Lights, Camera, Harry // l.s.

Chapter 8

“Yeah,” I replied. “I gotta admit, that was pretty funny.”

Charlotte and Michael had calmed down and were now starting to return to the conversation. “God Niall’s funny!” Charlotte croaked, still recovering and wiping tears from her eyes as she sat up, removing her head from Michael’s shoulder.

“Yeah man, thanks for that! Brilliant!” he added. It was then that I noticed his Australian accent.

“Oh, you’re Australian?” I asked him, earning a questioning look from Charlotte.

“Um, you didn’t notice before?” she commented.

“Uh... no.” I admitted, looking back to the boy in question.

“It’s okay, Charlotte.” He reassured her before turning back to me. Geez, that girl was temperamental. One second, she’s fine, but ask about her boyfriend or sister, and she snaps.

“Yeah, I am.” He continued, smiling. “Sydney.”

“That’s cool!” I replied. “I’ve been to Melbourne, once. That’s all. Aside from that, just here and England, where I grew up.”

“Yeah, see I noticed that you’re British.” He retorted jokingly.

“Shut up,” I rolled my eyes in embarrassment, earning a scoff from Charlotte.

“Okay,” she interrupted right as Michael was about to say something, making him frown a little at her but grab her hand and soothingly rub it.

She’s clearly not okay about something, and I think he knows what it is, but I decided not to question it. Even Ash caught on as I felt him hit my leg under the table, indicating for me to shut up.

“We should do something fun!” she continued as Liam and Niall sat back down.

“What? This isn’t fun?” Ashton dramatically put his hand on his heart as if he took great offence.

I know from my years partying with him that Ash doesn’t take offence to much, he’s a very easygoing and fun lad.

“Not when you have to care for this lunatic!” Liam piped up as he nodded to the tipsy blonde who was spinning around in his spinning bar stool and chanting yet another football song.

“You’re welcome, by the way.” Ashton replied, tipping an imaginary hat at him as he stood up and gave an extravagant bow before sitting back down next to me.

“Yeah, I’m not going to thank you.” Liam said frankly as he reached out to stop the chair and hand Niall a bottle of water which he gratefully accepted and began to chug.

He’s a really fun guy, reminds me of Ash and I when we went out with Will and Jack during our days at UCLA.

I said as much.

“He reminds me of us, back in the day, hey mate?” I nudged Ash as I watched Niall.

“You mean ‘us’ as in the awesome foursome? Or ‘us’ as in... us?” he asked, making me sigh at that stupid name.

Will came up with it and Ashton immediately loved it, but Jack and I were very much against it.

“No one called us that, retard.” I reached over and gave him a noogie. “And please, ‘us’ is a repressed memory that I would like to keep repressed. Besides, there wasn’t even as ‘us’ moron. It was just a stupid mistake.”

He put his hands up in surrender and laughed as he remembered. “Yeah man”

“Thank you.” I whispered to myself, silently thanking God that he understood. Even though it may have brought back some good memories for him, that night brought me a world of pain. Pain that I didn’t wish to remember.

“So ‘us’ as in the foursome, then?” he tried to change the topic.

“No one called us that!” I protested, with a laugh, cheering up.

“Yes they did! Will’s a genius. How are they, by the way? I don’t think I’ve seen them since grad.” He replied.

“Okay. One, no one ever called us that, that was all you and Will. Two, he most certainly was not a genius, he made up the stupidest names ever and three, they’re good. They got kinda boring since college but I guess we all did.” I clarified.

“I didn’t” he replied, sticking his tongue out like a child and making me raise an eyebrow. “I stayed awesome. You all just became pussies and stopped partying. We should definitely start that again. Those days were the shit!”

“Okay, we’re not pussies and how much have you had to drink?” I asked “You’re definitely not sober.”

“I may or may not have taken a couple of Niall’s shots. That is all the information I will disclose to you, sir.” He said, trying to be serious but he started giggling towards the end.

Oh geez. This is going to be just like old times. I can tell.

“Oh god.” I sighed, before looking to the others in surprise as they all stood up and started grabbing their things. “We going home?” I looked at the clock, it was only 11pm.

“Aw! C’mon! It’s only 11!” Ash added, pouting at Charlotte who patted him on the head.

“No, losers, we’re going head out to Whip. Join?” she asked, flicking Ash in the head playfully.

“Even Niall?” Ash asked, unconvinced.

“Hey! I’ve sobered up now!” Niall argued, the water definitely having some kind of an effect. He looked only mildly tipsy now, it was barely even noticeable that he was in a state to have been running around like an idiot just 10 minutes ago.

“Yes, even Niall.” Charlotte confirmed. “But Mikey has work early tomorrow so he’s going to head off, aren’t ya babe.”

“Yeah, sorry!” he replied, picked up his coat and kissing her lightly, making us all groan in fake disgust. “Bye guys!” he waved with a grin and a chuckle, full well knowing what he did, and left the pub.

“So you in?” Charl repeated her earlier question as we walked towards the pub doors.

“Yeah sure! I’m in!” Ash enthusiastically piped up. “Harry?”

“Yeah, why not!” I replied as we all walked out into the car park.

“Hey Harry, I walked here, so can I have a lift?” Ashton asked as we got into the cars.

“Sure man, jump in.” I replied, reaching for my keys and unlocking the car.

With the shit I’ve had to deal with today, I deserve a night to myself.

A night to get so wasted, I forget my own name.

I started the car and smiled at Ash who nodded, knowing that we would get shitfaced tonight.

Good. Now let’s have some fun.

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I am genuinely sorry. I thought I would have updated sooner than now but yet again, it has been almost a whole week.

I PINKY SWEAR I will get better. I SWEAR IT!

gosh I'm sorry....

please love me still?

~vic xo