Ephemeral //H.S

Chapter 17

-Harry Styles-

My eyes are focused on the traffic in front of me as I try to pass by as many cars as possible, my hands squeezing tightly the steering wheel and my foot pressing on the gas pedal, I still glance at the rearview mirror a few times to check if we are still being followed. I stay focused on the road and on driving to make sure that we don't crash, since I'm going way past the speed limit. The silence quickly becomes deafening and I have to glance at the passenger seat to make sure that she is still sitting there next to me, but once I see her I realize that I was the one blocking the noise out.

Her eyes are slightly wide and glued on the outside rear view mirror, her right hand is white knuckling the handle of her door while her other hand is holding tightly onto my camera with her coat that is over her forearm against her stomach.

She didn't have time to put it back on, the second I realized what she had written was when I noticed how distraught she was. She could barely stand up, I had to hold her up by the waist without making it obvious. The second we were standing, I saw who she was talking about but more importantly I saw his damn tattoo, and his eyes. Because he was looking right back at me.

That's when it was clear to me that she isn't a part of it, that she isn't affiliated with this side of her family even if I already knew it, but the fact that she was this terrified at the sight of the tattoo proves it further.

And right now as her shaky hands are clutching anything she can grab ahold of, as I notice the push of sweat just below her hairline, as her chest rises and fall dramatically fasts and her heavy breathing is the only thing I can hear I know that I have to do something otherwise this will be just like the last time I saw her like this. And right now is not the time to stop the car and help her out of it.

"Belle." I break the silence quickly looking back to the road, but she doesn't answer me.

"Bella." I try again, swiping my knuckles under my nose before pushing my hair back from my forehead out of habit, glancing at her again, but still nothing.

"Lucy!" I say louder and she jumps, her head snapping in my direction.

"I need you to look at me, can you do that?" I ask, keeping my voice down to try and calm her frantic breathing but also trying to stop her from looking behind us and stressing herself even more. I see her nod from the corner of my eyes but keep my eyes in front of me on the road.

"Try to breathe like me." Out of reflex I take her hand, and she weaves our fingers together when I place the back of her hand against my chest. I take a deep breath in, then out to try and make her match my breathing pattern.

"Harry I-" She says out of breath, but I gently squeeze her hand to stop her.

"Just focus on me, on you, there's nothing else." I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind while glancing at the road, the red light, and then at the one way street on our left that is quickly coming up.

"I need you to put your coat against the window, okay?" She looks back at me, her brows furrowed together and her hand trembling in mine.

"What? Harry there's someon-'' She starts but I cut her off, my eyes quickly looking back at the road ahead, but mostly at the one way street on the left, and at the cars that I know will block the way if I don't get there before their light turns green again.

"Do it Belle, trust me okay?" She hesitates for a few seconds, but the second our gazes meet and she notices the car going faster and where I'm headed she nods and places her folded coat against the window next to her head.