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40 : It's Time

"But-.."

"When I say something, I mean it, okay? Now have your lunch." He said, handing out the plate of fish and chips to me for the third time. I didn't hesitate this time.

"Niall, why couldn't you come into my life earlier?" I asked, having my lunch.

"How am I supposed to know that?" He said. "Keep quiet and have your lunch."

                                                                                                      *

SHE is after me, and that's a fact. Zayn and the others came in accidently into this fight of ours, which he doesn't know. It's high time I told everyone the truth. But, I'll be putting them in great danger if I ever told them. Maybe I should just do it.

As I lay on my bed wondering all this, Niall was sitting on the couch, studying. I got up from my bed and found about four to five books lying open next to him, and he was reading from two books simultaneously.

"Niall? Why do you have so many books next to you? And, why are you reading for two books at the same time? I know we have practicals and a theory exam tomorrow, but-..."

"Why would I read from two books at the same time? Well, that's because the first half of calculus is in my first book, and the other half in the second book. Get it?" He said.

"Oh...okay." I said. "And what about the other books?"

"Why do you ask so many questions? Just sit and study." He said.

"Never mind." I said.

"Mom was really...I don't know what, after what we saw on your front door this morning. It was terrifying." He said. "Don't you know anything that can be done?"

"Apparently, no." I said.

"Who do you think must have done it? I think it's DJ, the same person who's been leaving those blood messages in our campus." He said. "What do you think?"

"Oh yea, great idea." I said.

"Huh?" He said, raising his eyebrows.

"What?" I asked.

"I said, it might be DJ who left those blood stains in front of our door this morning, and you say it's a good idea." He said.

"Oh...sorry." I said. "I, kinda got lost in my thoughts."

"What were you thinking about?" He asked. "Worried about Zayn again?" I didn't reply to that. I just got up and walked downstairs, opened the front door, and sat on the stairs in front of the door. Niall followed me.

"What now?" He said. "I know how it feels to be in a situation like this."

"What's the best thing Louis has ever done for Zayn?" I asked.

"He saved his life." He said.

"What?"

"Yeah." He said. "It happened when we were in high school. They both and me were walking back home, which was usual. Zayn listening to music on his phone. He started walking straight into a main road.  He wasn't aware. It wasn't busy though, but he didn't notice a truck speeding towards him."

"And then?"

"Louis was way behind him, with me. When he saw that, he ran as fast as he could, jumped and pushed him onto the pavement. Louis almost risked his life in that. He just had a broken arm. I was standing there, terrified."

"That's just...so...I don't know. What's wrong with him now?" I asked.

"We'll get to know that tomorrow."

"No, tomorrow, he's expecting you guys to abandon me, that's all. Nothing else is gonna happen."

"You don't believe in miracles, do you?"

"Huh?" I asked. "Miracles?"

"What if he changes his mind all of a sudden, and realizes his mistake ? Wouldn't that be amazing?" He said.

"Yea, but that's never gonna happen." I said.

"How can you say that?" He asked.

"That's never gonna happen Niall." I repeated.

"How can you say that?" He asked again.

"Never mind." I said.

                                                                                                         *

That night was horrible. The whole night, I kept getting weird dreams of people chasing me, trying to kill me, and the worst of all, I kept hearing the voice of a man. He kept saying just three words. Reconsider, forgive and recognize. I don't know what it meant at first, but later, I did know what it all meant.

The next day, we all met up at the park to talk to Zayn. I had no intentions of blaming Zayn, because I know the truth. I know why he's been acting so odd lately.

"What do you want from us?" Niall asked.

"Abandon Audrey." Zayn said. "Or I'll never talk to you again."

"No way." Niall said.

"Come on guys, I've been with you guys even longer than her and you trust her more than me?" He asked. "Where's humanity in this?"

"You don't talk about humanity." Elsa said. "You owe Louis your life. Don't forget that."

"You shut up." Zayn said immediately.

"Or else?" She said. "What are you gonna do to me, huh?"

Zayn put his hand into the pocket of his jacket, and pulled out a pistol. "It'loaded. So, shut your mouth and listen to me. "Ever since Audrey came along with us, right from the very first day we met her, Niall and Harry, you know what happened in the library, don't you?" He said.

"Let me exp-..." I started, but he interrupted saying "Silence. Don't make me pull the trigger. Now, listen. It was all your fault. All because of you, I started hearing and seeing things, I broke up with Elsa, Niall went into coma, that dog and cat fight, all of this, happened because you were with us, Audrey."

"We had no connection with all these evil spirits or whatever they are. Just because you came along with us, you brought along all these with you."

"I swear to God Zayn, once more you say that-..." Niall started, but I stopped him.

"I didn't do any of this. YOU did." I said.

"What?" Harry asked. "No, it's not his fault either. It's HER fault, isn't it?"

"No it's not HER fault like you all thought." I said. There was a silence for a few seconds, after which Zayn lifted his pistol and aimed at me.

"I'm gonna kill you." He said, looking at me furiously with the pistol aimed at me forehead.

"Zayn, don't you even think of doing it. I swear I won't keep you alive if you do it." Niall said.

"Niall keep quiet." I said. "Let me see what he can do."

"You be quiet." He said immediately. "Zayn, drop it right now."

"Zayn...please drop. It. Don'-.." Elsa started, but she was too late. He shot straight at my forehead. I could feel the bullet pierce into my forehead.

"Oh wow. Nice try." I said, staring at him in his eyes.

"Oh no, you're...you're James' daughter, aren't you?" Zayn said, dropping his pistol.

"Happy realization, Argy." I said. "It's high time you all knew the truth."

"Audrey, you're...you got shot...you're alright. And, Argy? Who's Argy?" Louis asked.

"That's not Zayn. That's Argy. Argy Raynotts. Son of Kyra Raynotts." I said. 

"Who's Kyra Raynotts?" Niall asked.

"It's HER." I said.