Harry

"Why would you bring us into a bar if you don't even drink?" I ask Zayn as we follow him into the first bar we encounter. It's crowded, it smells like shit, and if I had my pick, I never would have stepped in here.

"I can still hang out at bars without drinking alcohol," he laughs and shrugs his shoulders. He maneuvers his way through the room, not once bumping into a single person here. "And it's not that I don't drink ... I just don't drink a lot."

As we follow closely behind, trying not to lose him in this crowd of people, I hold onto Felicity's hand and guide her along. I don't want her to accidentally separate from us, and I'm not about to have her get mixed up with the wrong people here. She doesn't notice it but I catch the wandering eyes of a lot of men in this place as they stare at her, like a piece of meat being dangled in front of a lion. I've already slapped a few hands away that have reached out in an attempt to grab her ass. 

Not on my fucking watch. 

I don't even want to think of how embarrassed and freaked out she would be if some stranger groped her in the middle of a bar. I'm not even sure if she would know how to act. Does she even know how to defend herself? I make a mental note to teach her a few self-defense moves I've picked up from a friend. It will be Harry Styles' Self-Defense 101. A brilliant class.

"Anyway," Zayn's voice floats over the loud noise in this bar. "I don't like to be drunk on Bourbon. There are crazy people, you know?"

"Yeah. I can tell," Felicity nods her head as she looks around, very subtly taking a step closer to me and squeezing my hand.

"But don't let that stop you. Feel free to grab a drink."

Felicity looks up at me with a hesitant expression. "Should I go up to the bar? I think I want something to settle my nerves."

I laugh and shake my head. I spot Zayn to the side grabbing an empty high table, so I point in his direction. "Stay here with him. I'll get us something to drink."

She nods her head and quickly walks over to the table, sitting across from Zayn. He immediately jumps into a conversation with her and captures her full attention. I'm pretty sure if I walked out of the bar the two of them wouldn't even notice I hadn't come back with drinks. They're so deep in conversation, I almost want to walk over and see what they're talking about. 

I hate that I feel so left out here. I'm sure they don't realize that their nonstop conversations make me feel like the odd man out. I have nothing to discuss. After chatting with Zayn before we left for the jazz club, I started to realize that I don't really have anything in common with this guy, which makes it difficult to find something to talk about. He's a cool guy and I don't actually have an issue with him, I just feel awkward.

When I get to the bar, it takes the bartender a little while before he asks what I want. I ask for a beer and order Felicity a mojito because I know that's what she was drinking at the jazz place. The guy beside me gives me a disapproving look as I grab the minty drink and walk away. 

As I reach the table, I take a sip from my beer and hand Felicity her drink. She looks pleasantly surprised to see a mojito sitting in front of her as she glances up at me and smiles brightly. As Zayn continues to finish his story to her, she slips the straw between her lips and downs the drink much faster than I ever thought she could. She must really love those mojitos. 

"So how long are the two of you planning to stay in town?" Zayn asks us as his eyes flicker back and forth between Felicity and I. 

I shrug my shoulders and set my beer on the table. "Just for the night. We're kind of slowly making our way to California."

"Where are you headed next?"

"I'm not sure."

The sound of glass hitting the wooden table scares me. As I look over, all of the liquid in Felicity's drink is gone, leaving only a few ice cubes and the mint leaves. She bites her bottom lip in embarrassment before attempting to hide her giggles. I might have to watch how much I drink because at this rate I'm going to need to be the one taking care of her. Felicity is like a child having tasted candy for the first time and wanting to eat every piece that is put in front of her. Alcohol is the candy. It's as if she's never drank this much before and she's really enjoying it.

The crowd inside the bar continues to grow, making me question whether or not we've hit maximum capacity yet. It gets louder and louder, and I'm pretty sure the music volume gradually increases to be heard over everyone's conversation. I finish my beer and head up to the bar to grab myself another one, as well as another mojito for Felicity. No matter how many times I ask, Zayn continues to tell me that he isn't interested in drinking here. Apparently there's another place that he enjoys and would prefer to catch a couple drinks there. 

We chat for a little while as I finish up my beer and Felicity nearly chugs another mojito. I can tell the alcohol hasn't quite hit her yet, but I know the moment she stands from the chair it's all going to come rushing to her. People inside the bar start getting obnoxiously loud and I've lost count of the number of times someone has bumped into our stools. It's really kind of annoying to deal with, so I'm thankful when Zayn decides he's grown bored of this place.

The three of us leave the bar and head further down Bourbon Street. Zayn is an absolute expert in dodging those that are drunk, and he weaves through the crowd like a snake. It's difficult to keep up with him for a couple reasons. One, he's so fucking slim that he can easily slip right through a group of people without bumping into one of them. And second, I'm pretty much dragging Felicity behind me because the alcohol has finally made its way through her body and caused her legs not to work as well. She stumbles with every step and constantly squeezes my hand tightly to get me to stop for a brief moment so she can rest. 

