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The boys were kicking themselves. Two hours had passed and they were now back as a group with no Essie to be found. Harry was tugging at the roots of his hair waiting to cry at the thought of him losing her. Harrison on the other hand was very tempted to throttle Harry but composed himself because all he cared about was finding Essie.

"Maybe she went back to the house?" Paddy suggested, wrapping his arms around his waist, the cold February air nipping at his face.

Tuwaine shook his head, "nah, we would have passed her."

Sam who was continuously ringing Essie's phone sighed and shoved his phone into his pocket, "her phones switched off."

"Why would she turn it off? She never turns it off unless it's to turn it back on again straight after!" Harrison cried. Tom pulled his best friend into his arms and held him as tears brimmed in his eyes.

"It's probably died," Tom said, "if Adam messaged you then that's a sure bet it's probably died. You don't give her warning that you were going out so she probably didn't charge it."

"I'm ringing mum and dad," Paddy said a moment later. "They'll know what to do."

He dialled his mum's number. "Hello?" Nikki greeted her son on the other end of the phone. "What's up, Paddy?"

"Mum, Essie's gone missing and we've spent the past couple of hours searching for her and we can't find her." He told her and then went into more detail about the situation.

"Right come home, and I mean back here, all of you. It's no use spending all night out in the streets." Nikki advises as Paddy put her on speaker phone.

"But what if she goes back to mine and Harrison's?" Tom asked his mother.

"The likelihood is she won't. If you haven't found her in this amount of time you probably won't any time soon. So come home where your father and I can see you and first thing tomorrow unless she gets in touch we will return to looking for her."

The boys sighed, it was growing colder and their breaths were clouding in the breeze and as much as they hated to admit it. Nikki was right. Sam held on tightly to his twin leading him to the car, thankfully Tuwaine had thought ahead and both Tom and Harrison took their cars. Harry stared out of the window, the thought of Essie being missing made his stomach drop and his eyes brim with tears. Harrison was in a similar state. Tuwaine drove his car back whilst Paddy held onto Harrison.
They purposely drove past Tom and Harrison's house in order to check if she was waiting back there- she wasn't. (Also to pick up Tessa). Then they continued to drive back to the Holland's house where both Nikki and Dom greeted them and usher everyone into the house.

* * *

It was now pitch black. Only the street lamps, headlights and a few takeaway shops were lighting up the road that she trudged along with her arms wrapped around her body trying to keep warming. Unfortunately, her lack of suitable clothing for a February night didn't help and her lack of much body weight didn't help either. Her teeth chatted as she continued walking, her feet sore from how much she was using them.

She had no way of telling the time. It felt like she had been walking for hours and usually that meant only a short while but no. This time she was correct. Four hours had passed since she had found herself alone and lost in London. Essie was close to giving up. So very close, her body ached and tears welled up in her eyes.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Finding an empty doorway to a closed down shop, Essie slipped inside of it as the heaven's opened and rain began to pour down, slashing onto the concrete and soaking the young girl. She pulled her legs up to her chest, her arms holding them close as she buried her head into the caps just as tears mixed with the rain that had dropped onto her face.

Essie couldn't even didn't want to think why Harry would leave her in that park. Harry knew Adam was just a friend - best friend actually- so it couldn't have been jealousy. In fact, she couldn't even fathom a legitimate reason for Harry to get jealous. She isn't much of a girl, physically and metaphorically speaking, well in her eyes that is. Was this trip to London a mistake?

Her whole body shook, her legs were partly exposed due to her skirt and even her knee-high socks were not keeping her warm at all instead they were soaking in water. Her hair was sticking to her face, her hands were trembling and she had hiccups followed by coughs and sneezes.

She prayed that the night would not be horrendous. February in England is so harsh especially during the night and with her little warmth Essie was scared for her life. Too many tv adverts about helping the homeless (yes she isn't homeless but she is on the street right now) and how one night can kill a person haunted her.

Essie closed her eyes, squeezing them tightly shut, hoping that morning would come quickly...

Simple Things||Harry HollandWhere stories live. Discover now