Facade [h.s]

thirty-one

We were almost out of that place when Harry instantly stopped in his tracks, a frown on his face as he checked the pockets of his black coat.

"I need to get something, wait here" he told me, sending a quick glance towards the inside of the room.

"What is it?" I asked him, furrowing my eyebrows. There was no way he already wanted to leave me alone in that place.

He gave me a serious look. "Don't talk to anyone this time" he said. "I mean it, Raine."

I bit my tongue and rolled my eyes, knowing better than going against him in that moment, when we were surrounded by sketchy people. "Okay."

He sent me another severe glance before turning around and disappearing in the crowd, leaving me alone surrounded by people I didn't know in a place I'd never been to before.

I started feeling the lack of his safe presence immediately after he was gone and I crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling cold. I have a quick look around, not focusing on anyone long enough to make them think I was staring, quickly regretting not having insisted on going with Harry.

I felt abandoned, for some weird reason. I knew Harry had just gone to get something and would've been back relatively soon, but I was in a place I'd never been to, I was alone and I didn't feel safe. I wasn't safe. Harry wouldn't have told me not to talk to anyone otherwise.

All of sudden I saw a man walk in my direction.

His hair was dark and short and his eyes were even darker, pungent, as if he could see right through everyone in that room. He had no moustache, but he did have a bit of a dark, asymmetrical beard, that for some reason didn't make him seen less threatening in the slightest.

I looked away, looking at him with the corner of my eye, pretending to be distracted, assuming that he would've surpassed me at some point and it would've just been better not to stare.

I was wrong, though, because he stopped right in front of me. "Well, hello there" he said, a somewhat sinister smile stretching his lips as he spoke, his dark eyes on me.

I gave him a little glance when the words left his lips, more to make sure he was actually talking to me than anything else, but I didn't say a single word, deciding that it would've been a good idea to do what Harry had told me to do.

He raised an eyebrow, but didn't seem to be discouraged. "Don't you talk, love?"

I didn't reply, opting for sending him a glance that I hoped would've told him to get lost as I had no intention to waste time with him.

"Standing here, wide-eyed, tennis shoes. Someone would say you're out of place" he mused, letting his eyes travel over me. "You look like a doe, I think I'll call you like that."

"Don't" I snapped, instantly pursing my lips when I realised that, once again, I'd done the opposite of what Harry had asked me.

"Oh, you talk!" He exclaimed, taking advantage of the situation. "Why not?"

I shrugged. "Because I don't like it."

"You have strong opinions, doe."

I glared at him at the odious nickname he'd come up with. "I don't want to talk to you" I stated, looking away from him and hoping it would've been a good enough hint to leave me alone.

"I like you" he said, and I turned to him quickly. "What about we go someplace quieter?"

"How about we don't?" I replied quickly. I just wanted him to leave me alone and Harry to come back.