Toxic (Harry Styles)

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

However many times you fed a lie, there will always be a life ring trace of truth. It may be invisible and you may think it's not there; but just because you can't see it, it doesn't mean it can't be the thing that makes the biggest impact even more so than the things that are visible to you.

"Patrick, you want to say something?"

"He knows."

A tear rolls down my stained face, smudging my make up even more. I look over at Jess, Brit and Brandy and they too have tears where the scene got to them. We're gathered around the TV at the twin's house, watching Marley and Me. We've laughed, awed, and ewed at the screen, but now the Grogan family is standing in line at Marley's grave. The father, John, had covered the dead dog in a blanket to keep Marley warm─ or that's what he says in the movie ─and then the mother, Jenny, asks if an of the three kids wants to say something. The youngest, Colleen, had drawn pictures on piece of construction paper and placed it in the ground. The second oldest son, Conner, wrote down his words and experiences with the dog on a more formal piece of paper, and put it in the grave also. Then it came time for Patrick, the eldest, to say a few words. It was obvious that he was holding back tears, and trying to be the strong one for his siblings. And instead of having a piece of paper inked with memories, his breathing faltered and spoke two little words, "He knows."

If no one cries at this part, then they're soulless. From the time Johns at the vet up to end I think my heart cracks a little each minute until it's shattered. It doesn't matter how many times I watch this movie, no matter how many times I prepare myself for the ending, I end up a bawling mess.

Marley was a part of the family; their first kid, so to speak. He's been there the whole time, grew up with them, caused chaos, but in the end it didn't matter. Marley loved, and he was loved. The movie makes you fall in love with these characters, with a dog, and you don't realise that until he's gone. And then it's too late.

The credits flick across the screen and Brandy reaches over the empty pizza boxes for the next movie, wordlessly. I think we're all speechless, unable to open our mouths with sobbing. I pull my knees to my chest watching as the younger twin takes out Marley and Me and replaced it with Psycho; I haven't seen it before, but I hope it doesn't end in tears. Apparently it's a Hitchcock film from 1960, a murder mystery.

I hate mysteries.

So, yeah, this will be fun.

***

The shower water steams over the curtain, fogging the mirror. The woman is oblivious to the fact that you should never stay in an old motel, especially when a guy and his mother live in a mansion behind it. She closes her eyes, enjoying the warm water after a long day, and she hopes to get some rest soon.

And that's when the door swings open. The screen shows the bottom of a dress, then the kitchen knife in a hand. The unknown person pulls back the shower curtain making the woman scream but it's cut off when the hand is brought down many times, stabbing her.

And my phone rings. Brit yells from the sudden noise, jumping further into the sofa. Taking a deep breath, I dig into my back pocket and pull out. My heart picks up a fast beat when I see the message is from an unknown number; I mean it's weird that we are watching a mystery movie and my phone goes off with an unknown person texting me.

I feel the girls eyes on me, waiting to see what I'd do, and with a quick glance to them, I open the message.

From: UNKNOWN

Hey Shay its Thomas. I was wondering if you could open the studio for me, I left my clothes in the locker room.

I sigh in relief, thankful that it was someone I know, instead of a stranger or a wrong number. I check the time, and see it's only half nine now. I guess it wouldn't be bad to run down to the studio and open the doors. I do have a key, and knowing Lilly, she's probably partying right now with her boyfriend.