A year and a half ago

Harry's pov

"Yo Styles! That was some time you made!" Zach is stood on the side, his little girl on his shoulders. He walks over to shake my hand.
Zach isn't always here when I come to practice, but when he is he always watches and most times his little girl is with him.
She is about 4 years old and always has a car in her hand. No doll, no girly pink stuff.
"Thanks mate, Matt finally got talking with Zayn and understood the jest of fixing my beauty," I explain, taking off my helmet and holding up my hand for the little girl to high five which she does with a big smile.
"Kristen? Why don't you run along to my office? I need to speak to Harry?" Zach puts the girl down and points at the direction of the offices.
She nods and runs along. She stops in the middle and turns to wave at me. I wave back and wink, making her giggle.
"That girl has the biggest crush on you," Zach shakes his head.
"That is one precious cargo you've got there," I nod in her direction, as her little frame gets smaller and smaller as she runs away.
"Sure do.. look Harry.. you're an amazing car racer.. I mean I have never seen a racer with your king of talent.. did you ever think about taking it to another level?" Zach raises his brows.
I frown at him, folding my arms. What the hell? Next level? I am the next level! That is what I do- create the next level.
"Did you ever think about motorcycle racing?" He offers.
I let out a chuckle and shake my head.
"No way man.. not happening! I might live on the edge but I hell don't have a death wish!" I throw my helmet in the air and catch it.
"Think about it.. you know how to control a bike.. and racing them are safer then the cars.. the worst that can happen is you slipping. You wear the right gear and you just skid until you stop.. nothing to smash into or anything," Zach pushes.
"No way Zach.. I can't do that. Also I have a girl at home I promised to get back to at the end of every day. She will have a cow if she hears about this," I tell him.
Zach gives me a look that means 'then don't tell her'.
"Not happening man.. but thanks for thinking I'm good for that," I slap his shoulder and walk away.
Right, I can control a motorbike, but racing it.. even though I know what he says is relatively true, a lot can happen. The bike itself can crash me, or one of the other racer's. My mum and sister would kill me if Cassie doesn't do it before hand.
I've made the decision long ago not to get into that. Racing and drifting are more than enough.
I collect my things and start my way out, when I come across the little girl playing on the floor outside her dad's office, the door closed.
"Hey kid," I call out to her. She looks up from her play race on the floor and smiles.
"What are you doing out here?" I sit down beside her on the ground.
"Daddy's on the phone to someone mean so he told me to come out here," she shrugs.
"Someone mean?" I question.
"Yes. He is mean to daddy and mommy too. He yells all the time and mommy was crying.. and daddy was angry..." she plays with her car toys as she chats with me.
"Do you know why he is yelling?" I inquire.
"My brother said it is money and grownup stuff.. that I shouldn't worry," she explains, as if I shouldn't worry either since it's all under control.
"Your brother is very smart love, I'll see you later darling," I hold up my hand for her to high five and she does. Waving goodbye as I walk away.
I roll her words over one more time, wondering if it is true or a little girl's imagination before pushing it out of my mind.
"Cassie? I'm home!" I call as I let the door close behind me.
There isn't any reply. I let my things fall by the door, drop my keys on the counter and stride to our room to see if she's there. The room is empty, so I turn and go back to the little kitchen. That is when I notice the note on the counter.
'Harry, remember I won't be home today when you get in. You can pick me up from the library at 18:00 if you don't want me walking. Hope your day was good. Love you.'
I hate it when she goes off on her own. Especially when we are at places she doesn't know well. We are here for almost a year already and I cannot keep her from such things. I glance at the clock. It's 5. I decide to go wait for her.


