From The Dining Table [H.S]

Loving you's the Antidote

We were now back in the bar. The bar tender gave us an uneasy look as he saw the state I was in. Nobody in the bar seemed phased, so I can hopefully assume they didn't hear or see anything. Harry walks me over to the corner where he was sat hours before. The sound of Jimmy Cliff's 'I can see clearly now' filled any silence in the bar, as people engaged in their own conversations. Harry pulls up a stool for me, using the arm still around my waist to lower me into the seat. I think he knew he had total control of my movements. My body was so weak from crying that his arm was the only thing holding me up.

"2 tequila shots please, lime and salt." Harry tells the bartender, who nods and starts frantically moving behind the bar.

"Oh, umm I'm not a huge drinker Harry." I add in quickly, hoping the man behind the bar stops pouring my shot.

"Relax, love. I'll have yours if you don't want it. What do you want to drink?" Harry replies, the tone in his voice still as calm and reassuring as it was while we sat on the beach. If I had just told Dan I didn't want something he ordered me, he would've gone completely ballistic at me. However, Harry didn't seem phased. His response was almost too polite. Tequila shots aren't cheap - I know, I work in a bar - and he's even offering to buy me any drink of my choice! I wonder how he earns his money.

"No, I'll take the shot, if that's okay." I tell the bar tender, who has given them both to Harry already.

"If you don't want to I-," Harry begins, but is cut off by me pouring salt onto the back of my hand, licking it, throwing my head back and gulping down the shot, and squeezing the slice of lime into my mouth. I slam the glass and lime peel down onto the bar top; looking unfazed by the burning in the back of my throat. I glance to Harry, who's jaw is hung wide open. Pure shock litters his face as his eyes are fixated on my blank expression.

"What?" I ask. "Never seen a girl heartbroken have a shot before?" I continue bluntly. I'm not sure where this sudden attitude change has come from but, I'm enjoying the confidence of it.

Harry snaps his jaw shut, as if he's offended by my question. He dampens his lips, rolling is bottom one under his teeth and biting down on it. The sides of his mouth pull into a sly grin and he shakes his head, as if he's disagreeing with himself. Before I could even ask what was so funny, he grabs the salt shaker and pours it onto the back of his masculine hand. He licks it up quickly, and forces the shot down his throat with an uneasy look on his face. The lime is now in his mouth, and his eyes squeeze shut as the sour juice go down his throat. Harry spits the lime peel out of his mouth and takes a deep breath in.

"I have no idea how you just did that so smoothly, but I applaud you for it." He teased, shaking his head still in disbelief at what I did. The next few moments were met with an awkward silence. I didn't know what to say, so I just looked out to the moon - admiring how white and pearly it was. My ears chime in to the same song playing on the speakers, and I start to quietly sing along.