Keep Your Enemies Closer | a Bars and Melody Story [COMPLETED]

Chapter Three

Charlotte knew Leondre's family hadn't lived here for a long time, or they were trying to make it seem like they hadn't. As she pushed open the rotting door, Charlotte didn't know which thought was creepier. Turns out, nothing was as creepy as the house itself. The carpet was the same, but dusty and worn. The pictures were the same, just old and dusty and wonky. Everything was the same. And as Charlotte stepped deeper and deeper into Leo's old family home, she felt herself transport back in time. In the living room she heard laughter, and in the kitchen she smelled Christmas dinner. But as she stepped toward the staircase a feeling of dread fell over her as she stared at the tiny dots of blood that stained the wooden floor boards. "Mum.." She whispered, before climbing up the rickety staircase. She found old dusty curtains and spiders in the bath. All the bedroom doors were swung open wide, all the windows too, the nets blew in the breeze and out of the corner of her eye Charlotte kept thinking they were ghosts. This house was full of ghosts. But one of the doors remained closed, but she didn't dare open it, she was afraid of what she'd find inside. Maybe because of the bullet holes, or maybe the steady flow of dried blood that seeped out onto the landing. She stepped backwards too quickly, loosing her footing on the old staircase, and then she was falling.  Charlotte braced herself for the harsh impact of the ground, she closed her eyes but the blow never came. Instead a pair of strong and steady arms held her around her waist, and she didn't know which landing she would've preferred.

"Did you follow me?!" Charlotte snapped, pushing out of Leo's grasp. He looked up at her and just smiled, running a hand down the wooden banister. "You came here." He said, stating the obvious. Charlotte didn't budge, she didn't want to break Leo's trance as she watched him look around his old home then back at her. "Why?" His voice was softer now, hurt almost. She couldn't look at him so instead she pushed past him, wanting to get away from the blooded room upstairs. "Answers." Charlotte whispered. "I needed answers." Leo didn't follow her, he just stood half way up the stairs looking down at her. "This is no place for.." Charlotte cut him off. "What, a girl?" She snapped. "You." Leo came to stand opposite her. "This is no place for you." She didn't have time to attempt to understand what he meant. She'd spent all her life around people who told lies, yet she'd never met anyone so cryptic as Leo. He was like a code she couldn't crack, a puzzle she couldn't solve. And as she stood there, watching the shadows from the sun outside settle over his face, she wondered if she'd ever understand him. "Who's blood is it?" Charlotte asked, Leo didn't answer. "Why are there bullet holes in the door?" She said, louder, stronger this time. She excepted him to lie, to laugh at her as if this was a joke. She expected Leo to do anything but run a hand through his messy brown hair and turn away from her. A dusty mirror hung on the wall and he stared at his own reflection as if he didn't recognise himself, or maybe he didn't want to. Leo's gaze caught her's in the mirror as he whispered, "because of me." He looked at the floor. "Because they tried to kill me."

Now, Charlotte didn't know who they were, or why she had an overwhelming feeling to find them and settle this for good. She didn't even like Leo, that's what she told herself. "Why?" She asked, because she was a spy. Leo shrugged, because it was classified. "Was my mum involved?" Charlotte asked, following Leo out onto the porch. "Your clever." He said, but he didn't laugh or tease her. He just stared off into the distance, almost afraid they were coming for him. And maybe they were. "Leo, tell me what happened?" She reached for him but he jerked his arm away. "You were right, it was my fault." He whispered, his voice was almost lost in the wind. Charlotte didn't dare say another word. "I should never have let her come here." Then he turned and looked at Charlotte. "I should never have let you come here." He shook his head. "They'll kill you too, they'll kill all of us in the end." Charlotte told herself it was the cold that was making her shake as she asked, "who is them, exactly?" But Leo just shot back. "Don't tell Charlie!" Charlotte was taken aback. "Don't tell Charlie you know, about this place, about anything." She had never seen Leo so angry before so she muttered. "Okay, I won't." She leaned against the house, praying it wouldn't give way. "Nobody knows about it." Leo told her, starring off into the distance. A silence fell over them as they stood there, letting the weight of the secret weigh down on them. The only sound was the birds singing and the rocking chair squeaking, until Charlotte whispered, "somebody knows."

Bright sunlight fell through the shattered windows, Charlotte opened her eyes and let them adjust to the light. The sete was hard and uncomfy and she didn't remember falling asleep there. "Your up." Leo said, coming in from outside. Charlotte stood up. "I have to go." But Leo didn't let her get past. "It's safe, no one knows about this place." He said, as if that helped. "That's what I'm afraid of." Charlotte snapped, pushing past the boy she couldn't trust and stepping out into the morning sunlight. "They'll be looking for me." She said, not even wanting to imagine what was going on back at school. "Like you've never broke the rules before." Leo shot back. "That was before." She said, spinning around to face him. "Things are..different now." Leo laughed. "Yeah, your no longer sneaking out to see me, your sneaking out to kill me." He folded his arms. "Things are different." He tilted his head. "I'm not trying to kill you." Charlotte said. "Doesn't look that way from my side." Leo shot back. Charlotte shook her head, she couldn't help but laugh. "Are you stupid?" Leo stared at her. "I'm not trying to kill you, I'm trying to prove you killed mum!" She yelled, because no one would hear her there. Leo closed the space between them with one long, lazy stride. "Did you not listen to me yesterday?" She could feel his breathe warm on her face, but she didn't back away. "They killed her and they tried to kill me!" Birds scattered from the trees but she couldn't take her eyes off him. "Why?" But she already knew the answer. "Classified." Leo said, his gaze fell to the floor. "But.." Charlotte tried to protest. "I won't tell anyone." Leo smirked, "not even that little friend of yours?" Charlotte pushed him away. "Her names Renée." She walked away, knowing whatever moment that had happened between them, was well and truly over.

• • •

I hope you enjoyed!

I n s t a g r a m: pengmendes

- Naomi x