"Come on, Misery Guts! Where's your drink?" Mitch clapped me on the back as him and Sarah came back from dancing. "It's almost midnight!"

"Glenne! Tell Jeffrey, Harry needs a drink." Sarah yelled to Glenne, and she disappeared into the crowd to find her boyfriend.

"I don't want a drink." I huffed as my two friends wrapped their arms around each other and made googly eyes. What the hell was I doing here? New Year in a club with two of the most loved up couples I know? The truth was the alternative was worse, stuck at home by myself like a proper loser. My Mum was away for the weekend with her friends, Gem was off with her boyfriend and his family and most of my other friends were busy with their families. I was supposed to have plans too, should have been in Aruba, a gift to my ex because he always wanted to go but now he was there with a guy he met at work. So here I was spending New Year being tortured by true love. 

"Harry, you need a drink to toast the New Year or else you'll have bad luck!" Sarah gasped.

"Yeah! Come on H! Plus it's been a great year." Mitch's eyes drifted from Sarah's eyes to the ring which sparkled on her finger and again I sat here, feeling like a spare part. Normally, it wouldn't bother me but right now I was feeling jealous, here was yet another New Year spent without somebody special to share it with. It seemed to me that finding true love was not something I was good at, at least not for myself.

"Here you go, H." Jeffrey smiled as he and Glenne handed me a drink.

"Aww, what's wrong?" Glenne teased as they sat down on my other side.

"Nothing." I forced a smile and took a sip of my drink as I got sandwiched between them. I glanced around the room at the various faces here. Some familiar to me. Some not. And then I saw a flash of something rainbow coloured. My eyes darted from person to person to try to find the source. I was about to shrug it off as a trick of the lights when I spotted it again. Turns out it was somebody's hair, the underneath had been dyed in every colour of the rainbow but the top was what I assumed to be the person's natural hair colour. Blonde. The rainbow part was on display as their hair had been pulled up into a bun. I think it was a girl but as all I could see was the back of a head and neck, it could easily be a guy.

"Who's that with Anne-Marie?" I interrupted the conversation going on around me as I noticed the mystery person and I had a friend in common. Jeffrey craned his neck to try to see, but it was Glenne who answered my question, "that's Lily Banks."

"The Lily Banks?" I asked.

"Yeah. That's her. The one who walked out and left Richard Madden fuming in an LA restaurant when he proposed. I heard she totally ghosted him. Never called him again. Blocked all his calls. Apparently she didn't even pick up her things from his house." Glenne said, her eyes were now watching her as closely as mine were.

"I meant was she the Lily Banks who managed Christian Bale?" I rolled my eyes at Glenne's sudden interest in gossip.

"Yeah. That's the 'Bale Bitch'" Jeffrey placed air quotes around the nickname the industry had given her. I wondered how she felt about that? "Quite a force to be reckoned with, apparently."

"I'm impressed. He can be difficult and clearly he adores her, isn't she Godmother to his son?" I smiled as she laughed with Anne-Marie. A proper laugh, her head flung back unreservedly, one hand clutching her stomach as her other hand gripped her friend's arm. I wanted to be in on the joke.  

"Are you planning to replace me, Hersh?" My best friend quirked his head at me.

"Nah. I like you too much. Beside's no scandalous behaviour to report here?" I nudged his side. I couldn't stop my eyes from flicking back to look at her. As if she could sense my intrusion into her personal space, she suddenly glanced over her shoulder and her eyes locked with mine. Fuck, she was hot! I smiled and she just calmly looked away, her face giving away zero emotion. Literally nothing. Was she annoyed? Did she think I was a creep? Did she recognise me? I had no fucking idea, but I felt like a fish on the end of a hook and I wanted so desperately for her to reel me in.

"I think I'm gonna go say hi to Anne-Marie." I announced as I watched Lily laugh. I downed the rest of my drink and marched off across the room, feeling quietly confident about my chances and ignoring Glenne's protests.

"Hey Love, how are you?" I smiled as I walked up to the table they were now sitting at. 

