Slow Dancing In A Burning Room

Prologue

January 27th

"I'd tap that." Niall announced eyeing up the girl wearing the much-too-tight yoga pants that had just walked by.

"Been there," Liam smirked, "Won't make that mistake again, she's a friend of Dani's."

"Sophia? I heard she gets around." Harry commented distantly, searching the hallways for someone he'd been looking for since third period.

He heard a highpitched voice behind him,

"Hi Harry."

"Hey Ken!" Harry said, turning around to beam at the dark haired person behind him.

"Harry I told you not to call me Ken! My name's Kendall, jesus christ."

"Sorry babe, it just came out!" He apologised to his girlfriend.

She offered a fatigued smile.

"It's okay, just don't do it again. Anyway, I printed out the invitations and sent them out last night. So far I've gotten 154 RSVPs." She squealed, clutching his arm excitedly.

"Great, great." He tried to sound enthusiastic. Somehow he just wasn't feeling it. Kendall Jenner and her family had always been wealthy, sure, but Harry was less of a materialistic guy. He was planning something small for his 18th birthday, but his girlfriend wanted something bigger. She always did. And sometimes he got the sinking feeling that she was straying from him.

Just as the tall girl kissed him him and began to walk away, the bell rang, signalling his last class to start.

☠

On the first of February Harry woke up to the sound of his family half-singing-half-screaming Happy birthday. He rubbed his forehead and sat up, managing a smile.

He had a pounding headache, so their voices sounded louder than Niall when was in the shower.

They sat around Harry and showered him with kisses. "Happy birthday, love." His mum Anne placed a large package on his bed.

"Thanks mum." He mumbled, voice still gruff as he woke up from his deep sleep.

He stubbornly waited until they had left his bedroom before he roughly ripped apart the wrapping paper.

A guitar, some CD's of people he hadn't heard of, movies he had seen more than enough times and a photo album. He carefully put the guitar down and flicked open the album. Pictures of him and Gemma from their childhood, a simpler time.

Harry stumbled down the stairs sleepily and trapsed into the kitchen. He noticed a note sitting on the kitchen table.

"Hey Haz,

had to run, have a good party!

Love Gems xx"

He smiled at her thoughtful note and set it down on the counter. His mother walked in at that moment, talking aggresively to someone on the phone. A business partner, he supposed.

"What do you mean he pulled out of the deal?-No I don't care if his mother died- Put Anderson on the phone-"

"Hey mum, I have to go, thanks for the present." Harry interupted, well aware of the risks of talking when his mother was on the phone.

"Harry- No get him now or you'll be short of a job- alright have a nice day love- DON'T think I'm bluffing, Jones."

Harry picked up a jumper and pulled it over his head as he walked to Niall's house, which was no more than five minutes away from his own. He turned down the dark alleyway-which he always had a weird feeling about-and jumped over the fence.

When he arrived at Niall's house, Liam was already there, sitting on the couch stretched out as if it was his own.

He hopped up and knocked Harry to the floor.

"Happy Birthday!" They shouted at him and hug him until he feels like he cant breathe. "You're finally old enough to drink. Tempted now it's legal then?"

"Never!" He grinned. "Staying sober."

☠

As Harry entered his girlfriends large house he was almost pushed to the floor by a guy in a black uniform carrying mini quiches on a tray, luckily Liam and Niall were a couple paces behind and held him up.

"Happy Birthday darling!" Kendall excitedly called, fluttering over to Harry and snaking her arms around his shoulders. She placed a kiss on his cheek and grabbed his hand, dragging him into the hall. "Look at the marvelous decorations! All picked by me-of course." She boasted. Harry could nearly hear the annoyance in Niall's sigh.

Harry didn't understand why the girl had to go to such lengths for his birthday. They had only really been dating for several weeks.

To be quite honest, Kendall annoyed Harry. Liam's exgirlfriend Danielle had been friends with her, so when Dani and Liam were going, Liam brought Harry and Danielle brought Kendall to a theme park. Their relationship had been kind of arranged, which Harry hated.

He looked over now at her as she was manically screaming atone of the unfortunate waiters.

"BLUE- NO I SAID BLUE RIBBONS DO NOT TRY AND PIN THIS ON ME-"

She swivelled around and noticed Harry standing there, an uneasy look settled on his face.

"Harry why arenyou standing there? The party is in 5 hours and the ice sculpture has'nt even arrived yet!"

"Look, Kendall. I really appreciate this, but you think you can maybe tone it down a notch? Like do we really need an ice sculpture?"

"Well, it's too late now!" She spits, and storms into the kitchen.

Harry sighs and turns to face his two friends who are now deeply engrossed in a conversation he wasn't bothered to learn about.

"Guys, we need to go, I can't be here." Neither of them asked any question, they just hopped in the car and silently drove back to Niall's.