The Water Boy (Narry)

Chapter 18

But as I opened my mouth to tell him he had a good game I had received my answer.

"Styles is here!" Michael shouted as he raised his large beer can in the air as we walked through the doorway, pausing when he noticed that I was accompanying Harry. "Oh," he let his arm down and raised his eyebrow in confusion. "Are you lost?"

"You know damn well he's with me." Harry grumbled directly to Michael who took a few steps back from Harry as he brought his beer to lips. Harry looked over his shoulder to see if I was still behind him and that I haven't run out the door at Michael's remarks. Then he brought his attention back to our greeter. "Why don't you just go enjoy yourself, all right? You did win this one for us after all."

Michael nodded. "I sure did." He brought his hand up to offer Harry his fist to bump, which Harry accepted. "Maybe I'll catch you later and we can have a few beers." He said before leaving and returning to his group of friends and admirers. 

"C'mon, Niall." Harry said as he cleared his throat before he began moving onward into the house. 

As I followed him, I felt myself slightly relaxing from the awkward encounter with Michael. He didn't seem too bad after Harry had set him straight. If it were anyone else they might have decided to challenge Harry by ignoring him completely. 

It didn't take us long before we came into the kitchen, where most of the people were. They gathered around the small kitchen table, setting up plastic cups and filling them with alcohol for what appeared to be a drinking game of sorts. The table also held an ashtray where cigarettes and a single joint were resting, the thin line of smoke weaving its way into the fresh air that I was once able to breathe. I couldn't help but scrunch and wriggle my nose at the stingy odor. 

I chose to wait by one of the counters as Harry approached the table to greet some of the others. Most of them smiled when they saw him come around to shortly chat with him. I was still feeling a little bit uncomfortable being in a strangers' home surrounded by things my mum would wring my neck for if she found out about them.

Liam was even at the party. He wore a hat, which barely even covered over his hair. He hadn't even noticed that I was here yet but that was because he was too busy talking with Josh as he leaned back in chis chair like he did in the library with me, spinning around a coin on the table as he did. 

Then heads began to turn to look at me, questioning why I was there because they've never really seen me outside of being their water boy. They never talked to me before so they really shouldn't have been so stunned. They'd just get drunk or whatever and forget all about me anyway, which I was beginning to be thankful for.

Liam nodded over to me before he was the first to bring the mixed chatter back to it's roaring volume, standing up to begin the game. "Niall, you want to go a round?" He asked me as he held the coin between his thumb and pointer finger. 

"Um, I—"I cleared my throat nervously. "Sh-sure." I shrugged dumbly and looked over to Harry for reassurance as I walked over to the table to take the coin between my clammy fingers.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to." Harry told me as he positioned his crutch underneath his arm. His eyes glanced up at Liam.

"It's one go." Liam said to him before he wrapped his arm around my shoulders to pull me close to him. I was relieved that when he pulled me to him that it wasn't forced and when he breathed, it wasn't laced with alcohol. "Now, all you have to do is flip the coin into one of the cups and if you make it," Liam pointed to Josh, who was standing at the other end of the table, "Joshy Boy, will have to drink. And then it's his turn to do the same to you. Now, you don't have to do all 10 cups if you're not into this. I'm sure Dan will be happy to take your place." He explained to me as he looked and smirked over to the person I guessed was Dan.