"Harry, you mug!" Anne-Marie exclaimed and pulled me into a hug, we knew each other rather well since we were both good friends with Ed. I smiled as I hugged her back but I noticed Lily hadn't even so much as paused the conversation she'd been having with the guy they were sitting with.

"I'm good. How've you been?" Anne-Marie smiled.

"Yeah, good - yeah." I replied, my eyes flicked back towards Lily as the guy left. She had gorgeous blue eyes, the colour of the ocean on a sunny day.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Harry! Could you be any more obvious?" Anne-Marie rolled her eyes and thrust me between her and Lily. "Lil, this is Harry. Harry, meet Lily!" Anne-Marie smiled before turning to Lily, "be gentle with him!" She chuckled and then wandered off. My eyes quickly lost sight of her as she disappeared into the crowd.

"Hi Harry. It was nice to meet you but I should get after her!" Lily smiled and before I could even process what had happened, she was gone. I tried to yell after her but the words refused to come out of my mouth. I just stood there with my mouth opening and closing like a guppy fish. It had been a long time since somebody had just walked away from me and once again I couldn't help but feel like a fish, flapping around on the end of her line.

-----

"Hey! What the hell was that? Why were you trying to stick me with that kid?" I scoffed as I found Anne-Marie by the bar.

"He's not a kid, he's like twenty-seven or eight. And he totally has the hots for you!" She chuckled.

"Seriously? He's twenty-seven?" I scanned the room to find him and looked at him more closely. I guess he could be but he looked so young, especially with that lost little boy look on his face. Wide green eyes and an adorable pout that could melt the heart of an ice queen. "Anyway, that's still too young." I added, looking back towards my new client and best friend.

"Too young for what? I didn't suggest marriage." She laughed and then frowned when she realised she'd said the M word. I'd vowed not to think about that tonight so I pushed it to the back of my mind again. I don't think I'd kissed anyone even a day younger than me before, let alone somebody five years younger.

"Very funny." I scoffed as she handed me a drink.

"I mean I can't say I blame him, you look hot as fuck in that dress." She smirked. "Maybe I should keep you all to myself?" She traced her fingers along my collarbone.

"You know I don't sleep with my clients!" I bumped my hip with hers and she chuckled. We'd been friends for years and I loved her with all my heart but we'd never taken things any further.

"Well, I plan to kiss that girl right there at midnight and you need somebody to kiss, it's bad luck not to have a midnight kiss." She smirked.

"Do you even believe your bullshit?" I chuckled as she clutched her chest in mock hurt.

"Seriously though? Look at him. He looks so malleable. Just think of all the things you could make him do. I know you like that." She teased as she pointed over my shoulder to where Harry was sat. The countdown to midnight started, and she made her way to the girl she'd been talking too. I watched as Harry sat at the edge of a table with two couples while they made loved up faces at each other. Anne-Marie was right he did have an innocent quality about him but there was definitely mischief lurking behind those pretty eyes. I could sense it. My body could sense it too. That wasn't what had me striding across the room towards him though. It was the look of wanting to be anywhere but here, the awkwardness of being the singleton at the couples party. The countdown had reached two when I tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hi!" He smiled up at me and I didn't even reply. I grabbed the collar of his expensive looking shirt and yanked him up towards me, smashing our lips together as the countdown reached one. It took a few seconds before he kissed me back and I was a little stunned by how needy it was on both our parts and I mentally cursed myself as my body gave into him as he wrapped his arms around me. Fuck! I was horny as hell. His fingers trailed softly up the bare skin of my right arm and I almost let out a whimper. I had to regain the upper hand, so I pulled away from him abruptly.

"Happy New Year!" I smirked and quickly disappeared before he could get his wits about him. 

"What can I get you?" The barman asked, and I ordered my usual, Tequila with ice. I drummed my fingers on the marble bartop as I waited for him to pour my drink. I felt my phone vibrate in my bag but I didn't bother to answer it. I had a good idea who it'd be, and I didn't want to talk to him right now. I reached for my bag when I spotted the bartender heading back.

"Woah! That guy there already paid. Plus, he asked me to give you this." The bartender smiled as he pointed out Harry. I took the piece of paper from him and opened it up.

