***
and I never wanted anything from you except everything you had and what was left after that too, happiness hit her like a bullet in the back
struck from a great height by someone who should know better than that
(^ Song kinda goes with the end of the chapter)
***
Vada
//
Our miles are high and so are our minds.
I'm grassed out and my best friend gets replaced by a bottle of whiskey mixed with coke slushies. Meanwhile, trouble's got loyalty to his white crushed up sin and every laugh he breaks and smile he makes is like the both of us.
Completely and utterly, fucked up.
"Can I have some?" I ask, all heavy eyes and out of my mind.
Harry smirks, full of mischief and bliss. "No, this shit is bad for you."
All night I drove and Harry wasn't kidding when he said he would let me take him anywhere. So anywhere to me is four hours away to Myrtle beach because it's the first thing that came to my mind.
The lights shine by the pier and a never ending carnival is a ghost town at five in the morning. The world spins by me in fast motions, my stomach turns but my laugh is loud as Harry and I spin ourselves on the only self-operating ride.
We sit in the large teacups and gravitate around and around. Colors of the world swoosh by and we're careless as we scream and laugh even though we're not even supposed to be here at all.
Dizzy and on the verge of puking, trouble pulls me close and kisses me like our lives depend on it, and I forget all about my upset stomach when he's this close to me.
With the night coming to an end, we sit on the hood of Harry's car, watching as the sun starts to rise in the horizon and for the first time all night everything is still.
Between the whiskey streaming through my empty stomach and the pot mixing up my foggy brain, I barely remember the spontaneous trip. But our conversations come back to me in broken moments.
"You're faint of any bruises," I tell him when he's close to me and I get a good look at his face.
"I've got other priorities lately," I watch him smile and it cures the ache in my heart when it comes to his addictions.
When we kiss and touch everything else that mattered before today never matters in the moments that we're together. I hold onto every breath and every pull while time is our worst enemy.
"What are you gonna do when I'm in New York?" I ask him.
"What, you think my life begins and ends with you?" His smirk is nothing but condescending. But there's the same thing that flashes in his eyes that was there in the library.
He begins again when he realizes. "It's whatever, V." he then shrugs.
With my eyes intent on his, I'm gathering all that he hides. "The album is gonna work out for you guys, you know that right?" I told him. "You're all genius talented, every single one of you. There's no way you're not gonna achieve everything you've been working for—"
"Yeah, well maybe that's the fucking problem," he looks over at me, frown deep and eyebrows furrowed. "Once we do have everything and there's nothing we haven't accomplished—" He pauses. "Then what?"
"You're scared." I confirm for him because it's obvious.
Green eyes are calculating over mine, and the boy who never admits his weaknesses drops his pride. "I'm fucking terrified," he admits.
It's quiet again for a moment and I consider giving him unrequited advice. But it's a loss of words when I'm in the same position of terrified.
So I tell him "Aren't we all?" and our conversation about meaningful things get lost in our blissed out minds.
With the sun fully awake, I can't keep my eyes open anymore and Harry carries me to the passenger's seat when our night trip is forced to seize.
"Don't say we have to leave just yet," I pleaded, half awake and half out of my mind.
"We've gotta get you back, Rose is probably freaking out," he assured, and I know he's more than right.
So we traveled the long roads and went right back to where we started like it never happened at all.
***
"This is absolutely torturous, but at least we look hot,"
Juliet and I stand together in front of the double mirror in the bathroom. While my best friend shines in a dark shade of velvet and floral, my sage green gown is spectacular as it hugs me in all the right places.
Silk and long with spaghetti tied straps, there's a beaded design down my torso and a slit in the right leg. The white three inch pumps on my feet make me a little taller and my hair is parted down the middle as it flows naturally in waves down my back. And with the exception of a bold red lip, my makeup is natural and light for the most part.
"It's your fault I'm being dragged into this mess," I grab my clutch off of the counter while Li fixes her gloss in the mirror.
"If I'm being dragged through hell, you already know you're coming with," She smiles slyly, her usual makeup dark and bold but her hair is different bright blonde as it washes away any trace of pink tips.
