Leave {z.m.}

Twenty Two

Zayn's P.O.V.

I had not been to a park in the longest time; it was quite relaxing. 

Willow trees hung over a sidewalk path that led to a trail in the forest. It was almost enchanting. I breathed in the fresh air, pretending as though I needed air to live. I rested on a wooden bench and brought out my sketchbook again. Perhaps I could sketch out the description of the man Adelaide had seen, although I was given limited information.

As I sketched, I thought about how he would be able to travel so speedily. Adelaide had only seen him for a second at a time, and he had been covered in blood the first time. He was relatively tall and brunette. If only I knew more. I had no leads on him, and it was very frustrating.

"I know you," a young voice aimed towards me. 

My head snapped up to meet eyes with Harry. His golden-brown hair seemed a bit darker than what it was when I had seen him last and his green eyes appeared more of a darker green. Had he aged that quickly?

"Hello, Harry," I greeted, closing my sketchbook. 

He hopped up onto the bench and sat beside me. 

"You're Zayn," he told me and I nodded. 

This brought upon déjà vu. At the airport, I had been on a bench when I had seen Harry.

"Where is your mum?" I inquired. 

Harry pointed to another bench a bit far from the bench I rested upon now. I spied his mum's dark, wavy hair and watched as she spoke with people she seemed to know well. 

"She's with her friends. I don't have any friends."

Harry pouted and I wished to do something, but I was not the best at comforting anyone, especially not children. 

"I had a friend before. My sister. I don't know her name." 

That was peculiar. He had a sister, yet he does not even know her name? 

"Harry!" His mum hurried over, worried about her son being with a stranger again. 

Though, she did not know I was the same "stranger".

"Oh! It's you. The boy from the airport!" 

She recognised me immediately and I offered her a forced smile. I was still not accustomed with the act of smiling. 

"I am Zayn. It is nice to meet you again." 

She shook my hand and introduced herself as Anne.

"It seems rather surprising that Harry has come across you again." 

"Yes, I agree. I am truly sorry about appearing to be too talkative with your son. I mean to cause no distress for you." 

She shook her head and smiled, "No, no. It's alright. Harry must like talking to you."

I nodded and glanced down to see Harry staring at me. 

"Will you be my friend?" He asked quietly. 

I met eye contact with Anne and she did not seem afraid at all. I would have been if he were my son. I would not have wanted my child to try to be friends with someone who appeared to be twenty-one years old. That would nearly be pedophilia, and that thought was terrible.

It was as if I had taken too long to answer. Harry assumed I was going to say yes, so he grinned and he ran over to a flower bed, observing the many kinds of flowers. He must've been easily distracted, as most children were. Anne sighed and I turned my attention to her.

"Harry is such a sweet boy, but I worry for him more than most parents would worry for their children. He doesn't talk to everyone, but when he does, it's mostly to teenagers or young adults. He doesn't like being with children his own age. Sometimes, he acts as if he actually is a teenager or young adult."

Anne closed her mouth shut and smiled at me awkwardly. "Sorry, I talk too much. He clearly gets his social behavior from me." 

"It is alright," I assured her. "I have a question though," I added.

Anne took Harry's place on the bench and waited for me to ask. 

"Harry mentioned that he did not know his sister's name. Tell me if this is too personal, but I wanted to know why." 

Anne's entire body froze; she stopped breathing in and out. She even stopped blinking.

"Anne?" I curiously waved my arm in front of her face just to receive no reaction. 

She had no expression on her face, but confusion was present within her unmoving green eyes. It was as if she was trapped inside a frozen body. She could think, but she could not react. 

I knew this phenomena too well.

It was a curse.