The Bad Boy

Chapter 148

Stephanie's P.O.V.

I'm not exactly sure what just happened. I was looking at Harry in Central Park, and then I wasn't. Now, I'm sitting on a bench in the old district I visited with Miles right after I flew in the other day. The sky has turned grey and I think it might rain but I'm not moving from this bench until I figure things out.

I know a couple of things: 1. I am in New York 2. Harry is in New York 3. Harry now knows the general area that I am in in New York

And there isn't a single thing on that list that doesn't scare me. For a brief moment, I consider buying a plane ticket and hopping on a plane home to see Ally and Niall, but then I decide to be rational. I've followed Harry across our country and even out of it, and been chased all around it by him too and it's time this stops. Rational people don't hop on a plane whenever something gets tough and fly away and I'm not going to either. We're both adults, mature or not, and we can sit down and talk this out.

I almost laugh out loud when I think that last part, except it's not funny. Harry would never sit down and have a calm, well thought out talk with me. I'd be sad about it, except I'm still numb from shock, or possibly from my multiiple mile run. I'm fine with the numb, it hurts less than what I know is inevitably coming.

When I looked into his eyes, I swear my heart stopped and all the air left my body. That's the last thing I remember. I hate that he still has that same affect on me, that he can still control me like that just by looking at me and because of that I know I still love him. But he doesn't love me. If he truly loved me he couldn't do what he did to me. He'd never be able to hurt me that much, unless he was truly sick, and he's not. He just believes he loves me and so to him it's true. But in reality, he just needs me. He needs a constant and I was the only one who was readily available. Loving someone and needing them are two entirely different things. I'm just a constant, and I can be replaced, by somebody he truly loves.

I just have to stay away long enough for him to find that someone.

Harry's P.O.V.

"What just happened?" Gemma asks as soon as that guy is out of earshot.

"I don't know." I answer honestly. "But I'm about to find out."

And with that I take off after him.

"HARRY WAIT!" I hear Gemma yelling after me as I run off. I decide to stop and let her catch up because I don't think pregnant people are supposed to run.

"What Gemma?" I ask as she slowly jogs up to me.

"Where do you think you're going?" She pants.

"To find out where that guy is going so maybe I can find out who he is." I say, but what I don't mention is that I'm also going because if he leads me to his home, Steph is bound to show up there sometime since she knows him.

"Harry, I don't think you should..." Gemma starts but I interrupt her.

"Gemma, go back and wait for me at the hotel. I mean it, don't go wandering around New York." I command and then sprint off, trying to catch a glimpse of the guy through the crowds.

I weave in and out of the foot traffic, and eventually reach a remotely clear area. I don't see any sign of him, and after glancing through all the shop windows nearby I conclude he must have gone down into the subway. I find the closest entrance and walk down the stairs. I'm stopped by a revolving bar, and when I try to push through it won't move. I notice a place to swipe a card but I don't have one.

"Hey man, how do I get through?" I ask a guy who walks past me and swipes a card.

"You have to have a subway card. They sell them down there." He points to the left and a I see a small booth with glass windows.

I rush down and pull money out of my pocket. "How much?" I ask.

"Depends on what you want." A female voice says. I look up to see a teenage girl younger than me with bleached blond hair, ear spreaders, a nose ring, a white button up, and acid wash jeans through the smeary glass. She talks through a speaker in the glass.

"I'm here visiting my girlfriend for like two weeks at the most. Just get me something so I can get on the next train." I demand.

She rolls her eyes at me and types something into the computer. Something prints out of a metal slot at about waist height on my side of the booth.

"That'll be seven bucks." She says and nods down to where there's an even larger metal slot.

I drop the cash in, rip off the ticket and then swipe it through the slot. The revolver unlocks with a click and I shove the card into my pocket as I run down some more stairs. A train whirs into the station as I reach the bottom level of the subway. I glance through the crowds of the dimly lit area until I spot a familiar head of brown hair. He steps onto the train and I do the same, making sure to get on the opposite end of the car.

By the time I get into the train, there are no seats left so I stand and reach for a bar right as the train lurches forward. I fall back but the mass amount of people on the train prevent me from falling anywhere. I reach up and grab onto the bar, seemingly the only one rattled by the rough take off.

The train travels only for a short amount of time before it halts to a screeching stop at the next station. The guy steps off the train and I follow suit, following him up the stairs and into the fresh air and sunlight which is surprisingly bright after being in that dingy tunnel. When I glance around I can see the subway entrance that we went into only a few yards away. When I turn to follow the guy he's already disappeared.

"He knows I'm following him." I mutter under my breath.

"You're damn right I do." I hear a voice say from behind me.

I turn to see the guy standing there, arms crossed.

"What do you want?" He asks.

"I want to see Stephanie." I answer simply.

"If you're thinking I'm dumb enough to lead you to where I live then you've got something else coming." He states.

"You have to go home at some point." I shrug. 

"At some point." He says and with that, backs up a few feet and sits down on a bench.

"I've got nowhere to be." I say and sit down on the bench across from him.

Stephanie's P.O.V.

I sit on the bench in the old district for a little while before collecting myself and standing up. There's a small coffee shop and bakery across the street, so I walk over and order a small ice coffee for my walk back to Miles' apartment.

I walk back slowly as I drink my coffee and by the time I finally get back, it's completely dark outside. After knocking and receiving no answer, I use my spare key to open the door.

"MILES!" I call out, walking in and throwing away my coffee cup. 

There's no answer. After checking all the rooms, I discover he's not here. I try his cellphone but it goes straight to voice mail.

"Strange." I mutter, heading back to the room with all my clothes in it and throwing on a pair of black cotton shorts and a white fitted t-shirt with a floral adidas logo on it.

He's a big boy, he can take care of himself...but something doesn't feel right...