Between The Lines

Harper was in the mood for more than just one drink. Pushing the thoughts of how irresponsible this reckless behaviour was to the back of her mind, she downed her drinks in record time. She knew perfectly well she should be sober and alert to watch the British boys, but for one night she just wanted to forget.

The group had settled on going to a club that already had a growing line outside of it. The loud music could be heard from the street and everyone was clearly eager to get inside. Tonight, this was the place to be.

After a few drinks, Harper could already feel the alcohol running through her body. The little voice inside her mind was screaming for her to stop, knowing this could end badly, but she was letting her hair down and going to live for one night without worrying about the consequences.

“Come on curly” Harper grabbed a drunken Harry by the wrist “Let’s dance!”

Harry’s hands found their way to Harper’s waist, whilst she wrapped hers around the green eyed boy’s neck. Her smile was devilish as their hips moved rhythmically in time to the music, almost grinding together.

“Having fun love?” Harry said into her ear.

“I know something that could make my night even better”

“What are you implying?” Harry asked with raised eyebrows.

Licking her lips, Harper closed the few inches between the dancing pair, trying to convey the right message to him. Their lips brushed against each other, but Harry turned his face away before anything could happen.

“I’m not taking advantage of you Harper” Even though Harry had a few drinks in his system, he was still aware of the world around him and could think relatively straight.

“It’s just a kiss”

“You and I both know you have more than that on your mind” Harry simply stated. “And besides I’m not the one who is interested in you”

The feeling of rejection and confusion ran through Harper. She untangled herself from the youngest member of One Direction.

“Well if you’re not interested in me, I guess I’ll just have to find someone who is” With that she turned and pushed passed the dancing bodies around her.

“Harper wait!” Harry shouted, but was drowned out by the music as he lost sight of the blonde in the sea of people. “Shit!”

Making his way through the crowd, stumbling slightly due to the alcohol catching up, Harry needed to inform the others and get them to help with Harper. The rest of the group were all lounging around the VIP section. Harry hoped at least one of them was completely sober.

“Guys I need your help with Harper” Four pairs of eyes quickly looked up at him with concern, no matter how much they’d had to drink, they could all tell something wasn’t right. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but she tried coming onto me and when I rejected her she ran off saying she was going to find someone else. She’s had too much to drink and I’m worried she’s going to do something stupid”

“Let’s search the club, hopefully she hasn’t left yet” Liam told them.

They all split up and searched every corner and crevice trying to find her. It was when they all met back up, mirroring each other’s solemn faces, when she finally came into view.

“Look there she is!” Louis pointed to the exit. Harper looked as though she could barely walk on her own two feet as she was being led out of the club by a guy who has his arm snaked around her small waist.

“Harper!” Niall shouted, running after the girl. The others followed but stopped short when they saw the cab with Harper in the back take off. “Now what do we do?!”

“Calm down mate” Liam told him. Niall relaxed slightly, but it did nothing to suppress the worry within him.
“We can try her phone, but I don’t she’s going to answer. Right now there’s nothing we can really do about it” Harry told the Irishman, an attempt to calm him down.

Niall took one look at his band mates and then took off down the sidewalk, shoving his hands in his pockets to try and keep them warm.

“Niall where are you going?” Louis shouted after him.

“To do something about it” He told his friends before turning the corner out of sight.



Harper woke the next morning with a headache that felt as though someone was drilling into her brain. Streams of early morning light filtered through the blinds and landed in stripes on the bed, patterning her in shades. It was then did she become painfully aware that she wasn’t in her bed and of the sleeping body next to her. She felt the weight on her stomach and legs tangled with her own.
The events of the previous night came flooding back to her and she found herself quickly leaving the bed, gathering up her clothes and changing in record time. Throwing her hair up into a messy bun, she took one glance back at the stranger before departing on her walk of shame back to her apartment.

It wasn’t until she was in the elevator on the way up to her apartment did she relax slightly, letting out the breath she didn’t know she was holding in. Once the steel doors slid open, Harper made her way down the hallway of door and stopped when she rounded the corner to her own apartment door. Sleeping just outside her door was a familiar blonde haired boy.

“Niall” She gently leant down and shook the boy “Wake up”

Her eyes met his breathtaking blue ones and a look of confusion crossed his face before he looked around and remembered where he was. Brushing off his jeans, he quickly stood up. Harper rolled her eyes and unlocked her apartment, gesturing for him to follow her inside.

“Care to tell me why you were sleeping outside my apartment?” She asked, slipping out of her heels.
“Don’t act like you don’t know Harper” Niall said in an unfriendly tone that was uncommon for him.

“I’m a big girl Niall, I don’t need you boys looking after me” She shot back “Especially you”

“I figured as much, considering you’ve been avoiding me since we left the X-Factor”

Harper scoffed at his ridiculous accusation; however, she wasn’t going to admit that he was actually right. She had been avoiding him ever since she overheard his conversation with Liam. “Don’t flatter yourself Blondie; I was trying to avoid all of you last night”

“Really? Sure seems like you were perfectly content with Harry last night”

“I...” Harper couldn’t finish her sentence, unsure of what to tell him.

“Yeah that’s what I thought” Guilt hit Harper in the chest at the hurt look on Niall’s face. She couldn’t give him an explanation for her behaviour, she was drunk, but still that wasn’t an excuse.

“Why do you care so much anyway?!” She shouted “You barely even know me”

Niall was almost out of the apartment when he stopped and looked at her. “You’d be surprised at how easy it is to read you” With that he slammed the door behind him, leaving Harper to ponder over his words.