A Moment in the Crowd

Chapter 42: Mate

So Miles is back, Harry is gone, and I'm sitting alone in my room rocking myself from side to side hoping that I'm not going to get raped. University really has changed me for the worse.

My mind reels in a hundred different directions until it's focused on only one. Harry. By now, I should know that he's not just a runaway. Right?

As if the universe heard my question, it answers me within a matter of seconds. I hear a light knock at the door to my apartment, and quickly rush to open it.

"Hiya."

"What the fuck, Ashton?"

Ashton Irwin is standing at my apartment door, waving at me like it's the most natural thing in the world to show up at my doorstep.

"Nice to see ya too." He chuckles before stepping inside.

I quickly rush to close my gaping mouth, that I hadn't realized was open, and turn to close the door.

"What the... Why are you... How did you... Explanation?"

He chuckles even deeper and I can feel the shock, surprise, anger, confusion, frustration, all begin to boil.

"For fucks sake I really would like to know what's going on. Where is Harry and why is the guy who supposedly tried to rape me staying in his hotel room, Ashton I'm not laughing."

At my rant, his eyes immediately widen and he looks at me in his own state of shock.

"What's this about rape? Lily, I have no idea what you're on about but Harry sent me to check on you."

"From where? Fucking Australia?"

"No, well, yes and no."

"Ashton!"

My head spins and he rolls his eyes before taking my hand and leading me in the direction of my room. I nod when he asks which door is mine. He swiftly closes it behind him and sits me down on the bed, while making his way over to the desk chair.

"Alright so it wasn't all the way from Australia. I was coming back with the rest of the mates to do an interview in Chicago, and Harry asked if I could make a detour to see you. That's all I know."

"Well then where the fuck is Harry?"

"How should I know?" His thick Australian accent pours through every word, and I enjoy how he sounds out everything he says. Regardless I'm still confused.

"You didn't think to ask where the fuck he went? Also, I don't need a babysitter. I'm not fucking twelve years old, although a text would have been nice."

I huff and attempt to relax a little on my bed, but the tension doesn't seem to unfold so easily from my shoulders.

"Hey, don't ask me about your relationship problems. I was sent on strict orders." He laughs to himself and I roll my eyes at him.

"What's all this about rape though?" He adds and then eyes me carefully.

I sigh before launching into the entire story about Miles and that dreadful night. I feel as if I've told this story too many times in the past few days, and I was doing so well with forgetting it. Throughout my explanation, I can picture Miles' sinister and crooked smile as he pressed his hands against my chest. I see his spiky brown hair that clings close to his face. I notice the light spots of acne that cover his cheeks and the freckles that dot his forehead. Everything about Miles to me screams something sick.

"Now he's back and staying, not only in Harry's hotel, but Harry's room. I ran into him today while I was at the hotel." I shiver at the memory and Ashton sits still at the end of my soap-opera of a life story.