Harry Styles
"Okay, round of shots for everyone," Niall announces to the group of us around the bar. "In celebration of course."
"You're destined to rack up that tab as much as you can, aren't you?" Dez says on the other side of the counter, grabbing out the shot glasses.
"Dez, if he wants to pay for our shots, let him." Liam cackles next to Niall.
"And what are we celebrating?" She grabs the Grey Goose off the shelf, talking over the music and the volume of the bar.
"Well...it's a Monday night." Niall shrugs, switching his hat around so it's backwards on his head.
"And?" Louis furrows.
"Monday is usually the worst day of the week for usual nine to five working people. It's only right we celebrate on their behalf." He pulls some random excuse out of his ass.
I smile and shake my head to myself, sitting reserved on the barstool between Niall and Louis.
"You can just say you want to take a shot with everyone, not pull a lame excuse out your ass." I reason.
Niall throws his arms over my shoulder and pulls me into him. "Life's always a celebration, baby."
He plants a kiss on my cheek to where I shrug him off of me and roll my eyes. Dez starts dishing out the clear shots, putting one in front of me. Everyone picks them up in preparation.
"Where's Scar?" Liam turns his head around the busy bar.
Dez looks around, holding two shots because one is for her. I watch as her eyes spot her through the crowd behind us, nodding her over. Eventually, Scarlett comes running behind the counter with an empty saucer tray.
"We're taking a shot?" She grabs it from Dez's hand.
"According to Niall."
"Raise em' up." Niall holds up his glass so we all do the same. "To Monday!"
Everyone mumbles under their breath, not really agreeing with the dedication to the shot. The bottom of my glass hits the table before I bring it to my lips and toss it back.
The cold water washes down my throat, being a lot easier than any real shot I've ever taken. It's kind of lame of me to take water shots when everyone has vodka, but Dez started doing it for me over time. I guess she doesn't want me to feel left out considering Niall wants to take shots every ten minutes.
Dez and I never really patched up the issue from Saturday. I feel bad I lashed out at her. I can tell she's annoyed with me but a part of her is just moving on. I want to make it right but I don't know how. I was never one for apologies.
I've only genuinely apologized to three people in my life;
My father, for always doing things wrong.
Bethany, for never being enough.
And Aven, for evidently ruining her life.
As everyone finishes the shot, I see Dez's eyes narrow across the bar behind our backs. Her eyebrows furrow.
"Uh...Harry," She murmurs while keeping her eyes moving on someone seeming to get closer.
"What?" I say from my seat on the other side of the counter.
"I think you have a visitor—"
I suddenly feel a hand tangle in the roots at the back of my skull, yanking it so my head cocks back and I'm looking up at the ceiling. Before I even think to react, my eyes meet a pair of blue hiding behind smoky eyeshadow and eyeliner. Keeping a firm grip in my hair, I'm rewarded with the off-putting sight of Aven standing behind me. She accompanies a tight jaw and daggers for eyes. Even upside down, she looks just as angry.
A smile pulls up my face.
"Well, if it isn't my darling wife."
A big part of me is very shocked she's here. But it just goes to show that Dez and Scarlett were telling the truth about her being here the other day. She must've taken a wild guess when looking for me. Lucky for her, I'm here almost every night.
"I need to have a word with you." She states sternly as if this isn't so out of the ordinary that she's here.
"Are you going to let go of my hair?"
She glares her eyes before letting go so my head isn't forced back anymore. I tilt it back up to see everyone dead silent about this situation, probably all shocked they're seeing her casually in Dez's bar.
Aven barely makes eye contact with anyone before storming off to the hallway in direction of the restrooms. Everyone's head follows her walk, hypnotized until she's out of sight.
"Well," I get off the barstool and pat the counter. "I guess that's my cue."
"How'd she know you'd be here?" Liam asks.
"Probably a guess." I shrug.
"I'm sorry, but she's still so sexy to me and I can't believe you married her." Scarlett shakes her head in awe.
I pull away from the counter and walk over to the bathroom hallway, running my hair back and taking a wild guess as to which bathroom she chose. I push through the first one to luckily spot her leaning against the sink counter with her arms crossed and an entity of frustration in her eyes.
