Cheating By The Rules | Harry Styles AU (ongoing)

chapter 23

Dean, the quintessential charmer, had effortlessly gotten his fair share of women during his nights out. Not only when he met them, but also when they parted ways, he always treated them with respect. But besides his impeccable manners, his good looks also played an undeniable role in why they could never get enough of him. So when one of the girls he had been with spotted him at the end of the line, we could skip it and get immediate access.

Once we were inside, I was amazed by it. The interior was made of plush furnishing and velvety textures, making you want to touch it.

The owner of this bar must've spend a grand amount of money on the looks of this place, because it did transport you to a unique world. There were many bars downtown, but this one took it to another level.

Then I saw how the bar was made of polished marble, and talented mixologists moved gracefully behind it; crafting cocktails no one could get enough of. Behind them there were rows of gleaming bottles lined up on the shelves. The splendid selection of spirits and liqueurs made me wonder how the cocktails would taste like.

With a grin, I turned to Dean. I wasn't going to let him get away without an explanation, I desperately needed to know more.

"Who was that?" I asked Dean, referring to the girl who had allowed us to bypass the line.

"Someone who I met a while back," he replied nonchalantly.

"Someone you met a while back, huh?" I leaned in as I repeated his word. "Must've been quite the impression you made if she's still swooning over you, Dean." I teased.

"You know me, Ivy, I can't help it if I leave a lasting impression," his easygoing demeanor was present.

His cocky charm was entertaining. It was no surprise he had an affect on women. However, Sarah and I seemed immune to his charms. We simply loved to watch the spectacle unfold in front of us.

"Yeah, you definitely left quite the impression on her," I confirmed as I was totally unable to hide the grin on my face.

"You want to know what I did to her?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

I laughed at him. "I think I'll pass on the details, thanks," I said. "Let's keep it all between you and her, shall we? I don't want her to feel betrayed."

"Fair enough," he answered me, entertained by me backing out of the story.

"But, hey, I'm not complaining about skipping the line."

"Glad I could be of service, Ivy," he quipped with a wink, before leading the way to a vacant booth – we were lucky there was still one left.

As we were having a very good time at the Moonlit Lounge, Dean kept his promise and paid for every cocktail Sarah wanted. We decided it would be fun to let her choose the cocktail before we'd all try it out. Sipping on the drinks, we found ourselves pleasantly surprised by the quality and flavor of each one. The money we had to pay for it was entirely justified.

After indulging in three cocktails, we moved to the dancefloor. The pulsating music had lured us in, but we weren't mad about it. When we were together, we weren't the type of people who would sit in a booth all night long and just observe strangers. No, we preferred to be the people others observed. And with somebody like Miles in our midst, it was impossible to sit down the entire night.

As we moved to the rhythm of the music, I found myself caught up in the energy of the moment. There were no worries entering my brain, let alone those endless 'what-if' scenarios. There was only room for a good time and a tasty cocktail in my right hand.

Josh and Sarah were trapped in their own bubble, totally smitten with one another whilst Miles was busy flirting with this girl who looked so much like his ex. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if it was exactly her.