Dare || L.S

27

Louis can't comprehend how Harry can study for hours, survive on 5 hours maximum a night combined with whiskey and an increasing amount of cigarettes.

He feels a headache plaguing him after studying for approximately fifteen minutes. He's so over it. Splayed out in front of him are still 10 text pages he is forced to read in order to even slightly understand what the topic is. He leans his head against the wall, his eyes lazily skipping over the words without understanding a thing. He looks over at Niall, who is still at page one. He's smoking while he underlines almost the whole page in different colors.
All three of them are at the edge of insanity. It's been two weeks since the holidays ended and they already feel like jumping of a bridge.

Harry gulps his whiskey down and goes to the bathroom. Louis looks after him mindlessly. He feels his eyelids dropping.

"What's he doing in there?" Niall asks without looking up.

Louis looks at him confused, then he hears an odd crushing sound. He furrows his brows. He shrugs and continues reading.

Harry returns after fifteen minutes, avoiding Louis' questioning eyes.

"What'd you do?" Niall mumbles, pointing his pen towards Harry.

"Took a break." He comments, already focused again.

It's quiet for another 45 minutes. The timer beeps loudly. Harry flinches, his pen drops to the floor. Louis picks it up quietly and holds it out for him to grab. He meets Harry eyes for a brief second, it's enough for him to notice Harry's dilated pupils. Louis freezes. There's a sluggishness in Harry's movement that he picks up on now.

"I'll throw myself out the window if we do another hour."

Harry laughs, then checks his phone. "It's not even nine."

Niall closes his textbook. "Yeah but I'm done. Can't concentrate anymore."

"We did three hours, I think it's enough."

Harry shrugs, "Alright. I'd say we leave in 30 minutes then?"

Niall and Louis nod in agreement.

"Harry can you come help me in the kitchen before we leave?"

Harry comically disagrees with him, confused and dazed.

"No?"

"Yes."

Harry grumbles something but gets up. He follows Louis in the kitchen, occasionally bumping into objects.

"What did you take?" Louis questions, his voice low so Niall won't hear.

"Nothing."

Louis grabs his arm, "What did you take?"

"Molly." Harry answers but his eyes won't meet Louis'. "Only because we're going out later right? Just a social thing."

Louis let's him go. He takes a few steps back. Looking Harry up and down he sees now how frail he looks. But that's how he's always been. "That's not a social thing Harry." Louis shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. He leans against the table.

"You can't do that here, especially not near Niall."

Harry looks puzzled. "Niall doesn't take drugs."

"Not anymore, no. But he used to and it got out of hand a few times, so by the love of god never offer him anything."

"I wasn't planning to." Harry clarifies, his eyes still glued to the floor.

"Good." Louis massages his temple. "Is this like a problem?"

Harry looks offended. "I'm not an addict." He says defensively, a spark in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

"I'm not insinuating."

"Yes you were?" Harry mocks. He opens the cabinet and takes a cup out. "If you must know, I'm anxious sometimes around new people and I don't drink much, so."

Louis holds his hands up defensively, "Yeah no. It's uhm. It's fine."

-

Louis emmerges from the bathroom, dressed in a baggy pair of jeans and a black hoodie. He throws on his jacket and ties his converse. He hasn't worn them in weeks and they don't look as rotten as his adidas trainers. He shakes his hair out, troubling it with his fingers and some hair mousse.

He offers Harry a sly smile. Harry, who, looks absolutely dashing in his loose button up and the black dress pants. He looks so extra with eyeliner framing his gorgeous eyes.

"You look so chic." Louis muses, gushing over Harry's pretty curls.

Harry's cheeks turn crimson. "Why thank you, you too look quite nice."

"All ready?" Niall quips. "I look great too by the way." He adds sarcastically spinning on the spot.

"Princess like." Louis compliments chuckling.

"Yeah I'd get you pregnant." Harry nods earnestly.

"Gross." Niall scoffs. "We should really get going."

-

Under the evening sky, Niall maneuvers the car through the open road, the wind whooshes through the open window. Laughter spills from the backseat where Harry and Louis sing loudly and joyfully giggling alomg to the music.

The wind rushes through the open windows, tousling their hair and carrying their harmonious voices into the night. The warmth of the evening sun bathes the car in a golden glow, casting long shadows on the asphalt.

As Niall accelerates, the thrill of speed mixes with the intoxicating popsongs. Adrenaline courses through their veins, a prelude to the excitement awaiting them. The promise of a night filled with coma inducing drinks makes each passing mile more exciting.