Theirs: a short story [harry styles] ✓ - Chapter 11: Chapter 11

4th November 2016 - 1 month and 22 days until the big day.
Marnie's POV
The taxi rolled to a halt outside the club and I couldn't fight the grin that erupted on my face. A lot had happened here; some good, some bad. But it was because of this place that we had reached the current stages of our lives.
I tapped my card on the machine in the centre console, thanked the driver and jumped out. Eleanor staggered out from the passenger seat behind me, already one bottle of rosé into the evening. Her heels clattered against the pavement and I was suddenly overwhelmed with nostalgia for her eighteenth birthday. I grimaced at the reminder of our skimpy outfits from back then, not entirely sure what we'd been thinking.
"Boobs out, bum out." She'd said to me, before I'd stepped inside and changed the course of my life forever. Now we were here to celebrate what I hoped would be Elenore's forever.
"I'm having so much fun already!" Elenore squealed and looped one of her arms through my own. I pulled her along beside me, like a dead weight, and almost wished I'd pushed harder at persuading her to invite more people. She'd been so adamant that only I attended, not wanting to share the experience with anyone else. As we pushed forward, over the threshold and into the boiling mass of bodies, I felt eighteen all over again.
Harry's POV
"Two pints of Guinness?" Louis cackled, head tilted back as he nursed a half-empty glass of rum and coke. "I don't remember you being such a lightweight, Niall!"
I could barely hear him over the vibrating bass. Niall stood flushed face beside us, grinning ecstatically with froth already spilt on his navy shirt. Niall had always been a different person in Ireland; louder, more bubbly and his accent incredibly thicker. And right now he looked like a child on Christmas morning.
"I fear this won't be the longest stag do that's ever existed." His brother, Greg, snorted and swallowed a mouthful of the dark pint. I grinned in agreement, if Niall carried on - he'd be in bed by nine. Liam suddenly appeared beside me, absentmindedly playing with the gold chain hanging low around his neck and elbowed me lightly in the arm.
"Look who decided to show up."
I snapped my eyes to where his were focused. It was hard to see through the dimmed lighting and pulsing spotlights in the club, but it was also difficult to miss the quiffed blonde hair, now tinted pastel pink. I braced myself as he approached, aware of Louis' eyes darkening.
"Alright, lads?"
Marnie's POV
I didn't recognise a single song. In fact, I couldn't remember the last time I'd listened to anything other than Peppa Pig's annoyingly nasal voice, or the theme song from Paw Patrol. Elenore bobbed about in front of me, throwing her arms around in the air and dousing anyone nearby in a spray of tequila.
She was slaughtered.
Given the atrocity of her dance moves, I was actually inclined to agree that it was a good thing only I was present. A part of me thought even Niall would have second thoughts if he witnessed this.
"Do you want another drink?" I shouted over the racing beat of the music and waved my own glass around in the air for good measure. Elenore nodded eagerly before draining the very little she had left of her own. I rolled my eyes and turned away, elbows out in a bid to push through the closely packed bodies.
I half expected to find Harry at the bar, about to knock his own beverage into my lap, and I realised with a painful ache in my chest that I missed him. He was spending the weekend in Ireland for Niall's stag do, probably also off his face by now, but it felt weird being here without him.
I rested my clutch bag on the polished wooden surface and smiled as a young girl hurried over to take my order. "What can I get you?" She asked, leaning forward.
Feeling nostalgic, I smiled. "Two bourbon and cokes please."
Harry's POV
"What is he doing here?" Louis asked through gritted teeth for possibly the fifth time.
"Don't make a scene." Liam snapped. "Niall wanted him here and he's clearly pleased to see him."
We averted our eyes to the scene before us; Niall practically hanging off of Zayn's arm, while Zayn watched the rest of us warily, clearly embarrassed.
"I miss you sooo much, Z-man!" Niall slurred with bloodshot eyes. I groaned into my drink and lowered my gaze to the toes of my Chelsea boots instead.
"I miss you too, man." Zayn smiled and patted Niall on the back awkwardly before turning his attention to a now very tense Louis. "How are things, Louis? How's your boy?"
"Hm." Louis' eyes narrowed and he drained his drink before slamming it on the bar top.
"Louis." Liam warned again and rested a hand on his shoulder. Greg's eyes flickered between all of us and I felt bad for him. He'd organised tonight for Niall and it was all about to fall apart in front of him.
