Misadventure

15

Harry's POV

"I'm going to a party off campus. Do you want to come? Will is throwing it, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Louis there," Liam said.

"Will..?" I asked. The name sounded vaguely familiar.

"Will Mcginny. Louis' best friend."

Those words made my chest ache. I was supposed to be Louis' best friend. It hurt even worse to hear Liam, who only just met Louis, already know more about him than I did these days.

God, there was nothing I wanted more than to have him back in my life again. I was willing to do anything, even go to a party. "Okay." I nodded, my stomach swirling with nerves. "Yeah, I'll go."

Liam grinned at this. "Ace. Better get ready then. We'll have head out in like twenty minutes."

Liam was a violin player, my roommate, and my first sort-of friend I'd had in ages. I hadn't had any intentions of confiding in him about my feeling for Louis or the history there, but it ended up happening anyways, when I came back to the dorm bawling embarrassingly after seeing Louis in that first class where he ignored me.

Liam helped calm me down, sharing some ice cream with me and putting a movie on (something boring about sports, but it was the thought that counted). He told me that maybe Louis was just caught of guard. Maybe he didn't want the first time we talked for so long to be in a crowded classroom, especially considering things ended on such weird terms.

It was a half hour drive to the party, but it felt impossibly long as I sat in the front seat of Liam's car. My heart was racing the entire time. I tried watching out the window to stay calm.

"You're quiet," Liam observed.

"Nervous."

"Don't be," he said. "It'll be great fun. And if you don't like it, we can always leave early."

We arrived at a run down looking house along the outskirts of the city. Bass music was blaring so loud from inside that I could feel it in my bones. I followed closely behind Liam as we walk around the side of the building, then entered a door that led down a narrow staircase to the basement.

I immediately felt stupidly out of place. I was dressed in what I thought were appropriate party clothes; my nicest grey sweater, and a pair of black dress-trousers that I normally reserved for piano recitals, and sparkly gold boots with a square heel.

I crossed my arms self consciously. Everyone else was wearing jeans and t-shirts or sweatshirts. I had also yet to see a single person who wasn't holding an alcoholic beverage and or a joint.

It could have been worse. I could have been wearing a cat suit.

The overwhelming music and smell of pot and sheer volume of people was so intimidating that I considered asking Liam to turn around and take me back to our dorm. My keyboard and cozy bed were waiting for me, far more inviting than... this.

But I came here for a reason, and that reason was standing about ten feet away holding a red solo cup, with shining blue eyes and soft feathery hair. He was leaning against the wall talking to a group of friends I didn't recognize.

"Are you planning on standing there staring at him the whole night, or are you actually planning on talking to him?" Liam poked my shoulder. Through the dark of the room I could see the amused expression on his face.

I blushed bright red. My palms were sweating. I wiped them on my trousers. "I'm too nervous. I don't even know what to say to him."

Liam disappeared for a moment, then came back with two beers. "Here, try this." He gave me one.