♡ chapter 18 - Harry ♡

            Something flickered behind Rose’s eyes, giving me the impression she wasn’t being truthful. But there was more to it than that, the harder I looked at her nervous complexion. Not only was she avoiding eye contact, but she was gradually scooting away from me. The Rose I know would bite my head off in a heartbeat, not flinch away with the slightest movement I made. Not only was it strange, but it was alarming.

            Before I could question her eerie behavior, Liam called from the kitchen that dinner was ready. I tried to mask the hurt on my face from her rejection, but it pained me a lot more than it should have. Not only did she flat out deny any feelings she might’ve had towards me, but she won’t even touch me. Not even without her bracelet. She hasn’t hugged me to show she missed me, or even a sign that she was scared and now I was here to comfort her. She’s kept her distance, and that hurt like a bitch.

            This was precisely the reason I tried so desperately to push Rose away by being a jerk to her. It might’ve seemed idiotic, but it kept me from thinking about my inevitable feelings for her. Feeling makes you weak, and when you’re weak, you’re vulnerable. Living in my shoes you have to stay alert, and I clearly couldn’t do that when Rose was kissing me. I lost her because of that. Because I got so caught in loving her that I completely dismissed the fact that I had to protect her. But it was difficult to hold her for the first time, to contain each emotion when her lips locked with mine. I wasn’t thinking about the dangers that clearly follow my every move; I only thought of us.

            God, when did I get so damn cliché?

            It’s a load of shit.

            Using my power to put a little fire in my hand, I slapped the opposite wrist with it. The scorching fire pierced my skin, but it also drug me from my irritable haze Rose had captured me in. Hurting myself probably sounds stupid and maybe I did just leave a mark, but it’ll fade whereas my love for Rose will not. I need a way to block it out until I configure everything occurring at the moment. Marcus could be listening in, watching, or even stalking in the backyard and waiting for the precise moment to ambush us. I need to stay cautious instead of engrossing myself in thoughts of Rose.

            Still, I studied her movements. Maybe it sounded creepy, but she usually walks with her hands in front of her, not behind. My eyebrows pinched together, watching the way she flicked her hair out of her face, when usually she used her fingers to tuck it behind her ear. God, it sounds so stalker-ish of me, but even these small gestures are giving me doubts that she came back as my Rose. If Marcus fried her brain, I swear to all that is holy I’ll—

            “Hungry?” Zayn asked as we entered the kitchen as he helped Liam carve what seemed to be a turkey.

            “Hmm… Looks like a few boys were out playing with their knives again, eh?” Max joked as he walked into the room.

            Liam rolled his eyes with a smile on his face. “Damn straight. Zayn, Ryan, and I thought it was getting too ordinary having the same menu every day. So, we find this little baby out near the river.”

            Again, I watched Rose’s expression but it didn’t budge. Considering my Rose is an animal lover, I assumed she might’ve at least scolded them for killing an animal before she ate it, but she said nothing as she was one of the first to reach for a plate. Licking my lips before pressing them together, I gradually followed suit and tried to depict a logical explanation for her off behavior.

            Each of us sat at the table, but I made sure to sit by Rose this time so Jessie’s ass wouldn’t get too touchy-feely. I was really on the verge of beating him to a pulp last time, but of course we got interrupted by Marcus’ stupid war chants, and then we found out Rose is a damn White Witch, of all things, and then I admitted to loving her, she kissed me, then she got taken from me. Fuck, a lot happens in one day, huh?

            “So Rose,” Louis started as he leaned forward, his eyebrows pushed together curiously. “Did Marcus say anything to you we should be cautious about or on the lookout for?”

            Rose shoved a piece of turkey in her mouth, shaking her head.

            Louis rose an eyebrow. “And you’re sure? He just let you go?”

            She nodded.

            I swiped my tongue across the inside of my bottom lip, leaning forward as well and turning my head to look at her. “Rose, what’s your favorite color?”

