[Editing] Forgotten Memories (A Harry Styles Fanfic)

Chapter 35

*2 days later*

~ DANIELLE'S POV ~

I fiddle with my fingers distractedly as I walk through the police station and out into the cold. I felt so uncomfortable in there, a tall, middle-aged man with dark hair asking me questions about my best friend, as if I did something to her. I would rather do just about anything, then have to go through that again.

I hurry up to my car and unlock it, getting in quickly and shutting the door. I start the engine and blast the heater, waiting for the car to warm up. I check the time on my phone and see that it's only 2:30, which means I was in there for 40 minutes. Surely not, it felt like so much longer than that. I look up at the huge building in front of me, Just looking at it creeps me out. I don't want to go back in there ever again. I never thought I'd have to go there in the first place, especially to be questioned. The whole idea sends shivers up my spine.

I decide to drive to Caitlin's house and see how her parents are doing. I can bet that Railene is not dealing well at all. As I pull up in their driveway, I kill the engine and jog to the front door, cold drops of water landing on my neck and running down my back. I knock on the door and wait for it to open. Within a couple of minutes, Railene appears in front of me. As soon as she sees me, her saddened expression lifts slightly.

"Railene." I smile, happy to see her again. I feel like I haven't seen her in forever, but it's only been about a week since my parents and I came over.

"Dani, what a lovely surprise." She smiles, wrapping me in her comforting grip.

"How are you going?" I ask her as we both pull out of the hug. Her eyes are not the same cheerful hazel that they usually are, but a gloomy brown. Her shoulder-length brown auburn hair is tied back in a messy bun, strands of hair escaping and falling around her face.

"Alright. Well..." I see tears start to well in her eyes as she wipes them away. I hug her again as sobs into my shoulder quietly. She pulls away, wiping at her eyes once again. "I have to stop crying." She half laughs, giving me a reassuring smile. "Come sit down, do you want a hot chocolate?" She knows that hot chocolate is my favourite, it always has been, especially when it gets cold.

"Yes please," I tell her, putting a smile on my face. I wish I could say that it was a genuine smile, but none of them have been since Caitlin disappeared. Feeling happy with her gone seems like a sin, not that I will have to worry about being happy. Nothing will make me happy, except for Caitlin coming back, from wherever she is.

I plop down on the couch and sink down into it comfortably. Railene returns from the kitchen with two mugs, handing me the one that reads 'Chocolate fixes everything.' A tear threatens to escape my eyes, but I hold it back. That quote basically describes mine and Caitlin's friendship. Every time one of us is upset, it calls for a sleepover and an endless supply of chocolate, has been like that since we first became friends. Same goes for when we're happy of course, chocolate is what binds us together. I almost laugh at my thoughts, my mind skipping back to all the times we got chocolate stains on the bed, spent over $30 on it, laughing so hard that we get cramps and tears are flowing down our cheeks. When I hear Railene's voice, it makes me jump, breaking me abruptly from my thoughts.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Have you put any more posters up around town?" She repeats. I look at her, not quite understanding what she means. Then it clicks and I realise she's talking about the missing posters for Caitlin.

"Oh, um no I haven't." I tell her and she nods her head. I take a sip of my hot chocolate and the warm liquid soothes my throat. "The police are putting it out though aren't they? Like as a report?"