Part Thirty-Seven

 

Lauren's POV

It’s been eight days since my fight with Sophia, and we haven’t spoken to each other, I hate it. I hate fighting with her. I haven’t seen much of her to be honest, the girls and I have been shopping, she didn’t want to come, we’ve all been out to dinner, she didn’t want to come. She rarely leaves the hotel room- she was so excited to come to America, yet she’s not doing anything whilst she’s here. I don’t understand it.

There is something wrong with Sophia. I don't know what it is though. She seems deflated, pale, ill. We’re not on the best of terms, but she's still my friend, if she's ill I want to help her. Why am I so good towards people? I need to be more tough. Not forgive so easily. I might talk to her; get to know her side of the story. Yes, that's what I'll do. I'll do it now. "Sophia," I said loudly and everyone looked at me in shock.

"Lauren?" She whispered, a smile tugging on her lips.

"Can I have a word with you?" I asked and she nodded before walking into the corridor.

"I know what it sounded like, but nothing happened," She said quickly, "I would never do that! You should know that!" After our first fight I thought she’d have said it then, not now. She never did tell me what happened before. “You just assumed and it was stupid! You should have thought first!” She suddenly became very angry.

"What was I supposed to think?" I shouted- she has no right to be angry at me, I was going to forgive her.

"Anything! Just not that! I would never do that! I love you and Niall too much! We are just friends! Nothing else! You over-reacted!" She shouted back.

"I over-reacted? I over-reacted? What was I supposed to think? You and Harry were spending all your free time together! Niall thought it too! And you spent that night together! He's my boyfriend and I love him! You know I'm insecure and I don't know what to think now!" I shouted back, "You would think the same if it was me and Niall!"

"No I wouldn't! I'd trust you! We are best friends! Why wouldn't you trust me? Come on child! You insecure?" She scoffed. Did she just 'child' me?

"That's the thing! I'm so insecure, I can't even trust my best friend with my boyfriend! That's how scared I am of losing him! You don't even see it! You don't understand!" I shouted angrily.

"Well you are obviously not my friend then! I bet Niall never even loved me! Look at me! I'm just some stupid fat dog!" She shouted quoting things people had tweeted me, "I don't deserve him! I should just leave! You'd all be better without me!"

"Good! Just go!" I shouted.

"Fine!" She screamed and stormed into the girls room. I screamed in frustration and walked into the boys room. Everyone looked up at me and I knew they heard everything that was said.

"Lauren," Harry said and then I burst into tears, and collapsed on the floor. I wish I could go and take everything I said back. I didn't mean it, I don't want her to leave. She won't leave right? No, she wouldn't.

"Lauren, it's going to be okay," Harry said softly and guided me over to a bed.

"No it's not," I sniffed, "She won't leave will she?"

"No," Mel shook her head. Then something hit me.

"Niall, what's going on with you and Sophia?" I asked suddenly and everyone turned to Niall.

"I... Er, said that we should have a break," He mumbled, looking at his lap.

"Why?" I shouted standing up abruptly.

"Why do you even care?" He snapped.

"Because she's my friend!" I shouted.

"I'm sorry but were you not the one shouting at her and telling her to leave!" He shouted back. I was speechless. He was right. I need to see her. I ran from the boys room and into the girls.

"Sophia!" I shouted, but there was no reply. I dived on the floor and looked under Sophia's bed but her case was gone. No, no, no, this cannot be happening! I ran out of the room and down the corridor, I jumped in the elevator and hit the button for the ground floor. I waited impatiently, tapping my foot, as the elevator went down as soon as the doors opened I was out. I ran through the lobby looking for Sophia, but I couldn't see her. When I couldn't see her I ran to the receptionist.

"Excuse me, have you seen a girl, a little smaller than me, blonde hair, with a purple suitcase come through here?" I asked.

"Yes, she told me to give you this, then she left out the back exit," He said and handed me a piece of paper and I unfolded it. Only one sentence was written on it. Only five words.

You got your wish, goodbye.

