Lights (2013)

27

Everyone's jaws drop and my team cheers.

"How the fuck--" Zayn stares at me in disbelief.

"Well done, Blair," Jane says, a smile spreading across her face. "Can we get you a drink?"

"Sure," I say. "Thank you."

"No, thank you," she says, patting my shoulder before walking over to the bar.

"I seem to have underestimated you," Harry says to me.

"That has always been your fatal flaw," I reply.

"Good shot, Blairbear," Louis says. "Well done."

"Thanks, Lou." I smile. Louis shoots a glare at Harry before joining the rest at the bar.

"Ready to go?" Harry asks.

I look at him in mock surprise. "But I only just beat your ass," I say. "I need to bask in it a little longer."

Harry shakes his head at me as Perrie calls me over to a table where everyone is seated.

I slide into a seat next to Perrie and Ashley as Penny slides a beer across the table at me.

"I still don't think it was a fair game," Niall says.

I shrug at him and take a sip of my beer. It burns on the way down and I try not to let it show on my face.

"So, Blair," Ashley says. "Tell us about yourself."

I shrug. "There's really not much to tell," I say.

"Oh, of course there is!" Jane says, tracing around the top of her beer with her fingertips. It seems that everything she does is seductive.

"Well, I grew up in London and I'm going to the uni in the fall." I shrug again.

"Oh, nice," Luke says. "I heard they have great parties there."

"Oooh, yeah," Penny says.

"That sounds lovely," Perrie says to me. "What are you studying?"

"I want to take some writing classes," I answer.

I expect Jane to snort at me and roll her eyes, but she doesn't. Maybe she has some kind of new respect for me after my winning shot in pool.

"So I assume you live on your own?" Penny asks.

I shake my head. "I live with my dad and his wife," I answer.

"She's not your mum?" Penny asks.

I open my mouth to say no when Harry beats me to it. "Enough about Blair already," he says. I thank him with my eyes and he nods.

The conversation carries to some party that will take place in an empty warehouse this weekend.

"I heard someone's going to hire a fortune teller," Perrie says excitedly.

"Really?" Ashley asks. "Sick!"

"Harry, you going?" Luke asks.

Harry nods. "Of course."

Luke's eyes land on me. "What about you, Blair?"

"Absolutely not," Harry says.

I shoot him a glare.

"She can answer for herself," Louis snaps at Harry.

"Oh, so you care if she's near me, but not if she goes to a fucking warehouse party? Do you know how out of hand those get?" Harry growls.

"Shut the fuck up," Louis says.

My mind flashes to the fight Perrie told me about and my eyes flick to Luke's scar. I gulp. "Enough, guys," I say. "I'll think about it," I say to Luke. Luke grins and nods, taking another sip of his beer.

Harry stands from the table, his eyes on fire as he glares at Louis. "Let's go, Blair."

I don't question him. I stand and wave goodbye to everyone, following Harry out to the car.

We start the drive in silence. I want Harry to cool down so he doesn't say something rash.

"There is absolutely no way in hell you will go to that party," Harry finally says, his voice low with anger. He obviously hasn't cooled down.

I don't answer. I look out the window, not wanting to engage in the fight he's inviting me to.

"I'm speaking to you," he says.

"I know," I say. "I hear you."

"Don't you have anything to say?"

"Nope." I watch the streets whiz by out the window.

"Bullshit."

"I'm not engaging in an argument with you, Harry."

"That's not what I'm doing!"

"Right." I still don't look at him and I know it's driving him mad.

"Fuck!" I hear Harry curse. I know him well enough to know he's gripping the steering wheel in anger and his eyes are dark with fiery rage.

I continue to keep my mouth shut. He hates this, I can feel it. I've done this before, when we were kids. This is the worst punishment for him. He doesn't know what to say if I don't egg him on with my rebuttals.

So we drive in silence--or, relative silence. Harry utters a neverending string of curses under his breath the entire time. I just look out the window.

"Blair," he finally says as he pulls into the driveway. "Promise me you won't go to the warehouse party."

I purse my lips. "I'm not promising you anything."

"Dammit, Blair!" He shouts. This is how he would always get me to speak. Starting softly and crescendoing right back up again. "Why are you even considering this? A month ago I'd ask you to come to a regular party and you'd completely shit on the idea!"

I still don't answer.

"Look at me, at least!" He yells. When I don't, he sighs, his breath shaky. "Blair," he says, calmer. "Look at me."

I finally move to look into his eyes. I wear a blank expression.

He moves his hand to stroke my cheek. Butterflies erupt in my stomach but I keep my expression neutral.

"I don't want you going to that party," he says.

"You've made that clear."

"Promise me--"

"I never said I was going. I just said I would think about it."

Harry exhales, his breath hitting my face. "I want you to stay safe. Bad things happen at warehouse parties...I mean it. When I cut Luke...that was at a warehouse party."

I try to mask the shock on my face. Perrie never mentioned it was at a warehouse.

"Please," he whispers. "For me."

I look away. "I'll think about it."

Harry presses a soft kiss to my lips, his tongue instantly finding mine. My breath hitches in my throat and I pull away. "Goodnight, Harry," I say, opening the door and stepping out. Harry rolls down the window.

"Blair, wait."

I look at him expectantly.

"You're not mad, are you?"

I shake my head.

Harry nods before backing out of the driveway and into the night.