1 hour later

“Harry Styles, you are an absolute charmer!”
Alyce was sitting almost uncomfortably close to me, her hand in a fist, with her chin resting gracefully on it. She enthralled me. Every small movement she made, every time she bit the side of her cheek in thought, the way her hair framed her face and brought out her incredibly blue eyes, I was captivated. But it wasn’t just the simple mannerisms of this beautiful woman that captured me. It was her undeniable confidence.
I laughed as she mocked me. I was going through my series of lame pick up lines with her and she was having a ball. I was glad.
“Tell me more about yourself,” I stated as I took my fourth shot. Or was it my fifth? Was I losing count? Good God, I never drink like this.
“What do you want to know?” She asked, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes.
“Whatever you’d like for me to know.”
She raised her eyebrows, “That’s awfully cryptic, you know.”
“Don’t you like a bit of mystery?” What the fuck was I saying? I’m ridiculous.
But she smiled, a wide, gleaming smile. ‘Guess I said something right.
“In fact, I absolutely love a bit of mystery. Humans are meant to be mysterious.” She was very matter of fact about that statement as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear and eyed the last of the many shots that were disposed of on the mahogany table. Three were left.
“Is that so?” I questioned, leaning in closer to her.
She giggled, her eyes darting from the shot glasses to my face.
“Of course,” she began, “humans are very predictable in the most common of situations. But it’s what makes us predictable in those situations that is the mystery.”
“How do you figure?”
She sighed, thinking.
“Take you for example,” she gestured her hand toward me, “It was very predictable that you’d let yourself be dragged into a situation in which you are drinking so much more than you usually do on a,” she glanced at her watch. I hadn’t noticed it before, white, fitting snuggly around her small wrist, “Monday evening?”
I felt my face scrunch in skepticism.
“How was that predictable?”
She rolled her eyes.
“Gemma called me Miss Tequila which didn’t stop you from hanging out with me. It was a dead give away I liked to party. Not to mention the shit faced comment. Therefore the logical conclusion was that you were attracted to me. Which is why you are here and why you are drinking a lot.”
I coughed on the whiskey and coke. When did I order this? Alyce giggled again. She was frustrating me.
“See you can’t even remember yourself ordering that whiskey and Coke only moments ago.” She let out a deep contented breath, as if she had seen this all before. Like the scenario was a pleasant scene from a regularly watched movie.
“Someone who partied often would be very well aware of ordering that drink,” she pointed her hand to my drink raising her eyebrows
“Who said I was attracted to you?”
This time she laughed loudly. It was high pitched, melodic. It could have been annoying to onlookers but to me it sounded so jovial and alluring I thought I might faint.
“Oh darling, you have it written all over your face. Plus you made a comment about me being “stunning” right after the fashion show.” She said it like it was so obvious. Did I really give it away that easily?
“Whatever, go on and explain the Miss Tequila part and this predictable mysterious bull shit,” I said exasperatedly. Her eyes dilated.
“It’s not bull shit.”
I had offended her, I was about to speak up but she let out a huff and began talking slow, deliberate, she annunciated every single word perfectly. She didn’t want me to forget this.
“You wouldn’t have drank this much if I wasn’t here. I saw your face when you heard me talking about wanting to get shit faced. And I also saw your face when Gemma called me Miss Tequila. You aren’t used to an intense rambunctious night out of partying. But you were interested in me, attracted to me, therefore it was predictable that you’d come out here and drink more than you’re used to for the sake of being with someone who is new and attractive and who may make you mildly uncomfortable and who likes to party. Which plays a part into you drinking more than usual.” She said this all as if it was it was obvious to every average human being. But there was something missing,
“And the mystery?” I inquired. She grinned.
“Why was this predictable? Why are you uncomfortable around me? Why do you think I am attractive? Why have you been drinking so much,” she leaned in closer to me, staring into my eyes, her expression unreadable, “what are your motives?”