Sophia's gone. Sophia's gone. No! I didn't mean for any of this. No, now I've got to tell everyone... Urgh, maybe I should have a drink to calm my nerves. I walked over to the hotel bar and ordered a drink. I was so depressed. I got my vodka shot and downed it in one. Then I ordered another one. An hour later I was just leaving the bar. Wow, everything's blurry. Ha, that man has four heads...

I stumbled over to the elevator and it dinged open. I stumbled in and sat on the floor. Why is life so depressing at the moment? I rested my head on the floor ad closed my eyes as the elevator went up.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Lauren," Someone whispered.

"No Mr Bunny, I don't want any chocolate," I mumbled pushing his hand away.

"Lauren it's Harry," The person said, "Wake up."

"But I don't want to," I moaned. "Everything's so much better in dreamland."

"Lauren come on," Harry said shaking my shoulders lightly.

"Harry," I groaned and shoved him off my, forcing my eyes to open.

"Up you get," He smiled and pulled me to my feet.

"I want to go back to the bar," I mumbled, looking around, I was still in the elevator.

"No, I think you've had enough," He chuckled and carried me into the boys room.

"Have you found her?" Liam shouted as we walked in.

"Yes," Harry said and put me on the sofa.

"It's all my fault," I mumbled turning over and pushing my face into a pillow.

"What?" Harry asked and I was vaguely aware of everyone watching me.

"She's gone," I said tilting my head to the side so they could all see me.

"Who?" Liam frowned.

"Let me think, who's not here?" I said my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Sophia?" Mel asked.

"Well done, have a sticker," I muttered.

"Where has she gone?" Niall asked quietly.

"I don't know, do you think I'd be here if I did? No! She just left me this note," I fished it out my pocket and handed it to Beth.

"'You got your wish, goodbye'" She read out loud.

"Maybe it's for the best..." Niall said after a minutes silent and everyone's heads snapped to him.

"How is this for the best? She could be anywhere! She is your girlfriend! Do you not care for her?!" Mel shouted angrily.

"Was, she was my girlfriend," Niall said, "And of course I care for her. But all we've done is argue with her, maybe having a break from each other is best for us and her."

"I think Niall's right," Molly said.

"Let's just enjoy the rest of our time here," Liam said. We all nodded and I said I was going to bed. I turned my head and lay starfish style on the sofa before falling asleep. I hope Sophia is okay.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I woke up with a slight headache, I sighed and walked into the girls room and grabbed some clothes before going in the shower and trying to wake myself up properly. When I was finished washing my hair in the shower, everything seemed to hit me like a ton of bricks. Sophia’s gone. No one cares. Well except for me and Mel. I really hope she’s okay. I sighed and finished getting ready.

“Lauren,” Harry asked knocking on the bathroom door.

“Yes?” I said; but it was awkward because I was brushing my teeth. You know when you’re brushing your teeth and someone always wants to talk to you? It’s so annoying isn’t it?!

“Can I come in?” He asked.

“Sure, doors open,” I said, but it sounded like… well, inhuman, I’m not really sure what it was.

“I’ll take that dinosaur impression as a yes,” He chuckled and walked in.

“What did you want that couldn’t wait for me to come out of the bathroom?” I asked spitting into the sink.

“I don’t know, I’m just worried about Sophia,” He sighed.

“Me too,” I sighed too.

“I haven’t told anyone, because she told me not to, but you know when we spent the night in that room together… I woke up in the morning to find her screaming, crying and punching a mirror, it was smashed up so bad, but she kept hitting it. Paul had to take her to the hospital, that’s why she wasn’t there in the morning… I don’t understand what happened, I just keep replaying it in my mind trying to figure out why she did it,” He ran a hand through his hair.

“I don’t know Harry, but something is definitely wrong, and I will not stop until I find out what it is,” I said determinedly.

“And I don’t doubt you, but as soon as you find out what it is, let me know, I’m really worried for her,” He closed his eyes.

“Of course I will,” I smiled and kissed him lightly. I skipped out the room and pulled out my laptop from my case, I’d brought it with me, so I could save the photos we took on here.

I opened up my E-Mails, because I was going to E-Mail some pictures from my phone to my laptop. I also pulled out my phone.

“I’m just going to take a shower!” Harry shouted.

“Okay!” I shouted back.