            This caught her attention as she turned to me, eyebrows pinched together but lips parted. She was taken off guard by such a question of normalcy, and also a question I already knew the answer to. However, it was very hard to believe that someone as cruel as Marcus would let her go without even the slightest warning to tell us. Not even a threat, apparently.

            “E-excuse me?” Rose asked, now looking around her warily.

            I licked my lips, nodding. “Yeah. I forgot, but the question is eating me alive. Could you please tell me your favorite color, Rose?”

            Her name fled my lips accusingly, probably giving off the impression I didn’t believe who she was. The boys seemed just as intrigued as me now as they too leaned forward to hear what she had to say. The answer was simple; it was just a color. But the matter of it all was if she could get her supposed “favorite” color right, which if she were Rose, it would be a quite simple task to do. And by the sweat beading her forehead, it was quite obvious she hadn’t a clue what the answer was.

            “Well, it… uh…” Rose dropped her fork, fumbling with her hands as she stood from her chair. “It’s pink, of course. Now if you excuse me I need to go to the bathroom and—“

            I stood from my chair, the legs scraping the tile. Her gulp was audible as she looked up at my frame towering over her. “It’s blue,” I told her with somewhat of a smirk on my lips. “Rose hates the color pink.”

            Simple as that, she spun on her heel and began running like a bat out of hell. However, I caught her by the waist, spinning her around and pinning her against the wall. I tried to remind myself it was just Rose’s body, not the actual Rose as I pressed my forearm into her throat, my face dangerously close to hers. I would never handle the real Rose in such a harsh way, but she’s missing and I need to know why and where the fuck she is before I go fucking insane.

            “Harry, what the hell are you doing?” Niall asked in a worried tone as he walked over, but I shook my head.

            “This isn’t Rose, dammit.” I pushed my arm further into her throat, watching as her hands flew up to grasp my forearm. She was struggling for breath as I glared at her, my tone dropping many levels as I hissed out, “Who the fuck are you?”

            The imposter Rose pressed her lips together, obviously trying to keep herself from answering the question. Niall was standing near still, his eyes wide along with everyone else’s. It must’ve looked like I was a monster holding this person so harshly, but I would never in my life touch Rose in such a violent way.

            “Not talking? I see…”

            With my free arm, I lifted my hand to show the fire swirling around above my palm. The imposter’s eyes widened as they continued to struggle more feverishly under my strength, but I pressed my hand to their arm to halt them, sending the fire with it. Whoever was in Rose’s body let out an ear-piercing screech as I pressed my hand into her flesh, hearing the singe of the fire bleeding into her. After a few moments, I retaliated my hand but kept a fire grip on her throat as I kept my eyes hooded, continuing to glare her down.

             “Who. Are. You.” I broke the words up slowly, trying to sound as dangerous as possible and by the fear and sweating covering the person’s face, it was obvious that it was working to my advantage.

            But they remained silent.

            “All right.” I moistened my lips before pressing them together, letting her go as she dropped to her knees, her hand clasping her throat as she tried to regain her breath into her lungs. I nodded, looking down at her. “I guess I’ll have to be a bit crueler to get an answer, yeah?”

            The supposed Rose was hunched over and I narrowed my eyes. Instantly she began choking, both hands to her throat as she dropped back against the wall. I could tell the boys had no idea what to think of this, but they also didn’t stop me, knowing I’d sure as hell give them a piece of my mind. I knew what I was doing; I’ve been manipulated before. And the least this person could’ve done was make it believable.

            “Okay,” the person croaked out in a whisper so soft it was nearly inaudible, their hands still latched around their throat as I choked them with my mind advantage. Assuming they may finally spill what the hell is going on, I rose my eyebrows expectantly and stopped the mental suffering.

            But my eyebrows soon pulled together as Rose’s body morphed into a male’s. Her long brown hair had been nearly sliced off, growing to be a boy’s haircut. Her bright brown eyes and cute little face had been replaced with icy blue eyes and a sharp jawline. Muscles filled her noodle arms, and her curves disappeared as they straightened out. Her chest shrank in, her shoulders broadening clothes exchanging from a female’s tank top and jeans, to a male’s tank top and jeans.