She was dangerously close to me and as much as I wanted to kiss her, I wanted to answer her questions. At least try to. As I was about to respond, she quickly leaned back and cleared her throat.
“I don’t know why you’re attracted to me. Predicting you’d be here with me was easy. But we all perceive things differently, people, places, activities, etc. Your perception of me is the mystery and the mystery is a beautiful thing.”
With that she grabbed another shot and tossed it back.
This woman flabbergasted me. It wasn’t that what she said was the biggest mystery in the world. I’m sure it could have been very obvious that I was attracted to her. But she was so blunt about it all. I stared down at my drink when I heard an all too familiar voice yelling my name. I looked up to see Gemma at the bar with two other men.
“ ‘Arry!” Niall?
“Get your ARSE over here!” And Louis as well. I felt a huge grin tugging at my cheeks.
“You get your ARSES over HERE!” I yelled back. I could see Gemma rolling her eyes as she pulled the guys over. They appeared to be….inebriated. Well, that would be an understatement.
Niall sat down to the right of me and Louis pulled up, well, dragged a bar stool over to the couches, causing a lot of onlookers to raise their heads and cringe as the stool scraped against the floor. Oh if Louis was ignoring the possible disturbance his actions were causing, he was definitely pissed. Liam followed them closely behind, balancing about six shot glasses in his hands. The fuck? I felt a shift of weight beside me on the couch. Alyce bolted up and fist pumped the air.
“FUCK YES! MORE SHOTS!” Oh Dear God…someone help me.
“We haven’t even finished the ones on the table…” I muttered more to myself. ALyce glanced down at me, her fist still in the air. She was ludicrous.
“Your point? Let’s do this!”
“Whoa! Who is this bird?” Niall leaned forward and to the left, looking up at Alyce. Her brown hair was wild and tame all at the same time. I could tell Niall was checking her out. He wasn’t good at hiding his flirty side.
Alyce finally put her fist down, and stretched her body over mine, reaching a hand out to shake Niall’s. Well, this is a bit weird.
“I’m Alyce, one of Gemma’s friends. And you are?” She replied inquisitively. I saw a wide grin encompass his face as he shook her hand.
“I’m Niall. Bandmates with all these blokes here,” he looked around at everyone then laid his eyes on Louis. Louis was chatting with Liam, he looked insanely happy, and also tan. Why were they back here?
“And that’s Louis. Oy! Louis! Introduce yourself to this gorgeous lady.”
Alyce smiled in appreciation. Nothing more. I watched as Louis patted Liam on the back for no apparent reason and stumbled over to Alyce, He got down on one knee as if to propose to her and grasped her hand
“Ah my lady, I am Louis. A pleasure to meet you?” He squinted at her face. I couldn’t help but laugh. Alyce broke into a fit of giggles and looked over at me quickly saying, “Your laugh is contagious.” I felt myself blush. She turned back to Louis, her hand still in his.
“I’m Alyce, A good friend of Gemma’s. It’s great to meet you.”
“Do you like our music?!” Louis blurted out. Oh my god. Alyce just laughed it off.
“Possibly,”
“That’s awfully cryptic you know,” I winked at her as I mocked her voice. She gave me a fake glare.
“There’s this one song I like by you guys. I can’t quite put my finger on it…”
“You and I? What Makes You Beautiful? One Thing?!” Louis started naming them all off as if his life depended upon it. He was fucking hilarious.
Alyce tapped her chin in thought,
“I think it went oh oh oh, I think it went yeah yeah yeah..?” She looked at us all seriously. And then she literally burst into a fit of giggles, slapping her knee. Gemma couldn’t help but laugh as well, clutching her stomach with one arm as she held her drink in her right hand. Louis stared at her as if she was an alien and Niall shook his head in amusement while Liam’s eyes widened. I coughed.
“Alright then, I think we’ve determined we don’t need to entertain Alyce much. She’s very capable of doing that herself.” I smirked. Alyce wiped a tear from her eye.
“Hey it was pretty damn funny!” She pointed at me as if to accuse me of a crime.
