PULSE [H.S]

036

"Flirting is like walking a tightrope; it requires skill, balance, and a willingness to take risks." — Oscar Wilde

We're all at Molly's.

Clove convinced everyone to go out to bars tonight, saying that it's been too long since any of us had any fun. She's not wrong, things have been tense for all of us for a while now. I could use a break.

I put on a basic bar outfit, some nice jeans, and a black long sleeve shirt that exposes my back. And, of course, my favorite black boots.

When we all first got here, Niall bought everyone the first round of drinks, and then he said the last person to finish theirs buys the next round. So, we all chugged our drinks as fast as we could. Louis ended up losing, and he grumpily bought the next round.

And now we are all slightly drunk already, or at least I am.

I peer at Louis and Clove, sitting across from me. Their shoulders are touching, and they've been laughing nonstop since we got here. Cloves eyes are shining, and her smile is radiant.

I smile, looking away from them.

Nika is here tonight. I haven't seen her since Zayn's party, but there's something about her golden eyes that still brings me back to that night at the gym.

Niall drags me out of the booth and over to the dart board, making me play a game against him. I think he picked me because he knows I'm shit at darts.

As I hold the darts in my hand, my head feeling light from the alcohol, I say, "It doesn't seem very smart to give drunk people sharp objects."

"One time," Niall says as he throws a dart, "I stood in front of the target and Harry threw darts to see how close he could get to my head."

I gawk at him. "That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."

"He's a good shot, I wasn't worried," Niall says casually, but I'm just imagining all of the things that could have gone wrong when they did that.

Niall says, "If I make this shot, you and Clove have to kiss."

"Um," I laugh, "absolutely not."

"Why not?" he asks, pouting at me.

I say, "Because you make every shot you take, Niall."

He shakes his head, taking the shot and making it. He says, "Shit, I should've made that bet before I let you see how good I was."

Harry's playing a game of pool with some of the guys, and I think some random people from the bar too. I watch as he takes a shot, sliding the pool stick between his fingers and hitting the cue ball. His face is fully concentrated, his eyebrows slightly pulled in, and his face is stern.

As he adjusts to take another shot, his eyes meet mine. He winks at me before looking back at the pool table. I feel my cheeks tint in embarrassment from being caught watching him.

I throw more darts at the dart board, wondering why I am so awful at this game. Niall buys me another drink, and I know it's a bad idea for me to drink more, but I take it.

I say, "Niall?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise me something?" I say.

Niall lowers his arm that he was about to throw a dart with and turns to look at me, hearing the seriousness in my tone.

He says, "What's up?"

"I don't know what your intentions are with Pen, but don't bring her into this, okay? Ever," I plead to him.

His face softens, and he nods in understanding. His blue eyes look into mine as he says, "I won't, I promise."