My phone suddenly began buzzing like mad. I frowned, why did I have so many texts and voicemails? I looked at my E-Mails and I had over one thousand, I looked at who had sent them and I didn’t know any of them. I began scrolling through them and my eyes began to fill with tears. I then grabbed my phone, my hands shaking, and looked through the texts and listened to some of the voicemails.

"Lauren? Lauren what's wrong?" Harry ran to my side, worry etched upon his beautiful face. I was shaking violently, and tears were streaming down my face, but I couldn't take my eyes away from the screen. How? How had they gotten it? Was it not enough to make me delete my Twitter and Facebook? Do they really hate me this much?

Lauren, I hate you. Harry deserves so much better, like me. I am pretty and have a great personality. You are a dog, you're ugly. Harry is only going out with you because he feels sorry for you. You're a whore, just a stupid ugly slut, Harry probably only wants you for one thing, and I bet you're so desperate you don't say no. It won't be long until he realises that you're just some fake ugly fat b*tch and he ditches you.

My breathing was heavy and I was panicking. How had they gotten my E-Mail address, and my phone number? I don't understand why they hate me so much. I had hundreds of E-Mails, texts and voicemails from One Direction fans all full of abuse and hating on me.

"Lauren, talk to me please," He begged. But I couldn't speak; I could only open and closed my mouth like a fish. "Harry," I choked out, after many tries and then I threw my arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. I think saying Harry was shocked was an under-statement.

"Lauren, you're worrying me, please tell me what's wrong, please," Harry said when I'd calmed down a little. I just sniffed and shook my head, I didn't want him knowing, he might think I'm pathetic.

"Lauren, please," He begged. I shook my head in reply.

"Is it on your laptop?" He asked and went to look at my laptop but I grabbed it before he could look and held it to my chest, shutting the lid in the process. "Lauren," He said sternly. I sighed and handed him the laptop. He opened the lid and I watched as his eyes widened, and then turned angry as he read through the E-Mails. "They shouldn't be allowed to say this! It's not true Lauren! Don't listen to it, you’re beautiful and I love you," He said to me.

"I don't understand," I whispered to him.

"What do you mean?" He frowned.

"I thought I'd stopped the hate by deleting my Twitter and Facebook accounts," I said and tears slipped down my face.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped; I could have stopped it, how long has it been going on?" He asked me.

"Ever since everyone found out about us, I thought I could handle it at first, but then they kept calling me ugly and fat and all sorts of horrible stuff, so I deleted my Twitter and Facebook accounts. But somehow they've got my E-Mail and phone number," I whispered.

"Your phone number?" He frowned.

"Yeah, I don't know how though," I muttered, "I don't know what to do."

"Well, how about we start by deleting your E-Mail account, then when we get back to England, I will buy you a new phone," He grinned.

"You don't have to do that," I sighed.

"I know Lauren, but I want to, it's my fault, they're my fans," He said.

"It is not your fault!" I gasped, "Don't ever think that, you didn't know they'd do this."

"But-" He started but I cut him off.

"Not but's," I said and then we both cracked up laughing.

"You said 'no but's'" He gasped between laughs. “I love you Lauren, you should know that,” He whispered.

“I know, but there are girls who are much prettier than me that throw themselves at you, I wouldn’t be surprised if you left me for one of them,” I sighed.

“Don’t be stupid Lauren,” He said seriously.

“I’m not,” I shook my head.

“You’re insecure, don’t know what for, you’re turning heads when you walk through the do-or-or,” He sang softly, “Don’t need make-up, to cover up, being the way that you are is enou-ou-ough. Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you. Baby you light up my world like nobody else the way that you flip your hair gets me over-whelmed, but when you smile at the ground, it ain’t hard to tell, you don’t know-ow-ow, you don’t know you’re beautiful.”

“You’re going to make me cry,” I warned him and he smirked.

“If only you saw what I could see, you’ll understand why I want you so desperately, right now I’m looking at you and I can’t believe, you don’t know-ow-ow you don’t know you’re beautiful-ul-ul, that’s what makes you beautiful,” He grinned.

“I’m going to need some tissues,” I muttered as he continued to sing to me and tears came into my eyes. I went to stand up from where we were sat on the bed but he grabbed my hand and stood next to me.