I want to yell at Zayn to tell him to slow down but I know that he would never hear me over the crowd in this street. I have to constantly keep my eye on where he is as well as making sure Felicity doesn't pass out or get caught up within a group of people she shouldn't be with. 

Eventually Zayn stops in front of what looks like an art gallery. Felicity and I stand beside him and wait for him to continue walking but he simply watches the crowd in the street. Felicity has yet to let go of my hand, and as much as I don't mind the contact, this really messes with my head. It makes me want to believe that we're together as more than just friends, but I'm rudely brought back to reality when I start to remember that she has a boyfriend. 

I hate all of this. I hate being in love with someone that is unavailable. 

Right as I start to say something to Zayn, wondering what the fuck we're doing just standing around, he leads us down an alley next to this art gallery. I'm skeptical and extremely cautious. The last thing I need is to be fucking murdered in some back alley in New Orleans by someone I thought to be a friend. Felicity looks nervous as she clings to my arm and scans our surroundings.

Going against my better judgment, I follow Zayn up a set of old, rusty stairs that run along the side of the building. He opens a door at the top and ushers us inside. I think he finds it humorous that Felicity and I both have a look of fear on our faces. We enter the tiniest hallway I've probably ever come across in my life. It feels absurdly crowded with the three of us inside and it doesn't help that the only light comes from a small hanging bulb above our heads.

Zayn makes his way to the other end of the hallway, standing in front of another door that has a speakeasy grill. 

"Are we being led to our deaths?" Felicity whispers into my ear. Her inability to stand still with the alcohol in her system causes her to stumble forward, brushing her lips against my ear and causing an embarrassing groan to escape my mouth. 

I quickly clear my throat as Zayn looks back at me in confusion. As I turn to Felicity I take an unnoticeable step away from her, for my own sanity, and shake my head. 

Zayn knocks on the door in some kind of rhythmic pattern, like a code he's punching into a keypad. After a few silent moments, the small sliding peephole behind the speakeasy grill opens up and a portion of a man's face appears. I can hear music coming from behind him and it amazes me how well the sound is hidden behind this door. It's like some kind of secret bar. 

The man at the door stares at Zayn for a solid five seconds before looking over at Felicity and I like we do not belong.

"They're with me. Just open the door," Zayn rolls his eyes and waves at the man in the door.

The little peephole slides shut before I hear a lock click, the door swinging open shortly after. The man behind the speakeasy grill is big and tall and could probably snap me in half with two fingers. He steps to the side, letting the three of us inside and quickly shutting the door behind us. I'm beginning to feel nervous with him watching us as we walk, and I want to ask Zayn where the hell he just brought us.

As we walk a little further, we step into a room that seems to be a bar. There aren't many people inside but there's enough to occupy almost every chair in sight. Music plays from a band in the corner of the room. The lighting inside is dim and there's a brown hue throughout the room. Everything looks old and I feel like I've been transported in time to some old speakeasy. The bar is in the middle of the room with tables along the walls and couches at two corners. 

Zayn walks toward the back corner, sitting down on one of the massive couches and motioning for us to do the same. Felicity and I sit together on an empty one across from him, trying not to look as awkward as we feel. Zayn seems to know everyone here, just like he seems to know everyone else in this city, as he waves and briefly chats with anyone that walks by. 

He motions for a woman in a busty top to come take our drink orders. He orders the drinks for us, not even asking if we have a preference. I don't want to say anything just in case I piss him off and he decides to kill me right here. No one outside these walls would ever know what happened and I would be lost to the world forever. That makes me nervous. 

I'm sure that's highly unlikely and I don't know why my mind is even going there in the first place. I'm just making this situation sound ridiculous. 

As we sit waiting for our drinks to arrive, two ladies stride across the room towards Zayn. They're stunning and they radiate warmth as they smile. They're full of confidence and I can see it in the way they carry themselves. 

"Babe, you didn't tell us you'd be coming in tonight!" One of them speaks before taking a seat next to him on the couch. She greets him with a kiss on the cheek, accidentally leaving a lipstick mark on his skin and laughing as she tries to remove it with her thumb. 

Zayn greets the second lady with a cheek kiss and gently pats her thigh. "Ah, just thought it would be a nice surprise."

"Of course," the other woman smiles. She looks over at Felicity and me and tilts her head as she sits on the couch armrest. "And who might these two lovely friends of yours be?"