"Zach! What the hell happen to you?"
It's a few days later and Zach's face is smashed like crazy.
I notice then him being on the phone. His eyes are red and he seems panicked. He waves me away but I take a seat in his office, refusing to go. I want to know what this shit is all about.
He replies to the person on the other end in a muffled voice and then hangs up.
"Spill," I demand.
"It's nothing..." He flakes.
"No it's not.. did you see your face?"
"I’ve got mugged," he shrugs.
"No you didn't.. you know your girl talks.. tell me what kind of trouble you're in.. let me help," I say.
He breaks then, telling me about his gambling and the money and a man called Jermaya.
"Why the hell aren't you going to the police?!"
"You can't.. not with this guy.. he will kill my family!" He shakes his head profusely.
"So how are we getting you out of this shit?"
"We?" He is surprised.
"Yes we."
"You don't want to do it.. believe me Harry," he sighs.
"Why?"
"Because my only way out is to get you to motor race," he explains.
"That's why you tried to get me to race?!" I snap angrily.
He nods shamefully, and for a moment he isn't a grown man, but a child.
"One race!" I break, remembering that little girl of his. Then I get up and get out of his office.
I don't know what to do.. if I should call Cassie and tell her. She will have a fit. I cannot tell her about this. I cannot get her involved or near this man.
Things are not good. Every day I practice both kinds of racing, staying later and later, and watching how the days pass and Zach getting more and more paranoid, pushing me harder and harder.
Cassie suspects something but she doesn't know what. I'm trying to act as if nothing is going on and all is the same but it is starting to take a tool on me. That Jermaya shit face sends scouts of his to come down and check me out while I practice which means I'm on his raider, which means Cassie probably is on it as well.

I start to follow her whereabouts, wanting to know where she is every moment of the day which is making her so frustrated with me. She is so unhappy and I keep promising myself that once this shit is over I will make it up to her, but that for now she is better off unhappy then unsafe.
I am sat on the end of the bed as she packs her suitcase and sulk. How is it she is leaving? How can she? How can I let her go?
I am ready to go with her but I can't do that to Zach. I have to race.
"You'll call me and let me know how it went?"
"Yeah.. send me a text before you get on the plane yeah?" I tell her.
she nods. Holding the handle of her suitcase.
I take it from her and walk her down to the waiting taxi.
"I love you... you know that right?" I tell her as we reach the cab driver who takes her case from me.
"Harry.. I love you too," she looks up at me. She seems sad, and my heart hurts. I bend to hug her, pulling her to me. She hugs me back and I find her lips and kiss her.
I let her go even though I don't want to.
I watch as she gets in and drives away. I gaze after her. I see her turn in her seat and wave to me. And even though I cannot be sure I know she is crying.
I hurry up stairs and get my helmet. Then I run back down and hop on my bike. I speed to the tracks since I made up my mind. I am not racing today. I have my passport and after letting Zach know the race will have to wait I will make it on to that flight.
"Harry! You're early! It's bad luck to practice the same day of a race!" Zach shakes his head with a hearty smile.
"Well no.. look Mate.. I can't race today.. I need to make it on Cassie's flight.. I'll do this race some other time.." I inform. I kind of feel bad, but Cassie comes first and it's really not my fault he is in this deep shit.
"Are you kidding me? Is this the way you Brits joke?!" Zach isn't fast to believe me.
I play with the helmet in my hand, trying to find a way to break this to him.
"Things are really bad at home. And she is flying back to the UK and I'm scared if I don't go she won't come back.. she is my world and I owe her this," I explain.
"And what about you promise to me? And my family? My little girl?"
"I'll be back in two weeks and race then.. Explain to them that it wasn't in your control.. I'm sure you can buy some time," I try to reason.
"What do you think this is? I don't know how things went down back on your homeland but here when you say you'll race then you do! You won't get a second time! You don't know them! You don't play games!" He shouts at me.
"You know what Zach? Fuck this! I don't owe you shit! I didn't screw you over! You did! And you can take it and wait a fortnight or you can go to fucking hell.. I really don't give a shit!" I snap, anger flashing inside of me. I turn to leave when he snatches my helmet. As if that would stop me from getting to Cass.
"Keep it.." I shrug and walk away.
"Harry.. please.. don't do this.." He calls after me. However, I stride away.
I get on my bike and drive off. Cassie will understand my no helmet.. after all I am rushing to catch up to her.
I'm going fast but I don't care. I'll make it.

It's an hour drive away and I am driving for 30 minutes when out of nowhere a van hits me from the side making me fly off my bike. I am not sure what happened or what the damage is. But Cassie flashes before me. Her smile, the shine in her blue blue eyes.. her deep dimples that pock every time she smiles at me. And the thought... the thought that I should have tried harder, and that the fact that after all, I won't make it to her in time.

Notes