Learn How to Play the Game

“You’re ridiculous.” I laughed as Henry looked down at the camera.

“You’re very photogenic.” He shrugged as he scrolled through the photos of me.

“Do you photograph anything other than me?” I raised an eyebrow pulling on a jumper of his from the floor.

“Course.” He rolled his eyes watching me walk towards my bag, “what are you doing?”

“Rolling a joint.” I shrugged and he nodded.

“We have to smoke it outside.” He didn’t look up from the camera to see me roll my eyes.

“I know.” I dug through my bag and pulled out the pot of weed I had stashed inside, “this is such a bad habit.”

Henry chuckled.

“You know we don’t have to get high to have fun.” He smirked at me and I pursed my lips together.

“Let’s get high first.” I grinned picking up the joint I had rolled, “let’s go loverboy.”

We walked outside and sat down on the chairs on the veranda. I lit up the joint and took a couple of deep hits before passing it over to Henry.

“I have to go to Zayn’s birthday.” I mentioned as I looked up at the stars.

“Zayn?” he cocked his eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes.

“A friend, he’s in one direction.” I explained and he nodded.

“So?” he questioned.

“Harry will be there.” I said quietly and Henry nodded.

“When did you last see him?” Henry asked and I reached for the joint.

I placed it in my lips and inhaled deeply before blowing the smoke up at the sky.

“A long time ago.” I pursed my lips remembering what had happened like it was just yesterday.

7 months ago

“Blair.” He smiled when he saw me and I pursed my lips together.

He looked like shit and I was glad. I knew I didn’t look my best and I self-consciously pulled the jumper I had stolen from Louis’s wardrobe closer to me.

“I’m not here for pleasantries.” I told him and he bit his lip.

“Can we talk?” he asked and I took a deep breath in.

“No.” I shook my head and glanced up the stairs to the bedroom.

“This place feels empty without you.” He scuffed his foot on the floor and I bit my lip.

“Yea.” I shrugged, “well that’s life I guess.”

“You seem different.” He observed and I sighed.

“I’ve come for my stuff.” I told him, “Louis refused to pick it up and insisted I came here to get it myself.”

“Oh.” He nodded, “right. Yea.”

“So?” I raised an eyebrow.

“It’s where you left it.” He looked down.

I nodded before walking back to the car to grab a couple of boxes before walking back into the house and glancing up the stairs biting my lip slightly. I took a deep breath in and started to climb the stairs. I didn’t want to go back in this room, I had so hoped he’s have moved it into the guest room or something. I took another deep breath in and opened the door to the familiar bedroom, I could feel Harry behind me but ignored him as I strode across the room and into the wardrobe. The whole place smelt like him and it took everything in me to not burst out in tears. I was so done crying over Harry Styles.

“Do you want some help?” he asked, his voice was small and unfamiliar. I had never heard him like that, he sounded so upset and it was like a knife through my heart.

“Nope.” I shook my head, “I’m okay.”

I started packing my stuff into the boxes as Harry hovered trying to make small talk.

“Stop it.” I eventually looked up at him, “stop trying to talk to me. I’m not here to talk to you Harry. I
wish I wasn’t even here. I would rather been anywhere else.”

He looked surprised by my outburst and I took a deep breath and resumed packing in silence. I worked quickly and had all my clothes in the back of my car soon enough. I then packed up my craft room and grabbed any other of the bits I had left laying around the house that meant anything to me. My hand ghosted across the pictures he still had up of us. He hadn’t even attempted to remove me from his life and I wasn’t sure if I was touched or if it just made me angrier. I crammed the last box into the car and walked back in to get my bag.

“Can we please talk now?” He asked and I shook my head as I bent down to get my bag.

I had my hand on the door handle when he grabbed me.

“Blair.” He looked at me, “please don’t leave me.”

I looked at him and had to bite my lip to stop me yelling at him. As I looked up at him I felt another bubble of rage inside of me. I hated him. I really hated him for making me feel so weak.

Present

“Is it hard seeing him everywhere?” Henry asked and I pursed my lips together.

“It’s not ideal but it isn’t the worse part. The worst part is the twitter messages.” I sighed, “people are still rooting for us.”

“How do you feel?” he asked and I sighed.

“About what exactly?” I cocked my head to the side looking across at him.

“Is part of you still rooting for you two to get back together?” he asked and I was a little taken back.
I’d never really allowed myself to think about it.