I saunter in, the door swinging shut behind me. I walk to the opposing wall, leaning my back against it with my fingers digging in my jean pockets. I cross one leg over the other, smiling at her across the small room.
"And what do I owe the pleasure?"
"You've crossed the line." She is quick to jump down my throat.
"How so?"
"You showed up at my fucking house?" She snaps like she's been waiting for this moment to confront me.
I furrow my brows, pulling out my pack of cigarettes. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play that shit," she shakes her head. "You think this is some game, Harry? How reckless can you be!"
I chuckle while keeping my eyes down on the cigarette I'm drawing out of the pack, bringing it up between my lips while fishing for the lighter.
"I never went to your house, baby. You must have me confused with someone else." I mumble between the cigarette, bringing a flame up to light the end.
"I looked you right in the eye!"
"Did you now?" I take in the first drag, tucking the pack back in my pocket and meeting eyes with her again. She stands with her arms crossed, hair pushed back, a long leather jacket and tall stilettos like usual.
"Enough, Harry." She makes clear. "This attempt to get in my head and mess with me isn't going to work."
"No? Because it seems I've already riled you up." I grin, blowing out smoke from the corner of my mouth before continuing. "For someone that doesn't feel anything, it's interesting to see how flustered you get."
"I'm not flustered, I'm pissed off."
"Still counts as something."
She clenches her jaw. "Showing up at my father's estate is a very messy move and you know it."
"Would you like to go on a walk with me?" I smile while my eyes simmer in curiosity.
She blinks, falling confused as her arms tighten from my change of subject.
"What?"
"A walk. Get some fresh air." I shrug mid-drag.
"Not a chance."
"Oh c'mon, I'll let you keep yelling at me for allegedly breaking into your house." I try to persuade.
"You did break into my house." She corrects.
"Allegedly." I correct.
"Oh my g—" she throws her head in her hands from frustration, cutting herself off. I smile between the cigarette, pushing my weight off the wall to slowly walk across the small bathroom. Hands in my jean pockets, I venture up to her body against the counter.
"You're very tense tonight," I examine while smelling her perfume mixing with my tobacco. "I've missed the feeling of getting under your skin a little. Reminds me of the old days."
She removes her hands from her face and looks up at me, turning her head to the side the second she realizes how close I stand.
"You give me a headache."
"Just the head?" I smirk with a tilt.
She looks back up at me, keeping her jaw clenched in a guarded state. Even though she's clearly angry at me, I love getting to stand here and talk to her. We can bicker all night, I just want to hear her voice.
"And what happened to your fucking face?" She looks at the bruises under my eyes.
"Dez clocked me in the nose, thanks to you." I bring the cigarette to my lips again, one hand staying my pocket.
"How is that thanks to me?"
"Because you tricked me into thinking my friends were secretly on your father's side." I blow.
"Oh, so you were an asshole?" She folds her arms together.
"Maybe." I smugly shrug. "You wanna get out of here now?"
"Can you stop with that?" She pushes me back by my hips so I'm forced to take a few steps. I smile cockily, folding my hands together behind my back.
"Where's your boyfriend?" The cigarette moves as I talk.
"That doesn't concern you."
"He doesn't know you're here, does he?" I smirk.
She stays silent, eyes veering off to the side before rolling into her head.
"Ah," I nod knowing I'm right. "Ms. Mariana is sneaking behind her bodyguards back to go mingle with the enemy, huh?"
She shakes her head and storms past me in direction of the door. "You're nauseating."
Her shoulder whacks mine in passing, her sweet scent gusting against me in a gentle breeze. I stay in spot, grinning to myself as she pushes through the bathroom door to leave. I draw the cigarette out between my lips and turn around. Smile on my face, slight pep in my step—I follow her out of the bathroom. I've gotten a rise out of her, it brings me joy.
"Consider this a warning." She says in exit.
Instead of going back through the bar, she heads right towards the back exit that will take her to the alleyway. She pushes through the door and starts walking up the long flight of stairs, a narrow stairwell with posters plastered on every inch of the wall, the warm lighting so dim that you can barely see.
