Between the Lines

Chapter 7

Belligerent. 

That is the only word that could accurately describe Harry at the moment. James sighs, knowing that this is the point in which he will hit the wall. This happens all the time, and although James had an unusual hope that tonight would be different, apparently the outcome never changes with Harry. But on a surprising level, he seemed to manage himself for longer than normal; he usually swallows every ounce of alcohol in his sight the minute he arrives at an event like this, but Harry managed to hold himself together for a while, which is a small amount of improvement for him. 

James, along with the group of friends that surround him, stand in confusion while watching Harry's current state of intoxication. When he and Sutton returned back to the group together a while ago, they all couldn't help but stare at his unusual behavior. Harry hasn't acted in any way nice, or civil, towards another girl in a long time. He is rough and doesn't even pretend to care about the girl's that he sleeps with. He has a highly guarded heart, as Ava would say. His friends know he is sensitive, but Harry likes to pretend he doesn't care about anything. So Harry showing interest in any person, Harry laughing and talking and smiling, was a strange and delightful thing for them to watch. So they couldn't help but observe. 

Sutton left momentarily, and that's all it took. In the couple minutes she was gone, he disappeared like he usually does, then a while later came back like he usually does as well. 

Sutton, who knew the intoxicated Harry better than the sober one, was still surprised by his suddenly sloppy behavior. He had to sit down after the multiple falls he had taken, and yet Harry still managed to snatch a cup filled with brown liquid inside of it on the table next to him, gulping down the entire thing.  

Sutton stands next to James, feeling extremely out of place. She picks at the nail polish painted on her nails, quietly listening to the group speak to one another. 

When she and Harry had returned from letting Maddy and Sophie inside, it was like something had been glued to her forehead. All of Harry's friends, including James and Ellie, were constantly exchanging glances at the pair, and it made Sutton feel more than uncomfortable. It's like the fact that she was even standing next to Harry was some kind of phenomenon to them, because they kept looking at her in a surprised manner, and they weren't even trying to be discrete about their staring. And on top of that, Sutton learned that Harry is just a person very often looked at. Standing next to Harry, she got a small glimpse in how people stare and whisper and wink and smile at him. They both felt eyes on them, and she kind of wished they were alone in the library.

She could tell it aggravated Harry. And seeing his state now, she knew it really aggravated him. When Sutton excused herself to the restroom after the attention became a bit overwhelming, she waited in the restroom for a few minutes in attempt to calm down. She even splashed some water on her cheeks. She absolutely hated when people starred her, she felt like she needed to stand up straight and suck in her stomach and act confident, and she hated that kind of pressure. It made her feel insecure, and the fact that their were so many stares made her uneasy.

When she returned back to the party Harry was no where to be found. Well, until now of course, he just happen to reappear with bloodshot eyes and a sway in his walk. 

"Someone should call him a cab." Sutton hears Ellie say to James. 

"I can drive him home, I haven't had anything to drink and I was planning on leaving pretty soon." Sutton offer's, turning to James and Ellie who stand close to each other due to their intertwined hands. 

"How many times will that be, three?" James jokes, and Sutton laughs and shakes her head. Only two, she thinks to herself. 

"I really don't mind, he lives right on the way." She says, which is a slight over-statement, but she doesn't care. Any scenario that excuses her was perfectly fine with Sutton.