More Than This

I wasn’t sure how long I had been lying beside Sophia on her bed, nothing but silence between us.
I needed to break it, though.

“Soph.” I started, my voice hoarse. I cleared my throat and spoke again. “You’re sure you still want to do this? As in go to Boston tomorrow?”

My sister looked at me and nodded once.

“Okay.” I replied, running a hand through my hair. “Have you called Liam?”

She shook her head again and I wanted to shake her.

“Do you think you should?”

When I got no response, I sighed and got up from the bed, walking to my own room, where I left my phone earlier, checking the time.

It was one in the afternoon now, and I had 3 awaiting text messages.

2 of them were from Harry.

Up early for interviews, so I’ll call you when they get over.

Don’t go online!

I groaned, not wanting to deal with that, checking the other text message, which was from Liam.

I hate to bother you, but Sophia isn’t answering her phone. Can you have her call me?

I bit my lip, wanting to cry all over again.

She’s busy right now, Li, but I’ll have her call you before we leave.

Just then, my phone started vibrating, Harry’s picture flashing on the screen.

“Hi, H.” I said as I picked it up.

“What’s going on?” He asked, sounding concerned. I groaned.

“I don’t know, Harry, why don’t you tell me why I can’t go online.” I snapped, instantly regretting it. I could hear him sigh and could picture him running a hand through his hair.

“There’s rumors that we broke up because you’re not here anymore.” He said softly. “I didn’t even know until they asked me about it in an interview today.”

My mouth gaped open.

“They asked you about it?” I couldn’t believe they asked about it like it was their business. I closed my eyes.

“Listen, Bails. People aren’t saying very nice things about you and I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

I sighed. He was trying to protect me. I had to accept that. Although the fans saying mean things about me really stung. I mean, they didn’t even know me.

“Okay.” I muttered. “I won’t go online.”

There was a beat of silence. I though he had hung up until he talked.

“I miss you so much, Bailey. I wish I could hug you right now.” The vulnerability in his voice got to me. I felt a tear fall down my cheek, and I wiped at it vigorously.

“I miss you so much, Haz.” My voice cracked, and I knew it gave me away.

“Shit, B.” He said. “Please don’t cry, okay? I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

I closed my eyes and counted to ten, just as the distinct sound of my sister throwing up could be heard.

“Shit, Harry, I’ve got to go. I love you.” I hung up the phone quickly, feeling bad that I didn’t let him reply, but ran to my sister’s room to hold her hair as she retched.

“I just love him and I don’t want to-“ She cried, trailing off as she hiccuped.

“I know, Soph, I know.” I stated reassuringly as I ran a hand through her hair. “He loves you too and wants to be with you forever and nothing that happens in the next few days can change that, okay?”

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and nodded. I wiped them gently off her cheeks and sat down next to her.

“They’re calling you a slut on the internet.” She said after a long silence. I winced and leaned my head against the wall.

“Are they? I haven’t looked.” I shrugged, trying my best to seem nonchalant, but I wanted to cry.
My sister moved so that she was sitting next to me and flung an arm around my shoulder.

“I’m glad you came back with me.” She said softly, squeezing my shoulder. “You didn’t have to leave Harry for me and everything.”

I shrugged.

“Harry loves me and I love him. It’ll all work out in the end.”

Sophia squeezed my shoulder again and I leaned my head on top of her head, neither of us wanting to move.

And that is how I feel asleep on the bathroom floor with my sister, both of our lives unraveling before us.