Scrabble | Harry Styles

16

Harry's arms wound around my waist, my back pressed against the warmth of his chest as the pair of us swayed gently to the music. A large grin overtook my features as my hand intertwined with his, and he spun me around to face him. Couples surrounding us danced rhythmically to the music, laughing and twirling and messing around, and Harry and I were no different, yet somehow I felt a thousand times luckier than any other person with their partner in the room.

I was content beyond words, Harry occupying every single one of my senses; the smell of his cologne with faint tinges of vanilla, the feel of his hands on me, and the sight of him, flawlessly, in front of me - his green eyes twinkling down at me, his tousled waves flopping down onto his forehead. I reached up to brush it backwards, his lips puckering outwards a little in a silent request. I felt my cheeks flush slightly, even despite how normal such a situation was becoming. It caused such a fluttering in my stomach when I saw him soften - even in such a simple manner - just for me; I loved seeing a side to him that no one else did. I knew most certainly what everybody else saw, because I had seen it at first; somebody cold and reserved, with a cocky side which now I could only rule as all the more loveable. It was almost an honour that he let me see him so clearly.

"Stop thinking," he murmured, causing a soft giggle to leave my lips.

"How'd you know I was thinking?" I asked, winding my arms around his torso and craning my head back on my neck to look at him.

"Your face, idiot." His lips twitched into a grin, his head dipping downwards so he could press a single kiss to my forehead, as his own arms closed around me and the two of us swayed gently in a tight embrace. "I've never been to one of these," he said.

I raised an eyebrow, "Did you read a handbook, then, or something?" This earned a laugh from him, but I was genuinely surprised how he just managed to do everything so perfectly. Then, it hit my mind for the first time ever - had he had a girlfriend before? Did he have an ex - exes? Surely he did, there was no chance he didn't, but he'd never actually told me one way or the other.

I could feel eyes on me from the corner of the room, and I snapped out of my bubble for a brief moment. I scanned the room for only a moment, before my eyes landed on Vic positioned in the corner, a cup in her hand, with her eyes positively fixed on Harry and I. I bit my lip, contemplating my next point of action.

"I'm gonna check on Vic," I said, as Harry now followed my eyes.

He nodded, "Alright. I think I'll go get some air." He pressed his lips briefly to my forehead, bringing another smile to my face, "I'll find you when I'm back."

We parted ways, and I headed towards Vic, who straightened up a little when she saw me. I pursed my lips, unsure of what I actually intended to say.

"Where are Liz and Liam?" I asked, clearing my throat a little awkwardly.

She shrugged, "I haven't seen them for a bit." She was admittedly slurring a little less than before, but her eyes didn't quite land on me properly. I bit my lip.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, and she scoffed before I'd even completed the sentence. My eyebrows furrowed, "Have I done something to upset you, Vic? I don't understand-"

"You haven't done anything, Blair, of course you haven't." She rolled her eyes, and I sighed.

"Then why are you being like this? You've been shooting daggers at Harry and I all night, and I just-"

She cut me off again, "Well that's just it, isn't it? It's him. I can't handle it."

"Handle what, Vic?" I sighed, exasperated. "I can't wrap my head around what it is you want me to do, or why you have such a big problem with him. He hasn't done anything to you - if you had started dating someone, I wouldn't put you in this position. Do you want me to break up with him, is that it?"

She went quiet, pressing her lips into a line and tearing her eyes away from me. I felt an odd twist in my stomach, my eyebrows furrowing in hurt.

"I won't do that, Vic. I can't understand why or how you could ask me to do that," I paused, looking down for a moment. "Harry makes me really happy, Vic. He makes me feel so special, and loved, and-" I stopped again, growing worked up with upset. I tried to calm my demeanour, but I was so incredibly hurt by her in this moment. She only shook her head at me.

"I know. And I think it's too good to be true," she softened her tone a little. "Blair, I love you more than anything. You're like my sister, but this.. Harry.." she swallowed as if trying to stomach a large pill after saying his name. "I've tried with him, truly, I have, but-"

It was now my turn to cut her off. "I don't think you've tried at all," I said weakly, slipping further and further away from a point where she could convince me she said this from a place of compassion, or love. I turned my head in search of Harry, and in search of an escape from this conversation escalating any further.

"Blair, I think he did it."

I snapped my head back around. "What?"

"Don't tell me it hasn't crossed your mind," she lowered her voice now, and if it weren't for her tone, I could've almost laughed at how off she was.

"What the hell are you trying to say?" I tried to keep my tone even, my upset slowly shifting into utter shock.

"Think about it," she narrows her eyes a little, almost as if she's pleading with me to follow her words. "When has anything like this ever happened - ever? There's something off about him. He shows up here, and suddenly we're a murdertown-"

It was now my turn to scoff at her, in pure disbelief. "I can't believe this. You know what, Vic? Jealousy is one thing, but accusing him of murder?"

"Jealousy?!" she widened her eyes, "Blair, listen to me-"

"No," I held my hand up. "You've said more than enough. I don't want to hear anything else from you." I could feel my eyes stinging with tears threatening to fall, but I ignored them. "You've reached a new low." I turned around, hurrying away from her only to hear the music come to a halt. The room felt as if it was spinning; all of my senses heightened by the mere audacity of her accusation.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice sounded upon a microphone, shaky, and unsettled. I followed the sound, a man in a suit, his face pale and clouded with unease. "I'm sorry to announce that the Valentine's Dance is drawing to a close." I frowned, suddenly feeling a pair of arms wind around my waist. I turned my head, breathing a sigh of relief when I identified it to be Harry.

"What's going on?" he murmured against my ear, but the man continued to speak amongst the mumbles of the crowd before I could answer.

"The police are on their way.. we've found a body that we could immediately identify to be Louis Tomlinson," he said weakly, and a loud number of gasps, including my own, filled the room. I felt sick to my stomach. 

My eyes shifted over to Vic, still alone in the corner of the room. Her face looked as pained as anybody else's, before she tore her eyes from me and disappeared from view.