Where There's Smoke... [Lirry - One Shot]

Where There's Smoke... [One Shot]

So maybe he does hold something against Gemma. But not as much as his parents.

"... Are you sure?"

No. "Yeah. Just leave me alone, Gemma. I don't - I can't talk to anyone right now, okay?"

"Okay," she returns softly, sighing and stepping away from his door. "Let me know whenever you're ready, yeah?"

Harry doesn't answer, feeling tears well up in his eyes. He knows he'll miss Gemma the most once he... leaves. He just can't stay here anymore and let his family control every single thing about his life. He should be able to make decisions of his own, and he's made one right now. No matter how impulsive of a decision it is, he decides to go through with it anyways.

Pulling out his phone from his jean pocket, he sniffles and dials a number he knows well enough.

"Hey," he greets shakily, wiping his eyes before continuing, "Can you pick me up? I need to get away from here. Doesn't feel like home anymore, to be honest."

~~~

"So... I'm glad you're going to my party tonight," Nick starts awkwardly, after just picking Harry up from his house to head back to his own. "You can help me set up before it starts in an hour.

"Mhm," Harry just hums in response, looking out the window of Nick's car with his bag on his lap.

"Excited about it? 'Cause I am."

Not responding, Harry sighs and leans his head on the window. Nick looks over, worried about him, but he doesn't know how to comfort the younger lad. Harry could only wish that he could.

He really needs it now.

When they finally reach Nick's house, Harry drops off his bag into the guest room he usually stays at whenever he needed to get away from home. Now, it would be his room more permanently.

Until he finds his own place; that is.

Nick is already setting things up downstairs by the time he gets back to help. They finish just in time, when people start streaming in and barely acknowledging his presence for the likes of dancing and drinking instead. They barely even greet Nick, who is the host of the party; mind you. That is at least out of respect to do, right?

"Let loose, Curly. Have a drink," Nick slurs to him, clearly he has already consumed some drinks himself when the party has barely started.

"No, thanks. I don't want nor need any alcohol right now especially," Harry answers quite rudely.

"One sip. You won't regret it."

"I said I don't want a drink, Nick."

"Suit yourself, then. No need to get pissed at me for wanting you to have fun. You're just standing here alone, when you should be dancing and chatting someone up," the older lad declares, before letting out a burp, then a giggle because of it.

Pushing him away, Harry says, "I need some fresh air. Keep having fun, Grimmy." Whether Nick hears him or not is beyond his knowledge.

Walking out into the backyard, he takes in a deep breath to hopefully clear his head. He immediately regrets it when he unintentionally breathes in some smoke. Coughing into his hand as his eyes water, he glances to the side and catches sight of someone he doesn't know smoking a cigarette.

Great. Just what I needed. To get second-hand smoke and some lung cancer, he thinks with a grimace.

"Want one?"

"Excuse me?" he asks in confusion, noticing the other lad looking over at him. "Are you actually offering me a cigarette ?"

"Yeah," the other says simply. "There's no one else here."