Nightingale

thirty-eight

This is a double update so if you haven't read chapter 37 don't read this one yet. Hopefully you paid attention to something in that last chapter because things are gonna get a little confusing. Anyways enjoy!

It's 10:20 and I'm stuck in fucking traffic. I have 40 minutes to get to the pier and I'm stuck in at least an hours worth of traffic ahead of me. I'm trying to remain cool, calm and collected but the rage and anxiety that I have over everything that has gone down in the past couple hours is an odd combination. It's like mixing cocaine with morphine, one thing that brings you up and one thing that brings you to rock bottom.

The pier is about 20 minutes away from where I'm at so hopefully this shit clears up fast because I'm not about to find out what happens if I'm late. I check my phone and still nothing from any of the boys. I don't even know what Alan did with Liam and I don't really care what he does to Howard, he could kill him for all I care. It doesn't really have an effect on me. It's not like I have some amazing father daughter relationship with the man.

As there is a break between traffic I quickly merge in and out of lanes, cutting cars off in the process but I could care less, I'm kinda on a time limit at the moment. As I drive down the same road Harry and I did make the memories of it flash through my mind.

I remember when I made fun of his horrendous vans and him telling me some of his favorite memories have happened while he was wearing them. I would like to think that us playing tourist for the afternoon was one of his favorite memories because I know it is for sure one of mine.

"Where are we going?" I ask once we are on the highway.

"Santa Monica pier."

"So what you are saying is we are going to be tourists." Harry erupts with laughter before turning up the volume on the radio. He finger drums on the steering wheel before fully breaking out into song.

"Carolina I can't be the only one singing." Harry side eyes me and I decide to fully let loose.

I threw my arms up in the arm and began to sing my heart out. The slight chill from the wind cools the warm bubbly feeling running through my veins. My long red hair looks like fire whipping around in the wind. Content was the right word to describe how I felt that day. I think this is how birds feel when they fly. I feel like I'm high in the clouds flying over everyone not sitting in a car. I push my hair out of my face and see that Harry missed our exit. I turn to him to let him know but he's looking at me with the corners of his mouth turned up.

"What are you looking at?"

"Something captivating."

What a different time. That was only a month ago. It's funny how much your life can change in the timespan of a month. I was living in my old apartment, so unaware of what was to come. There was no Liam, no Niall, no Louis. There were no life or death situations. There was no Alan, no contract for my death.

There was nothing but the sound of Riptide playing through the speakers of this very car, the sound of the wind rushing past us and running through my hair. Both of us sang our hearts out, the first time I ever heard him sing.

It was something real. Just two humans living carefree. We were living but now we are just fighting to survive. I'm fighting to save his life while he put himself in a compromising situation to save mine.

I whip the car across lanes to take my exit, almost missing it from being deep in thought. I turn left and right down multiple streets, speeding around and checking the time on my phone. 10:58. I speed even faster and almost crash as I turn into the parking lot and get out of the car. I grab my phone and call Harry's number to let Alan know I'm here.