Broken In a Crowded Bar - Larry Stylinson AU ~ACTUAL HIATUS THIS TIME~

Chapter Two

Backstage, the rowdiness of the bar was muted.

Zayn – my best friend and flat-mate – was strumming on Niall’s guitar aimlessly, not really caring about the tune he was playing. However, the tune he played wasn’t unbearable to listen to. Niall was sat beside me on the sofa, fidgeting with his calloused fingers. It was annoying, and after another minute of it, I snapped.

“Would you stop?” I spat, glaring at him.

His eyebrows furrowed together as he mumbled something incoherent under his breath, shaking his head in annoyance. A loud sigh slipped through his lips as his eyes met mine, then, ever so slightly, he nodded.

“Sorry man, I just really need a drink.”

“Go order one then,” I suggest while rolling my eyes, knowing there was no way he would move.

He scoffed, “you seriously think I’m going to get off my ass and walk to the other side of this building to get a drink?”

I wasn’t surprised with his reply, I was expecting it actually. I saw Niall shoot Zayn a demanding look, which Zayn returned with a confused and innocent one. Niall, smirking, got his way as Zayn nodded understandingly and got to his feet. He left the backstage area without another word, crossing his arms awkwardly as he went.

Groaning inwardly, I let my head wander to my night’s performance. It hadn’t been my best. I had been distracted by a curly-haired boy smiling faintly in the audience. It wasn’t overly strange to make someone smile in the crowd after I sing a song – I had made people smile before, it wasn’t uncommon – it was just strange because there was something about his smile that was entirely different to any other smile I had ever seen. It was all knew to me.

The sound of the door opening-and-closing pulled me from my trance. My eyes followed the sound lazily, and they landed on a tall man wearing dark-wash jeans and a tight fitting shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Zayn stumbled back into the room then, clumsily crashing into the young waiter who had just come in. Zayn stumbled over his apology as the waiter chuckled at his ungraceful manner.

“Can I get you boys anything to drink?”

Zayn’s dark eyes met mine, and then they shifted to Niall’s, then back at the waiter who wore a nametag that clearly read ‘Liam’. “Uh, I just ordered one for Niall…but I’ll have a beer thank-you.” Liam nodded, giving Zayn a thumbs up, causing Zayn’s cheeks to flush red with humiliation; he hated attention when it was just casted out onto only him. “Lou? What do you want?” Pondering for second, I requested a beer also, smiling Liam goodbye as he exited the room to fetch our order.

A moment later, the barman – Liam – came back in with a tray of drinks. Niall surged forward and grasped at one rapidly. Niall drunk was one of the funniest, yet most annoying things I had ever experienced. He would be all loud and open one minute, but then the next, he’d shut you out and whenever you spoke to him he’d yell back at you. It was frustrating, but he was always honest, so you’d either get something funny out of him, or something you wish you’d never heard.

“Thanks man,” I said to the young man and he shrugged.  Quickly, he exited the room, the tray locked under his arm.

“She thinks you’re a down-right faggot, who seriously needs to sort their shit out and grow a few pubes before you make another move on her.” I said to Niall, words not being said right due my laughter halfway through.

Niall snorted, but Zayn just shook my head. “I never asked her out, I just asked her what she was doing in the weekend. She seriously needs to quit talking out of her ass.” Niall said then giggled drunkenly – like he always did – before dropping his empty bottle onto the couch beside him. “I need another drink…where’s that Liam kid?”