The studio lights were burning into Wednesday's skull, heightening the pounding of her head. She looked at her phone. 2:34 in the morning.

"Can we call it a day yet?" she moaned, rolling onto her side on the sofa.

"Nope, not just yet. We've nearly got it."

They'd been trying to perfect and finish the lyrics of the last song to go on the album for hours, without much progress.

A few weeks earlier, Wednesday had come into the studio with a chorus that she'd jotted down into her phone notes after an uncomfortably awkward run in with her ex.

Don't call me baby again, you got your reasons.

I know that you're tryna be friends, I know you mean it.

But don't call me baby again.

It's hard for me to go home,

Be so lonely.

She'd only played it to Harry initially, still new to the world of song writing, scared to her core it was utter crap.

"What made you think of this?" he'd asked, his brows furrowed after he'd heard it once more.

His expression gave nothing away and Wednesday had shrugged anxiously.

"I saw Patrick yesterday" she'd replied hesitantly. "He, uh...he kept calling me baby as if we hadn't been broken up for 4 months already."

"Still the same dickhead then" Harry had replied quickly under his breath.

They'd sat in silence for a moment or two as Harry read over the scribbled down lyrics with his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

"It was just something that popped into my head, really, it's probably shit..." Wednesday had mumbled, starting down her usual route of self-doubt, picking at her fingers as the anxiety had started to spread.

Within seconds, Harry's hand had been on top of hers, pulling her hands apart to stop the picking. He knew all of her nervous habits as well as she did these days.

"It's really good" he'd assured her, smiling comfortingly.

After that, they'd agreed to finish the song together in the next few weeks, which was how they found themselves now, sat in the studio hours after the last people had left, wracking their brains for the verses to match the chorus.

"Harry, I promise you, the song going on the album isn't that important to me. Clearly nothing is coming to either of us."

She was desperate for her bed now, tired enough to give up on the idea of a song she'd helped to write be included on the album.

"Shhh" Harry replied, waving his hand to quiet her. "We just need an energy boost. Do you want to go and get some coffee?"

"I guess I have no choice in the matter" she grumbled, following Harry as she stood up and yawned, grabbing her hoodie as the car keys jingled in his hand.

The slightly humid but fresh night air was an instant relief from the stuffy studio they'd been stuck in for hours. Getting into his blacked-out Tesla, they pulled away from the curb onto the empty night road.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you" Harry announced, a few minutes later. "We've started hiring another person for the band."

Wednesday's brow furrowed as she turned to him.

"Oh? I didn't realise you were wanting to add anyone else?"

"Well, for the first tour, you, Mitch, Sarah and Adam were enough. But with all the new songs and more instrumentals, it just makes sense to add another person you know."

That did make sense to be fair. Wednesday just wasn't the biggest fan of change.

"Yeah, I guess it does. So, have you seen anyone you like so far?"

"There's a girl who came in and played for us the other day called Daisy, who was mint on the keys. And she played guitar really well too."

Wednesday pondered it, trying to match a face to the person he described. Daisy. The first word that came to her mind was 'hippie'.

"Do you think you'll hire her?"

"Well there's one or two more people to see yet, but she's already a favourite choice for all of us. I think she'd fit in with the band good as well."

Wednesday continued looking out onto the road, nodding in response solemnly.

"Cool."

Hearing the breathy chuckle that left Harry, she turned to see him staring at the road with a smirk.

"What?" she asked confusedly.

"You." He replied, shaking his head as the smile remained. "You always do this."

"Do what?!"

"Get all defensive and quiet when we talk about new people."

Her jaw dropped as she looked at him with squinted eyes.

"No I don't!"

He turned back to her with a knowing smile.

"Yes, you do. You've done it since we were little."

He waited with an infuriatingly smug face for her retort as she tried and failed to come up with anything to say.

"Don't worry, you're not gonna get replaced. You're still everyone's favourite, including mine" he cooed, as if he was reassuring a toddler throwing a tantrum.

She turned around with an eye roll, sinking back into her seat.

"I don't do that" she mumbled under breath, unable to never not have the last word.

They reached the only open place to serve coffee at 3 in the morning, McDonalds Drive Thru, and ordered their black coffees to go.

The drive back was mostly spent in comfortable silence as Wednesday stared at the passing lights from the streetlamps.

"I've got an incentive for you to finish the song tonight" Harry remarked as they neared the studio.

"I'm listening" she replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I may or may not have got us both tickets to go see Ariana Grande tomorrow night at the O2 and I happen to know you're a bit of a fan."