Thank-you. H

He'd drawn a little heart beside the H, I had a feeling it was more out of habit than sentiment, and that was all the note said. I grinned. There was no hint of wanting anything more and I liked that he hadn't pretended otherwise. I leaned on the bar to get a better look at him and he smiled at me. I smiled and flipped him off which he seemed to find funny. He raised his glass and I returned the gesture and headed off to find Anne-Marie. 

"Hey, Lil! Come dance with us!" She yelled when I spotted her on the dance floor. I weaved my way through the crowd and immediately wished I hadn't, she was dancing with her midnight kiss girl. A pair of tattooed arms wrapped around my waist and I grinned when I recognised our friend Tyler's voice in my ear. "Dance with me!" He yelled as he moved my hips in time with the music, Close to Me by Ellie Goulding. I leaned my head back on his shoulder as the song faded into, Fuck, I'm Lonely by Lauv and my girl, Anne-Marie. Never had a song felt more appropriate, but I tried to push those thoughts from my mind as my body continued to move with Tylers. His fingers softly gripped my stomach as our hands tangled in the air above our heads. This was exactly what I needed, a fun night out with my friends. "Richie called. Says he wants to talk." Tyler's words were ringing in my ears as his arm slid away from my body, I turned to find him being grinded on by a rather handsome looking guy. "Sorry." He mouthed, and I shrugged before heading back towards the bar. Richard and I had nothing to say to each other, we were getting divorced, and that would quite literally be the end of it.

"Oof!" I puffed out as I collided with the side of somebody's body, their elbow hitting me square in the ribs. "Fuck!" 

"Sorry, Darlin', didn't see - Lily!" Wow! His voice was deep and the way he said darling had me squeezing my thighs together. "Sorry, didn't see you. I was gonna get a drink. You want another?"

"Let me. I guess I owe you a drink, anyway." I replied as Harry followed behind me.

-----

I grinned as she ordered herself a Tequila. "Make that two. Casamigos, please?" I added. My eyes watched her fingers as she pulled out her purse, her nails were all painted black except for her pointer finger which was hot pink. I opened my mouth to ask her about it but she held up her finger to quiet me as she answered her phone. 

"Uh huh. No." She placed money on the bar as she made her way towards the entrance of the club. "She's definitely interested." I heard her say before she was out of earshot. I suddenly appreciated Jeffrey a whole lot more as I watched her walk away, he never really stopped working and even although it was New Year and most definitely a night off, I knew if he'd gotten a phone call like that he'd have taken it too. Maybe I should give him a pay rise? I handed the money she'd left to the barman as he placed our drinks down. I swirled the amber liquid in my glass and watched as the ice cubes clinked against the sides. I took a small sip as my mind drifted to thoughts on what the phonecall was about? She'd said "she's definitely interested" and not he. Had she taken on a new client? I hadn't heard anything about Christian hiring a new manager, not that I necessarily would have but Jeffrey would have known about that, he seemed to know about everything even if he didn't always share it. 

"Harry! Lil had to go. She said enjoy her drink for her." Anne-Marie yelled as she filled the space beside me. 

"Oh, that sucks." I frowned, unable to hide my disappointment. She was the main reason I hadn't left already.

"Sorry. But you'll probably see her around sometime. She just agreed to come be my manager." She grinned at me. 

"That's cool. So she left Christian then?" I shrugged to try to hide how interested I was.

"Him and Sibi are gonna try going it alone. Sibi knows the industry and I think Lil just needed out of LA for a while." She shrugged. "Anyway, I better go." She nodded towards the brunette waiting patiently at the edge of the dancefloor for her. 

"Hmm... you better. She's pretty." I smiled. "See you around, Love." 

"Bye, H!" She hugged me before hurrying off. I downed my Tequila and then moved onto Lily's. Her break up with Richard must have been messy if she was actively running away from him? Maybe it was a good thing she left? My thoughts drifted to how she'd tasted of Tequila earlier, then to how much I'd wanted to taste more of her. I hadn't felt this needy in a long time. I downed the drink and headed to find my friends, it was time for me to head home. Hopefully, a long cold shower would cool me down, save me from a depressing, lonely wank.