Amatory [h.s.]

11

"So how are things with the new job?" Jess asked to my side while tying her shoes.

"Fine," I said with a shrug, leaning up against the locker room wall.

"Fine, huh?" She looked up at me skeptically.

"Yes, things have been fine," I quickly retorted.

"Alright, out with it, Syd," She gave me an unconvinced look. "What happened?"

"Well, I might have caused a fight with my first dance," I said, almost whispering.

"What?" Jess quickly responded, arching her brow in disbelief.

"A guy grabbed my ankle when I was on the stage and Harry kinda beat the shit out of him," I say with a nervous laugh. The thought of the event still makes me feel uneasy.

"Oh my God, Syd," Jess softens her gaze. "Are you okay? I mean the guy didn't try anything else right?"

"No, nothing else happened. The guy got thrown out and the rest of the night was fairly normal," I slightly shake my head. "And I'm okay. It wasn't that big of a deal, really."

Jess stood and walked up to me before gently grasping my shoulders with her hands. "You'd tell me if everything wasn't okay, right?" She spoke with seriousness and maybe a little bit of worry.

"Of course, I would."

"Alright, that's all I need to hear then," She squeezed my shoulders one time before dropping her arms down to her sides. "Now, I think I wanna pay a little visit to this place." She said with a devious grin. "What's it called again?"

"Amatory," I replied with an unsure smile.

I texted Harry saying I was coming by with a friend but even by the time we'd arrived at the club there was no response. The place was booming when we walked in, the music was loud as ever, and the entire floor was filled with people.

"Wow," was all Jess said as she gazed around at everything before her. I remember that same feeling from the first time I stepped into Amatory– it was kinda scary and overwhelming but beautiful at the same time.

"Come on," I nudged her shoulder with a laugh.

Maneuvering through the mess people, I led us over to the bar where Niall was busy behind the counter taking orders and mixing drinks.

"Coming in on your off day," He looked over to where we were standing. "Miss me that much, huh?" He uttered cheekily as he poured a martini for a woman sitting at the bar.

"You know it," I replied sarcastically, grinning a bit.

He chuckled lightly.

"Who's your guest?" He gestured to Jess.

"This is Jess," I replied, sitting on one of the barstools. "And Jess, this is Niall."

"Very nice to meet you, Jess," Niall said as Jess sat next to me.

"Likewise," Jess replied with a smile.

"Is Harry in tonight?" I finally asked, peering around the club. He's usually always on the floor when it's busy and I hadn't seen him even once since we came in.

"He's upstairs I think."

"Really," I rolled my eyes. "I'm gonna go ask him why he's ignoring my texts. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Of course," Jess nodded and I hopped down from the barstool.

"Syd, I think he's just not feeling well so you should probably just stay away from him for the night," Niall spoke, his tone now slightly serious.

"Is he sick or something?" I ask in concern.

Yeah, something like that," He trails off under his breath.

"If he's sick, why is he up there alone?" I pushed the subject.

"Just trust me on this, Syd," He says, almost sounding desperate.

"Okay," I gave in.

I sat back down next to Jess and Niall gave me a nod before grabbing a couple of glasses and sitting them on the counter in front of us.

"Alright ladies, how about some drinks?" He spoke with a much lighter tone than before. He sounded like his usual cocky self.

As the night went on, Jess and I mostly hung out at the bar, doing shots and trying weird drink concoctions made by Niall.

I would occasionally glance around the club to see if Harry had come down at some point but he hadn't.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Be right back," I whispered to Jess before standing up and leaving the bar.

Coming back from the bathroom I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket so I stopped in the hallway to check it.

Harry: Come up to my room.

Reading the small message in front of me, I almost felt there was a sense of urgency behind it. "Come up to my room," I reread the somewhat ominous text aloud to myself.

Before I knew it I was walking again– but not back to the bar.

I walked right past Niall and Jess but they were too caught up in conversation to notice.

After making a few wrong turns, I finally saw the elevator off in the distance and couldn't help but sigh in relief.

It's almost like this place was made to get you lost.

Getting closer to the elevator, I noticed the doors were already open so I stepped inside and tapped the button for the top floor like Niall had when he brought me up.

I haven't seen or heard from Harry much in the past couple of weeks so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't majorly confused as to why he's asked me to come up to his room.

Stepping off the elevator platform, I began walking toward Harry's room, and with every step I took, I felt a pang of anxiety. Something didn't feel right.

When I arrived at his door it was about halfway open so I gently pushed it aside and took a step into his room. Standing in the doorway, I glanced around the big space but didn't see Harry anywhere.

"Are you in here Harry?" I took a few more steps inside.

Silence.

I noticed there was a pillow on the floor beside his bed so I walked over to it and that's when I heard what sounded like running water.

I must have early-onset Alzheimer's because I had completely forgotten he had a bathroom up here.

The bathroom door was completely open so as I got closer, the sound of the running water got louder.

"Harry?" I called out again as I stepped into the opening of the bathroom.

The second I saw him my stomach dropped.

He was leaning up against the glass shower door, sitting with his legs stretched fully out in front of him with his hands loosely placed in his lap. His head hung low over his lap like he'd lost all the strength to hold it up.

He looked lifeless.

-

Well shit.....

Sorry this update took forever :((

Remember to take care of yourselves & I Love you bunches!!

Xoxo Joc