If it weren't for the steaming coffees on her lap, Wednesday would have jumped up and down right there.

"How have you managed that? They were all sold out?!"

Harry grinned in a smug manner. "I have my ways."

Before Wednesday could start celebrating, Harry reminded her of the deal.

"We only go if we finish the song tonight. Otherwise, I'm giving them to the first person I see on the street tomorrow."

Invigorated with a new sense of purpose, Wednesday exited the car with a spring in her step, looking back to Harry.

"Deal."

They entered the studio with their coffees and sat down, Harry with a guitar in hand and Wednesday next to him.

Within an hour, they'd found their verses and the instrumentals to match and the song was completed.

"One taught me love, one taught me patience and one taught me pain, now I'm so amazing" Wednesday sung as loud as she could, the deafening screams of thousands of Ariana fans surrounding her as the lit-up stage illuminated the crowd.

Beside her, Harry swayed with his beer in hand, occasionally dancing with the mum in front of them as they watched Ariana.

On the next line he grabbed her hand and lifted it up as they both sang out in unison.

"THANK YOU, NEXT. THANK YOU, NEXT. THANK YOU, NEXT. I'M SO FUCKING GRATEFUL FOR MY EX."

Once the lights had gone down signalling the end, Harry leant into her. "Follow me" he whispered, starting to walk down the steps and following the path that lead to the side of the stage.

'Where are we..." Wednesday started, noticing the swarms of people beginning to recognise them, until she looked forward, seeing they were heading towards a barricade being opened for them.

Still walking, he turned to her with a grin as they were let down the side of the stage towards a door, seeing excitement and realisation dawn on her face at where they were going.

Ushered into a guarded corridor, the noise behind them drowned out as the doors swung shut.

After a few more turns and a few staircases to tackle, they opened a door to the backstage area. Peaking over Harry's shoulder and behind the entourage of people around her, Wednesday spotted her; Ariana Grande herself.

The next 15 minutes were a blur to Wednesday. Harry had hugged and congratulated her on the show before turning and introducing her to Ariana, who had hugged her straight away (the 7 inch height difference meant that Ariana's head had somewhat awkwardly ended up on her boobs) whilst apologising for being so sweaty after coming off stage. They'd then chatted about the show and how she'd been a major fan for years. Before she knew it, they were saying their goodbyes and leaving the arena.

"How can one person be that talented and pretty and sweet and cool and-"

"A bit starstruck are we?" Harry laughed, as they got into the Uber.

"That was amazing" Wednesday replied, her hands on either side of her face as if she couldn't believe she'd just met one of her favourite singers.

"See, I can be nice to you sometimes" Harry replied, grinning as he looked at her.

"I know, you kept that one quiet" Wednesday replied, hitting him gently on the arm. "Thank you though."

"No problem. Was worth it to see you cry."

"I didn't cry" Wednesday lied, worry entering her head as to whether Ariana had seen her eyes welling up too if Harry had spotted them.

"Yes, you did" Harry laughed, seeing the flush come to Wednesday's face.

"Shut up, you cried harder than me when you met Stevie."

Harry scrunched his face up in mock hurt. "Heeeeeey."

On a high from the concert, they decided to carry on the night and go for drinks at a private bar in Mayfair.

Seated down on a corner table where the lighting was dimmed, they ordered 4 margheritas, 2 for each of them, and within 10 minutes, were ordering another 4 as they laughed, still giddy from the concert.

"Don't suppose you fancy coming to Italy the week after next, do you?" Harry asked casually, sipping his margherita as he looked over at Wednesday.

Pinching her eyebrows together, she stared back at his completely serious expression.

"I thought that was a boys holiday? For you, Jeffrey and the rest?" she replied confusedly.

"Well I mean, you're practically one of the boys these days anyway" he joked.

Wednesday shot him the middle finger as she took a sip from the margherita, feeling it taste slightly more bitter on her tongue. She knew she was boyish; she didn't know that made it seem like she was one of the boys.

"But seriously, you're more than welcome to come. It's more like a relax and reset type of holiday than a full on lads getaway. Plus, there'll be plenty of pasta and pizza to be eaten."

Wednesday hummed, pursing her lips in thought. The temptation of Italian food was always incredibly persuasive.

"I don't want to intrude..."

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't want you there" he responded, rolling his eyes as he took another sip.

"Alright then, I'm in."

They clinked glasses in celebration, before downing their drinks and ordering more rounds throughout the course of the night.

