Lucky Penny [h.s.]

23.

TW: mentions of abuse and homophobia/biphobia

Penelope.

I walked down the stairs feeling a lot lighter than I did when I walked up, thirty minutes ago. My body was still buzzing from being fingered by Harry like that, and my orgasm had taken a lot out of me. The eye contact had been so overwhelming, and I had felt so safe in that bedroom with him.

When Harry had gone down the stairs before me, I had freshened up in the bathroom a little. I had sweated of a bit of my make-up, and I had reapplied it, ran a brush through my tangled hair and washed my hands before adding a fresh spritz of perfume and some deodorant.

I needed to look like nothing had happened, but my cheeks were flushed and my pupils dilated. I looked so alive. I grinned at myself in the mirror, feeling happier about myself than I had done in weeks. Harry being open and vulnerable with me, meant a lot. Him expressing his fears and thoughts cleared up many things about his past behaviour, and I liked that he had actually told me and now the worries were out in the open.

No more hiding.

Except for all the people downstairs in this very house.

I caught Harry's eye as I descended the wooden stairs, and he had a small smile on his lips before he quickly looked back to Niall who he was in conversation with.

I smiled at Katie from the distance and was about to approach her, feeling the need to tell someone about this, but I got stopped by Andrew on the way.

He had a small frown on his forehead, "Hey, I was looking for you."

"Oh," I breathed, "Sorry, I was upstairs getting changed."

"For thirty minutes?" He chuckled and I shrugged, "I guess I'm indecisive."

"So, I was thinking, maybe we could split a cab to head to the club? I think Dave ordered Uber's and they should be here pretty soon."

I bit down on my lip, forcing a small smile, "Look, Andrew... You're a really nice guy, and I feel very flattered, but I'm actually kind of seeing someone." I came clean carefully and he raised his brows, "Really? Oh, shit, I had no idea. Louis didn't mention it, I'm sorry."

"No, no, don't apologize. It's nothing official, but it doesn't feel right to talk to multiple people at the same time. I don't want to like... give the wrong signal." I explained quickly and he shot me a warm smile, "It's fine, Penny. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, don't worry about it."

His words kind of hit me, and I tilted my head to the side. Was this how adults handled rejection? So... civil and mature? Patrick could never.

Andrew smiled once more and squeezed my shoulder before he walked back to Louis and Jonas, and I let out a sigh in the kitchen, nodding to myself and happy with how that conversation had gone. So that was what good communication felt like.

"Hey, P." Katie slurred a little as I sat down on the couch next to her. She was slowly sipping on a pink drink, the straw in between her lips as she held the cup with both hands. Her eyes were lazy and wide and she was definitely a little drunk, "Why'd you change? I loved that other top!"

I leaned back in the couch and chuckled, "Me too. I, um – spilled on it."

"That's a lie." She rolled her eyes and I sighed, "I was upstairs with Harry. We talked. He asked me to change and I did."

"Was it a good talk? Liam said he saw you guys arguing when he arrived."

I slowly nodded, "Mhm, we argued because he asked me not to flirt with those friends of Louis, said it was hard on him to see me like that."