Petal [h.s.]

Chapter 3

Violet.

I tried to keep my eyes strictly on Abby's face or at my drink as topless night was in full swing. The bar was busier than it was on Thursday, and I glanced down to my watch, seeing it was only 11 p.m. I had been here for six hours, all the while Abby was sneakily giving me free drinks. 

I slowly sipped on my beer, trying to stay sober in order to keep an eye on Abby. I could tell by the look on her face that she didn't feel particularly safe, but it was a job and I saw her confidence grow with every guy who complimented her 'fucking beautiful tits'.

A hand curled itself around me arm, tugging me slightly of the bar stool. I was met with Harry's cold eyes. "You can't keep sitting here, you're blocking the way for a lot of customers." 

I tugged my arm out of his grip. "I'm keeping an eye on my friend."

"You can still see here from the couch in the back. Trust me, view's pretty great." He smirked and I rolled my eyes. I mouthed a 'sorry' to Abby as Harry grabbed my arm once more and tugged me with him to the couch in the back. 

I saw the four other boys there too, only knowing Louis by name. He scared me a bit from when I noticed his mood changing so suddenly before, so I decided to sit on Harry's other side, between him and another one of his friends. 

"Your friend looks pretty up there." He commented, nudging his head in Abby's direction.

"It is actually better here, I can hardly see her. Blind as a bat." I responded, Abby only being a blurry blob for me from this distance. 

The familiar scent of weed filled my nostrils and I scrunched my nose up. I hated the smell of weed, it smelled like combination of urine and sweat and I could honestly never see the appeal in it. The blunt got passed around and I politely skipped and passed it on to the boy next to me when Harry handed it to me. 

"Right, got a narc here, boys." Harry smirked as he saw skip my turn in smoking.

"Not a narc. Not a cop." I corrected him, "And for the record, I really don't care what you guys do in here. I'm allowed to refuse. I'm only here for Abby."

"One time won't kill you, angel."

I cringed at the nickname more than I thought I ever could and my whole body shuddered in disgyst when the world rolled of Harry's lips. "You obviously don't understand how addiction works." I replied. 

My stance on substance abuse was firm. I had seen it too much, I had had too many kids cry in my arms as they crumpled under the weight of addiction. It was so much bigger than what anyone thought or what people stereotyped it as. It wasn't as simple as 'just get clean'. 

It defined everything and controlled all. One time could kill. Maybe not immediately, but it destroyed lives in the long run.

Harry and his friends chuckled around me. "I'm not addicted." He replied with a grin, shaking his head as if I had just muttered the stupidest words in the world. 

"Sure."

"I don't have to prove anything to you." He huffed.

"I didn't ask you to." I retorted, slouching back against the couch as I kept my eyes trained on the blurry person that was supposed to represent Abby. Harry didn't reply, only took a long drag before he handed it back to the boy next to me. 

It was silent then for a while, none of them really spoke or cracked jokes. Maybe they didn't get along as I suspected, or maybe they were just all as high as a goat.

After a few moments, I noticed Harry getting up from the couch and leaving to go upstairs. I assumed he was going to the bathroom, but he didn't return anytime soon. I didn't know why, but I felt even more uncomfortable with this group of people now that he was gone.