RED ROOM [H.S]

27.

It had begun raining when we got to the bar of Nialls choosing. I had been forced to change out of my comfortable clothing that Niall had mistaken for pyjamas, and had changed into the only appropriate clothing I had taken with me.

I was now shivering in a pair of faded black skinny jeans along with a fitted crop top. I hadn't brought any jackets with me, and neither of them seemed to want to offer me their jackets. Not that I would of taken it anyway. The last thing I needed was to add to my damsel in destress look that I was already sporting.

I tried to ignore how good Harry looked as well. He had changed into his usual dark skinny jeans, but he had paired them with a loose fitted long sleeve shirt, unbuttoning the first few buttons to expose his tattooed chest. The pale pink colour compliment his skin tone, making it pop just that little bit more. He held a leather jacket in his left hand, that he had taken it off as soon as we entered the wooden doorframe of the bar. His hair was slightly damp as he pushed it out of his eyes to watch where he walked, his eyes calculated and dark as he scanned the patrons of the bar. He looked intimidating as always, and it ignited a foreign feeling in me as his eyes swept over everything but softened slightly when he met my eye.

I looked away as quickly as he did though, my eyes doing my own sweep over everything. A million conversations were moving around the room, everyone seemed to try and yell over the band that was playing in the corner. They screamed and sang about something I couldn't quite understand, though there was a growing crowd of younger people who danced around to it in front of the small stage.

Ages seemed to vary across the room though, as I focused a little bit more. The older, grumpier, men were huddled around the bar stools, yelling and shouting over the beers to each other. Women who seemed to be on the prowl, were seated across a large table, cocktails and giggles all round as they eyed every man with interest. The younger crowd danced and sang to the band that was playing, seemed to also float around the room in groups of two, stumbling and laughing as they did.

The older bar seemed to be home to the locals, and I wondered if Niall happened to know someone around these parts to know that. Despite the crowds of people, the bar was in pretty bad shape. The walls were coated with chipped paint, lights dropped from the ceiling in awkward ways to lit up the room. The floor was sticky as you walked, and I almost tripped over my boots as they stuck down to the floorboard on my way to the bar. It felt homey though. A place where everyone knew everyone. I decided I liked it and relaxed slightly.

We moved around the bodies of people who swayed to the music, until we reached the crowded bar. Harry stood behind me, nudging me to follow Niall through the sea of people waiting to be served while he stuck close behind me. I could feel the heat of his chest pressed against my back as we slowly shuffled forward and I gulped, trying my best  to breath through my mouth so my head wouldn't be caught over how intoxicating the smell of Harry was. It was different today. He smelt like vanilla.

True to his word, Niall refused to pay for any of my drinks. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but laugh quietly to myself when Harry ordered a dozen drinks and had them ordered to a booth to spite Niall. He had smirked, telling Niall to bite him, before he dragged me by my hand to the corner booth.

We sat together while Niall wondered off to a group of women, flashing his teeth and laughing loudly as he tried his luck with the locals. The booth was hidden away in one of the corners, far away enough not be seen by everyone who danced, but close enough that Harry could watch Niall in case anything happened to him.

I helped myself to the drinks in front of me, not caring what was in it, as long as it could relax my muscles and eased my body. Harry watched in amusement as I sculled a few too many drinks in only a few short minutes.