(Ellie)

It would've been much more stealthy if I could've just texted Dani, but I accidentally left my phone in Gwen's car.

I brushed the piece of paper I wrote against Dani's leg underneath the table.

She looked at me, confused, as I looked at our waiter to get his attention and asked him for a double Whiskey Sour.

"Eleanor Imogene Rein. We're gonna have to carry you out of here", Liam said, chuckling out the last word.

"Li, I'm fine", I said with genuine love toward him as I saw Dani's head lower, reading what I wrote on the paper.

I saw her lift her head up a little and look at me with an expression of urgency and worry on her face.

She pointed at the pen I still held under the table and gestured for me to give it to her.

We wrote back and forth like kids in high school, trying not to get caught.

Thankfully, everyone was distracted. They were asking Liam about a cute new intern that he told us about. She started working at the hospital a couple of weeks ago and everyone was encouraging him to ask her out.

Dani wrote one last thing and I glanced at her with a nod. She silently crumpled the paper,
casually dropped it into her purse, then straightened her posture.

"So! We ready?", she asked cheerfully, forcing a smile that everyone bought.

We planned to go to Niall's to have some drinks and play pool. Niall had also invited some guys that he met through work, Max and Peter, who everyone really liked.

Once we got there, Max and Peter arrived shortly after. Dani and I said hello to them and while they talked and poured drinks, we slipped away and went into a bathroom.

I shut the door while she got a cigarette out of her purse.

Normally, I'd get annoyed and brutally chastise her for smoking, but right now we just stared at each other.

"Is this...I mean....El. Is this our business?"

I stood there biting one of my fingernails, images of what I saw in the restaurant bathroom flashing through my mind.

"God. I....I don't know, but....", I said, shaking my head.
".....Dani....if you'd have seen w-"

We immediately stopped talking when someone knocked on the door.
Dani turned on the sink and ran her cigarette under the water.

"Dani, I can smell the smoke. You know Niall's gonna get pissed", Louis' voice sounded through the door.

She opened it and looked at him.
"I just had a couple of drags, just...be cool", Dani whispered as Louis smirked at her.

"You two are up against Niall and Gwen", Louis said, pointing to us with one hand and holding what I knew was a whiskey and Coke in the other. His smile ebbed a little when he looked at us.
"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Just girl talk", I dismissed his question and smiled as Dani and I walked out of the bathroom.

We joined everyone in Niall's billiard room to start playing.

(Louis)

"How've you been?", I heard Max ask Ellie over the low music as we all watched Gwen take her shot.

"Good! Yeah, busy", she said, quickly, almost like she was nervous.

An odd, brief pang of annoyance went through me that I didn't understand.

"You work at that bank near that organic market, right?", Max smiled and with his palm facing up, pointing his index finger at her.

"I did", Ellie smiled.
"But, I got really into....okay, DO NOT roll your eyes or make fun", she warned him, playfully, but also seriously before she continued.

Max put his hand over his heart.
"On my life. I won't".

"Essential oils", Ellie said, narrowing her eyes at him,
waiting for his reaction.

He raised his eyebrows, pressed his lips together and nodded enthusiastically.
"Y-Yeah! The....those natural herbs and nature and shit, yeah, I'm into it".

Ellie slapped his shoulder and he laughed out his next words.
"Sorry, I'm so sorry! Ellie...", he was unable to stop his giggles.

"Anyway, JERK, I learned about essential oils and am now making bath salts, bath bombs, soaps, candles, even nail polish that are infused with different essential oils", she said, proudly, looking at him fiercely.

Max stopped chuckling and raised his eyebrows.
"You've...made a product line of your own with these oils?"

Ellie smiled at him, loving his reaction.
"What's your company name?", Max asked, genuinely interested.

"That's actually been my biggest struggle. I'm horrible with that part. Coming up with a logo, product names, the creative stuff.
I need t-"

"YEAAH!!", Niall yelled loudly, interrupting the entire room.

He had sunk the eight ball and laughed in triumph.

"Checkmate, bitches. Team Niwen remains undefeated", Gwen said as she and Niall slapped a high-five, then fist-pumped each other.

"Team Niwen? Oh god...", I mumbled.
Between that and Max's flirtation with Ellie, I snuck out of the room.

What is up with me getting annoyed at Max talking to Ellie? I'm just drunk
I'm just way drunk, right?

I got to the bathroom where I saw Dani leave her purse.

I ran out of cigarettes, but Dani always had plenty because she rarely smoked.
She only smoked when she was stressed or drinking, neither being a regular thing for her.

I grabbed the pack of Marlboros and pulled out her signature gold-plated lighter.
I lit the cigarette, inhaled and my drunken thoughts began.

Waaaay too fucking windy
I don't wanna go out there
I'll light some matches and spray some air freshener or some shit to mask it
WHY can't I stop thinking about Ellie

I drunkenly shook my head, physically trying to clear my thoughts.

I looked down at Dani's purse and took another drag off of the cigarette.

I saw the word "ASS" written on a crumpled up piece of paper.

I laughed and flattened it out, curious to read anything with the word "ass" written on it.

I sat on the lid of the closed toilet and squinted at the words. I immediately recognized Ellie's handwriting.

Gwen's ASS and back THIGHS have been beaten fucking black and blue

Dani's handwriting was next.

Beaten?

YES

Could she have fallen/been in accident

Fuck, NO -bruises and whip marks ALL down her backside even to the back of her knees, D, It's BAD

Is that why G chose my blue dress

would've definitely seen this shit if she wore the one I had for her

Fuck.
Theo?

what I'm thinking

talk at Niall's

I lowered the piece of paper and stared at the wall. I took a long drag of my cigarette and flushed it down the toilet, then made my way back to the billiard room.

(Niall)

I was refilling Gwen's glass with more wine when Louis came back into the room.

"You better not have smoked in my house", I said as I poured.

Louis didn't answer me, he just stood there, awkward and expressionless.

I gave Gwen her wine and walked toward Louis as he finally met my stare.

He didn't say a word, he just handed me a piece of paper.

As I read the words, Louis caught Liam's attention and moved his head in a gesture to come to us.

Before Liam could even finish reading it, I strode over to Gwen, nostrils flared, Louis behind me.

I took the glass out of her hand, set it down and slowly pulled her with me out of the room.

"What are you doing?!", she laughed at first.
"Where....", she looked at my face and stopped laughing.

Liam and Louis followed us into the room next to the billiard room and shut the door.

"Niall? Li....what..?", Gwen looked at us, confused.

"Turn around and pull your dress up to your waist", I said, my hands fisted on my hips.

"Wh...N-Niall? Why d-", she stammered, her eyes wide.

"Do it or I will"