𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 | 𝐡. 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐬

-25-

I could taste the alcohol on his tongue against mine. My hand was tangled in his hair and he led us into the restroom. I was pushed against the wall. His hands traveled up and down my sides. One cupped over my neck, making me groan. "Shhh, babygirl. You've got to be quiet, alright?" He whispered, his voice lower than usual. I nodded. "Good girl."

The door opened and we instantly flew away from each other. One of the men from the other table stood in the doorway. "Right...uhm, I'll see you at the table." I muttered. Harry bursted out laughing but nodded. I sprinted to the woman's bathroom and fixed up my appearance, then walked back to the booth. Joy was gone. "Where'd she go?" I asked. "I dunno, something about classes. I'm just glad that the whole ordeal is over." Liam shrugged.

I ate a few more fries and drank some water. Harry came back and sat down beside me. He placed his hand on my thigh and used his other hand to drink or eat. "So I take it I'm driving?" I looked at him. He nodded and moved his hand up my thigh a bit more. I kicked his foot. "Ow, what was that for?!" He whined. I couldn't hold back a laugh.

After the boys had a few more drinks, we all got back into the car and the guys decided to stay with Harry, despite him saying otherwise. I couldn't leave them, so I drove them to Harry's and decided to call a Lyft. As I reached for my phone, someone grabbed it. "No no, no need to get in a car with a stranger." Harry denied. "I mean, I need to get home." I sighed. "Not until later. C'mon, you can help me babysit." He hiccuped and looked at the couch of dweebs.

"Fine. You mean I can babysit all four of you. Sit." I demanded. He lifted his hands to signify him surrendering and smiled as he stumbled to the couch. I walked to the kitchen. "What're you doing?" A voice called. "Getting you water and Advil. Merry Christmas." I remarked, grabbing four water bottles. I handed the bottles to them all and placed the Advil bottle on the desk beside Liam. "Thank you, miss," Louis mumbled. I turned on the TV and turned the lights off, then used the one in the kitchen so I could maneuver around to cook.

I made cheddar broccoli soup. Niall kept peeking his head around the corner to see what I was making and making comments about how good it smelled. "Niall, go sit," I instructed as I placed spoons in their bowls. "Bossy." He huffed but walked away. I turned on a lamp in the main room and they all immediately covered their eyes and groaned. I rolled my eyes and brought them the food on a tray.

"Thank you," Louis yawned quietly.
"Thank you, Lil J!" Liam sat up. "No? Okay." He said after seeing my reaction to the nickname. Niall was quick to being eating and Harry smiled thankfully up at me. "Thank you, love." He said. "You're welcome. I'll be in the other room. Please don't drop anything." I sighed. "No promises." Niall laughed.

I walked into the kitchen and cleaned up, putting the rest of the soup in a container. I washed dishes and dried them off, then stood by the counter and opened my phone when it dawned on me Harry still had Joy's number. I walked back into the room. Harry was gone. "Where'd Harry go?" I asked. "I dunno." Liam shrugged. "Very informative, thank you, Liam," I remarked. I then walked down the hall. Harry's room door swung open and he pulled me inside.

"This is so good! How'd you make it? It really is incredible. Wow! I didn't know you could cook like this! I really like it!" He rambled, pointing at the bowl. "Yeah, Harry, there's more of it in the refrigerator if you want it, okay?" I smiled at his reaction. "Yeah?" His eyes lit up. "Yeah."

Harry walked to his bed. "M' a bit tired, honey." He rubbed his eyes. "Go wash up. I'll wait." I told him. "You will?" He looked up at me. I nodded. "I'll be out soon." He promised, walking to the bathroom. I sat down and looked around. His room was neat and beautiful. The water began running. "Love?" He called. "Yes, Harry?" I answered. "Just making sure you didn't leave me." He said.

I heard him begin singing as the water hit the walls. "Now you were standing there right in front of me. I hold on it's getting harder to breathe." He sang quietly. Don't Let Me Go was such an amazing song of his. I'm just surprised he remembers it after all these years. "Journey?" He called again. "Still here," I replied. "Okay!"

"Where was I?" He asked. "All of a sudden..." I began. "Oh!" Harry exclaimed. "All of a sudden these lights are blinding me," he continued. He sang for a bit, even when the water turned off and he walked out with a towel wrapped around him. "I need my sweatpants!" He rubbed his eyes again, trying to get the water dripping from his brown curls out of them. "Which drawer?" I asked.

He pointed at one on the first row. I opened it and saw his briefs. He began laughing. I threw a pair at him and he acted offended. "Fourth row." He giggled. I opened it and grabbed a pair of gray sweatpants, then handed them to him. "Thank you." He pecked my forehead and walked back into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he walked back out. "My head hurts." He complained. "Lay down. I'll go grab the Advil." I told him. He nodded and crawled into his bed and under the covers.

I walked back out and saw the bowls in a stack. The boys were falling asleep, so I was quiet when I snuck in to grab the bottle. I placed it on the floor outside of Harry's room, then went back out so I could go into the closet in the hall and grab a huge comforter to put across them.

I did just that and took the bowls to the kitchen, then walked back towards the pills and took them inside. I turned off the lights and he tapped his lamp to turn it on. "Here." I handed him his water bottle and two tablets. He sat up to take them, then turned off his lamp. "It's too dark, Ha-"

I felt his hand sneak around my waist and he pulled me on top of him, then put me next to him and cuddled me. I played with his hair soothingly. "You smell nice." He mumbled. "Thank you, Harry," I whispered. "I'm tired." He yawned. "Go to sleep. I'll be right here." I cooed. "Promise?"
"I promise."

"Hey Journey?" He asked lowly. "Yes, Harry?" I looked at him. His eyes were shut. "Will you go out with me? I can make you happy, that is my promise to you." He peeked an eye open. "Ask me when you're sober, honey." I shushed quietly. He nodded. "G'night."