expect myself to give up completely. It'd be simple things, like rustling trees or a clatter in the bushes, and my neck would instantly turn to face the direction from in which it had come. I guess I was looking for a sign.

A day passed and there was no sign of him, but I hadn't expected there to be. I slip on my angel wings and make my way down the stairs, my mother in full costume as the Lady Of The Lake. I spot Derek on our couch, who had donned a bow and a set of arrows, along with a green hat and some extra details to the outfit. Next to him is Ciara, in a pink dress, obvious that she didn't want to dress up but pretended to make an effort to anyway.

My mum gasps in delight when she sees my wings and the halo headband, as if I really was an angel - it's probably the shock of seeing me in an actual dress for once, and white instead of black.

"Dear, you look wonderful. See what can happen when you scrub up?" she says, beaming. Although it doesn't feel like it, I presume it's supposed to be a complement, so I smile back at her and go along with it for the sake of her contentedness.

"Yeah yeah, you look great or whatever, can we go now? It's getting kinda late," Derek says, sometimes I feel as if my mother disregards his rudeness simply because he belongs to the immediate house of Lester - and why did he decide to give us the "honour" of his presence when we could have met him at the party which is, you know, at his house?

I grit my teeth to refrain from making any comments and force a smile. If they realise my irritation, they don't show it.

"I agree... let's go."