Trace of Innocence | Sweet and Sour (Book 4)

Chapter 55

(No Control | Holding Me Ransom - 55 - Lost In The Dark Of The Night)

I'm looking forward to the bonfire and fireworks display, if only so I can have a few hours out in public, disguised in the dark with my friends and Jess. We head down there around six o'clock with the view to getting a burger or hotdog or something while we're there, and manage to park fairly close to the main entrance. It isn't too busy - it never is early on - but there is no sign of any of my friends yet. I pull my hat down low so it covers even my eyebrows and turn the collar of my coat up to try and be as discreet as possible, and we complete a full lap of the ground before coming to the conclusion that no one I know is here yet.

"Shall we go on some rides?" Jess suggests, and I feel that lurking sense of dread at the thought of being thrown around in a metal car until I want to vomit. She looks so eager and excited though that I can't say no and she literally jumps up and down in excitement before grabbing my hand and leading me over to the nearest one. I am propelled into the nearest empty car (that just happens to be pink and glittery) and the metal safety bar is clamped into place across our knees.

We are directly beneath a fluorescent floodlight, and instinctively I tuck my neck further into the collar of my coat which also serves to keep my chin warm from the chill wind.

"Are you cold?" Jess murmurs beside me. "Or worried about being recognised?"

"Both," I answer, in a low voice. "Not that I'm bothered what people say about us. I just don't want the attention, that's all."

We don't have to wait around long before the ride starts to move, and within twenty seconds I am being flung around from side to side to the soundtrack of Set You Free by N-Trance, crushing Jess's body in the process; I shout an apology over the noise but if she hears me she just laughs. After a minute or so I can feel my stomach churning from the motion and I'm relieved when the ride comes to a stop not long after and I can climb out of the car and duck into the shadows again.

"What next?" Jess asks, her cheeks pink from the cold air and a cloud of steam rising from her mouth as she speaks. "Do you want some food or something?"

Food is not a good idea right now.

"Er, yeah, maybe in a bit," I answer. "Are you hungry?"

"I can wait until you're ready. Shall we go on the ghost train or something?"

Fantastic idea! I'd rather be scared than sick.

"Yeah, the ghost train sounds good," I affirm, and I take her hand as she leads me across the grass.

"I really like this," she whispers, giving my hand a gentle squeeze, and a secret smile over her shoulder.

I know exactly what she means - we're able to hold hands in public without having to worry about paps, or fans, or being seen. It's so dark that I can blend into the night unseen, and hold her hand like any normal boyfriend would.

"Me too," I whisper back through the collar of my coat, and she beams.

My phone pings with a text as we approach the ghost train and I manoeuvre it out of my pocket to read the message from Karen.

Are these the pictures you were telling me about from yesterday at the petrol station? They're all over Twitter this evening.

She has attached a couple of pictures of me in my sheepskin coat making my way back to my car, and I start to smile as I read the caption: 'Harry at a petrol station in North London tonight 7th Nov 15.'

I show Jess, but she frowns at me in confusion.

"I don't get it?" 

"It's been shared and dated today, as if I'm in London now," I smile. "Whoever took the picture didn't release it until today so everyone thinks I'm still at my house, instead of up here at my mum's."