smother. [h.s.]

2. eyes on fire

Ooh La La - Goldfrapp

I'm snapped out of my daze when I feel Leo's fingers pressing harshly into my waist, practically pinching the skin there. I turn my head around to him, quickly destroying any evidence of emotion that could easily be read on my face after locking eyes with Harry for what felt like far too long.

"What are we playing?" I ask, still shaking away remnants of that weird feeling swirling in my stomach.

"Kings," replies Noah from the other couch, twirling a lock of Alice's choppy black hair around in his fingers. Vincent gives him a dirty look, then begins straightening the deck of cards that had already been arranged into a circle around a large bottle of vodka. It isn't how this game is traditionally played, but we don't really care as long we end up drunk.

"I'll go first!" Sasha says, prying Ivan's hands off of her just for a moment so that she can lean over and grab a random card from the circle.

"It's a six, all the girls drink." She grabs the bottle by the neck and takes a small sip of it. I narrow my eyes at her, shaking my head lightly as she hands the bottle off to me and eagerly leans back into Ivan's lap.

"That was barely anything Sasha," I laugh, taking a large swig myself. I'm not sure where all our shot glasses are, this being more unhygienic than we usually are. Not that that really matters at the moment, but you know.

"It was plenty!" she insists back to me. 

Sasha is a bit of a lightweight, and poking fun at her is just part of our friendship. I like that about Sasha. We don't have to tiptoe around each other, scared to say the wrong thing. We always feel at ease with each other, no matter how different our personalities are.

I scrunch my face up as the vodka doesn't go down as smoothly as I had hoped, letting out a couple of coughs before handing it off to Alice, the third girl in the group. Looking over at her, I finally notice her look for the evening. Her thin bangs cascade down her forehead perfectly and frame her round face. She's wearing a white lace sleeping gown that she cropped herself, giving it some extra edge while still staying true to her soft look. Beside her, Noah and Vincent watch her every move with adoration. Alice has them wrapped around her little finger.

I can hear Sasha snickering at me from my side and I pretend I don't hear her, wiping off the remaining liquid from my bottom lip with my glove.

All this time, I can feel his unrelenting stare boring into me. I don't dare look back.

I start to become hyperaware of every small movement I make. I'm conscious of the way my shoulders are positioned and the way my hair is tucked behind my ears in a lopsided way. My arms feel useless, I need to be constantly doing something to distract myself. Even the way I suck air in— I am too cognizant of the pattern, the up and down of my chest. My skin feels burning hot.

I wish he would look away already. I feel too exposed, like he can see right through me.

I push my racing thoughts aside, remembering that it's my turn, and quickly snatch a card from the table.

"I got an eight, pick a mate to drink with," I mumble, already past tipsy. The drinks from earlier were setting in, giving me the confidence to scan across the room slowly until I lock eyes with him again.