Anchor {h.s}

twenty-four

I had always enjoyed bars more than clubs. Clubs were loud and filled with overflowing testosterone douchebags. But bars, there was something about the ambiance, the people you met and the simple fact that I could hear the people I was talking to; in this case, Niall. 

It was around 8 pm, a little early to be out in a bar for most people, but it was perfect to me. The fact that the bar wasn't crowded, made me enjoy it even more. The music was muffled in the background, people chatted to the people around them. It wasn't too loud, it was just perfect. 

Niall and I were sat in a far corner of the bar, putting us aside from everyone. There was a dim light above us, just enough to allow us to see each other, and a tall pitcher between the two of us on the table, half empty. It was the first time that Niall and I saw each other, just the two of us, outside of the job. However, I didn't fear the possible awkwardness, because Niall had this thing about him, which made everyone around comfortable. We hadn't known each other for years, but it surely felt like it. We both worked a lot and we also had a lot of shifts together, and over time I had come to truly appreciate his company, not just because he was a colleague. 

However, when Niall and I had arranged a night out on Friday, I knew that it was meant for me to talk. Niall had hinted that alcohol helped forget and at the time that's exactly what I wanted. Right now, I knew I had a decision to make and I wanted the weird state of mind I had been in for the past three days to be over with. 

"Earth to Emily! Earth to Emily!" 

I blinked a few times, my eyes focusing on the pitcher in front of me before looking at Niall. He wore a knowing smile and I sighed before a smile crept on my lips too. 

"You can talk to me if you want to," Niall said with a soft tone, a quick chuckle escaping his lips. "No need to keep it all in there," he joked, referring to my brain.

I chuckled. "I don't know if you really want to hear it."

"I do. I suggested a night out so that you could evacuate all that frustration, whether it's through a lot of drinking or a lot of talking, that's up to you," he affirmed. "Really, you can tell me anything."  

He acted as if he was zipping his mouth, locking it and throwing the key. I laughed softly before looking down at the glass between my hands. I sighed, somehow ashamed to admit what was going on in my mind. 

"It's been three days, and I already miss him, a lot," I mumbled before drinking a few sips of my beer. "That's pathetic isn't it?"

Niall laughed, putting down the glass he was holding. "You're talking to a guy that just went shopping for 5 hours to find the perfect gift to give to Melissa for our fifth date."

I shook my head, giggling. "It's that serious?"

He nodded. "I like her a lot," he confirmed with a slight blush on his cheek. 

I smiled, happy to know that these two seemed to be working out so far. I liked Niall a lot, I knew that he was one of the good guy, and he deserved a girl as good as him; him and Melissa were perfect for each other. 

"But this is not about me," Niall continued before leaning in, showing that he was listening. "Why haven't you seen Harry in three days?"

I took in a deep breath. "Because I asked for distance so that I could think about what I wanted for the two of us."

"So you two aren't just best friend?"

I shrugged and closed my eyes for a second. "We're supposed to be best friends, but for a while we were... friends with benefits, but things got complicated. I fell for him, he played me and broke my heart, and now he's apologizing and saying that he wants to try and be more than friends." I took in another deep breath. "That's too resume the situation, there's more to it, but yeah."