|| Love to Hate Me ||

{Ten}

"I hate them all, I hate them all
I hate myself for hating them
So I'll drink some more, I'll love them all
I'll drink even more
I'll hate them even more than I did before."
-On The Other Side, The Strokes
__________

Liana awoke to Harlan standing over her. She could see that he had just taken a shower; his dark brown hair appearing black—his strands thick and wet. He was wearing the same clothes as the night before; his sleeveless Led Zeppelin T-shirt exposing the misplaced tattoos on his arms.

There was a faded rose on the back of his arm just above his elbow; an F clef on the side of his arm along the bone. There was even a black spider on his shoulder, and a snake that wrapped around his wrist, placed nonsensically all over his body.

There was a cigarette behind his ear again. It was as if those things just magically appeared there. She questioned why he had placed it there, considering his sopping wet hair was only going to get it wet, making the cigarette non-smokable.

"Soundcheck's in a couple hours. I know it takes chicks nearly three hours to get ready, so- figured I'd wake you." Harlan shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.

She rolled over on her back, covering her mouth as she yawned. He felt a sudden wave of humiliation, as if she had made a fool out of herself last night. She couldn't remember what all they had talked about, but she was sure she had said something to embarrass herself.

She sat up, placing her weight on her elbow, looking to Harlan. "So what happened last night? Did I say anything stupid?" Liana spoke with a smile, trying to hide just how embarrassed she was.

"Baby, you're always sayin' something stupid." Harlan spoke low, his playful eyes looking to her with his bottom lip between his teeth.

"Fuck you." She laughed; sitting up completely. She ran her hands through her hair, folding her legs in.

"I'm kidding. No, you didn't say anything stupid."

"Did I say anything that I would be embarrassed about today? Something... I wouldn't normally say to you if I were sober?"

"I don't think so." Harlan smiled, scratching the nape of his neck. "You told me you haven't been laid in seven years. That the last person to ever lay between those pretty legs is also the only person you let there." Harlan winked.

"Oh god, I seem to recall that."

"We can always change that." Harlan winked again, standing from the bed. It was obviously a joke—at least, that's what he told himself.

Liana sighed, closing her eyes as she appeared to cringe. She started to say something, only to have Harlan speak first.

"You left your notebook at the bar."

"Oh, fuck!" Liana jumped out of bed, racing to get her shoes on.

Harlan laughed. "It's- it's okay... Mark got it. But he's gonna try to fuck with you and say he doesn't know what happened to it."

Liana placed her hand over her heart, releasing a heavy sigh. "That notebook has my life in it. I can't believe I just... left it there like that. All to get away from that guy."