Impact | h.s | complete

31. Nightmare

~Harry~

We cut the line effortlessly and as soon as we crossed the threshold, Liam and Louis were off as fast as their feet could take them. We met them at our usual booth at Roxi and I crossed the club to get us drinks.

“Can I have a dance?” Brown eyes met mine and I quivered at the sight of her. Tori’s hair was in loose brown waves over her shoulders, the gold in it matching perfectly to the flecks of gold in her eyes. Her lips were set in her effortless pout and she looked at me through thick lashes, blinking slowly.

“Not here.” I said slowly, taking everything I had to deny her.

“What did I do?” She asked, her voice loud over the pulsating music around us. I shoved her drink in her direction then grabbed the others, making my way back to the booth without another word. It was killing me, having to be like this but it was the only way I knew how to fix our problem. As I made my way back to the table I looked back and say a guy saunter up to her and slither an arm around her waist. I rolled my shoulders back and inhaled, my stomach turning at the thought of anyone else’s hands on her. However, I turned and continued towards the table. A fight wouldn’t do anyone any good and I was exhausted. When I got to the table, Zayn and Niall were standing and took their drinks, bobbing back and forth to the music, surveying the club slowly. Louis and Liam sat in the booth, dancing in their seats happily. Niall grinned at me and I returned a tight lipped smile, turning to join Zayn at the edge of the lifted balcony that overlooked the dance floor. We greeted old friends and drank for a while, my eyes always watching Tori chat with the man at the bar and before I knew it I was wasted, my speech was slurred and my body felt heavy.

“Harry, mate,” A voice called out behind me and I turned my head slowly.

“Luke Hemmings.” I slurred, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, instantaneously loosing my balance.

“How are you, man I haven’t seen you since the tour ended.” He smiled at me and I felt like punching him. He had no idea, but he was trying to take my Tori from me and I hated him for it.

“I’ve been better,” I turned again and looked out over the crowd, shooting a quick glance to the bar where Tori had been standing but she was gone. In the few seconds I had taken my eyes off of her, she was gone. I straightened from my bent position, leaning on the railing of the balcony and looked around again but all that I could see were flashing lights and bodies moving, swaying to the music

“Liam said you guys were coming to let loose for a night and the boys and I thought we might come join you. Have you seen-” I stepped backwards knocking into Niall who turned, ready to yell at me but instead he froze, seeing my expression.

“Where is she?” Niall asked, looking around quickly and putting his drink down on the table beside him.

“I don’t know I looked away for a second and I…” I trailed off my breathing becoming labored and short.

“Liam.” Niall shouted over the music and Liam’s attention snapped towards us as well as Zayn and Louis’.

“I didn’t mean to lose her I-”

“It’s not your fault,” Liam bellowed, trying to be heard over the music around us. “Where did you see her last?” I looked out over the balcony and extended a finger to the bar stool that I had left her on.

“There, she was talking to some guy…” I felt dizzy, and my head hurt. I wanted to go home.

“Harry, calm down, go sit over there.” Louis spoke loudly but close to my ear but I protested.

“I need to find her.” I stepped towards the edge again, visually sweeping my surroundings. But the face that stood out to me was not the one that I most desperately wanted to see.  The face loaned itself to my worst nightmare, my own personal hell and that face belonged to Hope, staring up at me from the dance floor, a knowing smile across her red lips.