By the early hours of the morning, after they were one of the only pairs left in the establishment and were sufficiently drunk, they exited through the back entrance and grabbed an Uber back to Harry's.

After what felt like a lifetime of Harry struggling to get his keys into the front door, they were finally back inside and as he rushed off to the downstairs bathroom, shouting about how much he needed a number one, Wednesday walked unsteadily to the kitchen and pulled out two glasses, filling them up with water from the tap. If there was one thing she knew at 25 years of age, it was how to avoid a nasty hangover.

"Oi, drink up" Wednesday instructed Harry as he entered the room with a goofy expression that he only wore when he was drunk, nodding down to the other glass.

He picked it up, taking a giant swig before trudging over to the nearest sofa and falling down on to it, his free arm strewn across his face and over his eyes to block out the harsh light.

Even from the counter she stood leaning against, she could see the wide smile on his face. She walked over lightly, sitting down on the end of the sofa.

"What are you grinning about?" she asked, nudging her toe into his leg.

Pulling his arm from across his face, he looked at her, the smile still there.

"I'm just really happy at the moment. With everything. This is the happiest I've been in a long time."

Wednesday couldn't help but mirror his own smile, feeling the warmth swirl in her chest.

"Well I'm glad. You deserve to be happy."

He watched as she took a sip from the glass, his smile slowly fading as he looked deeply into her face, as if he was trying to read her mind.

"And you?" he asked.

"What about me?"

"Are you happy?"

Taken aback by the question, she cleared her throat, looking down to the glass as she swirled the water around. She fidgeted in her seat as he continued to stare at her, looking away as she tried to ponder what the best response was; lying or telling the truth.

"I don't know" she answered, opting for the truth. "I don't feel sad per se, but I wouldn't say I'm happy either. I'm just somewhere in-between" she shrugged, avoiding his eyes.

Silence fell between them as Harry thought over her response with a vaguely sad expression. He was a lot worse at hiding his feelings when drunk and Wednesday could see it written in his eyes; pity. She hated that feeling, of being pitied by people. There was nothing worse.

"You deserve to be happy more than anyone" he said after a few moments, so quietly it could have almost been a whisper.

Wednesday forced a smile at him, still swirling the drink around.

"It's the 24th isn't it? Next week?" Harry asked gently, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked up from under his lashes at her.

A tight, bitter smile came onto Wednesday lips as she felt her nostrils flare.

"Yep. One year since dad died" she replied, much more dryly than intended as she held her cup up in a mock toast to the occasion.

Humour had always been her go to coping mechanism. It was ironic now that the person she was using it for was also the one who'd taught her it.

"One year" Harry repeated quietly, Wednesday suspecting it was more to himself than her. "It feels like only yesterday I was down the pub with him, drinking pints and doing karaoke."

He laughed sadly to himself as Wednesday swallowed down the lump in her throat, standing up abruptly from her seat on the sofa.

"Right, I think it's bedtime for both of us" she stated in a falsely positive voice, forcing the subject to change.

Harry stared up at her with that usual concerned look, understanding her subject change as her way of saying she didn't want to talk about it any further. She knew that one day he wouldn't accept her brushing off the conversation anymore, that he'd say she needed to talk about what she was holding onto inside. However, as he finally stood up and forced a small smile onto his lips, she knew she'd gotten away with it for one more day.

"I agree" he nodded.

Walking over to the staircase, they went up one after another until they reached the first-floor landing and turned to each other.

"The large guest room is all made up, feel free to make yourself food or grab anything you want" Harry stated, yawning as the effects of the alcohol were finally wearing off.

"Cool. I'll see you in the morning then. Good night" Wednesday replied, turning around and walking off to the direction of the bedroom, ready for sleep.

"Wednesday?" Harry called out from the same spot as she turned around to him.

"Yeah?"

He hesitated for a few seconds, rocking back and forth on his heel, before a small genuine smile appeared on his lips, just peeking out from the shadows.

"I'm really glad you're my best friend."

Wednesday felt something like a flutter in her heart at his words, unable to fight the small tug at the corner of her lips. Despite not knowing what was going on in her head all the time or understanding how she was feeling, he knew the right thing to say. Always. She mirrored his smile, showing gratitude for the small gesture.

"Stop being so soppy and go to bed" she quipped jokingly, never quite able to let her wall down far enough to be as verbally affectionate as others.

It didn't matter though. Her smile was all the confirmation Harry needed to know she felt the same and as they parted into their own respective bedrooms, they went to sleep knowing they were lucky to have one another.