Chapter 9 - Abduction
Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in this chapter. Finals are coming up and I couldn't be more worried. But as always, there was no way I could stay away from my laptop for that long... haha so I hope you like this one!
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I'll never understand how people can take something as desirable as love for granted.
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*Charlotte's POV*
I looked down at the photos from two nights ago in my hand. I held each photo cautiously. It was something I had always done subconsciously. Each picture, each memory was worth preserving, and to be dealt with as if it was something delicate. Smiling, I flipped through the large album before landing on one picture, the one photo that became my favorite the instant my eyes landed upon it.
I adjusted my camera, keeping my gaze on the five boys that were on stage. The night had passed quickly, mostly because I was enjoying it. They had already sung four songs, all of them from their old album. Now, Liam announced they would be singing a song called "Moments." I got my camera ready and watched them do what they were best at.
The crowd grew quieter for this last song, and I guessed because it wasn't as upbeat as the other songs they sang.
"Shut the door, turn the light off.
I wanna be with you,
I wanna feel your love."
My gaze averted from the crowd to Liam, who had started singing. I brought my camera up and focused in on him. He looked so into the song, which made the pictures even better. Liam closed his eyes and smiled slightly to himself before reopening them. He was treasuring the moment, reminding himself that this was his life. His eyes glistened as he scanned the crowd, shooting smiles and waves as his solo ended and Harry took over.
"If we could only have this life for one more day,
if we could only turn back time..."
Harry's raspy voice surprised me. Every word was executed with such gentle care and passion. The breaths he took in between the lyrics gave the song a genuine, passionate feel. His forehead glistened with beads of sweat as he walked along the edges of the stage, reaching out to touch the raised hands of his fans. The boys were now singing the next part together, which made the people in the crowd go absolutely wild.
"You know I'll be your life, your voice, your reason to be
My love my heart is breathing for this moment in time,
I'll find the words to say,
before you leave me today"
They were all doing their own thing, there was not a hint of synchronization in the performance. Each voice was laced with such an immense amount of passion and authenticity. As I was taking pictures, I realized what a sad song this was. I shook my head, trying to make the tears that had formed in my eyes vanish.
"Close the door, throw the key
Don't wanna be reminded, don't wanna be seen..
Don't wanna be without you, my judgement's clouded,
Like tonight's sky."
Niall's voice was different, it was soft yet equally amazing. He placed a hand on his chest as he sang his heart out, throwing an arm around Liam, who was next to him. I snapped a shot of the brotherly moment and zoomed in, capturing a picture of the Irish boy with both hands grasping his microphone. His eyes were shining brightly underneath the stage lights, holding an ironic mix of sorrow and happiness, setting the mood for the song. These boys sounded perfect together and they were just as good performers. Each voice embraced the next, creating a harmonized and unique experience. I brought my camera down and changed the film, since the other one was already full. I fumbled with the camera, in a hurry because I didn't want to miss any part of the concert. The next voice to sing was one that made my stomach churn and my heart race. Slowly looking up, my gaze locked on Louis as he stepped to the front of the stage.
"Hands are silent, voice is numb
Try to scream out my lungs
It makes this harder..
And the tears stream down my face."
I quickly brought my camera back up and snapped as many pictures of Louis as I could. His hands were wrapped around his microphone and his eyes were shining. The childish sparkle that remained in his eyes made my heart lurch. The brown hair that sat tousled upon his head became even messier as he ran a hand through it before singing the last verse. His solo, even though it was short, sent shivers up my spine. I reluctantly removed the camera's focus from Louis to Harry because it was his solo again. The boys sang the chorus and the music sped up. Zayn brought the microphone to his mouth before licking his lips. His eyes narrowed in a sense of focus and he took a deep breath before singing.
"Flashing lights in my mind, going back to the time
Playing games in the street
Kicking balls with my feet
There's a numb in my toes"
Zayn's voice, like the rest, was beyond impressive. His solo was different, faster in pace, and the audible breaths he took between each verse only made it harder to believe that this was even real. I was in love with all of their voices, but Louis' was so special. His voice wasn't the deepest, but maybe that's why it was my favorite. It wasn't perfect. It held such a real, unique tone. The sound that filled my ears when he sang was one I knew I'd never get tired of. They ended the song and bantered a little before their fans and I looked down at my camera. I pressed the next button until my eyes landed on a photo of Louis. He gaze was locked on mine and his lips were curled up into a small smile. His microphone was held tightly in his hand while he sang passionately.
