A/N: Hola Readers!! Following is ch 13. Im dedicating this to a very supportive and special reader <3
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The forefinger shook violently. It was only a few centimeters apart from the little white button. But instead of getting closer to the button, it was gradually moving away.
The cold morning air was brisk. Yet his forehead was drenched in nervous perspiration.
After numerous intakes of short breaths, he put down his raised arm to his side and took a step back.
He could not do it. This was the hardest task he has ever had to do in his entire life. He will try again later. But was there any time to waste?
He steadily, even though his insides were quivering fiercely and his heartbeat had increased ten folds, took a few more steps back from the horrifying wooden main door of 1772 S Orange Grove Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019.
Suddenly, adrenaline rushed through him and he sprinted down the steps and into his car. He tried to put the key in the ignition, but that was quite impossible. 'There is nothing to be nervous about,' he reassured himself. But his mind kept telling him otherwise. There were a million reasons to be anxious about, for example, facing his long lost…
The phone ring caused him to jump. He took out the cell phone from his pocket with a trembling hand.
“Yes Steve?” His voice shook ever so lightly.
“Paul Higgins where are you?” A disappointed voice asked.
(At The Hotel)
“He’s coming.” Steve told the Modest members.
“Here we are tying to plan a new search method and there he disappears without explaining.” A very impatient management person sighed.
“He’ll be here.” Steve, himself a management person, reassured.
He spotted Liam walking around the lobby with Louis trailing behind.
“Liam can you please listen to me?” Louis said to Liam.
“Louis I’ve already told you I’m texting my mom.” Liam said annoyed.
“I’ve been trying to get your attention for a long time Liam but you won’t freaking listen to me!!” Louis was even more annoyed.
“Alright then.” Liam stopped and turned around “I know it’s going to be something very boring and irrelevant but go on.”
Louis rolled his eyes and whispered so that the others could not hear him, “Do you know Paul has a child?”
Liam raised his eyebrows in exasperation. He knew it would be something stupid.
“Look I heard Paul saying the other day that he misses his…” Louis stopped talking abruptly as soon as he spotted Paul entering the hotel and coming towards them.
“Hey Paul. Joke of the day! Louis says you have a child.” Liam said to Paul with a fake laughter and walked away.
Paul gave Louis a skeptical look and Louis felt like murdering Liam right then.
“M-morning Paul.” Louis said scared and then quickly made himself invisible.
Louis found out? Paul thought worriedly. His secret was not going to remain a secret for long. He had to do something quick. He would go back there the next day and finally finish the task.
(At Diana’s House)
“Morning Dad. Morning mom.” Diana greeted happily to her parents as she entered the kitchen.
“Morning sweetheart.” Her father replied, sitting at the kitchen table with a coffee mug in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
“Morning hun. Thank god you have finally considered joining us for breakfast. All these days I thought you were mad at us for some reason.” Her mother made a teasing sad face.
“Ugh mom I’ve already told you like a million times that I was doing a project in my room and didn’t just lock myself in for no reason!” Diana did not want her mom to discuss the same topic she had been discussing for about four days. Diana was not mad at anyone. She was just sorting out some things. Some very important things indeed.
The doorbell rang and Diana volunteered to go check.
“Hello Diana.” A very cheerful, actually annoyingly cheerful, neighbor hugged her.
“Hi Mrs. Trelawney.” Diana replied unenthusiastically.
“I got this letter. I believe it’s your dad’s. Those postmen can’t just read the address right.” Mrs. Trelawney let out a dramatic sigh as if it was the worst mistake anyone could ever make.
Diana scanned through the name and the address. Benjamin Franchot, 1772 S Orange Grove Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019. It was her dad’s. After thanking her, she made her way back inside.
(At Kate’s House)
Liz had just finished eating her cereal. The other girls were still fast asleep considering they went clubbing last night. She stood up, put her bowl in the sink, and made her way to the staircase leading to the basement.
Her belt was clutched in her hand as she opened the door. She was thinking about more effective ways of using this belt on that smooth skin of the abducted lad.
She did feel guilty for punishing him last time. But she had to admit that her pathetic little heart enjoyed every moment of it. And this was the perfect time for gaining that pleasure again since nobody would find out about it. Pleasure was not the only thing on her mind however. She also had to reinforce the lecture into Zayn that he could not get emotionally closer to Diana. At least not in her presence.
As she took a first step down, the doorbell rang. She quickly went back up, closed the door, and then made her way to the main door.
“What a surprise!!” Liz squealed with joy as she embraced Diana in a bear hug. “Are you done with your some dumb project?”
“Umm excuse me. It wasn’t dumb. Anyways, I brought it with me.” Diana showed Liz a thin box.
“What is it?” Liz asked curiously.
“Where are the others?”
“Asleep. What is it?” Liz was impatient.
“Well you’ll find out when others wake up.”
“No!” Liz exclaimed but then ran upstairs to wake others up.