•esther gray•➳{h.s}

➸prologue

She hastily jammed her earbuds in her ears, the music blaring loudly as tears clouded her vision. She tucked her hair back and sniffled before feeling a body take a seat next to her on the bus.

"Hello." His raspy voice greeted. She peered up and cocked her head, he looked like sin and soul. Her eyes dried as well as her mouth as she was lost for words. She did not want to speak in fear that her voice would betray her. He looked old, older that her at least.

"I'm Harry, and you?"

She still did not respond but instead popped one of her earbuds from her ear and handed it to him, the rest of the way just filled with her music as they both were in a state of catharsis.

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Hours later she pondered who the man she shared her music with was. His eyes were fluttered close as his lips were parted, he looked empty and five times younger in his sleep. She took in every detail of him from his untamed brown hair the color of poop from his pink lips that were oddly a vibrant color.

"Staring is quite rude." He muttered, his eyes still closed. The apples of her cheeks flushed as she snapped her head away. He shifted his body to face her and wondered who she was. She was beautiful no doubt yet she looked awfully young. From her long tangled hair to her under eye circles that seemed to plague everyone her age. Her porcelain skin held a few blemishes and beauty marks that were unevenly scattered around yet it fit her nonetheless. Her long eyelashes framing her eyes and the voice that yet still ached to hear. He knew it would be melodic and angelic.

"How old are you?" His voice rumbled in his chest and he gave her back the earbud. He seemed quite straightforward asking her these questions yet he didn't know what else to know. He was dying to know who she was. She was taught not to speak to strangers but she guessed she already passed that line when she shared her music.

"Fourteen." She replied in a voice that was as gorgeous as he imagined as his mind shattered. She young, far too young to ever be in his reach.

"Oh. I'm twenty." She nodded in response as she came off as cold and abrasive yet she did not mean to. It was a messy day and she wasn't the least bit in the mood, but what if this man was different that the others?

As the rain pattered on the bus window she hugged herself to keep warm.

"What are you doing all by yourself?" He treaded cautiously on the subject as he ached to give her his jacket, but he did not want to come off as creepy.

"I ran away." She stated simply. They were in a state of tacenda as he did not know what to do.

"Do you know where you are going?" He inquired, he himself wondered why he was being so nosy yet he couldn't stop himself.

"Not really no, guess I'll just figure it out." She mewled captivatingly. Her eyes flickered towards him, as she realized how underdressed she was for this weather. Skin tight jeans and a jumper were insufficient for the cold then again she did not know she would be running away.

He couldn't help but be foudroyant by her beauty. As if she was untouched by the evils of this world, unscathed by the monsters of every corner and he gnawed to keep her that way. He was just possessed to keep the girl that hadn't even told him his name safe.

"You can stay with me, it's a dangerous world out there."

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She had no idea why she agreed. For all she knew he could've been a murderer luring her in, but she didn't really care, she had nothing left to lose and she was just cold and hungry and desired for a warm to place to cuddle up and sleep.

"Harry." His name rolled off her tongue perfectly as he dropped his house keys in a bowl with a clatter.

"Mmm?" He hummed in response as he shed his trench coat.

"Do you have a bathroom?" She asked awkwardly. She already knew he did yet she did not have a better way of inquiring it.

"Yes I do, its right down the hall to the left." He turned up the heater as he heard the pitter patter of her feet on the wooden floor echoing throughout the house, giving the flat a sense of warmth all to itself. He didn't even know the girl's name. He decided to make it a priority as he padded to his kitchen and prepared a small meal for her.

"Your toilet's broken." Her voice startled him as he jumped up in shock as he the knife he held slipped to floor as it cut through the palm of his hand. The crimson liquid fell to ground in droplets as she gasped her hand covering her mouth. She hastily dashed to him, picking up the knife and setting it on the counter as he took him by the wrist and dragged him to the kitchen sink.

Running her palm under the lukewarm water, his hand felt numb but not from the pain, but from her touch.

"Are you okay?" She quipped silently. He wondered how her voice managed to be one monotone the entire time he met her, as if her voice was lifeless and devoid of any emotion.

"I'm fine." He shrugged her off, desperate to get away from her touch. She blinked at him expectantly as he disappeared to grab a bandage.

He came back to find her finishing up the food he made her with a selcouth smile.

"Thank you." Her unlively voice articulated as stood up from her place. He strolled over to her, towering over her tiny height as she craned her neck painfully just to look up at his face.

"Whats your name, darling?" He asked slowly emphasizing every syllable.

"Esther Gray."