Both Sides of the Story

“Merry Christmas, bitches!” I exclaimed as Reese and I stumbled into the room that had become the spot to eat breakfast for everyone on tour.

“So nice of you to join us,” Zayn teased.

“Excuse me,” I said feigning hurt. “It’s not my fault that my little sister had to get back at Harry.”

“He wasn’t too happy about that,” Liam chuckled. “His feminine screams could be heard all the way down the hall.”

“They were not feminine,” Harry scowled. “But let me tell you, the Mercer twins are in for it.”

“Ooooh,” Reese laughed.

I smirked at the curly haired bastard. “You’ve got us shaking in our boots.”

Conversations lulled after that as everyone dug in to their meals. I found myself talking with Liam, as usual, while Reese was talking rather animatedly with Louis. Again, as usual.

“Okay,” Niall said standing up. “Not that I don’t love food, trust me, I do. But I want my presents.”

“I’m with Irish,” I agreed.

“Present time!” Alec, Jackson, and Lee smiled.

Both bands got up and everyone retreated to their rooms to get the gifts they were giving out. After, everyone regrouped around the breakfast table.

It took nearly an hour for us all to exchange gifts, but rightly so. Everyone made out pretty well.

From our band, Reese and I both got spa certificates for when we got back to Abingdon. (Yet another one of our vices- spa going.) From Harry and Zayn we got gift cards to Victoria’s Secret. I was a little concerned about what their intentions were over that one.

“You two could buy stock in their yoga pants,” Zayn pointed out. “And I wouldn’t let Hazza be that perverted.”

That was true. I had on a pair of cropped yoga pants from Victoria’s Secret and a sweater. Reese was even more decked out than me, wearing both a sweatshirt and yoga pants from the store.

“Although,” Harry put his hands up defensively. “If either of you were thinking about maybe, oh I dunno,…”

“Don’t even finish that thought,” Reese frowned.

From Niall we both got the most delicious cookies he had shipped in from a London bakery.

“And I won’t even make you share,” he smiled.

Louis got me a pretty amazing pair of sunglasses that I could not wait to wear, while he got Reese a little metal jewelry box filled with mini Reese’s Cups.

“They’re your favorite candy and I thought it suited you,” Louis grinned as my sister hugged him, thoroughly thrilled with her gift.

Liam got her a book that had some fancy title and author with a really long name. I decided not to bother figuring out what it was.

The best thing by far was what Liam got me.

“Wellies!” I gasped pulling them out of the box. “You remembered!”

Liam laughed as I threw my arms around his neck. “How could I forget? You moped around for days when you realized you hadn’t found a pair you liked back in London.”

“Their even the right size!”

“I won’t lie,” Liam said. “I had to double check that with Reese.”

****

We had nearly four days off to just hang around in Paris. I spent nearly a full day with Liam at the Eiffel Tower, something the others wouldn’t stop teasing us about. I decided not to take the shit out of Reese for all the time she spent with Louis.

Over the almost 96 hours we had before our Paris show, I started to get sick. I felt woozy, faint, just all-around shitty. And of course, Reese had no problem pointing the obvious out.

“You look like hell,” she said as we prepared in our dressing room.

“Gee thanks, sister dearest,” I moaned as I collapsed onto the center of the floor.

“Anytime,” she smirked. “But seriously, is that what you’re wearing?”

I looked down at my outfit. I had paired a pair of skinny jeans with Sperrys and a plaid shirt I had stolen from Liam. Of course, Reese looked freaking perfect in her dark wash skinnys and sparkled shirt and ballet flats.

“Yes,” I grumbled. Curling up onto my side, I pulled out my phone and took to Twitter.

‘@BexIsBetter- I feel shitty. I’m sick and @ReeseRules is being mean. Ahhhhhhh.’

It didn’t take long for me to get a response from Liam, as usual.

‘@Real_Liam_Payne- @BexIsBetter Aw, love. Want me to take care of you? And have you by any chance seen my new plaid shirt?’

I sniggered and snapped a picture of my outfit in the mirror.

‘@BexIsBetter- Yes please!!!!! And this shirt? Not at all.’

Before Liam could respond, Reese and I wear called for our first number. I sighed, knowing that I would feel ten times worse by the time I came off the stage.

And I did.

****

“Reese,” I moaned later that night. “Where are you going?”

She stopped at the door. “I was, uh, going out with Louis.”

“Oh,” I sighed.

“I can stay if you want,” she said. “You are my sister after all.”

I coughed. “No, you go. I’ll call Liam and ask him to come stay with me.”

“Are you sure?” she asked edging towards the door again.

I nodded. “Go, have fun with Louis. Lots of fun.”

She rolled her eyes and stepped out the door, leaving it ajar for Liam.

“Safe sex, Reese!” I yelled out.

I heard her yelp down the hall before I myself groaned. My migraine was a doozy.

I waited almost five minutes after shooting Liam a text for him to arrive.

He slipped in almost silently and made his way over to my bed.

“How are you?” he asked quietly as he sat down next to me.

I uncurled myself from the fetal position I had been in and squinted up at him.

“Shitty,” I moaned. “Hand me my glasses, would you?”

He obliged and settled himself under the covers with me. “What hurts?”

“My head feels like it’s going to explode, the only thing I’ve been able to keep down is water, my stomach is all achy, and my neck is all kinked from falling asleep in the van,” I complained.

He looked at me quietly before motioning for me to roll over. I did and soon I felt his hands gently rubbing my neck and back.

“Go to sleep,” he whispered. “I’ll stay until Reese gets back.”

“No,” I shook my head.

“Rebecca,” he sighed.

“Oooh,” I giggled almost painfully. “The full name. Why so serious, Mr. Payne?”

He smirked. “I want you to get better. Go. To. Sleep.”

I huffed. “Only if you promise to stay the night.”

“Alright, love,” he consented. “But I’d prefer it if Reese didn’t kill me in the morning.”

“She won’t,” I assured him. “Just keep rubbing my back, it felt really good.”

Soon, I was asleep and very nearly comfortable and content. But of course, that wouldn’t last. The other boys had… plans.