“So girl come on, you got it wrong, to prove I’m right I put it in a so-o-ong,” He grinned at me and I blushed and looked away from him, but he lifted my chin up with his finger lightly, “I don’t know why you’re being shy, and turn away when I look into your eye-ey-eyes.”

“Harry,” I whined as a tear fell down my cheek, “Stop it, I love you so much, but you’re really pushing it.”

“Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone but you. Baby you light up my world like nobody else, the way that you flip you’re hair gets me over-whelmed, but when you smile at the ground, it ain’t hard to tell, you don’t know-ow-ow, you don’t know you’re beautiful,” Harry smirked.

“Harry Edward Styles, do you want me to cry? Is that what makes you happy? To see me cry at your amazing singing voice?” I accused him and he chuckled softly.

“If only you saw what I could see, you’ll understand why I want you so desperately, right now I’m looking at you and I can’t believe, you don’t know-ow-ow you don’t know you’re beautiful-ul-ul, that’s what makes you beautiful,” He continued.

“Damn you!” I moaned as more tears began to fall, “Why do you have to be so damn persistent, and make me cry all the time! I’m like a flipping waterfall!” Then I remembered what came next in the song.

“No, no, no, stop singing now! Not this bit please, once you’ve sang this bit there is no stopping me! Harry no!” I groaned as he began to sing his amazing solo.

“Baby you light up my world like nobody else, the way that you flip you’re hair gets me over-whelmed, but when you smile at the ground, it ain’t hard to tell, you don’t know-ow-ow, you don’t know you’re beautiful,” He grinned happily, knowing he’d got me. The tears poured freely down my face and I had to stop him before he carried on. I kissed him to cut off the singing, not because he was bad, because obviously he’s not, but because if he carried on I was going to melt, quite literally.

“Harry,” I giggled, “I love you, but you do make it hard work.”

“But that’s what makes you love me,” He winked.

“Yes, yes it is,” I grinned.

“Well, that, and my hotness, pure singing talent, amazing curly hair, funny personality, the list could go on,” He grinned cheekily.

“I’m sure it could. Not to mention your sexy four nipples,” I winked.

“Oh yeah,” He laughed and hugged me.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“So what do you think is up with Soph?” Harry asked me as we sat quietly on my bed.

"Well..." I didn't want to say what I thought because it would make it seem more real; I don't want it to because it could kill her.

"You think you know don't you," He turned to face me.

"I noticed that she had begun losing weight, she was pale, she looked ill, she was weak- she slapped Liam by accident and she didn't even leave a mark..." I trailed off.

"You think she might be..." He trailed off, not being able to say the word we were both thinking.

"Hey guys," Beth walked in, "I was thinking, you know Sophia, do you think she could be..." Beth had the same idea as us, and no one wanted to say anything.

"We should ask Mel what she was like before," I muttered and without hesitation we all stood up and walked into the other room where everyone else was.

"Mel can we have a word please?" I asked, Mel frowned but nodded.

"In private," Beth said. Everyone looked at us funny as the four of us walked out the room and into the girls room.

"What's up?" Mel asked.

"What was Sophia like when she was... anorexic?" I choked out the word, "Other than being skinny..."

"She was grumpy, got into arguments easily, she was really weak, she got depressed quite quickly, she even like attacked a mirror- shouting something about getting rid of her image," Mel frowned, "Why?"

Beth, Harry and I shared a look before we hurried into the boys room and grabbed Molly pulling her into the girls room. Beth and I began shoving our things messily into our case whilst Harry was on the phone booking us early flights back to England. We are so in sync.

"What's going on?" Molly asked watching us with Mel as we hurried around the room.

"No time to explain, get in the llama!" Beth shouted and threw their empty cases at them.

"What?" Mel frowned.

"I said get in the llama," Beth said through gritted teeth.

"English please?" Molly asked me.

"Pack your bags, we're leaving, we'll explain on the way," I said zipping up my case.

"That's exactly what I said," Beth whined.

"Hurry up!" I shouted at everyone.

"We're hurrying!" They shouted and Mel and Molly began packing.