Phantom [h.s]

Fourteen

widen and then intensify, anger building behind the soft green.

"No way," he says, his voice ice cold.

"Harry, Jenna told me they were the ones to close your murder case."

He shakes his head. "She's wrong, and you're not going to see my parents. What kind of plan is that?"

"What do you mean, she's wrong?"

"Jenna doesn't know anything; you shouldn't have talked to her." He crosses his arms over his chest like a child and looks away from me.

"What's wrong with you?" I ask, furrowing my brow. "I bring up your parents and you shut down."

He's acting so oddly. He bounces his leg up and down almost nervously and still doesn't meet my gaze.

"Aren't you missing class?" He asks me.

"I don't care about missing class," I say.

"You should."

"Don't even start with me, I get enough shit like that from my parents," I snap.

He narrows his eyes.

"You're not going to see my family, that's it," he says, his voice hauntingly calm.

"Why not?" I match his menacing tone.

He looks straight ahead, his jaw locking and unlocking. "Because they don't care about me anymore, alright?" His eyes flash to me. "They don't care."

"What are you talking about?"

I know if he could breathe, his breaths would be irregular and accelerating. But his chest doesn't rise and fall like we both wish it would.

"You know what," he says, snapping his gaze over to me. "Fine. Go see my parents. In fact, let's go right now. Right now."

I stare at him.

"Go on, get behind the wheel. Vancouver is a few hours' drive."

"Wait, you're serious?"

He nods. "You're helping me, so you should see this."

Chills run down my spine.

Minutes later I'm driving down the highway, Harry still in the back seat, leaning forward on the center console to talk to me. His mood has improved, but I see that he's still on edge.