Mirrored Exile (HS)

seventy three

chapter seventy three - till forever falls apart

Lucy Caddel

"Did you want a cigarette?" Harry spoke while his eyes creased with the sun's glare before he slipped on his sunglasses.

"Yes, please," I answered without truly thinking of what he had asked.

He opens the middle compartment of Zayn's car with his free hand, the other stays gripped on the steering wheel. I glanced into the compartment to see a fresh packet of cigarettes. Opening the packet, I slip one of the long darts out. The rough paper material swept against my cold fingers, reminding me of the times I used to smoke regularly. I wasn't proud of it, but I got out of the habit before it worsened.

"Do you have a lighter?"

Harry smirks, lifting out the infamous celeste blue lighter. The scribbled engravings and letters on it were something I still couldn't translate.

"Thanks," I smiled, taking the lighter from his fingers and flicking the ignition switch. As soon as it was lit, I rolled down my window and held the cigarette between my two fingers. The wind was strong as it hit my face. It gushed past me and took the puffs of smoke with it. I reached up to my ponytail and slipped out the hair tie for the long blonde strands to come loose. The wind instantly lifted them and they blew around my face like a tornado.

I glanced at Harry who had his eyes on me, handing him the cigarette. As soon as it was between his fingers, I slid out of my seatbelt and sat upright on the car door. My front was now facing the driver's seat and my back was lit up with the rays of sun that danced across the surrounding fields. Facility 7 was in the middle of nowhere but the scenic drive was what truly made it better. Especially since we had to go to The Capitol next, which was in the middle of the city.

I let my hair grasp at the wind gusts that flew by, picking up strands and then dropping them gracefully. I lowered my head back until I felt the window sill of the car door on my neck. My throat went dry as I breathed in the air until I swallowed deeply. My necklace tickled the skin on my neck as I played with it.

The final hours of the day approached slowly with a sunset full of pinks and oranges. I steadied my eyes on the vast landscape that was upside-down. The color spread through the ground like a drop of dye in water. It blanketed the earth that gazed upon the sky that was grass fields, green and lush. It was just an abnormality to my eyes only and I wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. The road was quiet and not a single soul was near apart from the wildlife, which just made it more admirable.

The rumbling feeling beneath my feet steadied as I realized the car had been slowed to a stop. I pulled my neck forward, getting that flip-like feeling in your stomach when you've been upside-down too long. It soon turned into butterflies as a new set of green matched my sight.

Harry had stopped the car on a dirt patch adjacent to the surfaced road. The look on his face was still and perfect. Considering all of what had happened, I was infatuated with his ability to remain content. He reached into the backseat, picking up a black zip-up jacket. The same jacket from the night on Zayn's roof terrace. Where I was stupid and high, and where we were both stuck in the early hours of the morning.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

No reply.

Seconds later, Harry got out of the car and walked around to my side. The wind lifted his brown curls gently, assuring they were looked after with the gush that came past. He adjusted the collar of his shirt before he opened my door.