Lights (2013)

26

"Blair! Blair!"


"What?" I call as I fluff my hair in the mirror. I had decided on wearing a simple white t-shirt and tight, dark jeans. I applied minimal makeup and now I'm just waiting for Harry to haul ass and pick me up. I know that if he bags and doesn't pick me up on purpose I'll just drive myself, although I am slightly worried because of Harry's earlier warnings about that side of town.


Fizzy bounces into my room, her eyes wide. "Harry's here," she whispers. "He's here for you."


I roll my eyes. "I'm not going on a date with Harry," I snap at her. "As if."


"He looks nice," she says. "He's wearing a t-shirt."


"He always wears a t-shirt."


"Yeah but tonight it looks...extra nice." She winks at me. I swat at her, narrowly missing her.


"Have fun!" She singsongs after me as I grab my things and walk down the stairs.


Harry and my father chat in the foyer, and the conversation abruptly stops when I make my presence known. Harry's eyes dilate as he looks me up and down and I can't help but blush.


"Hi," I greet Harry.


He clears his throat. "Ready to go?" He asks.


I nod.


"Now where exactly are you going?" My father asks.


"Just a place on the other side of town. There's a pool competition," Harry answers smoothly.


"Ah. Pool. Sounds fun."


"I'll have her home by twelve," Harry says.


I stare at him. Promising a curfew is so out of character for Harry.


"Nonsense," my father says. "I trust you guys. Just have fun." He smiles at us and my jaw almost drops. Since when does he trust Harry and I together again?


Harry opens the car door for me and I stare at him again.


"What?" He asks.


"Have you gone under a complete personality switch in the couple hours since you dropped me off?"


"What? Why?"


"You're actually acting...nice," I say.


Harry rolls his eyes. "Get in the fucking car."


"That's the Harry I know," I say, smirking as I get into the car.


Harry bites his tumbnail as he drives along. His hair is in its usual style, chocolate colored and curly. His eyes seem brighter, although I don't know why. He said he hasn't been sleeping. How does he manage to look like he gets all the sleep in the world?


Harry takes multiple twists and turns before pulling into the lot of the pub we were at earlier in the week.


I get out of the car and begin walking toward the building when Harry grabs ahold of my wrist and pulls me back to him. I look at him curiously.


"Blair," he says, his voice low. "Promise me you won't do anything rash just to spite me."


I scoff. "When have I ever done that?"


He raises his eyebrows at me.


"Fine," I say. "I'll be good."


He smiles, his dimples showing. "Thank you," he says before letting go of me and proceeding to walk into the bar.


Once we enter, I follow Harry straight to the back where Perrie and Zayn are already crowded around a pool table. I notice Penny, Jane, Niall, Luke and Louis are all in attendance as well. Louis looks at me curiously upon entering.


"Blair, what are you doing here?" He asks.


I shrug. "I'm good at pool."


Louis smirks and takes a sip of his beer. "Why did you come with Harry?" He asks more seriously.


"Hey, fuck off," Harry growls as he picks up a pool stick.


Louis glares at him and turns back around, leaning against a table next to Luke.


"Hey, guys, I have more--" I turn to see a blonde girl with blue eyes in a tight black dress. I instantly recognize her as the girl Harry slept with when I had to convince her we were engaged and I was pregnant...I gulp.


Her eyes narrow at me as she sets down two beers on the table.


"I know you," she says, her pink lips pursing. "You're engaged to Harry, right?" She raises an eyebrow.


"Um, funny story--" I start.


Jane parts her lips in amusement. "Engaged?" She asks.


"Fuck off," Harry says to Jane. His eyes land on the blonde. "Ashley," he says. "Nice to see you."


Ashley snorts. "Please, don't humor me. After all, you are engaged...and expecting."


Harry rolls his eyes. "Don't tell me you were stupid enough to believe that," he snaps.


Ashley glares at him, then at me. "I see," she says tersely. I look away as Perrie hands me a pool stick.


"Ashley's the jealous type," Perrie says in my ear. "Just ignore her."


I nod.


"Alright, let's form teams," Luke says, clapping his hands together.


"Perrie, Blair, and Harry are with me," Zayn says. "We decided this beforehand."


I nod, standing close to Perrie. She smiles kindly at me. I feel most comfortable around her, despite her vibrant purple hair and inked boyfriend...although, I suppose I'm not much better. Harry isn't my boyfriend, though. I shake the thought from my head.