I stared at the picture, which was now pinned into my photo album along with the rest of them. Louis' smile was beautiful, along with his eyes which made the picture the best one I had ever taken. I felt goosebumps arise on my skin and ran my fingers across it once before closing the album and sliding it underneath my bed. The affect that Louis had on me was one that I had never experienced. The connection we had, maybe not special to him, was one that I wanted to treasure and keep forever. I got up and walked to my window, looking outside. Three cars had already parked in front of our house.
My parents got home yesterday and today was supposed to be some kind of launch for a new company they were starting with Rodney's parents. People had already started arriving, even though the launch party didn't start until twenty minutes. I looked down at my frilled dress and rolled my eyes, getting ready to go greet everyone. Before doing so, I grabbed my side bag and threw my camera and a few other things in, knowing that I'd probably go for a walk while this "party" took place.
I stepped out of my room and walked down the spiraling stairs, realizing there were more people than I thought. Keeping my head down in efforts to not get noticed, I carefully descended the stairs. My plan of staying unseen failed when the third step creaked, causing all eyes to turn to me. I avoided most of the intense gazes and spotted Diana and her posse waving me over. Pretending like I hadn't see them, I stepped into the big lounge room.
"Charlotte!" I heard my mother's voice as she sauntered over to me. The expression her face held was one I was not alienated to. It was the pull-yourself-together look. Rodney's parents were following her and guess who was right on their tail? The devil, Rodney himself.
"Aw, good to see you darling. It's been a while," Rodney's mom planted kisses on either side of my face, no doubt leaving bright red lipstick stains.
"Charlotte, doesn't Mrs. Fulton look lovely tonight?" my mother urged when I didn't say a word.
Actually, no. Rodney's mother looked no where near great. Her green body-con dress was two sizes too small and the dyed blonde hair did not help her orange skin tone. I managed a smile and nodded my head, making my mother's patience shrink.
"Enough of this, let's leave the two children alone," Mrs. Fulton said. She led my mother away and Rodney took two strides so he was dangerously close to me.
"Nice to see you again, Charlotte." Rodney smirked. His gaze swept over my body as he ran a hand through his perfect hair.
I gagged and forced a smile. "Wish I could say the same about you," I remarked and turned around and began walking away, not looking back to see if he followed. I stepped outside of the house and into the front yard, where, thankfully, there were no guests. The thick, frosted grass crunched underneath my heels as I walked across it. I didn't think Rodney had followed me, but when I felt a hand wrap around my arm, I knew it was too good to be true.
"This hard-to-get act is really getting old, Charlotte," he whispered into my ear. I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck. He was closer than I would have thought. I pivoted on my heel to face him.
"You know what else is getting old, Rodney?" I whispered, knowing I was leading him on by the way he raised his thick eyebrows and a smirk slipped onto his lips. He thought he had won, but he couldn't be more wrong. I leaned in, grabbing the bottom of his tie and curling it upwards.
"Having to do this," I raised my knee discretely and brought it up so it impacted his crotch, making his expression go from confused to pained in an instant. A few people that were watching from behind rushed outside to help the wounded boy. I smirked and sauntered out towards the gate, letting out a breath of relief when I saw that the paparazzi were at the back entrance. I dug my phone out of my backpack and pressed the home screen, groaning when I realized it was dead. I made my way past the gate, waving to the two guards. From the way they were trying to suppress a laugh, I could tell they had witnessed the scene.
I walked farther down the street, my mind wandering and my feet carrying me to an unknown destination. I just wanted to get away from it all, and at that point, I didn't care where I had to go to do it.
I jumped when a hand covered my mouth. My eyes widened and I tried wriggling out of the person's grasp, with no prevail. I tried biting his hand, but his grip was too strong. The panicked words that escaped my mouth remained muffled by the kidnapper's hand. The area was secluded, meaning no one could see me nor hear me. I tried to ignore the thoughts that were racing through my mind. Would this person hurt me? I could give them all the money they wanted, so why would they hold me for ransom? I gave in and the person gently (which was surprising) threw me into a strangely familiar black vehicle.
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Did you enjoy this chapter? What do you think of the kidnapping? I don't think it's hard to guess who's behind it. Leave your comments below and don't forget to vote! -Aysha :))
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