‹ Prequel: More Than This
Over Again
17
I woke up a few hours later, my limbs tangled in Harry’s, to a text from Liam.
Come to my room when you wake up.
I sighed, not wanting to leave Harry, but also wanting to know what my friends wanted. I slowly untangled my legs from Harry’s and kissed his nose before getting up and throwing his hoodie over my head and heading down the hall.
When I entered Liam’s room, all 4 boys and Paul were sitting on the couch, waiting for me.
I gulped and sat down next to Louis, closing my eyes and counting to ten.
“So how long has he been like this?” I asked slowly, opening my eyes to see all of the men in the room avoiding my stare.
Paul finally sighed and spoke up.
“For a while now. We figured you coming can help him. Trust me, we tried everything else. He only wanted you.”
I closed my eyes again, fighting back the tears.
Louis slung his arm around my shoulders, kissing the top of my head.
“I think it’s just been hard on us all after a long break to adjust to being away again. That’s all. A little time together will help him.” He assured me.
“What if it doesn’t?” I asked, too quickly.
“Well, we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. Just try to help him, okay?” Paul said, clapping his hands and standing up. “Now, you boys have a show in a few hours, and you have to be ready to leave in an hour, okay?”
The boys nodded and I stood up to go back to our room.
When I went into the room, Harry was still asleep, facedown on the bed.
I quickly laid down next to him and draped an arm around his back, kissing the bare skin there.
“Harry, you have to wake up.” I said slowly, moving my hand to run through his hair. I felt him stir and groan.
“Five more minutes.” He mumbled into the pillow.
“Harry, I want to ask you something.” I said.
He sighed and rolled over, looking me in the eyes.
“What did you want to ask?”
“Why didn’t you tell me before how you were feeling?” I asked.
He closed his eyes.
“Because. I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t want to appear needy. I just didn’t want to be a burden.”
I sighed and returned my hand to running through his hair.
“Harry Styles, you’ll never in your life be seen as a burden to me, do you understand?” I asked sternly. “We’re a team and we’re in this together. Your problems are my problems from now on. Don’t ever feel like you can’t share them with me. I love you.”
I pulled him into my body and he sighed.
“Thank you, Bailey.” He mumbled.
“You’re welcome, honey. Now, what can I do to turn that frown upside down? Because I’m not going home until you smile. No matter how long that takes.”
“Well, I know one thing…” He purred in my ear.
I laughed and hit his shoulder gently.
“We don’t have time for that right now. You have to get ready soon for the show.” I reminded him.
He frowned and I sighed.
“But if you’re a good boy, there will be plenty of time for that tonight.”
At that, he perked up and started getting ready for the show.
Come to my room when you wake up.
I sighed, not wanting to leave Harry, but also wanting to know what my friends wanted. I slowly untangled my legs from Harry’s and kissed his nose before getting up and throwing his hoodie over my head and heading down the hall.
When I entered Liam’s room, all 4 boys and Paul were sitting on the couch, waiting for me.
I gulped and sat down next to Louis, closing my eyes and counting to ten.
“So how long has he been like this?” I asked slowly, opening my eyes to see all of the men in the room avoiding my stare.
Paul finally sighed and spoke up.
“For a while now. We figured you coming can help him. Trust me, we tried everything else. He only wanted you.”
I closed my eyes again, fighting back the tears.
Louis slung his arm around my shoulders, kissing the top of my head.
“I think it’s just been hard on us all after a long break to adjust to being away again. That’s all. A little time together will help him.” He assured me.
“What if it doesn’t?” I asked, too quickly.
“Well, we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. Just try to help him, okay?” Paul said, clapping his hands and standing up. “Now, you boys have a show in a few hours, and you have to be ready to leave in an hour, okay?”
The boys nodded and I stood up to go back to our room.
When I went into the room, Harry was still asleep, facedown on the bed.
I quickly laid down next to him and draped an arm around his back, kissing the bare skin there.
“Harry, you have to wake up.” I said slowly, moving my hand to run through his hair. I felt him stir and groan.
“Five more minutes.” He mumbled into the pillow.
“Harry, I want to ask you something.” I said.
He sighed and rolled over, looking me in the eyes.
“What did you want to ask?”
“Why didn’t you tell me before how you were feeling?” I asked.
He closed his eyes.
“Because. I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t want to appear needy. I just didn’t want to be a burden.”
I sighed and returned my hand to running through his hair.
“Harry Styles, you’ll never in your life be seen as a burden to me, do you understand?” I asked sternly. “We’re a team and we’re in this together. Your problems are my problems from now on. Don’t ever feel like you can’t share them with me. I love you.”
I pulled him into my body and he sighed.
“Thank you, Bailey.” He mumbled.
“You’re welcome, honey. Now, what can I do to turn that frown upside down? Because I’m not going home until you smile. No matter how long that takes.”
“Well, I know one thing…” He purred in my ear.
I laughed and hit his shoulder gently.
“We don’t have time for that right now. You have to get ready soon for the show.” I reminded him.
He frowned and I sighed.
“But if you’re a good boy, there will be plenty of time for that tonight.”
At that, he perked up and started getting ready for the show.