You’ll Never Have Me (Never 3)

“Don’t look so surprised, I’m an arsehole but I’m a smart arsehole,” he has a smirk on his face, but I think this is the most genuine I have ever seen him.

“You know, I may not have picked you as my travel buddy. But I am glad it is you, even if that makes me fucking selfish,” I say and he returns my smile before refocusing on the telly, but every now and then his hand will brush mine and he won’t move it away straight away. I’ll count that as progress.

I fall asleep and have a dreamless one that leaves me feeling more refreshed as morning comes around, and I don’t recoil in horror when I wake up and find Harrison’s arm draped across my hip. I just dislodge him carefully and duck into the bathroom to get dressed, who knows what today will bring.

SEVEN

HARRISON WAS RIGHT, the trap worked. He ran and why would he run if he wasn’t doing something he shouldn’t, like for example, following me. He had another seizure today and I’ve made sure he hasn’t missed a single one of his tablets, it has to be the stress. This one was really bad and it has knocked him out for the count, and I know I’m doing something stupid and risky. Sometimes the rewards are worth the risk and I’m through with hiding its time I take action.

Taking one last look at him as I pull my hair up into a tight ponytail, I quietly say goodbye. Hoping that I’ll be back by the time he wakes up. My jeggings have rips through the thighs, with a lace underlay and a fire engine red shirt with a black belt around my waist, I like it. I’ve even donned my skull cowboy boots. I don’t even know why I have chosen this outfit today, maybe because it makes me comfortable in my own skin. My eyes are rimmed black and my lips are painted red, hey if I’m going to die at least I’ll look nice. So fucking morbid.

I walk out of the hotel and I can see him, the train guy smoking his typical fag and he’s not even trying to hide the fact he’s watching me. But I am, I don’t need him to know I have seen him, he just needs to see me.

I put my headphones in, I’m not listening to anything, but he doesn't need to know that. Walking down the road without a care in the world, maybe I’m being too blasé to be believable, but this is all new territory for me. Am I making the right choice? Now is not the time to second guess yourself.

All I need to do is keep to the roads and don’t trap myself in a corner or a one-way alley, that would be just my luck. All I want to do is lead him on a wild goose chase, I have no plans to end up alone with him. I’m naïve sure but not a moron. My IQ proves that, my main problem is I don’t always think things through, and I end up doing this. And by this, I mean losing track of what way I’ve gone and ending up in an alley, the one place I was trying to avoid.

Shit, what am I supposed to do? I can keep on walking straight ahead and hope it leads to safety or I can backtrack and hope he isn’t right behind me. I turn around and see him at the entrance, I can’t risk going against him. I may have learnt self-defence, but I haven't stayed on top of it, what if my mind goes blank and I forget what I’m supposed to do?

He’s smiling as he enters the alley and holds his hands up in a pacifying gesture, as if I’m going to buy in to that.

“Henleigh, look out,” he shouts as his eyes widen and I’m so taken aback, my reactions are delayed as a hand comes around my mouth and a strange smell has me feeling faint.

Great, here comes the fog.

MY HEAD IS POUNDING, and it feels like the fog will never lift, the surprising part is that I think I’m still in the alleyway. Why suffocate me with what I assume was chloroform, just to leave me here.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe, I’ve got you,” says the train guy and my scrambling backwards is having no effect.

“Stay away from me,” I rasp out and he offers me a bottle of water and makes a point of showing me that the seal is still intact.

“Adding a whole new method to the torture, is Dante hiring out to apply the lingering torture to me?” I spit out and his eyes widen slightly before his face goes blank.

“We can’t stay here, if you want to know what's going on, I’ll tell you,” he offers but I’m not stupid enough to blindly follow him into the unknown. “We can go into one of the cafes or pubs in the area, you can even pick which one if it makes you feel safe or at least more at ease,” he offers me his hand and his eyes are...kind.

There’s something about him, he’s an attractive guy but he doesn’t stand out, he blends into the background easily. No wonder he could just disappear, he has short brown hair, with chocolate brown eyes. He’s toned but not overly built and there isn’t a single thing about him that sets him apart from everyone else.

With Amias he had the darkness, Noah had the smile and kind eyes and Elijah lit up a room with his personality. Mr. Terrifying sends chills through you with a simple look and Devon screams danger. But this guy, he’s just normal.

I slip my hand into his and he slowly helps me to my feet, being careful not to encroach on my personal space too much. He keeps a hand on my lower back, but it feels easy. This is confusing, haven’t I been running from this guy, we tried to trap him and yet I’m walking away with him. You have well and truly lost the plot.

We duck into a pub that is drawing an impressive lunchtime crowd, it's hard to see past your feet with all the people who are here, which makes me feel a little easier. We’re lucky to get a table. He gets us both a drink, but I make sure to wait for mine myself and there's no judgement from him. If anything, I think he likes my decision to not blindly trust him. Although aren’t I doing that in a way?

He moves to sit beside me as someone knocks into him and sends his hip into the table, the guy apologises before holding his hands up and moving away and train guy doesn’t think anything of it.

“Knocks are inevitable in a crowded place, no point getting in a fight over it,” he says easily, which earns him a raised brow from me. “What?” He asks, smiling and he seems naturally good spirited, not that I believe it. It must be an act, right?

“So, you’ve come quite far, from Cornwall to Cambridge. Did you choose this place for a reason?” He asks easily, but I feel uncomfortable and my heckles are rising. At least he’s confirmed that he has in fact been keeping tabs on me.

“Just the luck of the draw, harder to be followed with no exact destination in mind. At least that was the plan,” I say coolly, I don’t want him to see that I’m affected by his words.

/> “It’s smart, but it’s hard to stay off the radar when you’re driving a car in your name, accessing the internet and making calls. It’s all traceable, but how else could you get around?” He winks as he says this but I’m not following his train of thought, no riddles please dude.

“Who are you and why are you following me? If you’re not working for Dante, then who? And honestly I’m not wholly convinced that you aren’t with him and just trying to lure me into a false sense of security. So, go ahead, plead your case and convince me you aren’t the enemy,” trying to act cool and composed is hard when I’m the exact opposite and he isn’t showing any fear or worry, he looks relaxed. Who the fuck is he?

“I’m Sawyer and it’s a pleasure to meet you Henleigh. I am following you but it’s not for the reasons you think,” he pauses to take a long pull of his drink, “I’m not here to hurt you D…D…” his hands are climbing to his throat and he’s struggling to breathe.

“Sawyer,” I shout, and people rush over to help him while my heart crashes against my chest, he collapses and goes into cardiac arrest. Why is this happening? He won’t die, will he?