𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋! | harry styles

𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈

A dozen times I pick up the phone to call Jack. A dozen times I stare at the screen, my thumb hovering over the call button.

Eleven times I put the phone down, too scared to make the call. I guess the twelfth time's a charm.

The phone rings and rings until I'm sure it's going to go to voice mail, but at the last minute he picks up.

I clear my throat, finding the voice that feels like it's buried. "Jack?" I croak "It's Scarlet."

He's quiet for a heartbeat. Then he says, "One moment", and for that one moment my heart beats so hard I think I'm going to be sick. I contemplate hanging up. I hear his muffled voice across the phone line, that deep timbre, the dominant, authoritative quality to his words. I don't hang up. I take a deep breath and I stay on the line.

"You still there?"

"I'm here."

My hands shake.

He's quiet again. Waiting. "Tell me what I want to hear," he says.

My mouth opens but nothing comes out.

I'm not ready. I need more time.

But there is no more time. I'm just wading in the deeper water, waiting for something. For someone.

I bite the inside of my cheek, willing whatever courage I have to appear.

"I'm ready."

My voice sounds weak, even to me.

"Have you really thought about it?" asks Jack. "What this means?"

My inhale is ragged, air sucked over emotions ready to spill. I know all too well what leaving means - I've been unable to think about anything else since I tore open the letter from Harry.

"It means a new start," I answer quietly. "A new life."

"It means leaving it all behind, Scarlet. Everything."

I close my eyes against the tears that push painfully against the back of my eyes. "I know."

Jack is quiet for a moment, but I can tell it's because he's giving me some space.

"Can you be ready in a week?" he asks after a minute.

I look around at the apartment. My tiny world. At the boy that my tiny, fucked up world revolves around.

"Give me two."

But, as it has want to, the world has other plans for me.

Four days later Jack calls. "Where are you? Are you at home?"

He sounds concerned. As close to frantic as Jack can get.

"I was just about to take Cody to the park, why?"

"Someone identified Harry from the surveillance video. The police have issued a warrant for his arrest."

"Oh my god."

"I've already had the boys at the garage call. The police turned up this morning looking for him. Turned the place upside down looking for his address."