23
HARLEY
Harley was a little nervous about tonight’s whole ordeal, she’d almost stayed in her room.
Things with her and Scarlett were a little rocky since they refused to address the elephant in the room.
She had been to work twice since the revelation about her family and neither time Scarlett was there.
Nor had they really texted. Their conversations over the phone had been short and Harley wasn’t even sure if she was going to make it tonight.
Maybe it was for the best since, Harley knew that the hate Scarlett felt for Annabel was unrivaled but she couldn't help but feel if she was going to spend time at a party with these people, she would want to do it with someone she could actually stand the sight of for more than a couple minutes.
The room smelt strongly of warm bodies, smoke and alcohol, the latter was due to the fact that she’d been lounging by the bar while Daniel spoke to people.
It wasn’t surprising that he seemed to know everyone that he walked past. Though it was his birthday and most of the people passing by were telling him just that, he was also able to hold a conversation so naturally that Harley was jealous of his carefree demeanour.
There were bartenders working tonight, Annabel had made sure the entire night was going to be perfect. She was very type A when it comes to situations like this. Her image was important to her.
There was a massive line for drinks in a way she’d only seen at big events she’d waited on for in the past. Daniel had jumped the queue and was now behind the bar getting her something to drink and also making Annabel’s drink.
A tap of her shoulder brought her out of her daydream, Daniel held three drinks in his hand one for the both of them and the vodka lem that Annabel had requested. He handed her her own and she nicked a straw from the font and immediately took a sip.
“Sorry I took so long, the wings made it difficult to make room to do anything without spilling,” he said as he pointed to the wings he’d now folded a little.
“It’s okay,” she said.
“Be honest, you hate all of this. Don’t you?” he asked, referring to the party and all the people around them.
Harley took a sip out of her drink, “A little.” He tilts his head skeptically, “Fine, a lot.” Then he chuckled.
“I get it, it can be overwhelming being around all of this.”
“How would you know? Hasn’t this always been your life?”
“Yes, but sometimes I wish it wasn’t.” He confessed.
Harley was about to ask what he meant when she saw her.
Scarlett had arrived and she was surprised by how thought out her costume was.
She was wearing a light green corset and matching mini skirt, there were leaves dangling from the outfit, sewn on.
The chunky green heels made her noticeable but she didn’t need that to be the centre of attention. She stood out no matter what.
Scarlett Argent was stunning and she knew it.
Daniel followed her line of sight, then excused himself, “Gotta get these to Annie before she starts twitching. I’ll see you later, Harley.”
He gave her a friendly wink before leaving, a small smile unwillingly peeked through and she knew even she had fallen victim to the irresistible charm of Daniel Akinson .
Just as he left, Scarlett scoured around and spotted Harley at once. The scowl on her face softened, she spearheaded straight for her. As soon as she reached her she twirled and smirked as she said, “How’d I do?”
“Almost too good to be true,” Harley said, looking at her. And then Scarlett did something unexpected, she blushed.
Harley cleared her throat, “Did you buy it or did you make it yourself?”
“Truth be told, Bloss and Mum did. All I did was sit and watch,” Scarlett said.
“You make a very good Poison Ivy, so it was worth it.”
“Exactly babe,” she responded, smiling wide.
Harley scrunched her nose at her cuteness, at how the singular dimple on her left cheek popped out and at the faint freckles that dusted her nose. She was glad that things weren't awkward and they were able to settle back into who they were. This felt right.
“So where is the rest of the terrible five?” she said looking around, aiming for nonchalance but was clearly fishing to know how to avoid them. She continued before Harley could even reply, “Off somewhere pretending they're better than the rest of us, I’m sure.”
Her face fell, instantly apologetic, “Sorry, that was supposed to be in my head. I promise that is the last time I will even mention them.”
Harley put some of the ice from the cup in her mouth and began to crunch on it, a nervous habit she’d developed for years, “They were somewhere around here.”
She tried to search but Annabel was lost in the sea of partygoers and she couldn't even spot Daniel’s humongous wing that worked as a beacon. Perhaps they’d gone somewhere. They moved like a pack of wolves, so it was likely where there was one, you’d find another.
