The Girl Next Door
Chapter 54
"I'm really not in the mood to party." I whined quietly as Harry practically had to drag me out of the car. He decided that Friday night would be party night, since he was sick of me moping around and criticizing his attempt at being Niall's replacement for movie night.
"But are you ever in the mood to party?" He asked with a small smile and I rolled my eyes, silently agreeing.
"I don't see what's so wrong with a quiet night at home. And we don't even know half the people here." I pointed out as we walked closer and closer to the loud music.
"Nothing's wrong with that." He replied as we stopped on the balcony, facing each other. "Except that you need to remind yourself you're a teenager once in a while." Harry said as he led me in the house.
As soon as we got in, I felt like we entered some sort of fraternity house from hell. Everyone looked drunk, some guys had their shirts off and were doing keg stands in the middle of the living room, a few couples (at least I think they are) were in dark corners making out, a few girls were in a screaming match and Louis, the host, kept running around and telling people to 'not break his mom's favorite plate' and to 'not touch his dad's radio'.
"Welcome to your youth, babe." Harry said in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
"What now?" I asked, turning around so I could face him. He simply smirked and gestured for me to follow him in the kitchen. Once we got there, he opened the fridge like it was his own and took out two beers.
"Now," he started, opening both of the bottles and handing one over to me "we drink." He simply said before chugging the whole thing. I sighed. I was sick of being the eternal nerd. The one with too many problems and not enough fun. Tonight, that would change. I brought the bottle close to my lips and allowed myself to really taste the beer. It was better than I had expected. The cold liquid tasted like...freedom. And that's exactly what I needed. Freedom from my family situation...from Niall. Before I knew it, the beer was empty and Harry looked at me with wide-eyes.
"That was fast."
"Can I have another one?"
"Sure." He said. I took a tentative glance at the refrigerator. It was full of beer. It was like Louis emptied all the food there may have been to replace it with beer.
"His parents are away a lot." Harry explained, answering my silent questions as he handed me what-seemed-like heaven in a bottle. "So whenever they're gone, Louis takes the money they give him to buy some booze and throw parties."
"What about food? Doesn't he need that?" I asked, feeling stupid. Harry shrugged.
"You can get pizza a dollar a slice at the cafeteria." He said, hoping that would somewhat justify things.
"How do you know all this?"
"I eat at the cafeteria a lot. I mean did you ever taste the burgers? They're so-"
"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about this, Louis. How do you know?" I asked and Harry shrugged again.
"I hang out here a lot." He said and I surprised myself at feeling insecure all of a sudden. What if he was one of those boys that made out with random girls before we started to go out? What if he still is? I shook the thought away as I came back to reality and realized I had chugged my entire beer.
"Might wanna slow down there, babe. You're not used to getting drunk." He warned and I don't know why but I took it as a challenge. This time, I opened the fridge myself and took out a beer, having no problem at twisting it open.
"Just watch me."
"But are you ever in the mood to party?" He asked with a small smile and I rolled my eyes, silently agreeing.
"I don't see what's so wrong with a quiet night at home. And we don't even know half the people here." I pointed out as we walked closer and closer to the loud music.
"Nothing's wrong with that." He replied as we stopped on the balcony, facing each other. "Except that you need to remind yourself you're a teenager once in a while." Harry said as he led me in the house.
As soon as we got in, I felt like we entered some sort of fraternity house from hell. Everyone looked drunk, some guys had their shirts off and were doing keg stands in the middle of the living room, a few couples (at least I think they are) were in dark corners making out, a few girls were in a screaming match and Louis, the host, kept running around and telling people to 'not break his mom's favorite plate' and to 'not touch his dad's radio'.
"Welcome to your youth, babe." Harry said in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
"What now?" I asked, turning around so I could face him. He simply smirked and gestured for me to follow him in the kitchen. Once we got there, he opened the fridge like it was his own and took out two beers.
"Now," he started, opening both of the bottles and handing one over to me "we drink." He simply said before chugging the whole thing. I sighed. I was sick of being the eternal nerd. The one with too many problems and not enough fun. Tonight, that would change. I brought the bottle close to my lips and allowed myself to really taste the beer. It was better than I had expected. The cold liquid tasted like...freedom. And that's exactly what I needed. Freedom from my family situation...from Niall. Before I knew it, the beer was empty and Harry looked at me with wide-eyes.
"That was fast."
"Can I have another one?"
"Sure." He said. I took a tentative glance at the refrigerator. It was full of beer. It was like Louis emptied all the food there may have been to replace it with beer.
"His parents are away a lot." Harry explained, answering my silent questions as he handed me what-seemed-like heaven in a bottle. "So whenever they're gone, Louis takes the money they give him to buy some booze and throw parties."
"What about food? Doesn't he need that?" I asked, feeling stupid. Harry shrugged.
"You can get pizza a dollar a slice at the cafeteria." He said, hoping that would somewhat justify things.
"How do you know all this?"
"I eat at the cafeteria a lot. I mean did you ever taste the burgers? They're so-"
"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about this, Louis. How do you know?" I asked and Harry shrugged again.
"I hang out here a lot." He said and I surprised myself at feeling insecure all of a sudden. What if he was one of those boys that made out with random girls before we started to go out? What if he still is? I shook the thought away as I came back to reality and realized I had chugged my entire beer.
"Might wanna slow down there, babe. You're not used to getting drunk." He warned and I don't know why but I took it as a challenge. This time, I opened the fridge myself and took out a beer, having no problem at twisting it open.
"Just watch me."