The Challenge

18

Dinner with Louis was wonderful that night. We had gone to a pub around the corner from his place, which is not somewhere I would have normally gone, but he told me he had done a lot of research and found they were really good. Turns out he was right. I wasn’t really a fan of English food but my steak and kidney pie was one of the best I ever had and provided a nice cushion for the blinding drunk I planned to get that evening. 

"So, you met Charlie yet?" Louis asked me over a pint before we headed to Harry's.

I nearly choked on my drink. "Uh, yeah. Actually. She's interesting."

"In what way?" he asked.

I debated what to say. I didn't want to come off as too jealous really but I was actually raging inside at the mention of her name. "Um, her look, I suppose."

"What do you mean, Gee?"

"She's got five colors in her hair, Louis." I said. I took a long sip of my drink.

He laughed. "Like the McFly song? Oh, they'll love her then."

"Wait, you've met her haven't you?" I asked. I wondered if I should order another round or a few shots.

He glanced away. "Yeah, Harry brought her around a few times."

"Why are you playing innocent then and acting like you don't know her!" I suddenly found myself annoyed at him as well.

"Well, we all thought she was just another fangirl. But, Harry hadn't really been all into that sort of scene lately so it had been interesting to see him bring around some like. She's got this crazy philosophy on life and is all into all organic food and talks about earth and reincarnation and god only knows what else comes out of her mouth half the time. Personally, I always found myself blinded by her hair. It was fire-engine red at that time."

I smirked. "Like some fucked up Tickle Me Elmo doll?"

He burst out laughing. "There's the snarky, Gee I missed. Yeah, I guess something like that considering she is American."

I rolled my eyes. "She's the epitome of class, clearly. You should have seen the outfit she had on at the airport. She was a walking advertisement for a strip club."

"I can see that," he said, agreeing with me.

"And her voice, ugh, it's like nails on a chalkboard. I can't believe he fancies himself to be in love with her. She's like a walking blow up doll! All boobs no brain."

He nodded. "She pretty much is like that. But, hey, who are we to judge him if he wants to be with her, right? I'm going to get us another drink and then we can head over to Harry's afterwards and see the shit show in action!"

If only Louis knew how his words resounded with me. Who were we to judge? I was his best friend, I had every right to judge and stop him from making a stupid decision, didn't I?  

We arrived at Harry’s a little after 8 and the party was already in full swing. I noticed Nick Grimshaw along with the rest of the other 1D band members. The rest of Perrie’s band, Little Mix was there along with Ed Sheerhan and some other singers. I was pretty sure I spotted the guys from McFly in the living room. I went to place my coat in Harry’s spare bedroom and rounded the corner when I ran into someone. 

I looked up and it was Alex Turner. My face went bright red and I pushed past him having a mini heart attack in the spare bedroom before Louis found me.

“You alright, babe?” He asked, wrapping an arm around my waist and bringing me close to him.

Just at that moment Harry walked in. “Oh, sorry.” His eyes met mine and I saw a flash of pain in them. He grabbed a coat off of the pile and hovered near the door, looking to say something before he left.