Lethal (Harry Styles)

chapter 29

What were the odds of running into Harry's untraceable sister?

It was implausible, nearly impossible. Definitely against all odds in a big-ass city like New York.

Yet here she was, one feet away from me, smiling warmly with her honest brown eyes. She had no idea who I was. How could she? She has never met me before. But here I was, knowing more about her than a stranger should.

In the split second that I took to assess the situation, Gemma's curiosity has peaked. She surely couldn't smell my inner battle but something about my attitude had to set her off. Maybe it was my mouth hanging open and the fact that I looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Probably.

"Well, I better go," she hesitantly started.

"No!" I answered too quickly. My mind had gone blank, the only possibility was making her stay somehow. I couldn't let her go, I needed to talk to her. Harry was in trouble, selling his buttocks in his desperate need to find her. The least I could do was talking to her when I had the chance.

Gemma was taken aback by my sudden outburst. "Why?" Confusion, and still even some curiosity, dripped off her voice.

"Can-can I talk to you?" I asked her, smiling assuring as to not scare her off. I honestly had no idea what I would do if a stranger asked me to talk to her after telling me off a minute earlier.

"With due respect, why?" Gemma asked me, her eyes never losing the friendly glint.

"I-" Well, come clean or go home, "I know your brother," I answered, my voice nearly dropping to a whisper.

Gemma's eyes widened but I couldn't read the emotions behind those caramel eyes. Fear? Sadness? Anger?

No, definitely not the latter one. She didn't strike me as the fearful type either. Her mouth opened slightly as if she was letting go of a breath. Her tongue ran across her lips, wetting them before she spoke up. "Okay."

We stood opposite of each other, neither of us moving, unsure of what to do.

"My friend's, uhm, she's waiting for me. Why don't we go there? Then we can talk," I suggested and waited for her approval. She gave me a nod of her head and motioned for me to lead the way.

Lisa's eyes lighted up at the sight of the pizza box in my hands. She didn't even give Gemma a second glance and only noticed the woman standing next to me after she took a bit of her pizza.

"Hi," Lisa muttered, her mouth stuffed with pizza.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Lisa noticed and shrugged her shoulders. "That's Lisa," I told Gemma, pointing a finger at my starving friend.

"Hi, I'm Gemma," she replied, giving Lisa the same warm smile I received earlier.

Lisa made room for us to sit down and I offered the box to Gemma. She hesitantly took a slice and smiled thankfully at me.

Without really knowing her I could tell that she was a sweet girl. Polite and honest, never throwing people off if they didn't deserve it.

What made her run away?

I didn't know how to start the conversation and silently blessed Gemma when she took on that job. "You know Harry?" Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, and held a note of angst.

I nodded. "He's a great man." I smiled, remembering our escape to the zoo.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Gemma asked with a mischievous smile on her lips.

I laughed light-heartedly. "I guess." I bowed my head and picked at the pizza in my hands.

"How-," Gemma started but stopped to gulp. "How is he doing?"