Walking behind her up the stairs, her head turns back to realize I'm following her. She shakes her head before looking forward again.
"Go back to your friends, Harry." Her monotone echo chants through the stairwell.
"We're going on a walk, no?"
"I told you that isn't happening."
"Okay fine," I shrug while still following her up the steps. "I'll go on my own walk then, it'll be nice to clear my head."
"And where will that be?"
"That doesn't concern you." I play. "Just pretend I'm not here."
She pushes through the graffitied steel door at the top of the concrete steps, exiting the building and walking down the alleyway. Instant police sirens and screeching tires echo through the city like background noise, her hands digging into her leather coat pockets as she strides down the concrete.
I pull the cigarette between my lips, blowing out smoke while walking a metre in her trail. I have no idea where she's going, it may be to her car parked in front of the bar. I'll just have to find out.
Getting out to the street, she turns right. Following her, I turn right as well. She passes through the stray drunk people hanging outside the bar, smoking and laughing. She weaves through them easily while a few guys can't help but stare a little too long. I tilt my head down and suck on the cigarette that's almost at its end, making it through the crowd as it clears out to the regular sidewalk.
Her hair blows in her pace, an angelic wind. I can't help but grin to myself when watching her walk, her assertive pace, her confident nature. Only a metre behind, I can't help admire her essence.
"You're following me." She states without even turning her head back to look at me.
"I'm just going on my nightly walk, it's not my fault you happen to be heading in the same direction as me." I shrug.
"And you think I believe that?"
"I thought I told you to pretend I'm not here?" I smirk in mischief form a metre behind her.
I see her shake her head, turning down another street as I do the same in her trail. I take the last suck of my cigarette before tossing it to the asphalt, eventually blowing out the smoke. We walk in silence for a moment, me behind her but keeping my distance because I'm a gentleman. Turning down a few dark streets, she suddenly makes a harsh veer into a convince store.
She pulls open the glass door covered in worn-down advertisements and stickers, entering the small shop. I grab the door myself and join after her.
A coldly lit store with buzzing vending machines mixed with a hum of a football game playing on the cashier's tiny tube TV. He barely glances at us as we walk in, too invested in the game.
Aven is already halfway to the back of the store, passing the small isles and heading towards the fridges. I follow her back there, my eyes catching a bin of jelly beans. I grab a small handful in passing. Looking down at the colourful assortment, I catch up to her standing in front of the drinks like she is trying to decide what to get.
She's a cute little soda drinker.
As she stands there reading all the bottles, I lean my side against one of the glass doors while scavenging through the jelly beans. I toss a couple in my mouth, the sweet confection satisfying my tastebuds. Looking at her side profile, I watch as her eyes dance across the labels, skin glowing a blue tint from the cold fridge lights. She doesn't bother looking at me even though I'm right next to her.
"You know what's amusing about all of this?" I keep my causal lean against the fridge, tossing a jelly bean in my mouth.
She ignores me.
"You haven't whipped out your gun and threatened to kill me." I smile while chewing.
"Yet." She keeps her eyes on the bottles, eventually finding the one she likes and pulling open the fridge.
"I call that progress." I cockily point with my index finger.
She chuckles in disbelief, grabbing out a glass bottle of cherry coke. "You keep telling yourself that."
"Oh, I will." I toss the remaining few jelly beans in my mouth, feeling the stale candy cement my molars.
She shuts the fridge and is vast to start pacing away. Quickly, I open the door back up and grab out a glass bottle of Sprite. Once retrieved, I walk back through the aisles and in direction of the cashier she's standing in front of. Digging for her form of payment, I walk up and put my bottle next to hers as well as a crumpled five-dollar bill.
"I got it," I say to her as the cashier takes my five.
She clenches her jaw and freezes mid-scavenge, obviously pissed I'm paying for her soda. I keep my cocky smirk as she yanks her bottle off the counter and looks back at the cashier.
"He stole some jellybeans." She turns around to leave.
My face falls.
His eyes bounce to mine, face going tense like he's about to act on my minor shoplifting. I turn my head back to see Aven almost at the door.
"No one likes a snitch!" I shout.