“I hate him.” I told him and Henry chuckled.

“That wasn’t the question B.” Henry smiled over at me obviously amused by my reaction to this topic.

Henry has turned into a good friend. He was great to hang around with. He made me laugh and we could talk about anything and not worry about the others feelings, safe in the knowledge that we would receive the other’s honest opinion. He reminded me a lot of Niall in that respect but then when I glanced across quickly at him I could almost mistake him for Harry.

“I don’t think so.” I bit my lip.

“Come on Blair it’s me.” Henry poked my side and I looked up at him, “do you think part of you wants to be back with him?”

“No.” I shook my head, “I hate him.”

Henry hummed before placing a kiss on my head as he went inside to get a beer. I looked back up at the sky and let my thoughts drift to what Harry would be doing. It was a Thursday night so he’d probably just be at home watching shit tv and texting Louis about the shit programme they were both watching at the same time. Part of me wanted to believe that he was laying out on one of the sunbeds looking up at the sky thinking about me but I knew that wasn’t likely.

“Beer?” Henry asked and I held my hand out taking it from his hand and taking a big gulp.

“I wish he could hurt like I do.” I looked up at the stars again.

“Really?” Henry asked and I nodded, “make him then.”

“How?” I asked looking over at him.

“You’re a clever girl Blair, I’m sure you’ll think of something.” He shrugged sitting back on the chair and resting his feet up on the railing of his balcony.

“He’ll hate our little set up.” I chuckled, “it would drive him crazy.”

“Is that part of my appeal?” he smirked and I laughed, “that wasn’t a no! Blair Monroe I am offended!”

I laughed loudly at his mock hurt expression.

“That’s some loud laughter.” Dave, Henry’s housemate, appeared at the door.

“Hey Dave.” I waved.

“Beautiful Blair.” Dave grinned at me, “realized how you love me and what to date me yet?”

“’friad not Dave.” I grinned and he sighed dramatically.

“One day you will.” He nodded and I laughed, “are you two out tonight?”

“Nah.” Henry shook his head, “just chilling if you want to join?”

“Course.” Dave grinned, “I’ll get more beer.”

Dave went to walk away and I bit my lip.

“Dave?” I called out, “bring the guitar?”

Henry chuckled at me and I shrugged as Dave presented me with the guitar. The boy’s started talking and I played around on the guitar for a while.

“White lips. Pale face. Breathing in snowflakes. Burnt lungs sour taste.” I sung softly and the boys turned to watch me as I closed my eyes thinking about my ginger friend, “and they say she’s in the class A team. Stuck in her daydream. Been this was since 18.”

I carried on singing and recalled all the times I had sat and watched Ed singing this song. I missed him. I missed the way we would just sit around drinking and playing on our guitars writing little songs we’d never sing to anyone again.

“You know him don’t you?” Dave asked as I finished singing and I nodded, “what’s he like?”

“Better than you think he would be.” I shrugged, “he’s amazing.”

“Do you still talk?” Henry asked and I shook my head, “why?”

“It’s difficult.” I bit my lip.

“Harry got him in the split?” Henry asked and I nodded.

“The kid from the band.” Dave confirmed and I giggled as I nodded, “what did he do to you Blair?”

“Nothing.” I stood up, “beer?”

Henry glared at Dave who shrugged as I walked away. I didn’t talk about what Harry did really. Henry knew Harry hurt me but not what he did. Jenny knew but she didn’t really count, she was like another Louis or Niall just a girl version. I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and picked my phone up from the side.

Yo boi Loueh you are still coming to Zayns right?

I pursed my lips together, I hated that Louis thought he had to check with me on this. I knew it was my own fault, I’m not a great friend at the moment. I put my phone down ignoring his text, I wasn’t even bothering to respond. He should know I’d be there, that I wouldn’t miss Zayn’s birthday. I hadn’t missed Louis, why would I miss Zayns? Granted I didn’t actually go to Louis party where all the boys would be but I was still there for his actual birthday. As I started to walk away my phone buzzed again and I looked at it curiously picking it up.

Nick Hey babygirl. We haven’t hung out since that gig a month ago! What are you up to
tonight? I’m up for a night with my favourite girl in a bar where nobody knows our names

I grinned at his message holding my phone as I walked towards the door.

“Hen I’m going to go meet a friend, rain check on tonight?” I asked and he waved me off.

