Becoming Elliott (Harry Styles)

Three.

ALL AROUND ME ARE FAMILIAR FACES, WORN OUT PLACES, WORN OUT FACES

E L L I O T T C O L E 

Telling Lance I was heading away for a few days was hard, we had each other's numbers in case of an emergency. I did not plan on calling him, I could not bring cops into my situation no matter how much I trusted him. I told Christian I would be off grid for a bit, telling him I had some personal business to attend to, lying and saying my mother was dying. He offered me an escort but I didn't accept, I told him I did not want anything like that around her. I did take my personal gun, a gift I had been given by Christian when I first arrived. 

"I'm so nervous," I confided in Will as we turned into the town where my father lived. 

Will put a hand on my thigh as he drove, "I can come in with you. I can be there with you."

Shaking my head, I sighed. "I have to do this alone, I cannot drag any more people into my mess. I already have Niall to bail out." Looking out the window, I watched all the places pass me by. There was so many memories connected to all these places, so many things I remembered, so many things I wanted to forget. "I promise, I will be fine."

He took his hand back, "Try not to act too shocked at all the changes. So much has happened since you left."

"Is there anything else you think I need to know?" I asked him as I turned back to him. 

Watching him, he ran a hand through his brown hair before it all fell back into place. "Your father's fiance has a daughter who is your age, Jenna. Watch out for her, she's sneaky." 

Nodding my head, "That's all?"

"Call me if you need me," Will said as we stopped in the town centre. "Do not underestimate anyone, do not hold on to the past, El."

I climbed out of the car, "I'm going to be okay." I smiled at him before I closed the door then flagged down a taxi. 

The taxi stopped outside of my father's grand home's gates, I paid the man before stepping out into the sunlight. "Miss Cole?" I heard a man gasp when he saw me, "You have returned home."

I nodded, "I am here to see my father." 

"Mr Cole is not at home," the man spoke as he hitched the strap of his gun up. 

"Then I will go inside and wait," I told him. I knew if I didn't then I would just return back to where I had come from, I would not come back to Granston. 

The man sighed, "I cannot do that. I am under strict instructions not to let anyone inside."

Biting my bottom lip I held in the rage I was bottling as I managed a smile. "Please understand this is my family home. I wish to speak to whoever is home, I am sure you understand." My voice was sickly sweet as I tried to act like the grown woman I was. 

"Let me radio through," he said before turning around. I listened to him as he spoke into the handheld radio, "Mr Styles, I have Elliott Cole here. She wishes to wait inside for her father."

My eyes widened as I realised he had been the one to make the call. My nose twitched as I heard his voice, the crackling reply on the radio. "Bring her in."

A car drove me to the home, my eyes landed on the front door of the home I grew up in. My heart was pounding in my chest, it was so loud as I put my right hand into my jacket pocket. I tried to calm myself down as I wrapped my fingers around the handle of my weapon. Breathing deeply, I stepped out of the car once it stopped, I closed the door before standing there for a few moments just staring at the building. 

There were so many memories here, I hated this home. 

The door opened, glancing at it I saw my brother standing in the doorway. "El?" He walked towards me slowly before he stood in front of me. "Why are you here?"

I held my hands up, "I heard people are looking for me. I heard Niall needs my help." 

Thomas wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly before he spoke quietly in my ear. "I wish you did not return, you should have stayed away, Elliott." His voice was quiet and calm, I felt his hand on my hair before I heard the door open again. 

My eyes landed on the man who I hoped to have left behind a long time ago. I was kidding myself when I said that, seeing him standing there gave my heart the same flutters as it had before, the same feeling every time I saw him. Thomas stepped away from me, he stood away from both of us, watching, waiting to see what was going to happen next. 

He had not changed but he had changed so much. There was no smile on his face, not that I expected one but he seemed like he had shut off any emotions he had. Standing there in his suit, I stared, I could not help it. Nothing had changed. I noticed he had filled out more in his suit, his muscles becoming more defined. Those eyes, they still haunted me as they had always, the way he kept his eyes on me. 

I hated the way he seemed to make time stop, I hated the way I looked at home and it was like I had never been away. I felt like the same person who left here in a wheelchair, scared and hopeless. I knew I could not be that person now though, I had more to lose than before.

"The runaway returns," Harry stared at me, his bright green eyes cutting into me. 

There was a horrible feeling that washed over me when I heard his voice. I wanted to be sick, I wanted to put my hands around his neck, I wanted to throw my arms around him and hold him tight. "Hello, Harry," my voice sounded different as I held my head up high. 

"Come in, Elliott," he offered as he took a few steps to the side, the path now clear for me. 

I took a deep breath, my right hand remained on my gun as I stared at him. "Thank you," I managed as I walked towards the house. My eyes on him as I approached before I entered the home, my eyes looking around the changes that had occurred.