trepidation | h.s

part forty three

Lydia Styles

3:30 pm, Monday Afternoon

We've run out of time—time we didn't even have to begin with.

There's no more sand in our hourglass. There's no more 'preparing', no more waiting. It's all happening now before our very eyes.

There's no telling what's going to happen next, everything feels so unpredictable and out of our control.

Damien has had the control the entire time. Even in those moments where we felt safe...we weren't. We never were. The Phantoms practically have us in the palm of their hands.

My chest is so tight as Harry drives. Just minutes ago, his car was set on fire. We ran to the car I drove that was still parked at the coffee shop. Harry got both Daisy and I in that car and then wasted no time getting us all out of there.

Harry is tense but he's trying not to show it. His sunglasses are over his eyes with one hand on the wheel and the other gripping mine in my lap.

His fingers are deadlocked with mine. He's nervous.

We haven't spoken. I don't know what we're going to do.

"Harry." I murmur his name quietly, looking at the side of his face and watching his jaw clench. "Harry, what are we gonna do?"

"We need to get home first. We'll figure it out from there." he tells me, his tone quiet and serious.

I bite my cheek and turn my head to look out the front window, so many thoughts tainting my anxious mind.

"Do you think this is it?" I say quietly, "Is this Flame Night?"

Harry's quiet for a moment, his hand tense in mine.

The silence...it was absolutely deafening.

"I don't know, baby." he eventually whispers in hopelessness.

His answer really struck my heart in the worst way possible. Even in our worst moments, he would always try to reassure me—tell me everything was okay.

He didn't do that this time.

I bring my free hand to my forehead, holding my hair out of my face as stress grows throughout my body. I felt hot head to toe, like I was burning up with anxiety.

If this is really Flame Night, then we don't have much time.

I glance over my shoulder at Daisy strapped in her car seat. She's oblivious to what's happening—I can't let her get hurt.

"We need to bring her to my parents'." I say to Harry, making Harry quickly glance at me.

"I think I need to bring you both there—"

"No." I shake my head immediately in protest. "The Phantoms will try to find me and if I'm there with her, they'll take her too." I say.

Harry swallows as his hand tenses in mine, needing to make the rough choice between his family. My life is at risk but as long as Daisy is safe with my mom and dad, then I can feel some peace with that.

"Okay." he says under his breath, feeling frustrated that he can't protect us both.

He takes the exit that would lead to my parents house. As he drives, I can't help but continue to look behind and around our car to make sure no one was following us.

Harry's driving quickly, his foot pressed to the gas. Time is waning away, he knows that.

My phone rings, causing a startle in my heart from the noise and being so on edge. I take it out of my pocket, my brows furrowing when I read Louis' name across my screen.