She flips me off without even looking at me, pushing through the door and leaving.
I turn my head back at the cashier, awkward silence falling between us. I eventually speak.
"They were stale as shit anyw—"
"Get out of my store, now." He mutters.
I quickly snatch the bottle of Sprite as I turn around and hurry to the door. I'm sure he's not gonna call the cops on a few jellybeans but I rather get away from here just in case.
"And don't come back!" He shouts as I push out the door and back on the street.
My head turns to see Aven not far, briskly walking with her glass bottle gripped down by her side. I jog over to catch up, this time walking next to her rather than behind her. Her pace is fast, it's a lot to keep up with.
"That was unnecessary and annoying."
"Says the one following me around." She says under her breath, taking the soda bottle into her mouth and popping the cap off with her molars. She spits the cap out on the street.
"I told you, I'm going on a wal—wait..." I look around the street as we continue to pace. "Where are you even going?"
"Doesn't concern you."
"Don't you have a car or something?" I point out considering we've been walking for a while now.
"Shouldn't you know? You did break into my house and all."
"I never admitted to that."
"Don't have to." She continues to be short with me, bringing the bottle to her lips to take the first sip. She hasn't once looked me in the eyes since we left the bar.
She suddenly ventures towards a subway entrance, heading down the long flight that will take her underground. I furrow my brows, reading the subway line and watching her hurry herself down the steps. Confused but interested, I continue to follow her.
Subway? Why is she taking the subway? Did she seriously not drive here? Her house is out of the city.
Hurrying down the concrete steps, the air gets thicker as we get to the bottom. Our steps echo as she quickly strides through with the soda bottle down by her side. She follows the path that leads to turnstiles requiring payment to access the trains.
I watch her put her drink down on the steel dividers before leaping over the bars so she's on the other side without having to pay. I smile to myself at how effortless it was for her. I do the same thing, leaping over the turnstile with both of my hands on the dividers. Once on the other side, I catch up to her with my unopened soda bottle in my hand.
"So, why the subway?"
"Are you seriously still here?" She steps up to the tracks, a train coming our way.
She stops walking while waiting for the train, bringing her soda bottle to her lips and watching it come in.
"I've never taken the Mariana to be a subway rider," I smirk.
"Well, there's a lot you don't know about me."
"Like what?"
She stays silent, taking a swig from her bottle and keeping her eyes glued to the incoming train.
"Oh c'mon, I'm a great listener." I nudge her lightly.
She ignores me as the train pulls up and stops with one of the doors right in front of us. It slides open after a few seconds, Aven stepping in as I follow. It's not extremely full given the time of night, so getting a seat seems very realistic. She walks down the tight space, sitting down at a two-seater but purposely in the aisle seat so I can't sit next to her without being a nuisance.
Luckily, I don't care about being a nuisance.
I walk over to the seats behind hers, stepping on the chair itself just so I can step over the back of it and onto the seat between her and the window. She stares at me like I'm an idiot, embarrassingly climbing over the chairs. Once I slump down, I let out a satisfying exhale. She shuts her eyes and tosses her head back like she's absolutely fed up with me.
"Can you open this?" I hold up my glass bottle.
"I'm gonna lose my mind." She keeps her eyes pinched in stress.
"I can't do the molar thing."
"Can you leave me alone!" She opens her eyes and looks straight at me for what feels like the first time in a while.
And just like that, everything goes quiet, Av.
Your eyes stayed on mine for a moment, our heads turned to each other. In silence, I realize this is the first time we were making real eye contact since the bar. Your eyes were so blue in this fluorescent subway light, the only thing that's still the same about you lately. In pure stillness, we gape into each other's eyes while sitting side by side on the train. Despite how frustrated you were with me, I slowly smiled due to how easy it is to forget about all the hard stuff when I'm staring so longingly into your eyes.
"Do you still wear contacts?" I whisper the only thing I can think to say in this moment of connection.
She stares at me, our shoulders touching.
She slowly shakes her head. "Laser eye surgery."
A wave of pure warmth washes over me. It creates a comfort deep in my chest, something I haven't felt in a long time. It's not because of her answer, it's because she did answer. It wasn't a petty comeback or an eye roll. She answered as if for once, we are truly just having a normal conversation.