This afternoon was the Parker family's annual charity event hosted at their home and was always the biggest event of the season. Almost everyone from the town is attending and it's all that anyone has been talking about for the past few days.
"This used to be fun when we were kids," I stare at my reflection in the mirror as my eyes glaze over at Juliet's.
"Yeah, when our biggest problems were pigging out at the dessert table and stealing the booze from the open bar," She smiles, reapplying her lip gloss.
"Do you remember that one time when you pushed Jack's ex-girlfriend into the pool?" We share a laugh as we reminisce on simpler times.
Downstairs, Clara did a really good job of keeping the party outside. The kitchen crew is still completing final touches on dinner, and with the dessert guy MIA Juliet and I stick to our traditions as we steal cream puffs.
"I saw that," Jack is suddenly in front of us with the same sly smile his sister has and I'm surprised to see him back so soon.
Golden boy of his family looks familiar with a new suit on and even some dress shoes as his hair is touched with a new haircut and some gel to keep it in place.
"You're here," Juliet says in relief as the two siblings share an embrace.
"Mom would have my head if I didn't show up, you know that," He steals the cannoli out of his sister's hand.
"Dad is here you know," Li states and the two exchange the same knowing glances.
"Yeah," Is all Jack says before taking a bite out of the desert and glides his eyes over to me while he chews. "Keeping my sister out of trouble?" he smirks.
"I'm trying my best," I say with a slight grin as we all head towards the kitchen where more staff pass by us on the way there.
"Jesus, they seriously got security for this party like we're protecting the damn president or something." Juliet throws back a shot and Jack and I follow after her as the three of us need any kind of reinforcement to get through tonight.
"In this town, your dad is the president," I state with a laugh and we all cheers for that.
At exactly four o'clock, the guests arrive and the party starts, beginning with a sit down dinner in the backyard. I share a table with the Parker's as Juliet and I never leave each other's side. At the head of the table, Juliet's father, Lucas is at his wife's side with a preposterous smile and as his eyes meet mine he sends a friendly wink before going back to the conversation in front of him.
The large backyard is crowded with people. The low beats of a jazz song swim in the warm summertime air. Flowers and candle sticks are centerpieces at every table, and Juliet and I use the pedals as hair accessories. Forks and knives scrape across plates while laughter floats from different corners of the yard.
With only a few of our own peers who are way out of our own crowd, everyone at this party are strangers and I've only been wondering one thing since we got here.
"Est-ce que votre garçon va se montrer?" I speak to my best friend in our secret language when we are around those we do not trust.
Looking up from her plate of asparagus and steak, Juliet just shrugs. "Bientôt," Is all she says back, eyes glancing to her parents for a moment.
I look too and at the way Lucas keeps an arm around the back of Clara's chair, the two are perfect actors in their tight smiles and forced conversations. Secrets hide below the surface with this family, and its evident that they are the opposite of understanding differences.
"Vous ne leur avez pas parlé de lui, huh?" I assume what I already know.
"Forget it, Vada." My best friend tells me, standing up. "Let's dance," she begs, pulling me up from my chair.
With the tables now cleared, the music plays a more upbeat but still appropriate song, and no one here is drunk enough yet, or brave enough to start dancing. All of the suits are still sitting and Jack is at the bar with his father playing the perfect son he is supposed to be in front of his acquaintances.
But Juliet and I don't care about their social standards so we twirl each other in front of the jazz band, and the older group of talented gentlemen is not our usual crowd but we enjoy their music anyway.
And almost like the life of the party, Li and I set a trend as more people join us on the dance floor. Older couples pair up and little kids dance with each other. It's as much fun as we could get in a place like this, but it's like us to find it wherever we go.
When the sky is almost dark and the people of the older crowd start to head out, Lucas and Clara's closer friends stay behind and the pressure of needing the perfect party starts to wear off with every drink.
With tequila shots in our veins, our heels are off as my best friend and I dance with her brother and a few of his close hometown friends. We steal drinks from the bar and settle for the company of rich privileged college boys.