"Is he coming to the wedding?" Louis asked, looking pointedly at Niall. I doubted Niall even knew his own name right now, let alone who was attending his own wedding.
Greg nodded. "He and Gigi are coming."
"Oh boy." I muttered as Louis stepped forwards.
Marnie's POV
"I'm going to be sick." Elenore groaned, head drooping into the polystyrene container loaded high with chips drowning in cheese.
"Please don't be sick on the food." I squealed and snatched it from her grasp, just as she leant forward and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the damp pavement outside the kebab shop. It splattered out in front of the both of us and I retched, quickly looking away and shoving the food next to my bag.
"Whey!" An obnoxious group of boys cheered as they stumbled past us, cigarettes hanging carelessly out of their mouths. I ignored them and turned back to my best friend, now a sickly shade of white.
"Well I'd say we've ticked all the boxes, wouldn't you?" I grimaced, leaning forward and tucking her hair behind her ears. She hummed in response. "Pre-drinks, tequila, dancing, cheesy chips and now vomit. Are you sure you don't want a stripper?"
Elenore turned her head towards me and squinted. "Can we skip to toast, water, paracetamol and bed?"
I tilted my head back and laughed loudly. Once upon a time, Elenore would have been mortified at the prospect of going home before three am. It would get to two-thirty and I'd be begging her to call it a night...or morning. My parents had always been sat up waiting for me, one of them in the armchair for the element of surprise and the other at the top of the stairs - poised to give me a lecture. Anything past eleven pm had been an instant grounding.
"I think you're getting old." I teased and hoisted her upright by her forearms. She stumbled beside me as I retrieved our bags and tossed the remnants of our wasted food into the nearest rubbish bin. As I turned back to face her, Elenore threw her arms around my neck.
"I love you, Marn." She sobbed into my collarbone. I stood frozen on the spot for a brief moment and then, eventually, wrapped my free arm securely around her back, trying my best not to laugh. Emotions often got the better of Elenore when alcohol was involved.
"I love you too, you idiot." I giggled. "Now pull it together before the paps think you've left Niall for Harry's baby mama instead."
Harry's POV
With one hand securely on Louis' shoulder and the other fisting the material of Niall's ruined shirt, I ground my teeth. "I think we should call it a night."
Liam stood before us, hands raised slightly as if refereeing a boxing match. "Harry's right. This is Niall's stag, not an opportunity to slate one another. It's time to move on."
Louis' lip curled and he huffed in response. "He," he snapped, pointing at Zayn with an accusing finger. "Shouldn't have come."
Ed Sheeran, who until now had remained relatively impartial on a bar stool, hurried forward and shook his head. "That's not your call, mate."
"It's none of your business, mate." Louis growled, a face like thunder. I rolled my eyes at Ed who did the same.
"Niall invited me." Zayn protested defensively, eyes never leaving Louis. "Get over it, Louis."
I'd almost missed Zayn's mocking Bradford accent but right now it just seemed to be antagonising the situation. "Zayn, don't wind him up." Niall staggered beside me and clawed at my arm to stabilise himself. He looked atrocious and as though he'd just fallen asleep standing up. "We need to get Niall back to the hotel before he keels over."
Greg and Ed stepped forward and threw Niall's arms of their shoulders before dragging him off towards the exit of the club. I turned back to my current and former band mates and frowned.
"Of all the times to bring up our bad blood, you chose Niall's stag?" I aimed my question mostly to Louis, who now looked rather jaded.
"I doubt Niall even knows Zayn was here." Muttered Louis and I threw him a disapproving look.
"Look, Zayn," I sighed, turning to the boy who'd been like a brother to me for five years and now felt like a stranger. "I'm not going to lie, I am surprised to see you. I knew Niall had invited you but never in a million years did I think you'd show up." Zayn narrowed his eyes. "But I appreciate you making the effort, for Niall's sake." I turned to Louis. "And because this is for Niall's sake, we don't need you getting all hot headed because you two clearly have unfinished business." Louis opened his mouth to protest but I raised my left hand to silence him. "So. Liam and I are going to leave now. We're going to go outside and get a kebab, right Liam?"
Liam, wide eyed and full of surprise at being addressed in my rant, nodded. "Uh, sure?"
"Yes, yes we are." I licked my lips and looped my arm through one of Liam's. "And you two, are going to sort out whatever it is that needs sorting. So that when we attend Niall's big day, neither of you are going to ruin it. Ok?"
Zayn looked at Louis. Louis looked at Zayn. They nodded.
"Ok."