Everyone should own a Gun

Chapter 17

The drive was agonisingly long. As he reached the highway, Harry let loose and put his foot down, showing what the old car could really do. I couldn't help but grin at the sheer speed and the throaty bellow of the big V8. Harry kept glancing at me, watching my reactions, not helping but smiling slightly at my slightly dazed expression as the horizon sped towards us. The rush of adrenaline from the whole situation was indescribable, so much so that I was almost forgetting who he was.

He pulled up outside a crowded looking house, killed the engine and looked over at me. "Anyone would've thought you enjoyed that."

I had, but I'd never tell him that. This time, when I looked over at him, his eyes were already trained on me. When our gazes caught I didn't want to break it, his green eyes holding mine in place. He wasn't smirking, far from it. In fact, he looked entirely serious, but so many emotions swirled in his eyes, none of which betrayed the traits of a psychopath.

"That wasn't you, was it?" I murmured. The sadness that then surfaced told me he understood exactly what I was referring to, but I didn't give him chance to say anything in response. I opened the door and quickly climbed out. He was still looking at me from the driver's seat as I shut my door and hurriedly walked into the house.

As soon as I walked through the door, the stench of alcohol wafted up my nose. The place was packed, with sweaty bodies everywhere I looked. I had to push and shove just to get through to the back area. My main aim was to get out of sight of anyone who might know me and try to engage me in conversation By the time I actually made it to the kitchen area, I had worked up a little perspiration. I recognised quite a lot of the people here but my current mood was limiting who I wanted to talk to. However, after catching a glimpse of a Harry I made a bee line for the first person I knew by name.

"Amy, hey!" She, and the small crowd standing around her, were all from my class. When she turned around, smiling, I got pulled into a hug.

"Oh my god, hey!" Returning her enthusiasm, I greeted the others and joined in their tedious conversation.

Where the hell were Elle and Austin? I briefly caught a glimpse of Harry across the room. He looked engrossed in his own conversation with a couple of guys I didn't know. As I watched, he laughed at something one of them had said.

"Do you know him?" Amy asked, nudging my arm and pointing unsubtly towards Harry.

"Nope," I replied automatically.

"Shame, he's really hot." It seemed that a lot of people thought that. I'd noticed that quite a few girls in our group had been surreptitiously eying him up. Amy leaned forward and whispered in my ear. "He keeps looking at you."

"What? No, he doesn't." I tried and failed not to glance over, and found that he was indeed looking at me. I suddenly hated my cheeks for the blush that appeared, which he obviously had to see. Great, another unnecessary boost to his already over inflated ego.

"Go talk to him." She nudged me again.

Before I could reply, I heard a loud braying laugh from the hall. Elle! My saviour. Keen for the distraction, I leaned towards Amy and raised my voice a little.

"I'll be back in a minute. I think Elle's just got here." She nodded and I went to where the sound had originated.

"Lia!" Elle beamed at me.

"Hey, how was your dinner?"

"Romantic, he got me flowers, but then broke them tripping over his own feet."

Austin appeared behind her, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Thought that counts." There was a slight slurring to his words, telling me they'd been drinking before heading over here.