when love lasts | wroetoshaw

twenty

the warmth of the bar pressed in on me, thick and suffocating. around me, laughter bubbled, glasses clinked, and groups of people huddled close together, their conversations blending into an indistinct hum. it was a lively scene, and yet i felt completely disconnected from it. my focus was locked on harry at the bar, sitting with a girl who might as well have been glowing under the dim lights.

she leaned in closer, her sleek dark hair brushing her shoulders as she laughed. harry was smiling, his arm casually draped over the back of her chair. it was such a familiar posture—the same way he'd sit with me.

"this is so out of order," freya muttered, her tone sharp as she followed my gaze. "what's he even doing?"

"being an idiot," talia said, her voice clipped, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"does he not realise how bad this looks?" demi asked, shaking her head. "seriously, what's going through his head right now?"

my throat felt tight, my heart twisting painfully in my chest. "i don't know," i said softly, barely able to get the words out. i was gripping my glass so hard my fingers ached, but it felt like the only thing keeping me grounded. "i'll wait until he comes over."

freya's eyes darted back to the bar, narrowing. "he's acting like you're not even here. it's disgusting."

"i don't want to cause a scene," i said, even though my stomach churned. i didn't want to make a spectacle of myself, but every second that passed chipped away at my resolve.

"you shouldn't have to sit here and watch this," talia said gently, placing a hand on my arm.

i nodded slightly, but the weight in my chest wouldn't lift.

after what felt like an eternity, harry stood, balancing a tray of drinks in one hand. the girl followed closely, her red coat a bright splash of colour against the muted tones of the bar. they weaved through the crowd toward us, harry smiling like nothing was wrong.

"alright, got everyone's drinks," he said, his tone light as he set the tray down on the table.

the girl lingered, and harry gestured to the empty chair beside tobi. "this is lana," he said, nodding toward her. "met her at the bar. she's here for the weekend with some friends."

lana smiled politely, her eyes flicking to me for a brief moment before settling back on harry.

"hi," she said smoothly, her tone friendly but too familiar.

freya's lips pressed into a thin line, her irritation clear. "lovely," she said flatly, crossing her arms.

harry slid into the seat beside me, his shoulder brushing mine as if to remind me of his presence. "you alright, abs?" he asked casually, as if nothing had happened.

i turned to him slowly, my chest burning. "do i look alright?"

harry frowned, his confusion quickly morphing into irritation. "what's wrong?"

"what's wrong?" i repeated, my voice low but sharp. "are you serious? you've been sitting at the bar with her, acting like i don't even exist, and you're asking me what's wrong?"

harry let out an exasperated sigh, leaning back in his chair. "oh, come on, abbie. it wasn't like that."

"wasn't like that?" talia cut in, her voice cold. "harry, we all saw you. you had your arm around her."

"you were practically glued to her," freya added, her tone icy.

"we were just talking," harry said defensively, his jaw tightening. "it didn't mean anything."