Chapter nineteen

We were in the car, on our way home. We’d all found dresses and were beyond pleased with them. Dani’s and El’s needed to be taken in, Perrie’s shortened a bit but other than that, we were ready for the premiere. The car ride back was hardly a quiet and relaxing journey as the girls were simply buzzing. Absolutely exhausted, I found that I couldn’t muster the energy to keep up with them. They were all joking very loudly and making what seemed like little inside jokes as every time one was said, they looked to me quickly, seeing if I’d understood the meaning; which I never did. Instead, I stayed seated in the back of the car, ear buds in, listening to my iPhone, resting my head against the window. Somewhere in the midst of all this, I must’ve fallen asleep as I felt Eleanor softly shake my arm; bringing me into consciousness.

“Sarah, love, we’re back at the hotel,” Eleanor told me in a soft voice. I stirred awake; my mind still blurred from sleep. I made a quiet groan as I pulled myself out from the car.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, hurry it up girl!” Dani squealed, jumping up and down impatiently. I looked over at her questioningly, a yawn escaping me.

“Will you ever stop hurrying me around?” I asked her. “We’ll get there when we get there,” I rolled my eyes at her. Dani didn’t seem bothered though; instead she shot a puzzling look to Perrie who had a massive smile spread across her features. I was curious, but that curiosity soon dissipated; all I wanted at that moment was to crawl into bed next to Harry and have him hold me as I fell asleep. This thought instantly propelled me through the hotel doors with unanticipated haste considering my comment to Dani. Instead of questioning me, the three of them followed me to the elevator, right on my heels. I pressed the button for our floor but was irritated by the slow pace of the elevator; I wanted to be with Harry, right now. The doors finally opened after what felt like a thousand years and I was soon opening the door to my room. Much to my dismay, the room was empty, the lights off. At least I assumed the room was empty as I couldn’t see a thing, my eyes not yet adjusted to the darkness. I began searching the wall for the light. Startlingly, however, the lights came on before I found the switch but what surprised me more was the sudden abundance of people.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!” they screamed. My body leapt back in surprise; I resembled a star fish against the wall where I clung, arms and legs grasping at it.

“Holy fuck, you scared the actual living shit out of me!” I screeched. Niall and Louis laughed as they cracked open a bottle of champagne which began overflowing everywhere. At first I was worried that the hotel would be angry and charge us but then I realized; it didn’t matter if they did. Relinquishing any possible worry from my mind, Harry walked over to where I was plastered against the wall and wrapped me in his strong embrace.

“Happy birthday, love,” he leaned in and kissed me. I kissed him back, but at first his words confused me. Birthday? Could it truly be my birthday? And then I realized that it was February 28th; my birthday. Harry laughed at my expression. “You look so surprised!”
Lou laughed even louder.

“Don’t fake it Sarah, we know that we’re shit liars,” he teased. I looked at him wide-eyed.

“Honestly Lou, it’s not for your benefit, I’m seriously shocked!”

“Awe Babe, you didn’t actually think I’d let your birthday pass without a celebration, did you?” Harry asked, leading me to the couch where Niall swiftly handed me a full glass of bubbling champagne.

“No, I knew you wouldn’t,” I assured him. “It’s just that I completely forgot about my birthday, the date didn’t even register!”

“Bullshit!” Dani cried.

I laughed at her expression.

“Honest!” I looked around the room for the first time and realized that it was decorated with banners and confetti; they really had gone full out. “I can’t believe you guys did all this!” I said in awe. Louis plopped down beside me, slinging his arm around my shoulders.

“We had to show you how much we love you,” Lou teased, squeezing me tight, drawing me in to kiss my temple.

“That’s touching, Lou,” I said with a laugh.

Niall laughed even louder.

“More like we take any opportunity to party,” he winked at me. I laughed at him and sipped my champagne.

“Well, c’mon, everybody get ready,” Zayn said, and everyone began to get up to leave.

“Where are we going?” I asked them.

“We’re not staying here, silly,” Lou said with mock disdain.

“We’re going to a club to properly celebrate,” Zayn explained with a smile as he began ushering Perrie out. “Be ready in half an hour!” He called out. I sat there, gingerly holding my drink, rather flabbergasted. I immediately thought: what the hell am I going to wear? Reading my mind Dani spoke.

“Don’t worry about what you’ll wear, Eleanor and I picked something out for you, it’s lying on your bed,” she winked at me as she and Liam both left to get ready.

“Come on Lou,” Eleanor said, coaxing him up from the coach. “We’ve got to get ready!” Lou jumped up and kissed her on the mouth.

“Lead the way!” he said as he began following her, pausing to shoot Harry and I a quick wink before he shut the door.

I remained where I was, still feeling rather taken aback. Then the thought dawned on me.

“Harry?”

“Yeah, babe,” he answered.

“If Dani and El were with me all day, how did they set out my outfit?”

Harry laughed at me, amused that THAT small detail was the one I questioned.