            Lady and gentlemen, I give you a shape shifter at its finest.

            Although it lacks poorly in acting skills.

            While they were continuing to try and capture air into their lungs again, humiliation engulfed me entirely. Not only had I just been completely pathetic in front of this kid when asking if Rose loved me, but I was actually teary-eyed when I said it. No, Harry Styles did not fucking cry, but he sure as hell came close to it when he got rejected. And this dipshit got to see me at my worse, and that pisses me off.

            Before I could stop myself, I had my hands around his throat and his back against the wall. He seemed frustrated that we were doing this little ordeal over again, but he just embarrassed the shit out of me, not to mention used me like fucking toilet paper all over his ass. And now he’s making me conjure disgusting comparisons.

            “Where the fuck is Rose?” I snapped loudly, the vein in my neck surely bulging as I tried to contain myself from breaking his neck right then and there.

            No one ever humiliates nor uses Harry Styles.

            It’s bound to lead to a gruesome death.

            And the love of my life is on the line.

            Someone get me a fucking axe, gasoline, a bus, some other painful shit, and I’ll be ready to go.

            The boy managed to hold his hands up in defense, although his face was angling towards the ceiling. He managed to look down at me as he sputtered out frantically, “I-I don’t know. H-he didn’t tell me just please, please don’t kill me!”

            “Who’s he?” I already knew the answer, but I needed assurance.

            The boy swallowed beneath my hands. “M-Marcus.”

            Dropping my head, I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, loosening my grip a bit but still keeping him pinned. My eyes darted back up to meet his, my eyebrows pulling together. “Who are you?”

            “D-Daniel.”

            “And why the fuck did you think it was okay to mess with me?” I growled under my breath, leaning closer to him.

            Daniel shook his head frantically under my now slightly loosened grasp. “H-he paid me, I swear. He threatened to kill me if I didn’t, man. I’m sorry. God, I’m so fucking sorry. Please don’t—“

            “Shut the fuck up, God.” I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut. “You’re giving me a damn headache.”

            Daniel silenced, his lips still parted as ragged breaths fled them from his fear. He hesitated before meeting my gazed, his voice somewhat worried as he asked, “W-what are you going to do with me?”

            I rubbed my face with one hand, rolling my neck side to side to pop it. “You’re staying here so he doesn’t suspect anything. But if you so much as try to walk out of that door, I’ll kill you before the thought even crossed your mind. Understood?”

            Daniel nodded frantically.

            “Good. Obeying makes shit a lot easier to handle,” I muttered under my breath as I let him go. The boys were still watching in shock, and Daniel still stayed against the wall as if I’d bite his face off. But I still had more questions. I turned to look at him, pinching my bottom lip between my forefinger and thumb. “How come he didn’t just send Rose to act? Why a shape shifter?”

            Daniel pushed a hand through his hair, puffing breath from his lips. “She was kind of sassing him off. I mean, he put a tracking device in her neck and everything, but she kept being sarcastic and he just got irritated, I suppose, because she wouldn’t listen to a damn thing he said.”

            Although the whole tracking device bit pissed me off, I couldn’t help but to get a little smile on my lips.

   “Hmm.” I nodded in approval, my smug look remaining. “That’s my girl.”

-

-

A/N: Someone legit just messaged me to start a fight. God, I hate being rude but some people deserve it -.- Sorry guys, but she kind of downed my mood or this was going to be a bit longer. However, what do you think of a shape shifter, hmmm? ^.^ Also, since I was kind of on a Freaks & Geek bit yesterday (great show, I suggest you all watch it on netflix), Daniel is going to be played by a teenage James Franco because he's life (gif on side). Whale, this was a long author's note c; Love you all (: xx

*Check out my new story "Infatuation"!!!*

*VOTE. COMMENT. SHARE.* ;)