It had been about a couple of hours since Harvey had left them at the pier therefore, TJ was surprised to see him making his way back towards them. There was something immediately off about him and he looked even more drunk than when he left. It didn't take a minute for TJ to realise what was going on here.
With his focus on Max, Harvey headed straight towards him with fire in his eyes. These two had experienced their disagreements in the past but it had never resulted in a look like that.
Harvey was fuming.
"Max." He bit, immediately capturing his attention and causing him to turn around.
"What are you doing back here?" Max asked, full of innocence and unaware of what was about to happen.
"I can't fucking believe you!" Was Harvey's sharp and angered response.
He was now standing face to face with Max, only inches between them.
"What? You can't believe what?"
"You. You're a fucking idiot, Max."
"What are you talking about, man?" Max exasperated, confused as to what had his friend so fuming. "You need to explain what I've done."
As those words left Max's lips, something in his mind clicked and he suddenly realised what this was probably about. He suddenly felt sick. He was unprepared. He didn't even know how he was going to explain himself but most of all, he was worried that this was going to ruin his friendship with Harvey for good.
"Grace, she told me. She told me that you're Brinley's dad and you're the idiot who fucked off when he found out!"
"Harv, just listen to me..." Max attempted to create some calmness. However, that was very unlikely to happen because not only was Harvey fuming, he was also incredibly drunk.
"You come to me and asked for help to go travelling. I fucking sat there with you and planned that whole damn trip while completely oblivious that you were doing it to run away from knocking Grace up!"
"It wasn't like that, dude, I mean it. I was fucking terrified, I didn't know what to do, I..."
"Nah, fuck your excuses Max. What about her? Don't you think she was terrified too? She had to do this whole thing on her own. You made her do that." Harvey yelled and his blood was boiling. "You're a pathetic excuse of a man."
"I wasn't even sure that she was mine, Harvey. It wasn't..." Max began, holding his hands up before Harvery interrupted him.
His drunken mind state had fully misjudged Max's actions and taken him holding his hands up, in a confrontational light. Therefore, Harvey immediately responded by shoving Max back, so his body collided with the wall behind him.
"Don't even try it." He bit back, full on warning burning in his eyes.
As Max went to retaliate, TJ and Reece were quick to jump in, pulling both guys back.
"Hey, hey! Stop it." TJ warned, as he shielded Harvey from making another move.
He could sense the anger running through him and could feel his heart pounding. TJ knew how hard this probably was for him yet also knew the alcohol was making matters ten times worse.
At this point though, it wasn't just Harvey who had got himself into a state. His actions had angered Max and he was now on the defense.
"You haven't even given me a chance to fucking explain! You've heard her side, yet couldn't give a fuck about mine!" Max yelled as he tried to pull out of Reece's arms.
As he did that, Harvey did the same and just as the pair of them escaped, Taj also jumped in to pull them apart.
"Get him out of here before he does something stupid." Taj warned, as his eyes shifted between TJ and Harvey. "He's pissed out of his mind."
"He can't exactly go home, can he? Grace is there." TJ bit back, getting just as flustered by the circumstances. "He can't come to ours either because of Max. So where the hell do you expect me to take him?"
Pausing for a moment, Taj's eyes drifted from TJ and then across to the group. Scanning each of the individual's, his eyes finally landed on a particular being who looked both concerned and also a little terrified.
Harvey hadn't noticed her yet but she had noticed him and was on her feet as though she was going to jump in any second.
"Get Lottie to take him home. She's sober." Taj replied as though it was that simple, causing TJ to look at him like he was crazy.
"Are you mad?"
"No, I'm serious. She'll calm him down."
"You do remember that they broke up, right?" TJ raised his eyebrow, causing Taj to nod, completely unfazed.
"Obviously. But right now, it's either hers or she takes him home to his parents and that sounds like a fucking terrible idea to me."
"They both sound fucking terrible." TJ remarked. "But yeah, whatever, alright. Harvey, come on."
Grabbing hold of Harvey's arm, TJ practically dragged him in the direction of where Lottie was standing. He was so drunk that at first he was oblivious to her concerned face watching him. However, that was until they were standing face to face...
"Lottie, this is a huge ask but can you drive us to yours?" TJ asked while Lottie's eyes remained on Harvey, as he stared back at her.
His brain was slowly processing the woman in front of him and all of those guilty feelings from earlier on came flooding back. That wasn't a good mix with the emotions he was currently dealing with too.
"What?" Lottie suddenly shifted her attention to TJ, as she looked at him in confusion. "To mine?"
"You're sober, you can drive us and right now, we just need to get him out of here before them two start physically fighting."
Although Lottie had many questions as to why or how her place had become the best decision, she didn't bother to ask them. She could see the pain across Harvey's face and see the state he was in and just wanted to help him. All of those natural instincts from when they were together came bouncing back and it suddenly felt like a priority.
"Sure, yeah... okay." She nodded, as she stood the other side of Harvey and hooked her arm through his.
As she and TJ began guiding him back up to her car, Lottie clung onto Harvey so tightly. Not only was it to keep him upright but it was also to provide him with some comfort.
"It's okay, Harvey." Lottie whispered, unsure if he could hear her but just hating seeing him in such a state. "Everything will be alright..."
...
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