Chapter Three

Chapter Three

***Hours Later***

I walked in the front door and took my jacket off. I could hear football in the living room so avoided it. Ryan was home. 

Great. 

There goes any peace and quiet. 

I headed to the kitchen to see what I could make for dinner and was surprised when I saw Ryan sitting at the dining table. I figured he was watching TV. He just looked up at me, an unbothered expression on his face before he went back to reading the paper. 

‘Evening’. If I didn’t make an effort to talk to him after I've seen him, he would say I was being ‘’rude’’ and ‘’punish’’ me for it later. He mumbled a hello but didn't really make conversation. It was fine, I wasn’t in the mood to chat anyway. 

I had a look in the freezer for something quick and easy and located a microwavable meal. 

‘You have a letter by the way’. I heard Ryan mumble. At first, I wasn’t sure if he actually spoke to me, so I ignored him. He sighed and slapped my ass, hard. I yelped and covered it, turning around. 

‘Hey! That hurt!’. 

‘Don’t ignore me then. You have a letter’. He passed it over. It was just a standard envelope. I put it down on the side and carried on preparing my dinner before shoving it in the microwave and putting the timer on. ‘Who do you know in America anyway?’ I froze. 

‘What?’ 

‘That letter, the return address is someplace in California. Who do you know in California?’ 

‘Just… an old school friend who moved’. He seemed to believe me. I turned back around and started watching the microwave timer tick down. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I kept stealing glances at the letter out of the corner of my eye. 

It had to be from dad or Jemma. They were the only ones who had my address. 

I started tapping my fingers on the kitchen side impatiently. I didn’t want to open the letter here, in front of Ryan, I literally had NO idea what it could possibly be and if it was something serious, I didn’t know how convincing my poker face would be. 

I'd take my dinner and my letter upstairs. 

I waited and waited and eventually, the microwave pinged. Plating up my food, I shouted a quick ‘’goodnight’’ to Ryan and ran up the stairs to my room. 

I put the food down on the desk and jumped onto my bed, ripping open the letter and mentally prepared myself for what it said; 

Harley, 

I hope you’re doing well. We all miss you but I will keep this short and to the point. The plane ticket is attached, Come as soon as you can. I will meet you at the airport and explain everything when you get here. 

Jemma. 

Wow, yeah, very short and to the point but Jemma was always very blunt and direct. 

I turned the letter over and sure enough, attached was a plane ticket, leaving from Birmingham airport in the morning. 

I bit my lip, confused, wondering what this was all about. She said she would explain everything when I got there, but this was so out of the blue. 

I got up and went over to my laptop, turning it on. Maybe her emails had some more information. As soon as I logged on, I went to the folder I kept all my emails in and searched for the most recent ones. 

Scanning through them all and basically, the gist… the guys were in prison. They had been for a few weeks and Jemma and the girls needed MY help to get them out. It didn’t say why they were in prison and it didn’t say how I could help but I instantly felt a pit in my stomach. 

Alexander needed my help. 

Do I go back to PTV? 

If I went back, it would be too hard to leave again. Saying goodbye to someone you’re in love with is hard once… I can imagine it would be almost impossible to do it twice. 

...and if I did go back… What would I say to Ryan? I couldn’t just run away… could I? 

Pack a bag and sneak out in the middle of the night, go to the airport and run away to California to help my love and my father and friends get out of prison?! What even is that? Is that even real life? 

I sat and just thought for what felt like an eternity before reality hit me and my choice was obvious. I jumped up and started rushing around my room like a headless chicken. The more I did... The more excitement started to get the better of me. 

This was like an adventure. 

It was so stupid of me to leave PTV… Leave Alexander and Ron and the guys in the first place. I thought it was for the best, but it really wasn’t. I had just made myself miserable. I came back because I had friends and a job and I didn’t think staying was really a realistic option but you know what... 

...TO HELL WITH REALISTIC! 

I was going back and I was getting my man!