Awkward Beat [H.S]

Chapter 11

In which anyone will do.

Chapter 11

"Do I make you nervous, Niall?"

When I'd emerged from my bedroom all dolled up for a night on the town, his eyes had lingered on my figure longer than was necessary. Swaying my hips as I entered the kitchen, I posed the question with a coy smile.

Niall, however, regained his composure and merely shrugged. "I'm nervous about how bad your acting is. My film shoot's in two weeks."

Not impressed by his answer, I ignored him and leaned over the counter, showing a considerable amount of cleavage as I smiled at Louis just a few feet away.

"How about you, Lou? Any... odd feelings?"

Louis pondered my question, eventually answering, "I have odd feelings about the large bump in your hair."

I rolled my eyes as I straightened my spine. Clearly he didn't understand the question – or fashionable hairstyles, for that matter.

Next, I set my predatory gaze on Harry, who was busy mixing us whiskey concoctions at the counter. I trailed my fingertips along his shoulder blades and posed rather seductively next to the sink.

"Harry, do I make you nervous?"

"Fuck no," was his immediate response, his gaze fixed on the liquor bottle.

I grumbled to myself, gritting my teeth. At least I made Zayn nervous. That was all that mattered.

"You didn't even spare me a glance," I argued.

Placing the spoon on the counter, Harry handed me one of the drinks and, as he did so, allowed his eyes travel down and then back up. When he met my gaze, he simply arched an eyebrow and then turned back to the glasses. He handed them out to Niall and Louis across the island and kept one for himself.

"No comment?" I prompted.

"No comment," he agreed, pulling a stool over and taking a seat.

Irritated, I took a sizeable gulp of the drink and stuck out my tongue to relieve myself of the foul taste.

"Can't someone at least tell me that I look decent?" I asked. To celebrate the end of the last week of classes in the brief lull between the end of the semester and the start of exams, a group of us were hitting one of the only clubs downtown. It was going to be sweaty and loud and packed, but we were in our fourth and final year and figured we should appreciate it while we still could.

Besides, it was a good way to let loose. Even though I let loose nearly every weekend, I couldn't say the same for everyone.

In light of this, and in light of Zayn's attendance, I was wearing a dress that was perhaps a little bit tight and perhaps a little bit revealing. After all, where's the fun in a matronly frock?

"Isn't that why girls gather together before they go out? To reassure each other that they all look pretty?" Harry said, earning him a chuckle from Niall and a serious nod from Louis.

"Hence why I asked you girls for your opinion," I said dryly.

"You wound me," he replied, unfazed. "I told you that Louis told me that Josie was having all the girls over for a pre-drink. You elected not to go."

"That is true," Louis chimed in, toasting his mate. I wasn't entirely thrilled that Harry had confided our fake dating operation to Louis, who probably told Josie, and who knew how it could spiral out of control from there. But it was done, and I had more important things to worry about.