Runaway(ON HOLD)

8

     "And now, we bring you the evergoing case of wanted teenage runaway and criminal, Harry Styles."  I could barely hear the T.V. over the sound of my chewing, but these words jumped up out at me.  My hand paused halfway to my mouth, my fork loaded with mashed potatoes and I glanced up at the T.V.

     "Um, Aunty?  Could you turn it up, please?"  I asked, my heart hammering.  Aunty wiped her mouth and swiveled around in her chair to see what was on the television.  When she saw the headline, (HARRY STYLES: TWO MONTHS MISSING) Aunty picked up the remote and turned up the volume.  If she was confused about my interest in the story, she didn't say anything.

     " . . .two months since Styles was last seen," the news reporter was saying.  "He's being charged with the rape of Ms. Tanya Ferguson among other charges, but this interesting development may put a kink in that story.  We take you to our reporter on the scene, Dave Howard, for the full story.  Dave?"

     "Yes, thank you, Cindy.  Ms. Tanya Ferguson claimed that Styles raped her after a party that they had both attended around a month before Styles went missing.  However, another source tells us differently."

     The scene cut to a very pretty girl with long, blonde hair and brilliant green eyes.  Her forehead was creased with worry and her pink lips were pressed into a thin line.  The headline underneath her read, "AUBREY CUNNINGTON: CLOSE FRIEND  OF STYLES"

     "I was with Harry for most of the night that Tanya claims he raped her, and he never went near her," Aubrey spoke with a strained voice over the background chatter of the reporters.  "He . . .uh, well he asked me out at around two a.m. and I turned him down, we kinda got into a fight, and then he left the party angrily."

      The reporter came back on screen, holding a microphone just below his chin.  "Now, this puts two relatively glaring holes in Ms. Ferguson's testimony.  One, Ms. Ferguson claimed that the rape occured around midnight.  Ms. Ferguson's lawyer has since released a statement that reads, 'My client was confused, scared, and slightly intoxicated during the incident.  She very easily could've gotten the time wrong.' 

     "While this may be the case, it also must be pointed out that if Ms. Cunnington is telling the truth, Styles left the party at two a.m.  If he was with Ms. Cunnington all night long and then left, he would not have been able to rape Ms. Ferguson.

      "Ms. Cunnigton does, however, mostly verify the other charges that Styles is being accused of."

     Aubrey came back on the screen.  "Now, as for the abuse factor . . . I don't know.  Tanya is my best friend and she never mentioned anything about it, but who knows. Abuse victims rarely speak up.  But, Harry was also one of my best friends and that just . . . doesn't sound like him.  Yes, he smoked.  Yes, he drank.  But raping and abusing someone?  That doesn't sound like the Harry I know."

     "So, who is the real Harry Styles?"  the reporter said dramatically.  "Is he an abuser that took advantage of his girlfriend?  Or just an innocent teenager who got swooped up by the wrong crowd?  We'll let you know as soon as we learn anymore information about this increasingly interesting case.  Cindy, back to you."

     "Thanks, Dave.  And now, for the weather . . ."

     Aunty turned the volume back down.  "It's sick that they're trying to whip up some sympathy for this kid," she said, a scowl on her face.

     I frowned, and spoke carefully.  "How do you know he's not innocent?"

     "Autumn, do you even understand what's going on?" Aunty accused.

     I shurgged my shoulders and looked down.  "Partly."

     "He's guilty, that's all you need to know."

     "But what if he's not?"

      "He is, Autumn!" she shouted, making me jump.  Aunty sighed.  "There's this stuff called evidence, which is basically proof that someone did something.  They have a ton of evidence on this guy, not to mention he has a history of drugs and drinking and stuff."

      "But that girl said that he didn't do it, right?  Why would she say that if he did?"

     Aunty shrugged and took a swig of her special juice.  "He probably paid her money to say that.  Or threatened to hurt her if she didn't."

     "He wouldn't do that," I mumbled, spreading my mashed potatoes around with my fork but not actually eating them.

     "Oh yeah?  And how would you know?" Aunty challenged.

     I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it.  We were getting scarily  close to me accidentally saying something about Harry that I shouldn't have known.  "I don't," I just replied quietly.

     Aunty rolled her eyes.  "I don't know why I'm arguing about this with a six year old.  Wash your dish and go get into bed."

      "Wow.  I can't believe Aubrey stood up for me!"  Harry mumbled through a mouthful of sandwich after I had told him what I'd seen on the T.V. today.

     "Is that what she was doing?" I double checked.  Aunty had been right; I really had no idea what was actually going on.  Just that this girl, Tanya, was claiming that Harry hurt her even though I know and Aubrey knows that he didn't.  And I think he has to convince a bunch of people that he didn't or else he's going to go to jail or a very long time.

     Harry smiled and swallowed his food.  "Yup!  I mean, she turned me down, but maybe . . ."

     "So you asked her to be your girlfriend?" I asked excitedly.

     Harry nodded.  "But she said no.  That was the night that Tanya claimed I  . . . hurt her.  But everything that Aubrey said was true.  Aubrey and I argued for a bit after she said no, but then I left.  The only problem is, I asked her to be my girlfriend when we were alone in the backyard.  I don't think anyone else saw me leave. So . . ."

     I finished his sentence for him.  "So you don't think anyone will believe you."

     Harry nodded gravely.  "Exactly."

     "But if you didn't hurt her, you shouldn't get in trouble.  And if you're telling the truth, people should believe you!"

      "I wish that was how it worked, kid.  But it isn't.  And if I ever go back, I'm going to get into some serious trouble which I wouldn't be in if that was how it worked,"  Harry grimaced.

     "I think you can do it," I replied, giving him a wide grin.  "I think you and Aubrey can convince them that you didn't do anything and then you two are gonna get married and spend the rest of your lives together, happily ever after!"

     Harry chuckled.  "I wish.  But even if I ever did go back and we could convince them, I don't think Aubrey would take me back.  I don't think she loves me back."

     I frowned.  "Well, why would she stand up for you if she didn't?"

     He shook his head, and smiled a bit.  "I don't know, kid.  Girls are complicated."

     "Well, I think she loves you.  And I know you love her.  So you guys are meant to be and you're gonna work it out together, and you're gonna convince everyone that you didn't do anything and I better be invited to the wedding!"

     "Sounds like a plan, kid," Harry said before hopping up on his feet and reaching out his hand to help me stand up.  "You up for a quick round of hide and seek?"