“They told me their choices, and I laid them out for you,” he lifted me up from the couch, placed my drink down on the table and kissed me firmly. “Now go get ready, birthday girl!” I laughed, burrowing my face in his chest for a moment.

“All right,” I said meeting his gaze and stretching up on my tippy toes to tantalizingly kiss his perfect lips. “But only if you help me,” I said cheekily and I dashed into the bedroom, Harry right behind me, more than willing to do as I’d asked.

--

We were standing at the back of the hotel where we were going to be picked up so as not to draw too much attention to ourselves. All of us were already getting a little tipsy having downed the massive bottle of champagne that had greeted me when I first walked in the room. There was a light rain misting around us, a fantastic scene against the setting sun. As a result however, Harry wrapped me in his jacket trapping me inside with him. Harry laughed and silently slid out his phone.

“Say cheese,” he smiled as he took a picture of us. I smiled and watched as he edited the picture on Instagram, writing the caption: “Celebrating my one and only love’s birthday!” I looked up at him, fighting the desire to kiss him.

“Why the picture?” I asked him. He smiled down at me, and kissed me firmly, just as I’d wanted.

“In case you hadn’t noticed,” he said with a smirk, his eyes raking over my body. “You look bloody fantastic; I think that warrants a picture.” He winked at me and I laughed loudly and a little drunkenly. I looked down and had to admit: Dani and El had chosen perfectly. I felt utterly sexy standing there in my black and blue cut-out dress and amazing heels. My wavy hair was pinned back a bit, letting the dress show off my cleavage.

Club by authorsdescriptions featuring an iphone cover case
I bit my lower lip and looked back up to see Harry appraising me too and raised my eyebrows at him. He smiled and pulled me into him, and I felt his bulge beneath his trousers pressing into my backside. I smiled, pleased to know that I was the cause of this.

“Limo’s here!” Dani shouted as she began rounding us up, shoving us in the car. I rolled my eyes and laughed at her; she was so uptight, yet at the same time so carefree.

“Drinks!” Louis yelled from inside the car.

“I’m there!” I laughed, throwing myself into the limo and landing sprawled across Niall’s and Louis’ laps. Harry clambered into the limo behind me and, drink in hand, I sat in his lap and kissed him; maybe a little too indecently for company, but in that moment I didn’t give a shit, I just revelled in the feel, the taste of his lips on mine.

--

The limo pulled up to a busy club and I was pleased to see that, for the most part, we blended right in. Once inside Harry guided me to the V.I.P section where a very large man unhooked a red velvet chain to allow us in. As soon as we were all inside, he latched it again. I had a feeling that no one would try to get past him; no matter how drunk they were! I sat down in a booth near the back and Harry went to get us some drinks. Louis plopped down next to me, quickly throwing an arm about me to pull me in close enough to hear him.

“How’s the birthday girl?” he winked. Harry promptly arrived back with our drinks, and I downed mine right away. I tried to stand up but wobbled over.

“Tipsy,” I replied, leaning into Lou to make the room stop spinning.

“Whoa there girl, hold your drink!” Perrie teased coming in with Eleanor and scooting close to Lou and I as Zayn, Liam and Dani sat with Harry. Lou called over to the bar and had shots brought to our table which quickly turned into a game of truth, dare or drink.

“We can’t start without Niall,” I drunkenly slurred. “NIALL!” I called out for him.

“YO!” he called from the dance floor and we all burst out laughing, watching him gyrate and humiliate himself endlessly. He sashayed on over, bringing a chair and sitting at the end of the table.

“Okay! Who starts?” El asked, lining up the shots in preparation.

“I vote birthday girl!” Liam laughed.

“Here, here!” Lou seconded.

“Alright, fire away,” I told them and they huddled in, conferring on what to ask of me.

“Oh! I got one,” Perrie said. She whispered it to them and they all nodded, pulling away from each other. “Okay Sarah, who was your first kiss?” This was an easy one.

“Harry, when we were fifteen,” I looked at him and he smiled hugely at my recollection.

“Fuck off, no way!” Dani screeched. “You two are like totally made for each other,” she said, taking another rather large gulp of beer. Next to me was Louis.

“Okay Tommo,” Liam said dramatically.

“Hit me up, Payno,” Lou leaned in, equally dramatic.

“Fuck, marry, kill; it’s Eleanor, Ms. Teasdale and Natalie Portman, GO!” Liam smacked the table for emphasis.

“Bloody shit,” Lou cursed, running his hands through his hair, struggling to decide. “Well, marry Eleanor, obviously,” he winked at her. “But this is quite tricky. I’ll say fuck Lou, cause I wouldn’t want to kill her, but I don’t want to kill the lovely Natalie Portman either...” he continued to struggle.

“Just think,” I laughed at him. “Who would be left to do your hair?”

“You could always drink, Lou,” Harry teased him. Unwilling to lose, he finally made a decision.

“Alright, alright. Fuck Lou kill Natalie.” He made a sad face and we all laughed.

“Perrie’s turn,” Zayn laughed. Perrie widened her eyes in mock horror.

