Scrabble | Harry Styles

15

"I'm really sorry, Blair. I'm an idiot, I don't know what I was thinking. I apologise," Louis spoke as if it was a speech he'd rehearsed, his tone anything but even. My eyebrows raised in genuine surprise. 

"Oh," I paused, unsure of what to say. "Well - thanks, I suppose-"

"See," Harry intercepted, his tone dark, "wasn't that hard, was it? You can go, now."

Louis basically sped away from us, genuine fear in his final glance as he took off. I squeezed Harry's arm.

"Are you okay?" He turned to me, his hardened face softening as he met my gaze.

"Yeah - yeah, I am," I nodded, taking his face in my hands. "Are you?" I dared to ask, seeming as if it was him who had been affected more greatly than I had. 

He dipped his head down to connect our lips, as his shoulders seemed to relax. My hand smoothed over the side of his face to rest on his chest as our kiss broke.

"I am, now," he said quietly, pressing another gentle kiss to the tip of my nose. I watched the colour of his face even out once more, and I couldn't help but hold the image of him acting in such anger on my mind. I knew he was doing it to defend me; doing it for me, but it had caused an unfamiliar shift in my stomach that I wasn't fond of.

"Hey, you two!" The bright sound of Liam's voice cut into our bubble, and I turned around to see him standing hand-in-hand with Liz. Liz looked beautiful, her hair swept to one side and a bright red lipstick brushed over her lips, and Liam looked incredibly happy beside her, in a polished suit.

"Hi!" I smiled, trying to brush off the previous situation as quickly as possible. "Where's Vic?" I asked, noticing her absence.

"The bathroom, we only saw you guys after she'd gone," Liz explained. "Did you guys just get here?"

"Only a minute ago, yeah," Harry nodded, choosing to dismiss the previous situation as well. "Did we miss much?"

Liam shrugged. "No, nothing, if I'm honest. Dawn spilling a drink over her dress and hysterically crying, but that's about it."

"Oh, that's awful for her," I pouted sympathetically, as Liz let out a chuckle.

"It was so funny, genuinely. I wish someone had got it on video," she began to erupt into laughter, covering her face with her hand as Liam began to laugh loudly beside her, unable to stifle it - his laugh in itself was the most hilarious thing, and it almost caused me to burst out laughing as well, until Vic resurfaced.

"I'm back," Vic announced, her eyes a little glassy, sending me a wide grin, "hey, Blair-" she then turned to Harry beside me, her smile faltering a little, but enough for me to catch it. "Hi, Harry." I frowned a little, before it clicked, and I internally groaned. She'd been drinking.

 I tried to stifle the sigh I was aching to let out - we still weren't past this. That, paired with the fact she'd been drinking, was quite possibly a recipe for disaster. I was hoping - praying - that she would put aside her feelings about Harry just for the night, so not to ruin it. I would have approached her, and asked her what was bothering her at this point, but having recognised the drunken look in her eye; I didn't see much point. At least tonight, she'd tell me anything but what I wanted or needed to hear.  I didn't say anything, as Harry greeted her in response.

"I'm going to get something to drink," I announced loudly, "does anyone want anything?" Harry eyed me, catching my shift in demeanour. Liz and Liam both shook their head 'no', and Vic opened her mouth, but I'd already spun on my heel.

I was slightly fed up, in all honesty. It felt like no matter what I offered her, it wouldn't be sufficient. I'd reached out countless times since she'd expressed how she'd felt about Harry and I, but each time I'd been shot down. I'd called and offered lunches, days out, sleepovers, absent of Harry, but each time there was rejection. It felt like we were stuck in an excruciating, endless, vicious cycle of me extending a branch, and her snapping it in her hand. It felt as if she wouldn't be satisfied until Harry was out of my life, and I simply wouldn't let that happen. He was so important to me, and he made me feel like no one else - I was really, truly happy with him, and I didn't want to sacrifice that. But Vic was my best friend, and she was pushing me to do so.

I let out a sigh as I reached the drinks table, examining the array of drinks. I couldn't spot any alcohol, and I figured she must have brought her own. I bit my lip, feeling a hand brush over my waist, and for a split second I feared it was Louis, before it clicked in my mind that he had most definitely been steered from stepping within a ten mile radius of me.

"S'just me, darling," Harry's voice consumed me, and I turned around with another gentle sigh. "What's got you all bothered?"

I shook my head, pouring some water into a cup and taking a sip. "I have a feeling that this is just going be a long night, is all."

His eyebrows furrowed, as I watched his eyes shift slightly, before they landed on me once more. "We can leave whenever you want.." he offered, gently swiping his thumb over my chin, "but I do think we should stick around for a bit. Y'know - how many of these do you attend in your life?"

"Very many, if you live in this town," I laughed. He rolled his eyes, taking the cup of water from my hand and taking a sip.

"Well, it's my first. And your first with me, at least," he grinned, setting the cup down on the table. "And I'd say we're wasting time here." He was joking, but he was right. I pressed my lips together. 

"Could you tell that Vic's drunk?" I asked him, and he pressed his own lips together, nodding.

"She's not exactly discreet."

"I just have a bad feeling tonight," I sighed, and he shook his head.

"Well get rid of it, hm? All that matters tonight is you and me, alright?" He grabbed my hand in his own, and I smiled softly up at him, my heart swelling at his words.

"You're right - I'm overthinking. You and me," I repeated with a nod, squeezing his hand and watching his smile return. "She's my best friend in the whole world, but I do feel as if I could just kill her sometimes," I joked lightly, letting out a short laugh. I was hopeful now Vic just wouldn't allow anything to escalate at her hands.

Harry stared down at me for a moment, seemingly in a world of his own, before returning my laugh, a little weakly. "Let's dance."