Golden

Chapter III: Rare

Contrary to what Selena expected, they did not head towards the Styles house.

Instead, they went straight to the Addington Estate. The Addingtons were one of the oldest families in Triton. Selena only knew them by name. The youngest Addington graduated a long time ago and all of the Addington children had left town and ventured elsewhere.

Only their aging parents were left and they kept to themselves, with only less than a handful of servants coming and going inside the gated estate.

The estate was large, with a wide lawn that had seen better days. There were many big glass windows in the two-story brick home. It had a muted color and wide stairs that led to the grand wooden front doors.

Selena was surprised that the gates even opened for them. She didn't realize that Harry was acquainted with any of the Addingtons.

"You'll be safe here. For a while at least," Harry said as he turned off the engine.

Only the light of the moon and the stars illuminated their surroundings. The light coming out of a few of the windows in the house was not enough to brighten up their immediate surroundings. But it was enough to make it a bit homey. Or at least occupied.

"I didn't know you were friends with the Addingtons," Selena commented as they walked up the stairs.

"I'm not. I own this house now."

She stopped dead on her tracks. A breeze passed by, making her shiver.

Harry looked back at Selena when he reached the door. She was still at the middle of the stairs, staring up at Harry and at the massive house.

Selena had a thousand questions she wanted to ask him. But she settled on one that burned through her tongue. "I thought you wanted to live in a small house in the middle of a farm?"

He stared at the girl who once meant the world to him for a good five seconds before he deadpanned, "Things change."

Selena's eyes dropped to the ground before she began walking again.

Harry pulled the door open and they were welcomed by the warm air. The place was surprisingly bare, with the living room having only a couch in front of the fireplace. There was a pillow and a folded blanket neatly laying on one side.

Piles of books and papers were also scattered around the couch.

There was shuffling somewhere nearby and Selena's heart dropped when she heard a woman's voice calling Harry's name.

She left her things near the foyer and followed Harry to where she assumed was the kitchen.

"Gems!" Selena exclaimed when she saw the brown-haired girl standing next to the countertop. She had a glass of milk on one hand and a plate of cookies were sitting on the counter.

Harry's older sister grinned and walked closer to hug Selena. "Sel! Oh my God, I haven't seen you ever since your graduation!"

Selena merely hugged her back, taking in the smell of chocolate coming from Gemma.

When they parted and Gemma had a good look at her, her happy expression changed to a grim one.

"What?" Selena asked.

Gemma looked back at Harry, "Tell me everything."

Harry sat down on one of the chairs in the small round dining table. "She didn't arrive like we agreed on. I waited at Cosa Nostra but she didn't arrive."

So he was waiting for someone.

"I thought maybe Rosie changed her mind."