Falling for Harry Styles

Chapter 19

The speakers boomed around the club, the base pounding in my ears. I called out a drink order to the bar tender over the music as I watched my sister and Tanya grind on the dance floor. The bar tender handed over my drink and I sipped at it. A hand found my lower back and a pair of lips whispered in my ear, “Hey gorgeous,” a deep voice slurred. “Fancy seeing you here.”

I turned and was met by lidded chocolate eyes and a whiskey tinted breath. “Hey Li,” I smiled at him. “A little drunk there are we?”

“Not at all,” he tried moving closer but stumbled forward.

I caught him and held him upright as I laughed and said, “Okay Liam. What happened to hanging out with the guys? Where are Harry and Niall?”

“They’re ‘round here s-somewhere. But I’m more interested in you.” He swiped a piece of hair roughly behind my ear and my eyebrow cocked up.

“Uh… Liam?”

He leaned closer to me, “C’mon Natalie, I see the way you look at me. I know you wanna kiss-s me.” His lips tried to find mine and I shot a hand up to stop him.

As if on cue a pair of hands gripped Liam’s shoulders, “There you are. C’mon big guy.”

“Hey Ni,” I yelled over the music.

“Oh hey Natalie, sorry about him. He and Dani broke up and he’s kinda beat up about it.”

“Ahhh I see.”

“I’ll let Harry know you’re here. I’m gonna get whiskey breath here home.”

“Good luck. See ya later.”

“Later.”

Jen and Tanya came stumbling off the floor towards me just then, sweat drenching them, their breathing heavy and uneven. “Whooo! I love the way you dance babe!” Tanya shouted over the base.

“Thanks. Not too bad yourself their babe.” She smiled at her girlfriend, hazel eyes alight with joy. “Lee, come dance with us.”

“I-I don’t dance, Fer.” I said, not too sure if I wanted to attempt it in the club full of people.

“Oh, come on. It’s not that hard anyway.” They each grabbed an arm and dragged me through the writhing, sweaty bodies onto the floor.

We found a clearing amongst the people and they started dancing again. I started to slightly sway to the rhythm, eventually finding a groove and dancing along with them.

“See I told you. It’s not so bad.” Jen smiled and winked at me, and I smiled back.

Before long I was sweaty, body heat radiating around the small space. I let my eyes close for a few brief seconds as I felt the base thumping under my feet and around my body. When I opened them again, they connected with a pair of blue ones across the club. A set I knew all too well.

I swallowed hard as a fit of panic swept through me, fear rising slowly. I leaned over to my sister, “I’m gonna go get some air,” I said with a shaky voice.

She nodded at me as I turned and pushed through the crowd toward the door. I stepped out of the heat and into the fresh, cool night air, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, trying to calm my racing heart. I took a few steps down the sidewalk and leaned against the wall, the base vibrating my back. I slumped my head back and took a few more deep, shaky breaths.

“You look good,” a voice, I did not want to hear, sounded.

I instantly straightened myself up, “Chad, what-uh… what are you doing here?” I stuttered.