"I say we make it a little interesting," Penny says. "How about girls against guys. Battle of the sexes."


Jane's eyes flash. "I like that idea," she says, her eyes on me.


"Perrie, Blair, Ashley, Jane and I," Penny says, scooping a pool stick into her hands. "Against Harry, Zayn, Niall, Luke and Louis."


"It's even," Niall says, shrugging.


I swallow. The only person I can trust or even really talk to on my team is Perrie. I don't like these odds.


"Huddle," Jane says and we all crowd around her. "Alright, bitches," she says. "We need to win. There's fifty dollars on the line here and I could really use it."


Ashley snorts. "What, to buy new lingerie?"


Jane shoots her a venomous stare. "Shut the fuck up, Ashley, or I'll kick your ass so hard you won't shit for weeks." I raise my eyebrows at her threat. Ashley just laughs.


"I'm first," Penny calls. "Striped."


Harry meets my gaze, his expression unreadable. If only I could read his mind.


"Hey," someone says next to me. I turn, expecting to see Perrie, but instead I find myself facing Ashley. I swallow.


Ashley smiles at me. "No hard feelings, yeah?" She says. "I'm sure it was a good reason why you lied for Harry."


"I--He's just my best friend..." I say.


"Of course," Ashley says. "I know how hard it is to be a loyal friend, sometimes." She smiles again before turning her attention to the game. I know this truce she's called isn't sincere, but it's better than being insulted.


Luke finishes lining up the pool balls and steps back. Penny leans across the table, squinting. I resist rolling my eyes at how she's leaning so the entire male team can see straight down her shirt. I notice Perrie glaring at Zayn.


She shoots straight and gets two striped balls in. She smirks in satisfaction.


"Not bad," Niall says.


"But not good," Harry finishes.


Zayn is next to go. He expertly leans across the table and gets four balls in.


"Ladies, pool is a man's game," he says. Perrie glares at him again.


"We'll see about that," Jane says, picking up her pool stick. She shoots and only gets one ball in.


"Fuck!" She curses.


I notice Harry smirking.


Luke goes next, scoring two balls in. My team curses behind me.


"I'll go next," I volunteer. "I'm pretty good--"


"Perrie's next," Jane says coldly.


"No, I can go after her," Perrie says. "We could really use an advantage."


Jane finally nods and hands me a pool stick. I shoot her the sincerest smile I can and turn to face the table. I feel Harry's eyes on me the entire time.


I study the layout of the table. There are three striped balls clustered in one corner, opposite the cue ball. If I could shoot a straight shot through, I could make all three in by using a solid colored ball to bump one in. It's a risk, but I'm going to have to take it.


I narrow my eyes and shoot, the cue ball ricocheting across the table, knocking the solid ball and getting all three in. I smile triumphantly as my team cheers behind me. Harry's eyes dance.


"I'm pleasantly surprised, Blair," Luke says. "That was one hell of a shot."


I smile, shrugging. "I used to whip Harry's ass all the time in pool, so I've had practice."


Harry crosses his arms over his chest. "That was a lucky shot."


"If you call logically planning and making it in lucky, then, sure, I was lucky." I smirk.


Harry goes next. His green eyes darken in concentration as he shoots straight, knocking a striped ball aside and making a colored one in.


"Only one, Harry?" I ask, shaking my head. "You disappointment."


Harry looks at me with humor. "Coming from you, Waffle House." I narrow my eyes at him as he laughs at his own joke.


"Who's next?" I ask my team.


"You," Ashley says.


"Am I allowed?"


"I don't see why not," Jane says.


I shrug. "Alright." I turn to examine the table.


"Hold up," Niall says. "She can't go again."


"Says who?" Ashley snaps.


"It's the rules."


"Written where?" I ask. Harry watches me carefully.


Niall opens his mouth. "It's just the rules."


"Show me where it's written and I'll abide by it. Until then, I believe it's my turn." I smile. I look back at the table. I see that there are two striped balls left on the table. If I can get them both in, we win.


I narrow my eyes. I can shoot the cue ball at the last solid colored ball and use it to bump in one. My gaze slides across the table. If I shoot the cue ball at one of the striped ones, it'll knock the colored one and sink the second one in along with it.


I smile as I bend down to set up my shot. I shoot it perfectly, sinking both.