She [H.S]

Chapter Two

The room is crowded when Reign and I walk in, almost immediately making a thin layer of saltiness coat my skin. I grab onto Reign's arm, reality smacking me in the face, reminding me that I in fact do not know anyone here.

She squeezes my arm back lightly, a non-verbal reassurance that makes my posture soften and I let out a breath that I was subconsciously holding in. My eyes meet hers as I give her a soft smile, thanking her whilst she slightly nods and looks away.

I raise onto the balls of my feet as I look around the room, trying to familiarise myself with the toilets and exits- it's a habit of mine to know where the closest exit is wherever I am in the room so that I know where to take my friends if they need to go home after a night of their extreme binge drinking or a random person if they need help getting away from a creepy freak at the bar.

Did I mention? I don't drink.

I choose to stay away from it- the natural instinct of looking after my friends would be gone after a simple drink, something that instils a deep-rooted fear inside of me. Someone has to look out for everyone and it's okay that that person is me. I couldn't care less.

"Come on Louisa, have a drink" Reign leads me to the bar, my eyes meeting the never-ending display of different alcohols with different percentages. I clock the vodkas and the hard spirits first, knowing which ones are which and making a note of their bottles in case I end up at the hospital later waiting for Reign's stomach to be pumped.

I shake my head, to which Reign groans "Come on, just one? You've literally never had any alcohol in your life- how do you live?!" She questions, hollering at the bartender to get a vodka and coke for herself whilst flashing a ten-pound note.

My eyes are locked on the bartender as I pay slight attention to Reign's rambles- she almost shouts profanities about my incessant worrying over people. "You know I don't drink, I have my reasons. Besides, what's the big hype, I don't want a massive headache in the morning- I'd rather help nurse yours." My eyes finally lock back on Reign's as the bartender hands her the drink. It's not spiked.

Reign wraps her lips and tongue around the black straw, trying not to damage the purple lipstick she placed so delicately on her lips just mere minutes earlier in front of the hallway mirror. She swallows, raising her hands to indicate that she is about to speak. "Please, I don't need help. You deserve this after the day you've had!" Her eyes soften "I didn't bring you here just to be my protector, you know. 'Couldn't do that to you." She takes another delicate sip from her straw before her arms extend the half-empty glass towards me. My eyes widen, timidly taking the drink from her hands. I watch as my green and pink fingernails wrap around the glass, making me think back to when I painted them earlier this morning in a bid to calm the nerves that are shooting through me.

I crane my neck to the straw, reluctantly putting it between my lips. Instantly I can taste the remnants of alcohol, which is enough to make my stomach do another flip and drop out onto this sticky wooden floor. I hollow my cheeks slightly to bring a small pool of the concoction into my mouth, my eyes squinting as I sense how strong the alcohol is.

"Swallow" Reign demands whilst I contemplate spitting this out onto those damn cow print boots she's wearing tonight. Swallowing it, I can feel the subtle burn down my throat and the breath after that escapes my mouth with desperation. Reign squeals, placing a hand behind my back as she takes the drink from my strong grip.

"I am not doing that again" I splutter as I speak, my palm coming to my mouth in politeness. Regret fills my senses with a thick fog as I try to get rid of the potent aftertaste in my mouth with the pint of water that I request.

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I am now... three drinks in I think?

It's peer pressure, honestly! Reign offered me her whole drink, plus she was paying for each strong vodka and coke witch potion thing that was now making my vision blur with each blink of my drooping eyes. I couldn't say no to her either.

I decide to stop with the alcohol, opting for a drink of water instead to start sobering me up so I can look after Reign.

Wait, I haven't been looking at her drink. What if she was spiked? Damnit, I'm so stup-

Woah.

That's a new feeling. Nausea. I could feel it, the familiar rumble of my stomach, almost like an alarm to get myself to a toilet ASAP so I can exile whatever is raging war within my body. I signal to Reign where I'm going, her smiling back slightly as she drunkenly grinds against another man.

I sigh, sightly stumbling as I walk heavy-footed towards the toilets that I spotted earlier. This turns into a speed walk, slightly thanking myself as I smile at the thought of the calories being burnt by this foreign exercise. I look up to see the neon sign nearing, sighing in relief as I feel the fizz returning back up my oesophagus.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I bump into a tall figure, aiming my eye-line downwards to avoid embarrassment. I feel myself becoming more sweaty with this newly added heat pressed right up against me, along with the maroon colour that is taking over my already-flushed cheeks.

"It's alri-" I gag, placing a cardigan covered hand over my mouth so I don't puke all over those smart black shoes. The new person places their hand on my back, guiding me towards the disabled toilets as quickly as they could. They open the door and push me inside, locking it with such hurry that it shocks my senses. They force me towards the toilet and hold my long ponytail just as the drink makes a recurrence and says hello.

It takes another two gags before I collapse by the toilet bowl and I'm pretty sure my stomach is shrivelled like a raisin. I can hear the voice of the kind person over the pounding in my head from the sheer power of my vomiting, saying that they're going to be back- I can only let out a half-assed grunt in return. They exit the bathroom but are quickly returning with a glass of water, holding it to my mouth and tipping my head back as I swish it around and spit into the toilet. I raise my heavy arm to flush the toilet, the loud sound piercing through my splitting headache.

"Here, darling." The kind person passes a packet of gum to me and I take it, closing my eyes and nodding as gratitude to everything that they've done for me tonight. They place a hand on my shoulder, almost making sure I'm okay.

My eyes lift and I blink before noticing the stranger in front of me who's just seen me at my worst. His chocolate brown curls and a dimple that pierces his cheek as he smiles. He's definitely an attractive male. I take in his smart appearance before I begin to chew the gum with such fervour that I probably look like I'm on drugs.

He chuckles at my sudden expression, letting out a "y'alright?" whilst I suddenly click who he is, my jaw falling slack. His brows furrow together in confusion but rise once his thoughts collect and understand what is running through my head at possibly 500 miles an hour.

"You-you're-" I start, but find myself stuttering too much, so I close my mouth and gulp with the minty gum still in-between my molars.

He only nods back curtly, before standing up to offer me a hand up too.

It's him.

It's Harry Styles.

I'm in a bathroom with Harry freaking Styles.

Alone.