Breaking The Ice

92

Harry's POV

"Thanks for walking me to my car, Harry." Brielle smiled softly as we left the pub, stepping outside into the cold winter air.

"No problem." I nodded, knowing how sketchy any university campus could be for girls at night, which was why I'd offered in the first place.

It was getting pretty late, we'd spent about three hours messing around at the lake before we'd headed to get food, and I was already dreading my early morning wake up for the return of classes in the morning. I wasn't looking forward to getting back into the swing of regular lectures and assignments, but I was itching to get back on the ice so I was happy thanksgiving break was finally over.

"I heard you made Captain." Brielle said as we made our way across the parking lot. "Congratulations."

"Thanks." I sighed, always having mixed feelings whenever someone congratulated me. "It's uh, it's an honor but I wish it was under different circumstances."

"Yeah...I heard about Louis. I'm sorry, I know you two are pretty close." She said, nodding sympathetically. "How's TJ holding up?"

I sighed at the thought of Teej, hating the very thought of the hell she'd been through in the past week, that familiar feeling of helplessness creeping back in. I'd been worried sick about Louis after everything that had happened, and I knew it had been a hundred times harder on her that it had been for me, but of course she never would have admitted it. She just pushed through like she always did, standing strong no matter what kind of hurricane she was standing in the middle of. It had been one hell of a week and she seemed barely fazed by it all, going about her life as though she had nothing to be upset about.

"She's alright. She tends to keep her feelings pretty private, but she's tough. We're all keeping an eye on her, she'll be fine." I said, trying to reassure myself just as much as I was Brielle.

Brielle nodded, shooting me a soft smile as she opened her car door and threw her purse into the passenger seat.

"Well, thanks again." She smiled as she reached up and hugged me.

"No worries, drive safe." I said as she pulled away, nodding before she got into her car and started it up.

I waited until she pulled out, shooting her a wave before I turned and headed back into the pub. I found the boys right where I'd left them, in a heated discussion about whether or not Selena Gomez was hotter than Demi Lovato, and I just chuckled to myself as I slid in next to Liam. I sat there listening to them bicker for a minute, before I noticed TJ's beer sitting in front of me, still full. I looked around the room and didn't see her, wondered where she'd gone.

"Where's Teej?" I asked.

"She went to the bathroom." Shawn said as he downed the last sip of his beer.

"Actually, she's been gone a while. I wanna order, I'm starving." Niall said, placing his hand on his stomach. "We woulda ordered but I don't know what she wants."

"How long is a while?" I asked, an uneasy feeling coming over me.

"I dunno, ten minutes maybe?" He shrugged.

They shot me a look as I slid out of the booth, my eyes scanning the room just to see if I'd missed her, as I made my way toward the back where the bathrooms were. I knew that I was probably being overprotective, but I couldn't ignore the feeling in the pit of my stomach that was telling me I needed to check on her. I'd been witness to way too many instances where she was accosted by some douchebag and I just wanted to make sure she was alright.

A girl was coming out of the bathroom just as I approached it, and when she smiled softly at me I figured she would be alright to ask.

"Excuse me." I said, gently placing my hand on her arm to stop her. "Do you know who TJ Tomlinson is?"