I'm stuck in a meaningless conversation with a blonde boy whose hair is too short and shirt is too clean. He smiles a perfect one and he thinks he's got me hooked with a few sweet words. I give in absentmindedly because I'm bored but the way I play him back is like a fiddle.
"You're beautiful you know," he tells me as we dance together.
I look up to clear blue that doesn't make me feel a thing. "Yeah," I let the tequila answer for me. "I know."
Between the bass floating through the sweet summer air and the voice of Juliet's laughter, I'm woozy and I never let anything matter when I'm this trouble-like-faded.
"You already know what I see when I look at you, I don't have to tell you." Harry's voice rings in my mind.
When I close my eyes, I see free roads to Myrtle beach and spinning around in tea cups and faded green eyes that make my heart a second faster.
Out of curiosity and a little bit of bitterness, I let the stranger in front of me lean down. And for a moment I make us both think I'm giving in because it's almost enough to make me forget.
But when commotion erupts, the smooth easy going party gets interrupted. One moment the dull event of rich strangers is all clinking champagne glasses, jazz music, and hollow laughter. And then at the sound of chaos, thrill and relief floats in my stomach, because I know exactly who is here.
Out of nowhere a flash of blonde and dumb are getting chased by one of the security guards through the backyard and the sound of their laughter sends a smile to my face.
Niall runs by with Louis right behind him and the crowd erupts in shocked gasps as they then run right into a waiter and crash drinks everywhere. They get away and just as security is running to catch them again Juliet steps forward.
"Wait, stop," She calls after them. "It's okay, I invited them here," She says, but they don't listen as they keep after the two misfits.
"Sorry we're late, had a bit of trouble getting in," Zayn's voice suddenly picks up out of nowhere and then Harry's not too far behind him.
Dressed down compared to the rest of the guests at the party, he's got a black button down that's loose on his chest and rolled up on his arms. Shades cover his eyes, his black jeans are baggy and his converse are dirty, but this boy stands out in the best way.
The two move in like black smoke and drown out any worries. They make their way over and when they reach us he doesn't smile wide when he catches my gaze like how Zayn does for Li, and he sure as hell doesn't greet me with a warm embrace like the in love couple from next to us does.
"You're here," I hear Juliet say to love and he smiles.
"Even the security dogs couldn't keep me out," He tells her, grabbing her hand and the two start to slow dance to the song that continues to float in the air around us.
Raising his shades to his head, I watch Harry's eyes go from mine to the blue ones from next to me, and the darkness in them clouds my mind. Pushing my luck I turn to the blonde who's name is Brett or something, and smile sweetly.
"Mind getting me another drink?" I ask him, looking up through my eyelashes.
Brett nods. "Sure," he agrees, eyes calculated on Harry as he walks by him.
Now alone in a room full of people, Harry steps forward with a never leaving gaze and lifts his hand like he is some sort of gentleman asking me to dance. Like we are like our coupled-up- pretending-to-be-complicated-friends.
But I take his offer anyway, and he slides his left hand to the middle of my lower back and I wrap my arm around his neck as we sway back and forth with ease.
Then he looks at me. I mean he really looks at me and when he sends me that smirk, lazy butterflies come alive. "Hey, trouble." I finally say.
"Hey, yourself, strawberry blonde." He says back, eyes glistening down my face, before leaning in so his lips are right next to my ear.
"This party is killer," He says sarcastically and I hear the smirk on his voice.
"But you're still here," I state the obvious.
"I didn't have a choice," he tells me. "Besides you're killing me in that dress so I guess I'm enjoying myself," He brings our eyes to meet as he spins me around once and pulls me back in.
"Are we sure this is safe?" I ask, looking around for any bewildered glances.
But as we dance, the party continues on and not even our best friends are paying attention as Juliet finally introduces her boy to her parents.
"Who cares," Harry shrugs, and under the darkening sky and glow of the yard lights, his eyes somehow shine.
