Insidious.

Harlow lifts the bottle to her mouth again and I watch. Her eyes find mine, but I don't look away. I'm fixated on her throat and I watch it move as the liquid flows down into her stomach. She'll be in the bathroom within thirty minutes.

The top of the bottle leaves her mouth with a loud pop and she asks me if I want some. "It's been a while, Zachary."

I shake my head.

"No. I'm okay. You keep drinking."

Harlow shrugs and takes another long drink. I just lean back into the wall and watch.

"Just look at her. She's never going to change. Just look at her. Ain't she pretty?"

I nod. "yeah, she's beautiful."

Harlow finishes the bottle and tosses it to the ground before crawling down from the couch and into my lap. I wrap my arms around her the only way I know how and stroke her hair. I know nothing else.

"Love me, Zachary?" Harlow asks. I know it's a question, but she says it as if it's the opposite.

I shake my head. "Not tonight."

I cant bring myself to do it. I can't bring myself to touch her in such a way.

Harlow frowns and brings her hand to my face. Her fingers smell of booze, nicotine, and roses. I find it intoxicatingly beautiful.

She moves some hair out of my face and brings her lips to my neck. "Love me, Zachary. Just for tonight."

She says this every night and I wonder if she forgets that she does.

I sigh and resist the urge to fall into her and take her the same way I had last few nights. She wants me to, I know. I can see it in her glazed over eyes.

Harlow looks up at me and smiles, showing all of her teeth. Her tangles hair hangs over her face and shoots out in every direction. I want to move it away, but I know she won't let me get that far.

"Zachary..." she mumbles, fidgeting with the hem of my T-shirt.

"Yes, Harlow..." I reply.

Her eyes find mine, but her fingers remain where they are. "Love me," she says. "Love me the way you always do. The way you want to. I know you want to."

I do. I really do.

But I can't.

I move her hands and hold them in mine. She looks up at me with sad eyes.

"What's her name?" I ask.

Tommy looks at me and shrugs. "No idea. But I call her first."

I think of telling him that she's more than likely better that a quick fuck, but I decide against it. Tommy wouldn't listen to me anyways.

"What's wrong?" Harlow asks me. "Aren't I good enough?"

I nod. "More than good enough."

"Then why not?"

I decide to lie because it's easier than explaining. "Because I can't get it up tonight, Harlow."

She laughs. "I can help with that."

I shake my head. "Not tonight, Harlow. Tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow."

Harlow stands up, running her hands through my hair as she does so. I look at her legs and allow my eyes to go north until the reach the bottom of the button down shirt she had borrowed from my drawer. She wears this and nothing else.

"You're beautiful, Harlow."

She smiles and nods before starting towards the bedroom door. "I know."