MORE (Completed)

Chapter 21

I don't even remember how we got to the crowded pub. One moment I was talking to Anzette on the phone, arranging for her to stay over at my mum's, and the next I was stepping out of the cab, my brain having shut down completely somewhere along the way. My mind had been consumed with a single thought: she's going to be there. And not just she, but he too. The combination had reduced me to a bundle of nerves disguised as a functioning adult.

Elizabeth, who must have sensed my spiral, looped her arm through mine as we reached the weather-worn wooden entrance. She turned to me with that wide, carefree grin of hers—the kind that always managed to pull me back from the edge.

"Let's go celebrate beating Peter's ass. AGAIN!" she announced, practically bouncing on her heels. "You deserve this. Stop overthinking."

Easier said than done.

She pushed the door open, and we were instantly swallowed by the clash of electric guitar riffs from a modest DJ booth tucked in the corner. The pulsing beat reverberated through my chest like a second heartbeat.

"Just be you and you'll be fine!" she shouted over the music, her voice clear even as her words were nearly drowned by the bass. Her hand stayed firm on my back as she guided me through the bustling crowd.

For a moment, all I could feel was gratitude. Gratitude for her loyalty, for never giving up on me, even when I'd managed to do that to myself more times than I could count. Friends like her were once-in-a-lifetime finds. My anchor and my occasional shove in the right direction.

We made our way deeper into the packed space, the smell of spilled beer, warm bodies, and sticky wood floors invading my senses. I spotted a few familiar faces from campus milling about, but then—

"Mrs. Cameron, YOU ROCK!" a voice rang out above the music.

"Mrs. Cameron, over here! I saved you a spot!" another yelled.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded. A sea of bright-eyed students swarmed around me, their cheers and pats on the back nearly making me forget my nerves. Nearly.

I couldn't stop smiling. Their excitement was infectious. I shook hands, exchanged hugs, high-fived and congratulated them once again, all while the DJ mixed some indie rock track that blurred with the sound of my own voice. Despite the chaos, it felt like I belonged here. That meant more than they could possibly know.

Someone shoved a cold beer into my hand—Smith or Jones, maybe both—and I took a sip gratefully as I made my escape toward the bar. Liz was already perched next to Niall, who looked up at me with a ridiculous grin on his face.

"Welcome to the jungle," he said, raising his drink in my direction.

"Oh God, it's chaos in here," I exhaled. "Is it always this crowded?"

"It's Friday, Ashley," Liz said, laughing like it was obvious. "Of course it is."

I was nodding when it happened—the flicker of recognition. My eyes caught him across the pub, just a few tables away. Harry. He was sitting back in his chair, casual in a dark button-down, a glass of something amber resting lazily in his hand. Probably whiskey. His gaze was already on me. Had it been the entire time?

He didn't look away.

He brought the glass to his lips, his stare still locked with mine. And suddenly, the entire room fell away—noise, lights, people—gone. Just him. And me. And all the history pulsing silently between us.

"Go say hi," Niall nudged me with his elbow.

"I... Is—" My voice faltered, catching on the edge of the question I didn't want to finish.