Zayn glances over at the two of us and it's as if he had forgotten that we were here. These two women have his full attention and Felicity and I have become chopped liver. "Oh right. This is my good friend Harry and his beautiful lady friend Felicity." He points his finger at us before looking up at the woman that asked the question. He then directs his attention to me and points his finger back and forth between the two ladies. "This is the gorgeous Kay and the stunning Christina." 

"It's a pleasure to meet you two," Kay reaches her hand out to shake ours.

Christina smiles and leans back into the sofa. She takes a moment to admire her perfectly manicured nails before flipping her long hair over her shoulder with such grace. "Are you both from around here? I've never seen you before."

I shake my head, watching as Zayn wraps his arm around her shoulders and hugs her closely. "No, we're just passing through on our way to California."

"Oi, California! I've never been there before," Kay leans forward as she crosses one leg over the other and rests her elbow atop her knee. She looks so poised sitting on the armrest. "What's in the Golden State for you?"

"I'm moving in with my sister for a bit. And Felicity is - um ..." my voice trails off as I turn my head to look at my trip partner. For some reason I can't get the words out of my mouth.

"Oh, uh. Right, I'm just going to visit my ... uh ... boyfriend," her eyes dart back and forth between the two ladies before they pick a spot on the floor to stare at. 

"You two aren't together?" Christina asks us, her voice full of confusion. I can understand where she's coming from. I'm sure with the way Felicity and I are sitting so close together she guessed we were an item. I wish I could say we are. At the shake of my head, Kay frowns and Christina subtly nods. "Silly me, I just assumed ... well, you know."

Felicity shifts in her seat and begins to fidget with her fingers. It's like she doesn't know what to do or how to react so she resorts to picking at her nail polish. It grows awkwardly quiet between the five of us, and the silence is only broken for a brief moment when the waitress returns with our drinks. Felicity eagerly takes a long gulp from hers, her facial expression turning into one of disgust after she swallows the liquid. 

"So," Kay thankfully breaks the silence. "If the two of you are just passing through, where are you headed next?"

"I don't know," I run my hand through my hair and adjust the watch on my wrist. It's not even 10PM but it feels much later than that. "We haven't decided on our next destination."

"I have an idea to help you choose!" Christina suddenly stands up with excitement in her eyes, motioning for us to follow her. "It's perfect. I've always wanted to do this myself."

Felicity picks up her glass, despite the fact that she did not enjoy her drink with the first sip, and chugs the rest of it before setting it down on the coffee table between the couches. She attempts to stand up but all the alcohol in her system makes it difficult for her to keep a steady balance. She stumbles for a couple steps and before she has the chance to fall flat on the floor, I find myself quickly at her side to help her walk.

I don't even remember how many drinks she's consumed already. I do know that she's had more than she had in Nashville, so this could end badly for her. As I aid her in walking across the room, we follow closely behind Christina, Zayn and Kay as they step into one of the bar's back rooms. 

The room is small and brightly lit. It looks like it used to be someone's office but it's definitely been used for storage. I guide Felicity over to the desk and urge her to sit down in the chair. She looks up at me through tired eyes and smiles, which somehow gets my heart beating fast.

Christina digs through a few drawers of a filing cabinet before she finds whatever it is she needs. She pulls out a poster, unrolls it, and recruits Kay into helping her tape it up on the wall. It's a large map of the United States, and as she digs through another drawer, I know exactly where this is going.

A small box of darts is placed into my hand as Christina laughs. "We used to throw darts in here ... usually at someone's picture on the wall. An ex boyfriend most of the time. But anyway! Throw it on the map. Wherever it lands is your next destination."

Before I can even react, Felicity jumps up from the chair and pulls the box out of my hand. She picks out one of the darts and positions herself seven feet from the poster. All of us take a step back, aware of how much she's had to drink already. We probably shouldn't let her within ten feet of these darts.

Felicity squints her eyes as if that's going to help her in some way. She brings her hand back before flinging the dart at the map and hitting nothing but blue.

"Okay," I walk over to the poster and pluck the dart from the wall. "How about we not drive into the Gulf of Mexico."

"I bet you can't do any better than that," she pouts her bottom lip and folds her arms over her chest. A chuckle escapes from Zayn's mouth as he watches us. "And I've been drinking. My aim is off."

"Just watch and learn, babycakes."

Turning around, I inhale a breath and toss the dart towards the map. As I see it hit actual land, I look over at Felicity and smile triumphantly while she rolls her eyes. It's ridiculous but I feel proud to have had a better aim than she did.

"Have you ever been to Austin, Texas?" Kay's voice echoes throughout the small room. She pulls the dart from the wall and sticks it into the box that Felicity still holds.

I shake my head in response. "Never."

"Well then I believe it's settled," Christina smiles brightly. I'm sure the success of her idea makes her feel good. "Next stop: Austin."