I held my hands up in defense.
“I didn’t say it wasn’t. Anyway,” I looked at the lads, specifically Louis and Niall.
“what are you guys doing back here? I thought you were all off to see beaches and sunsets and what not?” I inquired.
Louis shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly. “We both met up in Hawaii. Stayed for a few days, got bored, wanted to see you lot and support Gemma here.”
“Yeah!” Niall interjected. “We were gonna wait to start drinkin’ with ye all but the plane ride had really good mimosas.”
“Mimosa is a drink, Niall, You took shots of tequila!” Louis practically yelled. And they said American’s were obnoxious…
“Oh….” Niall scratched his head in confusion.
Alyce let out a loud snort.
“How do you confuse champagne and orange juice with tequila?” Niall shrugged.
“I just like what I like I don’t memorize those fancy names.”
“Well I for one am very glad to see you all,” Gemma piped up. Liam nodded his head, he was still balancing those shots as he stood next to Gemma.
“Same! Now someone take these bloody things from me. You’re mad if you think I’m gonna stand here balancing all this poison.”
“It’s nature’s elixir, Liam,” Alyce said as she grabbed two shots from him. She handed them to me. “Drink up.”
I looked down at the shots and sniffed. Scotch.
“Okay two more shots then I’m done!” I declared.
“You still have to finish the ones on the table!” Alyce poked me.
“You finish them!”
“Trying to get a lonely American girl drunk?” She gasped dramatically, a smirk tugging at her lips.
“I didn’t realize you were lonely…” I mumbled lowly smiling at her. She blushed but regained composure. She had me flustered all night. It was about time I got underneath her skin.
“I’m not lonely,” she said, snatching a shot of the tequila left over on the table.
“Whatever you say, Miss Independent.” And with that I downed the two shots and then took the last one from the table, downing that one as well.
She gulped hers down and then replied “Miss self-sufficient.”
I stared at her.
“Huh?”
She rolled her eyes. She was good at that.
“Oh never mind, no Kelly Clarkson fans here!” Niall scoffed loudly.
“Are you kidding me? WHAT IS THIS FEELING TAKIN OVAH!”
Alyce started laughing as Niall began singing this supposed Kelly Clarkson song. I couldn’t believe how loud everyone was. Was this how loud I was when I got overly drunk?
Suddenly, I noticed just how crowded the club had become. Old friends, new friends, and couples intermingled as a soft beat played in the background. I felt nostalgic sitting in this club. I remember the times the lads and I would go from club to club while on tour when we’d only have a day off in one place before we had to shuffle off to the next show, leaving city after city behind, never to visit again only to indulge in their alcohol and clubs. It was a little bittersweet, me having wanted to stay longer in each city we saw, yet I couldn’t deny the great memories I made in those short moments. I felt myself smiling and the tension that had been resting in my shoulders since we went on hiatus, disappeared.
“I missed this.” I said loudly in the midst of several conversations.
Liam, Niall and Louis looked up at me nodding their heads as Alyce and Gemma carried on a conversation.
“I did too. IT feels even better knowing we don’t have anywhere to be,” said Liam as Louis nodded his head vigorously. He was kind of a child when he drank. But then again, I was a child most days.
I heard a gasp as Alyce stood up and pointed toward the dance floor area of the club.
“I love this song!” She shouted, grabbing Gemma’s wrist. “Come dance with me!” Gemma looked almost frightened and Niall noticed as he pointed at her giggling like a mad man.
“I don’t know about that,” Gemma said chuckling nervously, “what song is this anyway?”
I strained my ears to hear it and then as if on cue, all four of us men groaned at the same time.
Through the wire, through the wire, through the wire
I’m watching her dance, her dress is catching the light.
In her eyes there’s no lies no lies, there’s no question, she’s not in a disguise
“The last thing I wanted to deal with was hearing my own voice at some club,” Liam groaned.
“Hey you have a beautiful voice, Liam!” Louis said, pointing to Liam’s throat.
