Chasing Darkness | H.STYLES

2

The thing about small towns is that they're suffocating. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone's business is public property, like it's printed in bold on the local paper's front page. It's a twisted kind of community—one where you know everyone's secrets but no one actually knows you. Not really.

That's why I go to Chasing Darkness. It's one of the few places where I can breathe without the weight of other people's expectations pressing down on me. No one expects Eloise-the-good-daughter, Eloise-the-good-student, Eloise-the-anything. Here, I'm just Eloise. And tonight, after last night's chaos, I need that more than ever.

So, Saturday night, we find ourselves back in the dimly lit pub. The familiar buzz of conversations fills the air as people cluster around tables, nursing drinks and losing themselves in the low, throbbing music. It feels different tonight, though, like there's a weight in the air, something waiting to happen just below the surface.

Lena nudges me as we settle into our booth, casting a wary glance around the room. "Think those guys from last night will show up again?"

I shrug. "They'd be stupid if they did. Marcus doesn't mess around."

"True," she agrees, but her eyes are still scanning the bar. She's on edge, and honestly, so am I. Something about last night felt different, darker. Not like our usual mischief. It left a bitter taste in my mouth that I can't shake, even now.

Tessa joins us, plopping down with a fresh round of drinks. "Ladies, let's try not to almost get murdered tonight, alright?"

Ava snorts. "That's rich coming from the one who started it all."

"Hey, I didn't start anything," Tessa protests, but there's a guilty grin on her face that says otherwise. "Besides, you've got to admit it was memorable."

"Yeah, let's make a pact," I say, raising my glass with a smirk. "A drama-free night. Deal?"

Everyone lifts their glasses, muttering a half-hearted "deal." I know none of us are really committed to it, but it feels like a little insurance against whatever disaster might come next.

Just as we settle in, the door swings open, and for some reason, the air shifts. I don't know why I look up, but when I do, I see him. Tall, a bit scruffy, with dark curls falling over his eyes in a way that seems both careless and intentional. He's wearing a worn leather jacket over a plain T-shirt, tattoos creeping up his forearms. He's got that whole "I-don't-care" look down, like he's walked out of a music video and into this dingy pub just to haunt the place.

I'm not the only one who notices. Tessa lets out a low whistle, nudging Ava. "Hello, stranger."

"Careful," I mutter. "He looks like he'd break your heart and not think twice about it."

"Or maybe he's exactly what we need," Tessa shoots back, her eyes glinting with the same reckless curiosity that got us into trouble last night.

As he heads to the bar, I can't help but glance his way. There's something magnetic about him, like he draws the energy in the room to himself, and everyone else is just background noise. He doesn't even notice us, doesn't look our way—just orders a drink, leaning against the bar with a confidence that feels out of place here, like he belongs somewhere... bigger.

"Why don't you go say hi, Eloise?" Ava teases, giving me a playful shove.

"Oh yeah, sure," I snort, taking a sip of my drink. "Because I just love making small talk with strangers in sketchy bars."

"Come on, live a little," Tessa whispers, practically bouncing with excitement. "You need something... thrilling."

I give her a look, but she's already half out of her seat, practically vibrating with impatience. She's always looking for the next thrill, the next story to tell. And, unfortunately, tonight she's decided that this stranger is it.