Liam fought his way through the crowds, drink in hand, scouring the nightclub for signs of Harry. Having been tipped off by Lou that he and Caroline were in the same room, plus Harry seemed to be drowning his sorrows in tequila, he thought it best to seek out his bandmate and play chaperone.
He sighed deeply when he saw Harry sitting in a corner, frowning into his drink, while crowds milled around him.
"H!", he called, approaching where he sat and raising his arm in greeting. Harry looked up with mild interest, and gave Liam a wide, exaggerated grin and wave.
"Hello!", he bellowed at his friend, holding up his arm to embrace him. Instead of sitting with him however, Liam hauled him to his feet, noting how Harry seemed unsteady on his feet, while his eyes were vacant and cloudy with alcohol.
"Come with me, mate", Liam shouted in his ear over the music. "I want a ciggie, come keep me company".
Harry nodded amiably and let Liam drag him through the crowd.
Someone stopped Liam to embrace him, and he let go of Harry's arm suddenly. Harry frowned and concentrated on focussing on Liam as he moved through the crowd without his physical guidance, suddenly aware of how drunk he felt. Suddenly she seemed to loom out of the crowd before him, a blurry vision of messy hair and sexily smeared lipstick on her glass of wine. Harry didn't know whether to groan or smile. Opting for the latter, as he shakily raised his arm in a wave.
"Curly!", Caroline exclaimed, throwing herself into his arms. He caught her readily, and held her to his chest, giggling into her thick hair for a minute before she pulled back. He could see that she was as drunk as him, and wondered fleetingly if it was for the same reasons as he, before dismissing such a thought. She was far too cool to be remotely nervous about being in the same room as him. Her haste earlier was definitely more apathy than anything else, he decided, smiling crookedly at her as she swayed in front of him.
"Hello, Legs", he smiled, calling her by her old nickname he had made up, watching as she closed her eyes momentarily.
"How are you, Curly?", she asked, sucking her drink through her straw and hiccupping. "Where is your beautiful girlfriend tonight?"
Harry raised his eyebrows, his nerves sobering him up momentarily, surprised at her question. "She, erm", he coughed. "She's at home. In Scotland", he confirmed, nodding slowly as Caroline mirrored him, never letting her lips leave her straw.
"H, where did you go?!", Liam was at his elbow suddenly, making him jump. "Hiya Caaaaz", Liam grinned before scooping Caroline up in a long hug. She giggled and swiped at him, while Harry watched, wishing his brain wasn't so fuddled with drink.
"Harry, c'mon mate, I need a smoke", Liam led him firmly away, while they both waved goodbye to Caroline, who abruptly turned back to her friends.
Harry breathed in the freezing London air as they stepped outside, sighing with relief as it seemed to sober him up even more. He threw himself down in a wrought iron chair and accepted the cigarette Liam offered him, lighting it, and inhaling appreciatively while his friend eyed him closely.
"What's happening then?", Liam asked casually, and Harry shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "Not having a good one? Missing Eilidh?"
Harry finally looked up at his friend with a grimace. "Yeah", he said finally.
"Bit of a mindfuck seeing Caroline", Liam probed, inhaling. It was more of a statement than a question.
Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Do you know what", he began, and Liam kicked a chair over to sit beside him, knowing his friend was going to finally divulge. "I just feel so, so weird without Eil. Like, I feel like we should want to be together during big occasions, but she always completely shoots me down. It's like one step forward and two steps back with that girl", Harry took a long drag of his cigarette, shaking his head as Liam listened carefully. "I take it too personally, I know I do", he added, and Liam sighed, picking his words carefully.
"Mate, I think theres a case for both sides to be honest", he said frankly, leaning back to look at Harry. "Yeah, I do think you take it personally, but she is your girlfriend, you are together...you don't really get more personal than that. At the same time... I think she is just a really cautious girl who has clearly been burnt in the past".
