This Is How It Starts

Chapter Four: Harry's POV

“Styles! Man, what took you so long!”  Carter asks, throwing his arm around my shoulder. “Long line, mate. Sorry.” I grabbed two shots off of the tray the waitress was carrying around and handed one to Carter. “Here’s to Paris!” He says as he clinks his glass to mine and we shoot them back. I let a breath out between my teeth as I feel the liquid burn down my throat. I felt a pair of arms snake their away around my waist and a voice too sweet creep its way into my ear. “Haaaarrrryyyy, baaaabbbeee. Let’s go dance! Please!”

        To call Alixandra my girlfriend would be wrong. She is nowhere near my girlfriend as much as she likes to believe she is. She’s just Paris. Or London. Or wherever I want her to be really. All it takes is a phone call and off she goes to find her way to me. Alix winds her hand in mine and tries to drag me towards the dance floor, I start to protest when I see her. Ainsley. She and her friends are making their way to the dance floor. I smile to myself when I see her reach up and pull the hair tie out. She really did look better with it down.

Alix took that as a yes and I let her, I took the lead even. Granted, it was just so I could direct us towards the girl whose hand I would much rather be holding. I stopped when I found a spot close, but not too close. My hands wrap around Alixs waist as she begins to dance. Thankfully, her back was to my front, leaving my eyes free to roam across the faces until I found hers. She had her hands in the air and moved her hips a split moment too late to the beat, but she was smiling and she was beautiful. Her friend tries to do a seductive move on her which sends her into a fit. Her laughing stops abruptly and it takes me all of thirty seconds to realize her eyes are locked on mine. I quickly shift my gaze down to Alix, praying I hadn’t been smiling. I could only imagine what it would have looked like; some strange guy, sweaty and smiling from across the club. Not your best look, Harry. At least my conscious is aware. I sneak a peak back up and I don’t see her. A small bubble of panic flares inside me, but then I do and I’m too distracted to even bother to wonder why.

Three guys are talking to her and her friends, two of them couple up leaving Ainsley left with the last one. I watch as she smiles at him and nods her head at his request. He positions himself behind her and I shamelessly watch on as his hands move to her waist, while her hand winds its way to the back of his neck to pull him close. I am entranced as she closes her eyes and grinds herself against him. Her cute off-beat dancing is nowhere to be seen now. I continue to watch as her and her friends lean forward and flip their hair back. The two girls whooping loudly at the fact Ainsley did the move as well. If I had to guess, the fact her hand came up to cover her mouth was to hide her blush. Intriguing, and frankly, kinda hot. 

Alix must have noticed I had stopped moving because she was now facing me with a pout on her face. “Harry, why aren’t you daaaannnccciinnggg?” Has her voice always been this whiny and annoying? “Sorry, I just thought I saw someone I knew. Don’t worry about it.” She deems this acceptable as she turns back around. I shake my head as if that was a proper solution to forgetting. I needed more alcohol. I was too aware of everything happening around me, too aware of her. 

I tell Alix I was going to grab a few drinks and she shrugs. She’ll find a new dance partner until I return. Whatever. I weave my way up to the bar and order two shots, a whiskey for myself and a gin and tonic for Alix. I down the two shots and start to head back with the drinks only to find myself face to face with Ainsley. 

“Oh Helllooo, Mr. Styles!” She says smiling, a slight slur to her speech. 

 “Mr. Styles is my father, pleas, call me Harry.” I joke. 

“Hiiiii Harry!” She giggles at this and I find myself wondering what I’ve done to hear such a perfect sound. Jesus. Pull it together, Styles.