"You're quite the heartbreaker though, aren't you?" He says after a few more beats and sways and I follow where his eye line goes.
Brett stands awkwardly a few feet away, my requested drink in hand and I probably should feel bad.
Looking back at Harry who holds me so tightly like I'm gonna fall apart in his arms, I smile as our faces align and our noses brush. "I guess I learned from the best," I say, just as our lip's barely brush and then I realize where we are and I snap out of it.
Leaning away from him, the next song picks up again as I look around for any curious gazes. But like always, I find none so I lean back in as I stand on my tippy toes to reach him.
"Merci pour la danse," My lips leave a red stain on his cheek but he doesn't wipe it away.
Green eyes glimmer across mine and his smirk is ominous. "Bring mir deine Sprache bei und ich bringe dir meine bei," The unfamiliar words roll off his tongue easily, and my eyes widen in a little bit of astonishment and a little bit of confusion.
"Was that German—"
"What the fuck?" Juliet's voice almost screams and it makes me pull away.
But she's not anywhere near us and I have to look through the crowd of a few people to find her as she stands with her parents and Zayn, but first introductions don't look like they are going well.
I watch as Lucas is talking quieter than his daughter, but the way his mouth pulls down as he speaks and how Clara stands very still with a disapproving glare clarifies my assumption.
I make my way over as Harry isn't too far behind and when we approach I hear the middle of the discussion.
"You're such a fucking cliche, dad." Juliet scoffs and despite being the usual indicator for disaster Zayn is keeping quiet.
"What's going on?" I cut in and Clara looks relieved when she sees that it's only me.
"He's actually trying to buy Zayn out," Juliet raises her voice again.
"Wait, what?" My eyes widen as I look at Juliet's father.
"He told me he'd give me 10k if I stayed away from Li," Zayn explains, and the glare he's burning towards Lucas is viscous.
"Well, did you take it?" I then hear Niall next to us, and look over to see him and Louis standing with drinks in their hands.
"Niall, what the fuck?" Juliet shoves his shoulder but he just laughs.
"How the hell did you two get back in here? I told my security to keep you out," Lucas steps forward towards the boys in an intimidating manner.
But Louis just laughs, blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "You mean you actually pay those fucking losers?" he questions with slight concern.
"Yeah, mate, you might want to hire someone who's brains aren't in their biceps," Niall adds.
And then within seconds the same two security guards arrive at the scene and before we can blink, Niall throws his drink at one of them while Louis downs his glass and they both are running off again.
"Jesus Christ," Harry mumbles. He starts to laugh, and I can't help mine either as we both cover our mouths with our hands.
"You gotta be quicker than that Fat Albert," Louis calls over his shoulder with Niall yelling more nonsense right after him as the party erupts in another pit of chaos.
Zayn then steps forward towards Lucas and right at eye level he smirks. "You can take your money and shove it right up your ass, you cheap motherfucker." He flicks the written check in his face and shoves past him.
Harry goes right after him with not as much a look in their direction. And with all four boys standing at the edge of the yard waiting for our move, we know that staying would mean one thing but going would mean another.
"Li, V, come on let's get the fuck out of here," Niall yells at us.
Looking over at Juliet as her mascara runs down her face, her parents start to scold her about the situation. But I don't let it go on any further because as soon as I take her hand our smiles match the same.
"Don't you dare go with them, Juliet—" Clara starts to say, going after her daughter.
"Juliet, I swear to God," Her father starts to say as he goes after us too but we're too quick.
We're running barefoot across her backyard past her confused brother and group of friends and past the crowd of strangers who have gathered with observant eyes as we meet up with the boys
who are cheering us on.
Juliet runs right into Zayn's arms and I run with Niall and Louis as Harry keeps in front of us towards their car.
"Don't work too hard now boys," Niall winks over his shoulder at the two security guards who stand at the Parker's front entrance.
"Thank you so much for a lovely evening," Louis calls out to them blowing air kisses before throwing an arm around my shoulder as we had out.
***
A/N
Vada's outfit on the left and Juliet's outfit on the right. <3