“Call me if you want me later.” He said and I grinned.

“Always.” I winked and Henry laughed.

I started walking away when I heard Dave.

“Luckiest guy in the world.” He said to Henry.

“I know. She’s amazing isn’t she?” Henry chuckled.

I smiled softly as I picked my bag up and shoved my feet into my shoes as I walked out the house. I waved a taxi down and jumped in telling him the address of the bar Nick said to meet him at. I got out ducking my head down as I walked into the bar and straight to the bar.

“Double jack and coke please.” I asked and the guy nodded.

“Someone’s changed their drink of choice.” Nick appeared next to me and I shrugged before he pulled me into a hug, “a double as well!”

“Yea well.” I shrugged and he watched me curiously.

“Can I have the same.” Nick spoke to the barman and I watched as he checked his phone biting his lip.

“Is everything okay Nick?” I asked and he rolled his eyes.

“Some people are just annoying right.” He shrugged it off and I watched him carefully as he paid for our drinks.

We walked over to a booth sitting opposite each other, I leant back listening as Nick told me about some demands a singer who’s name I didn’t even recognize had made. I laughed along and watched him intently, he always spoke with his hands and as much as I loved it the gestures reminded me of Harry when he spoke.

“What’s going on with you Blair?” he asked lifting his glass to his lips.

“You know,” I shrugged, “uni.”

“Anything else?” he asked watching me closely.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“So you just go to uni and come home?” he chuckled, “that isn’t the Blair I know, what other things have you got going on?”

“Not much.” I pursed my lips debating telling him about Henry, “I hang out with Jenny a lot, she’s my housemate. We drink and go out a lot.”

“What’s she like?” his face lighting up at the prospect of meeting someone new, Nick loved making friends with people and it was something I found endearing.

“She’s funny.” I thought of my lovely brummie roommate, “calls me out on my bad choices. She’s stunning even though she’d never agree.”

“She sounds great.” He grinned.

“I’m seeing someone.” I told him and I saw the smile on his face falter, “casually.”

“Casually?” he raised an eyebrow and I gulped my drink.

“We’re friends.” I explained, “he’s great, he makes me laugh and we talk about everything. But we have sex. We have this great connection though.”

“Do you want to date him?” Nick asked and I laughed, “why is that funny?”

“Henry and I aren’t feeling orientated.” I grinned, “I care about him like I care about Louis or Niall. I want him to be happy.”

“But you want to have sex with him as well?” Nick cocked his eyebrow at me and I shrugged, “friends with benefits?”

“Yea.” I shrugged.

“That never works.” Nick chuckled.

“Well it is for us right now.” I shrugged, “we’re honest with each other.”

“Really now.” Nick chuckled.

“Shut up.” I laughed shaking my head, “another drink?”

“Always sweetheart,” Nick nodded as I stood up, “never say no to a drink.”

“And never leave a man behind.” I grinned remember the drunken nights Nick and I had shared, “I’ve missed you.”

“Course you have babe,” he grinned, “I’m Nick Fucking Grimshaw.”

“You’re letting the fame get to you.” I chuckled walking away from him.

Henry You having fun?

I bit my lip before replying.

Yep. Nick makes me laugh a ridiculous amount. Doubt I’ll make it to yours tonight, I think Nick and I are settled in for a big night.

Kay. Door is always open though ;) You better make this up to me.

I smirked as I imagined him laying on his bed.

I will. I won’t disappoint.

you better not.

Have I ever left you less than satisfied?

Other than tonight. No. Tonight I am not satisfied

If you’re that bothered call up one of those annoying photography groupies that hang off your every word

I rolled my eyes as I remembered the girls that always flocked to Henry when we went out. He hated most of them and took pleasure in making out with me infront of them.

“Two double jack and cokes please.” I told the barman, “can I have four shots of tequila as well?”

Fuck it. I will.

As long as it isn’t that Tanya girl.

Jealous?

No. Her boobs are fat boobs and everyone knows fat boobs aren’t good boobs. Her face looks like a truck hit her.

Tanya it is then ;)

I laughed, Henry wouldn’t dare. I paid for our drinks and headed back the table with them and Nick shook his head at the shots, he picked one up smelling it before putting it back town.

“Tequila? Are we getting tacky tonight?” he asked and I grinned.

“That’s the plan.” I laughed.