The next day at rehearsals Harry joined us through the session. We began running through the set list in order so Harry could make adjustments as he wished.
"Let's run through Medicine? I want to give Townes a chance to play with the instrumentals on the keys." He winked at me and I smiled, finding my sheet music for the song.
I switched my keyboard to the proper setting, fingering the keys to see what I was working with. We began playing and Harry grabbed the mic in front of him with both hands, holding it close to his mouth as he sang the words into it.
He drummed his fingers on the mic, moving his hips to the beat. His biceps flexed in a way that made you wish you were wrapped up in them. He seemed to purr the words out, when his gazed moved to mine.
"I had a few, got drunk on you and now I'm wasted. And when I sleep, I'm gonna dream of how you tasted." He sang at me, winking as he said the last word, before breaking our gaze.
I couldn't help the flush that spread on my face, and I looked down, concentrating on what I was doing. He finished off the song and we kept moving through the set list, jumping around whenever Harry felt like it.
When we were done, everyone began packing up, Mitch clearing his throat, "Since we have nothing on schedule tomorrow, let's grab dinner and drinks tonight?"
"Ooo, some family bonding." Pauli wiggled their eyebrows and we laughed, "You really get to know a person when they're under the influence. What you say, Hazza?"
"I'm in. Townes, you're going." He said peeking over at me.
"Was that a question or a command?" I said crossing my arms, shifting my weight to one hip.
"How ever your want to take it." He shrugged, smiling smugly.
I rolled my eyes, looking over at Mitch, "I'll be there."
Mitch laughed, looking over at Sarah, "Alright, we will find the place."
—
I pulled up the strap on my red dress, looking over my shoulder in the mirror trying to decide whether or not to wear my bralette. I turned back biting my lip and deciding against it, taking it off and throwing it to the side.
A knock came from my door and I turned to it, lifting my eyebrows. I walked over, putting the small door block on before opening it a bit and there stood Harry.
"So not only are you obsessed, but you're a stalker as well." I smirked before closing the door to remove the door block, opening it up for him. I walked away as he walked in, picking up my purse on the couch and looking for my hair clip.
"So what are you doing here anyway?" I said pulling out my clip and twisting my hair up into a bun, letting a few piece out in the front to frame my face.
"I thought we could get an early start on the night." He said, and as I turned to him, he waved a small bottle of tequila in front of me.
"Oh, so it's that kind of a night." I said smirking.
"Yes Miss Townes, scared?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me.
"Of tequila? Never, of you, a little." I chuckled and he made his way over to the kitchenette, pulling out two glasses and pouring what was for sure two shots worth in the glass as he spoke.
"Oh, but why of me? I don't bite.....every time." He turned smugly at me handing me the glass and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the gesture. I bit my lip taking the glass, and quickly shooting it to the back of my throat. The burn familiar, the heat in my chest warming my body up.
"Well that's rude, we were meant to take them together. No man—yes yes I know, no manners, just shush and pour me another. That was just the warm up shot, now comes the one I was meant to take with you." I teased just a bit and he sucked his lower lip between his teeth before releasing it and pouring me another.
"You know, you really intrigue me Townes." He said as he handed me the glass.
"I have that effect." I said, leaning the glass towards him. He clinked his against mine, and as we went to take the shot, I quickly blurted out, "Eye contact or bad sex."
He closed his eyes as we took the shot and I tilted my head at him, licking the taste of tequila off my lips.
"Bad sex and Harry Styles, never go hand in hand. Not possible." He said so smugly, yet it drove a rush of heat through me that knocked the sass right out of me.
I simply shrugged, placing my glass down and turned to gather my things so we could leave. I took a deep breath to myself, suddenly feeling not drunk off the tequila, but slightly drunk off his words.
—
We had decided on sushi, and sat in a restaurant fancier than anything I had ever step foot in. Don't get me wrong, my parents had money, and it was constant country club this and country club that, but it wasn't this.
Harry had ordered saki bottles for the table and we were four shots in each. Mitch and Harry were talking over each other, arguing over different versions of a story. The rest of us were cracking up and I was holding on to my stomach watching the two.
"No, no, you went up to the random girls first then you realized they were your exes friends after the fact." Mitch yelled.
"No, no, it's all a lie!" Harry yelled, his voice slightly slurred.
They both laughed, "Saki to settle we both have shit memories!" Mitch said serving more saki. Sarah looked at me with wide eyes and I shrugged, lifting my shot glass at Sarah. She shrugged laughing and serving us and Pauli some as well.
"So we should head out if we want to go get more drinks, before these two can't handle anymore." Sarah said pointing to Mitch and Harry, I couldn't help but laugh.
"I agree with Sarah on this one." I smiled over at Harry and he glared at me causing me to snicker.
"I'm actually going to bed friends, let the four of you explore the city." Pauli said.
"But Pauli you wanted the family bonding!" I exclaimed and he leaned over to me.
"I think I've seen all I need to see." He whispered and I leaned pressing my forehead on his chuckling.
"Save yourself." I teased and we both laughed further.
"Hey, hey, hey, secrets don't make families." Harry exclaimed and Pauli and I turned to him shrugging and laughing.
We paid and made our way out of the restaurant, waving bye to Pauli as he went the opposite way as us. I crossed my arms in front of me tight against my body watching Sarah and Mitch in front of Harry and I. They were being so flirty and touchy, and it warmed my heart.
"They're cute." I said softly, turning towards Harry who was also watching them.
"He's so smitten with her. When we first started rehearsals, he just slowly saw nothing but her. He's be so distracted until he finally got the courage to ask her out." He chuckled and I smiled.