Dani shot her a question before any of us could.

“Hottest member of One Direction, other than Zayn!” Perrie bit her lip and looked around.

“Ah, fuck it, I can’t choose,” she said before taking a shot causing our group to burst out in drunken roars of laughter yet again. “You next, Eleanor.”

“Alright, make it a good one!” El teased.

Lou smiled wickedly at her.

“If you insist, I dare you to kiss the birthday girl!” Everyone laughed out in shock. Eleanor looked pointedly at him as she stood up, reaching past him and Perrie to reach my lips. It wasn’t a serious kiss, and we barely made contact but the lads screeched and hollered. I looked at Harry who was laughing. He winked at me and I ran my foot up his leg under the table causing him to grin wider.

“Niall, it’s you man,” Harry said finally after a short pause.

“Oh, I’ve got one!” I said standing up with excitement. “Go up to that girl,” I said pointing at a
pretty blonde dancing by herself, “and kiss her.”

“YES!” Dani agreed.

“Go for it, bro,” Lou said in complete seriousness. Niall made a face of utter confidence and began strutting out towards her. He looked back at us to shoot us a smile and then said a couple words to her. He quickly bent down and pressed his lips to hers. To our utter shock, instead of being weirded out, the girl kissed him back firmly, tangling her hands in his hair. It was several minutes before she released him and he made his way back to our table. He sat down, looking rather proud.

“I thought she was gonna suck your face off,” El said seriously and we all laughed, harder than was probably necessary because it was El who said it.

“Dani,” Niall said, trying to get the attention off of him. Liam slung his arm around her protectively.

“I dare you to kiss me,” Niall said, puckering up. We all laughed loudly, I thought Harry was going to pass out he was laughing so hard.

“Hell, I’ll take a shot!” Dani squealed as she downed the shot.

“That’s my girl,” Liam kissed her, just catching the corner of her mouth.

“You Mister, don’t have to dare me,” Dani smiled, pulling him towards her and locking lips with him.

“OW!” Louis called and whistled.

“Oh knock it off, Lou,” I laughed. “Liam it’s all you.” We all thought for a moment, quietly thinking to ourselves.

“I got one!” Eleanor said.

“Go for it,” I told her, slugging back another gulp from Harry’s beer as mine was already gone.

“You must kiss Louis,” she smiled vindictively at Lou. I burst out into violent fits of laughter. Lou’s face wore a mask of utter shock causing me to gasp even harder for breath.

“Oh fuck that, somebody throw me a shot!” Liam laughed. I looked to Zayn.

“Same for you Zayn,” I winked at him. “Pucker up for Tommo over here!” Zayn was laughing so hard he couldn’t speak. Instead he fumbled with the shot, trying to down it in between fits of laughter.

“Alright, enough’s enough. Harry it’s your turn and I’ve got a truth for you.” Louis piped up, no longer amused by our group joke at his expense.

“Lay it on me,” Harry said, stretching his arms behind his back before leaning in over the table.

“Who did you lose your v-card to?” Lou asked him, wiggling his eyebrows cheekily. Harry smiled at me and then at our group of friends around the table.

“Get out, no way!” Dani screeched in shock.

“Aww,” Perrie cooed, placing her hand over her heart.

“Really, bro?” Lou complained.

“Excuse you, Lou!” I laughed. “And what the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I teased him.

“Only that you two are so perfect it’s boring, dear,” Lou leaned in and kissed my cheek. I rolled my eyes at him and Harry chuckled.

“Oh Lou, old boy, we’re hardly boring mate,” Harry winked at me and everyone laughed again.

“Atta boy, Styles,” Liam clapped him on the back.

“Sarah, back to you!” Zayn smiled at me.

“Yeah, I got one!” Perrie said. “What’s your biggest regret?” I looked at Harry, and immediately he knew. He also knew that I didn’t want to say what it was. As usual, he came to my rescue.

“That she’s not dancing to her favourite song right now,” Harry said standing up and helping me from my seat as I struggled to stand upright, drunker than I thought I was. “Game’s over mates, its dance time!” He smiled widely at them as he tango’d away with me. Everyone laughed after us.

Harry lead us to the dance floor where I grinded into him, enjoying the feeling of him against every part of me. Even in this large group of people, he held all my attention. He grabbed at my hips, bringing them closer to his, making me feel every inch of him. The song ended and a slower song came on and without missing a beat, Harry drew me into his arms. His face burrowed in my hair, inhaling deeply before he drew back to meet my gaze and rest his forehead against mine. We swayed like this for an immeasurable moment and by the end of the song, I wanted to take him to the bathroom and have him right there and then. I met his gaze and he was clearly thinking the same thing.

He bent down and breathed in my ear.

“Let’s get out of here.”

I bit my lip and nodded at him and we began making our way out of the club, picking the rest of the guys and girls up along the way.

Notes

Here it is! Got to over 42, 000 words in this chapter! Tell me what you think, my lovelies :) rate/comment/subscribe