Angel of Death

Chapter 7: Hello Stanley

After talking to Nina for what seems like forever she finally gives me a ride home. 

I live with my mother in a terraced house not far away from the city, it's not the best but it's all we can afford at the moment, if even that.

Since my father passed away a few years ago my mother had to take double shifts at the hospital so she's never really home. She works really hard, because she knows that I often get picked at because of the fact that we always have to borrow money from people. Or the fact that I couldn't afford to buy a fancy dress to the dance party last summer. I don't really mind tho, I mean they can say whatever they want but I'll still always know that my mom is doing everything she can.

I feel sorry for her, not just because of how much she works and tries, but also because of how she always pretends that she's over my fathers death just because she doesn't want to open any old wounds of mine.

This long day has really made me exhausted and tired, and I can barely keep my eyes open as I open the door and climb inside. It's as dark as always and I put the lights on. Even tho it's a very small house, I like it here and wouldn't choose to move even if I could. 

I climb upstairs, to where my room is and put my backpack on the floor to just seconds later almost throw myself at the bed. My room is small and cozy. The walls coloured in a light blue shade with white curtains hanging around my big windows. On the other side of the room, opposite my bed is a white writing desk with a built in bookshelf. My father bought it to me years ago, knowing how much I like to both read and write. Nowadays I only use it for my homework, so my computer which I get to borrow from school is almost always placed at the desk. 

I haven't eaten a proper meal since school lunch and I still don't feel very hungry so I decide to go take a shower and then go to bed.

I take a very long shower, letting the hot water run down warming my body. I don't have to hurry because we don't pay for how much water we use, we only pay the same amount of money every month, regardless of if we used tons of water or just a few liters. 

I relax, for the first time in a very long time and let my mind wander to every thing that happened to me throughout today. Even tho I don't want to think of Harry my mind just can't seem to let go of that mysterious boy. I mean the way he just suddenly got all irritated and scary gives me shivers. The way he just disappeared like that, after fighting me for several minutes because he wanted to give me a ride. And then he just leaves like if he couldn't care less if he gave me one or not. Why put up such a fight if you're just gonna leave anyway? Why did he even want to give me a ride in the first place? The thing where he wanted to "repay my kindness" doesn't sound very likely to me. 

Twenty minutes later I've stepped out of the shower and started putting on my pajamas on. I call my mother and tell her my day has went on as usual and that I'll be going to bed. It would have went on as usual if it wasn't for Harry. I don't like lying to my mother, but it wasn't really a lie, was it? I mean I don't think she'd care so much about a boy wanting to give me a ride home to repay me for showing him around.

Suddenly the doorbell starts ringing, and I frown. Am I waiting for someone? No, my mom is going to work until midnight today.

Nina? Maybe. I might have forgotten something at her place, but she wouldn't come here straight away but wait until morning to give it to me. 

The bell rings again and again and it doesn't stop until I'm standing in the doorway pushing the door open. My eyes widen when I see Mr. Stanley stand on the other side of the door looking as if he might have seen a ghost. What is he doing here? How does he know where I live? Why was he ringing on the door like that without stopping? 

"Are you okay?" Is all he says and I just stand there confused. He knocks at my door at 8 pm and asks me if I'm okay?

"Yeah...I guess. Why? Are you okay?" I say and he doesn't answer, just looks at me, as if making sure I'm really okay and then shakes is head. "Yeah, yeah.. I'm sorry I just.." 

"Is there anything I can help you with?" I ask not wanting him to leave without explaining what he is doing here. "No....or yes, actually  there is. Have you seen Styles? You know the new boy I sent you to show around?" He looks anxiously at me and especially when he says the last sentence.

"Harry?" I ask. My mind is spinning around  my head making it hard to think. Why would he want to know where Harry is? Why is he asking me? Don't they have his number in school or something?

"Harry?" He says confused, as if not knowing who I'm talking about but then realizing he does, "Yeah, Harry. Have you seen him since you left school today? Is there any possibility you might know where he is?" By the look on his dark grey eyes I can see he is very stressed and... angry? 

"Yes... I mean no. No, I haven't seen him since. Is he in trouble?" Why do I care if he's in trouble? I don't care about him at all. "Sort of, but thanks anyway Miss Caldwell. I'm really sorry for bothering you." He says and turns around, starting to walk away from the door. "Wait!" I say and he stops, and turns around staring at me. I don't know what to say, I don't even know why I told him to wait either really. I guess I just want some answers from this very tiring day.

"Who is he? I mean what's he doing here in Coldwater? In our school?" I surprise myself from saying, I  might care about him after all. No, not care about him. Just making sure he isn't a wanted murderer, I tell myself. He does seems strange after all.

He opens his mouth as if to answer my questions but then decides against it and closes it. "Don't worry about that, he won't stay for long anyway." He says, but it's more like he's talking to himself than to me. Then he comes closer, putting his hands on my shoulders giving me a smile that doesn't reach all the way up. "I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." And with those words he disappears from my view. 

What? He won't stay? Where is he going? Let anything happen to me? WHAT IS GOING ON?!

I don't move for a few minutes, standing all still trying to figure out what the hell just happened. My P.E. teacher came ringing on my door at 8pm looking for Harry telling me that he "sort of"  is in trouble. And then he decides not to answer my questions, which means there is something he isn't telling me. And that something is driving me crazy along with  the I won't let anything happen to you-line. What did he mean by  that? Am I in danger? No, I mean why would I? I always try to only mind my own business so as far as I know, I'm not in any trouble either. 

But apparently Harry is, on his first day in school. I'm not so surprised, really. That bad-boy looking style was literally screaming "TROUBLE!"  this morning. 

The cold wakes me and I close the door and make my way up to my room, crawling into my bed I still have a hard time putting all the pieces together. But before I fall asleep I promise myself I have to figure out what all this is about or it'll drive me mental.

I have to find out what it is Mr. Stanley is hiding from  me and what Harry is doing here in Coldwater. Especially why I get the feeling I'm nowhere safe whenever I'm around him.