“You pointing at my throat like that makes me a bit nervous, mat.” Liam said as he grabbed Louis’ index finger, slowly pushing it away.
“You guys need to get over it. I’m gonna go dance.” And with that Alyce bounded off, like some sort of deer in the forest. She was…interesting.
“I better go watch her, just to be safe ya know?” Gemma said, disappearing through the crowd of people in the small space.
“They really needed to play a One Direction song? I feel like this place doesn’t have that kind of vibe.” I stated, I was a little annoyed. I felt like this was going to draw attention to myself and that was the last thing I really wanted at the moment.
“Ay, this is my favorite song off the album,” Liam stated. “It’s chill. A good song for this kind of club.” I agreed, though reluctantly.
Suddenly, I saw a flicker of purple out of the corner of my eye that caught my attention. I saw Alyce standing on what appeared to be some sort of platform that was attached to the bar. For what purpose it served, I had no idea, but I certainly could tell by the look on the bartender’s face that it wasn’t supposed to be for dancing, She was laughing and as soon as the bartender saw her gleeful face, his expression softened and he simply shook his head in amusement.
“She’s a beauty.” Liam stated, watching her run her hands through her hair as she swayed her hips back and forth, eyes closed. She really was. It was like listening to a different song when I saw her dance to our song. She made it something more. She put a different emotion into it.
What a feeling to be right here beside you now, holding you in my arms.
When the air ran out and we both started running wild, the sky fell down.
But you’ve got stars, they’re in your eyes.
I started to become hypnotized by the way she was dancing and the way the dress was catching the dim lights of the club. It was funny how fitting she was for this song, yet how oddly different it made me feel watching her dance to it. Her hair followed her movements, becoming tangled yet still looking soft and touchable. A sheen of sweat was covering her face, but the smile gracing it made it look like she was glowing. Her legs appeared to go on for days, only because following them with my eyes was a constant challenge, as she kept moving them in time with the song. I couldn’t keep up with whatever emotion that was running away from me. I couldn’t keep up with her.
She was giggling as she danced, one hand moving down her neck as the other traveled through her hair. I felt my stomach dropped as I watched her expressions when the bridge of the song hit and she made eye contact with me
Whatever chains are holding you back,
Holding you back, she mouthed at me, her hips moving down low, hands touching the ground, crouching for a split second in the midst of her dancing,
Don’t let them tie you down I sang back at her. She could tell I sang the small line and she laughed, her seductive nature in that moment, disappearing like a thick fog being pierced by lights.
Whatever chains are holding you back, holding you back
Tell me you believe in that. Her back was toward me but her head looked over her shoulder as she sang the last line of the bridge. She was teasing me, yet her dancing wasn’t sexual. She was luring me in, yet she wasn’t being a temptress. Did she know what kind of vibe she gave? I put on an attitude of confidence and walked towards her, slowly but determined. I put hands on shoulders, trying to get through the crowd as politely as I could and when I reached the platform, I looked up at Alyce’s stunning frame and reached my hand up to her. She looked down confused but understood as I gave a nod towards the dance floor. She took my hand, gracefully placing her heels on the floor and I immediately placed one hand on her waist while she placed a hand on my shoulder and we began dancing. our hips following the song. She followed my movements, looking down at first before looking up at me with shyness? I felt a bit of pride swell in me as it seemed that I had flustered the girl.
But you’ve got stars, they’re in your eyes, And I’ve got something missing tonight.I sang in her ear, and I felt her breathing hitch as she looked into my eyes. I smirked at her and leaned in, kissing her cheek as the song faded out.

Notes

What a feeling to be a king beside you somehow, I wish I could be there now.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm working on updating more frequently but I really was working on this chapter a lot because I really wanted it to set this kind of tone I had in my mind. I've had this image in my mind for a while now. What A Feeling is one of my favorite One Direction songs and it gives me a kind of emotion that I really wanted to evoke in this chapter, And I feel I accomplished just that! Rate, subscribe, comment!



Love,
L. Rose