Savior

The Girl that Drinks

Glazed over jade eyes. Slightly sweaty face. Sloppy grin. Knotted fiery hair. And for the first time ever –still hands.

Layla is drunk. Very drunk.

I knew it the second that she stumbled out of the kitchen after being in there alone for almost twenty whole minutes after I left her there. I knew it instantly because –for once- she doesn't have that cautious and fearful look in her eyes that I have been accustomed to in the last almost three months.

And I suddenly feel terrible.

Terrible because I didn't tell her I had a girlfriend, terrible that I kept it from her. Terrible because I left her alone in the kitchen when she shouldn't be alone at all.

We barely know each other.

For some reason, hearing those –very true- words fall from her lips made my chest ache more than I even thought possible. It angers me because it is true –Layla is holding me at arm's length despite my many attempts to get to know her.

And she throws that back in my face.

And it hurt a lot more than I had expected it to.

So, in the heat of the moment I rubbed my relationship in her face even though she didn't deserve that. Even though she said she didn't care.

But, sitting here now and watching Layla laugh at something Niall said, I can't help but feel like shit because she was right. I may not know her, but tonight she realized that she barely knew me. I hadn't even told her I had a girlfriend, so how can I possibly hold her secretiveness against her?

Especially when something horrible has obviously happened to her.

Such a twat.

"Monkey, are you listening to me?" Jaime's loud voice shouts in my ear, causing me to flinch away and refocus my attention.

Jaime had been finding any and all topics to speak to me about, but one. The most obvious and glaring one –the fact that I hadn't told Jaime who I had been spending almost every day with for the last two and a half months.

It's obvious in her tense posture and constant eye on Layla that she is suspicious and slightly annoyed, but knowing her, she won't ever bring it up unless I do first. God forbid she ever expresses her doubts about our relationship.

"Of course I am."

I'm not.

Jaime starts talking again and I try desperately hard to pay attention to her while keeping one eye trained on Layla, who has somehow obtained a margarita? She sips at the straw gingerly, her eyes wandering around the apartment and completely ignoring whatever story Niall is telling her so animatedly.

However, I quickly avert my eyes when Niall begins to lead Layla over to where Jaime and I are sat.

"Hey guys, I was just telling Layla about the time Harry thought it was pajama day at primary and showed up in full Spiderman footies and then-" Niall suddenly cuts himself off, his drunk brain finally catching up to the situation –thank god- and gesturing between Jaime and Layla, "Have you two met? Jaime, this is Harry's... Friend-girl, Layla. Layla this is Harry's-"

"We've met."

Both girls deadpan at the same time, causing Niall to snap his mouth shut instantly and Layla and Jaime to look away.

I have never been more uncomfortable in my life.

"There you are babe," Eliza comes bounding around the hallway, her eyes softening in relief before spotting the rest of us and she freezes slightly, "With... Harry, his girlfriend, and Layla... Joy."