I nod gently, even though the answer itself makes me sad.
"Did they make you do that?"
She breaks the eye contact, looking ahead and ignoring my follow-up question. From there, I know I lost her. But it doesn't matter, I felt something in her this time. Even if it was just for a second, she allowed herself to let her guard down. It wasn't a question to interrogate either, it was just a regular question about her eyes.
She sips her bottle, swallowing gently before bringing it back down between her knees.
I glance down at our legs—my ripped jeans next to her polished bare legs. Hers lead down to expensive black heels whereas mine lead down to scuffled black Converse with worn holes along the sole. She sits with poise and an aroma of expensive scents. Where I, smell like cigarettes. Our legs don't touch, there's a few inches between them especially when she has hers folded and slightly tilted away from mine.
My eyes narrow on her hands holding her bottle, and from there I realize something very prominent.
"Where's your tattoo?" I furrow my brows.
She turns her head to me. "What?"
"Your tattoo—" I grab her hand and bring it over to my lap so I can look. The skin is clear of it like I never put it there, to begin with. Before I get to analyze it too much, she yanks her hand back in reflex. She stuffs it between her thighs, not wanting me to touch her. Her legs only veer further away from mine.
I look back at her face to see it turned away, staring up at the subway map.
"Where is it?" I ask again.
She doesn't answer.
"Aven."
She brings the bottle back to her lips, sipping it as it's almost at its end. Ignoring my question, I try to search my brain for what could've happened to it. But I'm just becoming more confused.
She launches from her seat as we pull up to a stop, the doors opening as she's already rushing her way through them and off the train. I get up from my chair and saunter out before the doors shut.
She paces towards the stairs taking her out of the subway. Holding the bottle in my hand, I follow her out with a slight pace so I don't lose her. I watch her toss the rest of the drink back before chucking the glass bottle in a passing garbage can. Hurrying up, we emerge into the dark street as she heads towards a black sports car parked on the side of the road.
"Ah," I smile as the puzzle clicks. "I get it now. You were afraid they could track your car to me."
She doesn't answer as she pulls out her keys and presses the button that unlocks the vehicle. Right as she reaches the door, I reach her first. I grab her hips and flip her around so her backside hits the exterior, body facing mine. I keep a firm grip, holding the neck of the Sprite bottle between my two fingers at the same time. She tenses up, looking into my eyes through her heavy eyelashes.
"I've had a nice time tonight." I smile. "You wanna do it again sometime?"
She furrows her brows.
"This was fun for you?"
"The highlight of my year." I nod.
Staring up at me, silence falls between us on the side of the road. Pressing her back against her car door, I swear this is a moment where she's going to say something genuine, something real. Her eyes eventually fall between us, tracing to my chest and ending at my hands gripping her sides.
But, instead she shoves them off her so I'm forced to release, my body staying in front of hers but no longer touching. I keep my hands down by my sides. Her eyes meet mine again—cold, dark.
"Don't make me get brutal, Harry."
I stare and a deadlocked expression, her words nonetheless leaving my brain curious and intrigued. It's a threat, I know it's a threat. But threats coming from her lips effect me differently than any one else.
Without breaking eye contact, she snatches the Sprite bottle out of my grip and brings it up between us. The cap of the bottle guides into the left side of her mouth. I hear the carbonated air release from the bottle as she cracks open the top with her molars. She then pulls out the bottle, smoke coming off the edge as she hands it to me. Spitting the cap out, she still manages to do it with grace.
Fuck.
The second I have the bottle back in my hand, she turns around and opens the car door to slide in. Without sharing another word, I watch her get into the driver's seat and slam the door shut. The tinted windows mask her from my eyes. In a matter of seconds, the expensive engine revs off and she's flooring down the street to leave me in her dust.
Standing alone on the side of the road, I watch her car speed off down the night street until whipping a corner out of my sight. A grin turns up my face, staring down the concrete as I slowly bring the glass bottle to my lips.
The fizzy drink valleys down my throat as I endure the rewarding first sip of my soda.
//
:')