to be so lonely • hs

sixteen

The fifth shot might not have been the smartest idea, but neither was the second, third, or fourth. Yet there I was, following Harry out the building, completely plastered.

"Are you okay to drive?" I asked, realizing he'd taken the same amount as I had. A round of hiccups began, a small one escaping my lips.

He simply nodded, and I guess I believed him. He'd always been better at holding his own, and it took him far more than it took me to get drunk, but I still wasn't sure how safe it was.

"Do you promise?" I asked again once we reached his vehicle, the sound of the car unlocking startling me for a second.

"Cross my heart." He nodded again.

"Well, that's a bit morbid." I scoffed, getting in and immediately strapping in the seatbelt. He did the same, and we waited for a bit before driving out of the carpark.

After a few minutes filled with silence as I was far too aware of each and every car around us and completely on edge, I turned to him again, fighting through a hiccup before asking, "Where are we going?"

Harry glanced over at me quickly, then shrugged. "To get proper food."

I was satisfied with the idea of going for something to eat, but I think it didn't quite dawn on us until far too late that every shop was already closed for the night. The lights were off at every location we'd driven to, growing hungrier by the minute. After about 4 restaurants, it began to be a bit thrilling for us. We'd get a sense of satisfaction from the disappointment, however that might have been. Pulling up to a closed restaurant, we'd sit silent in anticipation and burst with laughter when it was, in fact, closed.

"Sorry, li." He apologized once we made rounds around each street searching for a restaurant with the lights still on, having no luck at all. I guess I wasn't sure what we were expecting, it was nearly one in the morning, after all.

"No biggie." I sighed into the seat, shutting my eyes at the red light we'd stoped at. "I'll just make something at home, then." I rubbed my eyes open and shifted myself so my leg was raised a bit onto the chair, another hiccup escaping.

"I'll drop you off." He nodded, turning on his indicators to switch into the lane that would eventually turn and get us on track back towards my home.

I stayed quiet for a bit, not having much of a problem with going home at first, until it happened upon me that I didn't want to go home. I was having such a nice time, being with him, I didn't want to walk into an empty room with no company.

"Actually, can we—" I started, but sighed instead of continuing. I couldn't ask him to stay out with me longer, it seemed selfish, and the look in his eyes didn't hide the fact that he was tired. I hiccuped again, getting a little frustrated by them as I let out a groan.

He laughed a little, his shoulders rising and falling as he lifted his finger to his lip, dragging his thumb gently across his bottom lip as the smile grew.

"What is it?" I asked, kicking my leg higher and slightly underneath me as I turned towards him, the cone of my party hat scraping against the headrest.

"Secret." He answered, I rolled my eyes at the memory of all the times he'd answer with that response, not revealing it until I'd practically beg his ears off. Once, we were walking along the ocean on a really warm day, holding hands, and he began fully laughing. I asked him what was funny, and he told me it was a secret. He didn't actually tell me what had caused him to laugh until a week later, the reason being our palms were sweaty. I wondered what it was this time around.

"Oh, c'mon," I begged, his cheeks and the tip of his nose grew a little red, the reflection from the light posts through the windows revealing that much.