“I need a drink. There are people I know working tonight,” Scarlett said. She pushed in from the side and hailed a friend, who helped her get one as the others in the line threw a fit.
After a while, she was feeling buzzed from her shots and wanted to pull Harley to the floor. “Come on, let's dance.”
Harley shook her head slowly, which was the complete opposite to the nod Scarlett was doing. “If I was going to suffer through coming here, then you're going to dance with me.”
A song she was familiar with came on, and Scarlett sat down her drink on the countertop and began to smile. She started slowly, it began with a nod to the beat and then she started swaying her hips side to side and started to move further onto the dance floor, her eyes locked on Harley.
Everything about the way she moved was attuned to the music, it wasn't aggressive or heavy and she was drawing a slight amount of attention to herself. Men were ogling her body in ways that had Harley wanting to smash the glass she was holding on their heads.
Yet Scarlett wasn’t paying a lick of attention to any of them, she had her fingers pointed at Harley, beckoning her to come to her. Harley’s feet moved before she could even register it. Scarlett held her hand out for her, and once she took it, a broader smile spread across her face.
Harley couldn’t quite fathom why making Scarlett smile left her chest feeling warmer and her shoulders lighter, but for once, she was happy and that happiness brought on a smile of her own.
The room was overflowed with people, this allowed for their bodies to be pressed closely to one another.
Every brush of their skin touching, sent a jolt straight through her.
Scarlett was behind her then wrapped an arm around her waist and they rolled their bodies in sync to the beat.
Harley never wanted to leave this position.
They kept dancing, song after song, until they could feel blisters forming.
Once they'd exhausted themselves, Scarlett caught Harley’s hand and pulled her away. The two of them giggled as they slipped out of the flack of people packed like sardines, finding a spot with a bit more breathing room.
“You’ve been holding out on me, Starley,” Scarlett teased as soon as they found a place to breathe, nudging Harley’s shoulders playfully. A shy smile spread across her face, heat rose to her cheeks at the compliment.
“I can move to a beat when coerced.” She shrugged and laughed.
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
They ordered another round of drinks and soon lost themselves in chatter.
Harley couldn't believe how well the night had gone despite how much she’d been dreading it.
Even though she knew she should’ve spent more time with Annabel, she had no doubt she was holed up somewhere in her own corner, being the life of the party.
The night moved on seamlessly, it really was a great day.
It was the loosest she’d let herself be in a long while.
The first time she hadn’t been thinking about feeling like an outcast, or wondering how her mother was coping without her.
For once, the world didn’t feel like it might collapse if she wasn’t stressing about something.
However, her good luck ran out within minutes of thinking so, as though the universe decided she’d had enough joy for one day.
The fight between Annabel and Scarlett happened in the blink of an eye, she couldn't even tell you what started it, that was how quickly it had happened and ended. For the first time she had witnessed how volatile their hatred for one another was. Like a match waiting to be struck.
There was hair pulling, kicking and even a punch thrown out, the whole thing was mad.
Harley couldn’t believe what unfolded in front of her, she didn’t even know Annabel possessed that much strength.
Though if there was a prize to be won, Annabel definitely lost. It was clear Scarlett had been itching for that and true to her word, delivered.
If Harley was being truthful, this was all her fault. Scarlett had been right to not want to be around Annabel and yet she had been the one to suggest she came. But it was because she thought the both of them could behave like adults for a couple hours.
She ran after her, and didn’t catch up until she’d gotten far down the road. “Pulling out your knife? Really?”
“I know and I’m sorry. I don’t need the lecture,” Scarlett said. She didn’t stop walking. “She just makes me so angry,” she cried.
“Why? Every time I ask you about it you shrug me off.”
“It’s nothing okay, absolutely nothing.”
“Am I nothing?” Harley asked instead. She wasn’t sure why, only that it was something that had been sitting in her chest for quite sometime. Scarlett looked at her, the wind was blowing her hair in different directions. Light rain dabbed at their eyes.
“You’re the exact opposite.” Harley blinked rapidly when she heard her, her breath catching. For a moment, the wind and rain stood still as she said this, like even they were affected by her words.
“Then none of them matter, not when it comes to the two of us.”