Between Shadows

25: Crash

Two more days have passed. The boys have gone through the plan a million times which I think is still not enough judging by the nervousness on their faces right now.

We walked outside to the cars. As if they had practiced, they threw the keys to their cars in the air and the other one caught it.

Why couldn't they take their own cars again!?

"Clare, you know that..." I cut Harvey off, irritated because I had heard him say this so many times.

"..you have to do nothing and keep your mouth shut! I know, Harvey." I said.

"That's not how I would put it but yeah." He said and I narrowed my eyes.

"Hey Caleb," he turns to Caleb and takes a deep breath before continuing,"this is our last chance, let's not screw up."

"You'll see both of them again, Harv." Caleb nods and assures. 'Both of them' referring to Harvey's sister and their bestfriend, Jake.

In the past two days, the boys told me a lot about him. They told me how he was the sweetest person and befriended Caleb on the first day of kindergarten and Harvey when he started school.

They had been bestfriends for such a long time. They loved each other to no end. I can only imagine how they would've felt after that night.

"Ready?" Harvey asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I nodded and got in the car after giving a small smile and a thumbs up to Caleb.

Harvey got in himself after a minute and started the car.

We left the huge driveway. Caleb drove off to the opposite side as us.

"Where are we going? A secret motel or something?" I asked trying to break the awkward silence in the car.

You see, since the day I got to know the truth about everything. I have been keeping my distance from Harvey. Except the night when we played that video game or when he was going over the plan.

I know how I feel towards him but I also am a little worried that those feelings might not be reciprocated so I decided to stay away from him in hopes that those feelings would go away, it hasn't helped until now. Besides, I keep reminding myself of what the lies he has told me in the past.

"No, it's just a road at a deserted place and it's quite far." He explained.

"Doesn't she have the upper hand if she chose the place?" I asked.

"She thinks that she's meeting Ethan. When she sees us, she'll be caught off guard." He shrugged.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." I mumbled under my breath.

"If you wanna see a picture of her, it's in the gloves compartment along with some other papers." He says, glancing at me before looking back ahead at the road.

Obviously I was curious so I opened the compartment and got all the papers out and kept them in my lap to sort and find the photo among everything.

I quickly separated all the papers which had a lot of black ink on them in Harvey's writing indicating he had scribbled something.

Then I found some pictures. Some were of Ethan, many were of a cctv footage while a boy was being arrested who I assume is Jake.

Finally, it was a picture of the entire group sitting in a round booth at Xavier's. Jake was on the far left and next to him was Caleb then Harvey then a girl and lastly Ethan.

The girl was Derrina, she was looking older than everyone obviously. She had a smile on her face but it didn't meet her eyes.

She had long brown hair, blue eyes and too much makeup. She looked oddly familiar but I couldn't put a finger on where I knew her from.

Another 20 minutes later, we were still silent. I had kept everything back inside and was still staring at the picture trying to recall the girl.

"What is it?" He asked the second time.

As soon as he said that, I remembered exactly where I met her. At the washroom in the mall. She had short platinum hair but maybe she just changed it considering people are after her.

*Flashback*

I was ready to leave when I heard someone coming out of one of the booths.

"Annoying brother?" The girl said referring to the call that I was ignoring, smiling at me. I thought I was alone.

She had short platinum blonde hair, blue eyes and too much makeup.

"Annoying ex." I corrected.

"Tell me about it. My ex boyfriend doesn't leave me alone and we broke up a year ago." She told me.

"Must be frustrating." I sympathised.

"You have no idea. I don't even live here anymore, I came here to talk to him one last time. He has something I need." She said. Poor girl, I feel bad for her.

"Really? That's bad. My ex keeps following me and that alone makes me wanna pull my hair out." I said thinking about Ethan.

"You see, I can believe that guys would fall at your feet, you seem special. You're so beautiful, no one would want to leave you." She said staring at me and I smiled at her.

I then told her that I was here with my friends and they would be waiting so that I could finally go back to Harvey and Caleb. I would love to meet her again, under different circumstances too I hope.

*Flashback ends*

Oh my god! It was her. Her ex is Ethan!? Shittt! It all makes sense now. She said she didn't live here and came back after a year to meet her ex.

I hoped that I would meet her under different circumstances and look I am now.

Be careful what you wish for, I guess.

I should tell Harvey right!? Obviously I should.

"Harvey, I need to tell you something..." He cuts me off and I look towards him weirdly.

He looked nervous like really nervous and he quickly looked towards me. Okay, I know that we are on an empty road but it's still not safe to do that.

"Please don't tell me you're in love with someone else. Don't break my heart like..."

"What?" I asked a little shocked and confused.

"What were you going to say?"

"That I met Derrina at the mall, the day we went bowling." I finally tell him.

"Your nameless friend?" He asked.

"Yeah." I narrowed my eyes.

"That's exactly why you..." I stopped him from giving me a speech on why I shouldn't make friends in a restroom at the mall.

"I know, whatever." I huffed and sat back on my seat.

"Hey, Clary! Listen," He said and the car jerked at the same and Harvey looked in front immediately, made a quick turn and we crashed into something.