The speakers boomed around the club, the base pounding in my ears. I called out a drink order to the bar tender over the music as I watched my sister and Tanya grind on the dance floor. The bar tender handed over my drink and I sipped at it. A hand found my lower back and a pair of lips whispered in my ear, “Hey gorgeous,” a deep voice slurred. “Fancy seeing you here.”
I turned and was met by lidded chocolate eyes and a whiskey tinted breath. “Hey Li,” I smiled at him. “A little drunk there are we?”
“Not at all,” he tried moving closer but stumbled forward.
I caught him and held him upright as I laughed and said, “Okay Liam. What happened to hanging out with the guys? Where are Harry and Niall?”
“They’re ‘round here s-somewhere. But I’m more interested in you.” He swiped a piece of hair roughly behind my ear and my eyebrow cocked up.
“Uh… Liam?”
He leaned closer to me, “C’mon Natalie, I see the way you look at me. I know you wanna kiss-s me.” His lips tried to find mine and I shot a hand up to stop him.
As if on cue a pair of hands gripped Liam’s shoulders, “There you are. C’mon big guy.”
“Hey Ni,” I yelled over the music.
“Oh hey Natalie, sorry about him. He and Dani broke up and he’s kinda beat up about it.”
“Ahhh I see.”
“I’ll let Harry know you’re here. I’m gonna get whiskey breath here home.”
“Good luck. See ya later.”
“Later.”
Jen and Tanya came stumbling off the floor towards me just then, sweat drenching them, their breathing heavy and uneven. “Whooo! I love the way you dance babe!” Tanya shouted over the base.
“Thanks. Not too bad yourself their babe.” She smiled at her girlfriend, hazel eyes alight with joy. “Lee, come dance with us.”
“I-I don’t dance, Fer.” I said, not too sure if I wanted to attempt it in the club full of people.
“Oh, come on. It’s not that hard anyway.” They each grabbed an arm and dragged me through the writhing, sweaty bodies onto the floor.
We found a clearing amongst the people and they started dancing again. I started to slightly sway to the rhythm, eventually finding a groove and dancing along with them.
“See I told you. It’s not so bad.” Jen smiled and winked at me, and I smiled back.
Before long I was sweaty, body heat radiating around the small space. I let my eyes close for a few brief seconds as I felt the base thumping under my feet and around my body. When I opened them again, they connected with a pair of blue ones across the club. A set I knew all too well.
I swallowed hard as a fit of panic swept through me, fear rising slowly. I leaned over to my sister, “I’m gonna go get some air,” I said with a shaky voice.
She nodded at me as I turned and pushed through the crowd toward the door. I stepped out of the heat and into the fresh, cool night air, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, trying to calm my racing heart. I took a few steps down the sidewalk and leaned against the wall, the base vibrating my back. I slumped my head back and took a few more deep, shaky breaths.
“You look good,” a voice, I did not want to hear, sounded.
I instantly straightened myself up, “Chad, what-uh… what are you doing here?” I stuttered.
“Just missing you; trying to find what we had with someone else.” He took a step towards me and I instinctively stepped back.
“And what exactly did we have Chad? A broken relationship?”
“I loved you Natalie,” he slurred taking another wobbly step forward.
“You had a funny way of showing it.” I retreated a little more.
He took quick steps towards me and reached a hand to cradle my cheek. I froze. “I’m s-sorry Baby. I didn’t mean to.” He rubbed my cheek with his thumb and I could smell the liquor on his breath.
“I’m not your baby anymore Chad.” I grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away from my face. “And I don’t miss you anymore either. I’m finally happy; without you.” He slammed me against the wall quickly and a yelp escaped my lips as tears started to form in my eyes and fall down my cheeks.
“Oh, baby, don’t cry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” he slurred and shushed me, wiping tears away with the pads of his thumbs. I whimpered trying to push him away, “Shh shhhhh.”
He lowered his head and tried to find my lips with his. I turned my head away from him, but his lips connected with my neck, “Chad, please, stop.” I pleaded more tears falling, trying again to shove him back.
“I just want to love on you baby.” He said as he resisted my fatal attempts to stop him. He started to nip and suck at my neck and I squeezed my eyes shut, crying harder waiting for it to be over.
“She said stop,” I heard a familiar deep, raspy voice.
Chad ceased his attack on my skin, and I used the distraction to shove him away. He looked at me incredulously as I straightened myself out.
“Shall we go, Love?” Harry reached his hand for me leaning slightly, his eyes pleading with me, but his mouth a flat, angry line.
I tried to step towards him, but Chad’s powerful hand gripped my wrist, “I want you back Natalie,” he pleaded.
“Let go of me Chad,” I yanked my hand, trying to pull free to no avail.
Harry stepped between us and stared Chad down, “She said let her go!” he growled in anger leaning forward, almost hovering over Chad.
Chad’s eyes flashed with something I had never seen in him before, fear, as he released his hold on me. Harry fell back into standing straight and he reached for my arm. He gently shoved me in the opposite direction. I started to move and Harry moved with me, keeping his eyes on Chad. Once we had stepped around the corner Harry turned to walk stiffly beside me, draping his arm across my lower back.
I could hear his angered breaths as we made our way towards his car. He helped me in and quickly ran to the driver’s side and started the car. “Are you alright love?” he said as he peeled out and sped away from the club parking lot.
Tears spilled over my eyes again and I sobbed slightly, “I’m f-f-fine.”
He turned towards me, glancing over my features. He reached his hand over and rested it comfortingly on my knee, rubbing circles with his thumb. I reached down and squeezed his wrist with both of my hands, shutting my eyes and trying to slow my breath. We sat that way until we arrived home, a few tears still visible and my breathing not completely normal.
“Harry,” I said turning to look at him, “Can I sleep in your bed tonight?” I pleaded with my eyes, sounding slightly frantic.
He didn’t hesitate, “Of course.” He nodded and rubbed his hand into my knee. I tried to smile at him before we got out of the car and made our way into the house. Harry trotted up the stairs as I sluggishly drug my feet up.
I walked into my room and stood at my dresser pulling off my jewelry and shoes and changed into a baggy t-shirt, throwing my hair into a messy bun. I sauntered into Harry’s room to find him shirtless laying in his bed, hands interlocked behind his head waiting for me.
“I’m going to use the loo,” I said making my way to his bathroom and not fully closing the door behind me. I splashed some water on my face and wiped off my makeup before I looked at myself in the mirror. I found faint bluish, purple marks around my collarbone and tears started to well in my eyes again as I held back a whimper. I quickly looked away and made my way back to Harry’s bed. I climbed in, under the sheet and snuggled into him before he could see my face.
He wrapped an arm around me and reached up with the other and switched the light off, “You comfy Love?”
“Mm hmm.” I muttered.
“Okay good. Goodnight Nat.” He kissed the top of my head.
I wiggled myself closer to his bare torso, resting my head on his chest, “Sweet dreams, Haz.”