"Great. Now let's get out of here. I'm feeling claustrophobic and a little nervous with intoxicated people throwing around darts," Zayn shakes his head and turns to the door. 

As we walk out of the room, Kay and Zayn argue about whether or not they should take us back out on Bourbon Street for some more partying and bar hopping. Personally, I'm not feeling very into it. I'm tired from the drive here this morning. It's just been a long day but I don't want to be the party pooper. I'm also not sure it's a very good idea for Felicity to continue at the rate she's going, but I shouldn't stop her if she's having fun. I'll just keep an eye out to make sure she doesn't get herself into any real trouble.

The two of them argue until Christina jumps in and makes the decision for everyone, saying that their bickering was giving her a headache and she needed to have some fun in a bar with dancing. All of us grab our coats and brace ourselves for the cold weather that we're about to walk into. The large man at the entrance stares me up and down once again, making me feel very uncomfortable, before he opens the door and lets us leave.

When we shuffle through the tiny hallway and back out into the frigid winter air, the sounds of loud music and laughter echoes around us. The speakeasy we were just in is entirely isolated from the chaos that is Bourbon Street, I almost forgot just how crazy it is outside. 

We make our way down the rusty stairs and into the street, dodging sweaty and intoxicated party goers. Felicity clings onto my arm once again, this time surprisingly doing a better job of not tripping over her own feet. Her cheeks are pink and her nose is starting to turn red. Every time we walk through an area where people are closely packed in together, I can feel her grip around my arm tighten. 

Music from every bar on the street swirls around us and lights flash through windows. Christmas lights wrap around select balconies as others are simply decorated with wreaths. People shout from the apartment windows above the bars and accidentally spill their drinks over the railing. It's a rare sight to see someone on the street walking by or standing around without a drink in their hand. Now that it's getting later into the night, there's even more people running about. 

The rest of our time on Bourbon goes by in a blur. Christina and Kay surprise me with just how much they can drink and how easily they can coerce Zayn into taking shots. Those two ladies are masters of persuasion because they can convince anyone to do anything. They had Felicity taking shots and dancing up on bar tops. I've never seen her smile so much, but I've also never seen her so incoherent. I worried for tomorrow morning. 

I didn't drink much at any of the bars we walked into. If we are going to be on the road tomorrow, one of us has to be able to drive. That's not going to happen if the both of us are absurdly hungover. 

At the end of the night, we say our goodbyes to Christina and Kay and promise them that we'll be back for another visit sometime in the future. They stumble down the street, giggling and shouting before turning the corner and disappearing. Zayn shakes his head and laughs at his friends, a little hiccup coming out of him. 

He leads us back to his place, which is an easier walk seeing as nearly half the population on Bourbon Street has gone. There's absolutely no way that Felicity can walk, so I pick her up once again like I did in Nashville and carry her the rest of the way back. She's passed out with her arms draped around my neck and her head nuzzled at my shoulder. A few times she mumbles something but I can never catch what she says. 

By the time we make it back to Zayn's place, my body is exhausted from the long day. He reminds me where things are in the kitchen and informs me that if there's anything I need I shouldn't hesitate to ask. Within thirty seconds he runs up the stairs and disappears into his room.

I gently kick the door open to the room I'm staying in and carefully set Felicity on the bed. She wrinkles her nose with her eyes still closed and curls herself into a ball. I find myself taking care of her, removing her jacket and shoes and somehow getting her underneath the covers. After I change my own clothes, I walk to the kitchen and return with a glass of water to set on the bedside table for Felicity. 

When I slip into the bed, she just barely wakes up. Her eyes open for a moment, blinking a few times as if she's trying to register what's in front of her. We stare at each other for just a few short seconds before Felicity closes her eyes and moves closer to me. She rests her head on my bare chest and hugs my body. Her touch drives me crazy and it takes everything in me to keep myself calm.

"Harry," her voice is soft as my name leaves her lips.

"Yes?" I inhale a breath to hold my composure. I don't know what to do with my arms. I don't want to wrap them around her body because that's just not good for my own sanity.

"You're so nice to me."

"I just want to make sure you're okay. There's water next to the bed if you need it."

Felicity exhales, her warm breath against my skin. Her hand slowly runs back and forth across my ribcage, unknowingly torturing the fuck out of me. Thankfully her movements begin to slow until she comes to a stop. I believe she's asleep but I'm proved incorrect when she lifts her head and moves to kiss me on the cheek. Her lips linger against my skin for a moment, causing my breath to catch in my throat. When she moves to rest her head against my chest once again, words come out of her mouth that I will never forget. They're so quiet, I almost don't hear them. And for my own health, I wish I didn't.

"Harry. I wish ... I wish you were my boyfriend."

A/N: Hii, happy holidays! Hope you're all enjoying your time with family and/or friends xx