That Summer Feeling: SUMMER 4EVER [H.S.]

35. Let's Play a Lovegame

You could feel the weight of the hangovers everyone is collectively facing around the table. A surge of quiet and a unique stillness. There have been brighter mornings in this house.

I didn't even drink that much yesterday but the surprising kiss Adam planted on me sent my head into a wreck that it felt like I had pounded ten more drinks than I did. Liam's snoring didn't keep me up— it was the power my brain used to process what the hell happened that did.

I contemplated for a long time on what I should say to Adam and what he would even say to me and if this would drive a wedge between our friendship. One bigger than the one that popped up our freshman year— the night when we both unwisely decided to lose our virginities to each other.

I even contemplated what I would say to Harry. It's not something I feel the need to tell him right away but it's not something I want to keep from him. He's someone I trust and look at for support. Maybe he can shed some sort of light on the situation I haven't seen before so I can move on from it in the best way.

"Does the orange juice taste rotten to anyone?" Beau asks, taking short sniffs of the white carton.

"No, it tastes fine," Louis answers first. "Really fresh."

"Can juice even expire?" Sierra asks then holds a hand up to us. "No one answer that. My brain isn't working like it usually does at the moment."

"It tastes good to me, bro," Liam tells him.

"It tastes like rubbing alcohol," Beau continues.

"Don't you dare bring up alc—" Maggie didn't finish her sentence because she almost gagged trying to complete it.

"Niall, you like the orange juice, right?" Louis asks him.

Niall looks like the simple use of his name pulled him out of a stormy current in his head. "Huh? Oh, yeah. It's fine."

"I think I'm still drunk," Beau concludes and puts the juice down.

I dig my spoon into my cereal and find it's gotten soggy in the time I spent lost in my head. Everyone seems so sluggish and out of it, except Louis, who's been more noticeably giddy these last few days and it's an easy guess as to why. It's clear yesterday's endless wine tasting wiped all of us out but especially Niall. He's still as uncharacteristically quiet as he was yesterday. I'm worried it's about him and Bella since they didn't seem like each other yesterday. I don't think they were all over each other like they usually are.

"It's so quiet in this house, I can't fucking take it," Louis stole the words right out of my head.

"If I nap this off, I'll be fine by noon," Beau says with a diminished wave.

"It is noon, mate." Louis laughs.

"A nap sounds so good," Maggie faintly smiles at the fruit in her bowl.

"You know what we need?"

"Two Tylenol and a back massage," Beau says.

"Game Night."

"I'm down," Liam says at the same time as Niall shuts the idea down.

"Oh, come on, Niall! Why the long face?"

"I don't need to go through another night of drinking."