Fall (One Direction) [Sequel To Run]

Chapter Twenty-One

Callin

I'm getting used to the routines here.

I hate that I can say that, but I can.

Delving into my past with Matt is painful, and honestly, I don't think it's doing much good. Group therapy is annoying, because there are only five of us in this entire place with head injuries.

The other four are all twenty-three, and they've been here a lot longer than I have.

I don't talk much.

I mostly just listen.

I can't wait until I can get out of here.

My memories are coming back, at least. Just small fragments, not enough, really, but at least it's something.

I'm honestly glad.

I still don't remember where Delaney is, or why I'm living with Louis and Harry, but I should get those memories back eventually.

I've also gotten closer to Annalise.

She's a good friend, and we spend all our free time together. Including right now, sitting in the lounge room. She's had her nose in the first Harry Potter book for the last hour, while I read a new book, The Fault in our Stars. I'm actually regretting this choice, as it's pretty depressing.

“So which House are you?” Annalise asks me, jolting me from my wondering why I started reading a cancer book.

“House?” I ask.

“Hogwarts” she says, jabbing a finger at the cover of the book in her lap and grinning. She is sitting in an armchair, curled up with her legs tucked under her. Comfortable here. I still sit carefully, like I'll break the couch underneath me. I don't want to belong here.

“Oh, right” I reply. “I don't know, probably Gryffindor.”

“There's no 'probably' about it” she replies, grinning. “You are definitely a Gryffindor.”

“Well, what House are you, then?” I ask her. She thinks it over for a moment, chewing on her lip and staring at the book cover. I can't believe she hasn't thought about it before, I figured all Harry Potter fans went through that discovery.

“Hufflepuff” she finally says. “Yeah, definitely. Family and friends are important.”

“Well, yeah” I say. “But that's not a good quality to have if someone takes your family hostage. Bravery is better, because then you'd be able to rescue them. Aggressively caring about them isn't going to keep anyone safe.”

“Are we really having this argument?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then your bravery probably got your loved ones taken in the first place, and you'll go to rescue them and be so focused on your bravery that you'll be reckless and get yourself killed.”

“Oh, and you'd be much better? You'd be so concerned about their well-being you wouldn't take the necessary risks and you'd all die.”

“You need a Slytherin” someone else says. Which is weird, because the room was empty a second ago. Annalise and I both look around, and there's a boy standing in the doorway.

“I didn't mean to interrupt” he says. “My name's Jack.” He walks into the room and takes a seat in the armchair across from us. He's handsome, I notice. Not that I'm interested. But he has messy light brown hair and pale blue eyes, and a crooked smile that he shows us now. He places his elbows on his knees and leans towards us, his chin in his hand. “In a hostage situation, a Slytherin would be your best choice. Because we probably wouldn't even rescue the hostages.”