"That's too funny." I bit my lip as Mitch took her hand as we walked. Mitch looked over his shoulder as us, pointing at a house up ahead.
"Now they are having a night." He said and I looked over at the house. People seemed to be waiting to even get in the party, a small line forming around the house, the music blaring.
"We should join them." I said and Harry looked at me raising an eyebrow.
"We can't just walk in on a house party." He said, looking at me in disbelief. I looked over at the house and back at him.
"Watch me." I said, walking backwards, away from him.
Harry's POV
I watched her walk backwards away from me, she took her hair out of the clip and tossed it to me. I caught it and watching her blonde hair settle on her bare shoulders just let me know she meant business.
She gave a quick smirk before turning around and moving quickly towards the house. Mitch looked over at me and I shrugged, laughing a bit.
I turned back to the house watching her talk to the men at the door. I watched as she ran her fingers through her hair, tugging softly at it. The men smiled at each other, then looked back at her. She turned and pointed towards us and we watched as she kept talking.
I couldn't help but laugh when she turned towards us, waving us over with her hand. Mitch's face dropped and he started laughing, "Where did you find this one Haz?"
"A bar in LA?" I said shrugging and we quickly made our way over to her.
"Oh shit you weren't kidding, it really is Harry Styles." One of the men said, hitting the other on the chest.
"I told you I don't lie." Townes said, batting her long lashes and I suddenly felt jealous as I watched him tap her nose.
"I guess you don't. Don't forget, you owe me a dance later." He said, biting his lip at her.
"Only if you can find me." She said turning around to us, "Come on let's go." She reached for my hand, taking her clip with the other and pulling me into the party.
Inside was your normal house party, drinks everywhere, the smell of weed in the air and there was dancing and drinking games. We all made our way to the drinks, and I turned to watch Townes. She let go of my hand twisting her hair up, clipping it out of the way. I caught a glimpse of her tattoo and remembering the man at the door, I reached up and ran my thumb softly along it, wrapping my hand softly around the nape of her neck.
She turned and looked at me, her eyes narrowing at me a bit. I traced the butterfly tattoo with my thumb, and I couldn't help but smile as I felt her get chills, "I like this one."
"It's the only one I'm ever going to get, so it's my favorite." She said, and I chuckled.
"Spend enough time with me and you'll have a couple more." She rolled her eyes and we laughed. Sarah and Mitch came over carrying shots and I let go of her to give them my attention.
As the night went by, we kept drinking and playing games. Sarah and Townes left often to go dance, leaving Mitch and I behind. I felt bad with the amount of times Mitch kept having to repeat himself with me, as my attention went back to Townes dancing consistently.
Mitch and I got lost in conversation about the set list when Sarah made her way over to us, wrapping her arms around Mitch's waist, "Townes got a little busy, so I decided to give her space." She said tilting her head towards the dance floor.
I glanced over and there was Townes, her hair down again, her body pushed against the man from the front door. I tried to move my eyes but I couldn't, and the more I stared the more envy took over me. Her hazel eyes eventually fell on my gaze, and she bit her lip, as she kept dancing on him. Her gaze never leaving mine, her body never missing a single rhythm.
I took a deep breath turning to Mitch and Sarah, "Excuse me." I said before making my way through the party. I couldn't remember the direction of the door, so I headed down a semi empty hall when I heard her voice behind me.
"Harry, Harry wait."
Townes' POV
Sarah and I dancing around made me miss Tasha, a lot, but I had to push the thought out of my mind and enjoy the moment. As Sarah and I danced, I felt a hand slip around my waist and when I looked over my shoulder it was the man from the door.
"You found me." I smirked and he nodded.
"I wasn't going to let you get away." He said, as we began moving to the rhythm of the music. I turned to Sarah who laughed and waved bye with her fingers, making her way over to the boys.
I danced with the man, when my gaze moved up to Harry's. I felt his green eye barring into me. I couldn't move my gaze as I bit my lip, not stopping my movements. As I watched Harry, his face changed slightly and he turned to Sarah and Mitch before walking off.
I followed him with my gaze and stopped dancing, stepping forward slightly, "Everything okay?" I heard the man say.
"Yeah...I just gotta. Yeah." I said, walking away from him without another word following Harry. He made his way down a hallway and I followed calling out to him, "Harry, Harry wait."
I caught up to him, and he quickly moved to back me into a wall, his body so close to mine, "What?" He said, his brows furrowed, his jaw so tense.
I had never seen him like this. Sure, I had only known him a short while, but a darkness seem to have spread through him. I searched his face, swallowing then searching his eyes, and something in me drove me body towards his, leaning up to kiss him, but he pushed me gently on the wall.
"As always, no manners. Never taking the time to ask permission first." He said, holding my chin between his thumb and index finger.
"Then can I kiss you, Harry." I said, my chest rising and falling, as my breath grew uneven. He leaned in close to my ear, his breath hot along my butterfly tattoo, his scent of tobacco and vanilla taking over my senses.
"You're missing the most important word, Carolina." He whispered and I bit my lip, hearing the pleading sound of my voice that followed.
"Please."
He pulled back, searching my eyes before, wrapping his fingers in the hair at the nape of my neck, the cold of his rings hitting against my neck. He pulled me in rough against him, kissing me deeply, his tongue wasting no time in finding mine.
His other hand squeezed tightly at my waistline, he balled up my dress in doing so. I gripped at his shirt as we kissed, and the moment he pulled away, I wanted him back on my lips. He looked at my face and chuckled, releasing my hair and moving his fingers down my neck and along my collarbone.
"Time to go home, Townes." He whispered and I shook my head, as he bit his lip at me nodding.