Runaway (a Harry Styles fanfic)

Chapter 7

*Taylor's POV*

I woke from another fitful nightmare. I haven't been able to sleep after Tess left.

She won't answer calls or texts, and I have tried several times to get a hold of her. I grabbed my phone off my bedside table, hoping some Internet would help clear my mind. "1 missed call, 1 voicemail" flashed on the screen. I clicked to my voicemail and saw a message. I clicked on it, and the first words made me drop the phone on my bed in shock. "Hey Taylor, it's Tess."

I quickly grabbed my phone and pressed it to my ear. It was a 5 minute message, and when it finished, I burst into tears.

"Hey Taylor, it's Tess. Please don't come looking for me. I've ran away and I'm not coming back. You know how much I hated being at home, with my mom and all. It was all too much. I promise I'm going to keep in touch with you, and someday soon I will come back and find you, but now, I have to stay away from home. Please know that I love you, and I really don't know what I've gotten into. All I know is I can't look back. I've made a decision, and it's done. I'll text you soon! Love you!"

I went to my contacts and clicked on her number. A few rings later, a click on the other line sounded and she picked up the phone. "Hello?" She asked. "TESSA!" I yelled, walking into the bathroom off my bedroom, trying to muffle the noises from my mother, who didn't like to be woken.

"Hey Taylor!!!" She screamed, laughing. "Where the hell are you, I've been trying to call you for ages!" "I know... You're not going believe who I'm with right now!" She said, and I could hear the guilt in her voice.

"Who?" I asked, confused. "The boys from One Direction, their girlfriends, and Ed Sheeran!!! She squealed.

"Really? Are you and anyone of those guys...dating?" I asked, and I could see her blush through the phone. "No!" She screeched. It was pretty loud, and I know it was really early.

A door on the other end opened. "Tess, are you ok?" A concerned voice called. "I'm fine Harry, go watch the movie," she said, face away from the phone. "Ok..." He said and the door closed. "Sorry." She said. "It's fine. When do I get to see you???" I asked.

"Soon, I have to wait a little while so people know I'm gone for good. There is no way I'm coming back here." She said. "Well...keep in touch. I miss you." I said. "I miss you too. I'll see you soon, I promise. Love you." She sang. "Love you too, bye!" I smiled and hung up the phone.

At least I know she's safe. But it made me disappointed that I knew that Mrs. Murphy wasn't looking for her. School hasn't been the same. I've sat with my friends, but nothing was the same. There was an extremely uncomfortable atmosphere at school now.

Just like when that girl committed suicide a few months ago, people began to blame themselves for her going. There was a guy Tess once liked, and he used to completely ignore her, is now depressed, thinking he was the cause of her leaving and if he was nicer to her she might have stayed.

I went to sit with my friends in homeroom, and saw him sitting there, all alone, staring at his hands. His friends sat in a corner, occasionally glancing over to him.

He looked up, and saw me. I waved him over, and he shuffled out of his desk and over to me.

"I've talked to her. She didn't leave because of you." I smiled at him, and his eyes lit up. "Really?" He searched my eyes. "Yes. Between you and me, ok?" I whispered. "Of course!" He said, excited.

He walked back over to his desk, and then turned to sit with his friends. That was the first time since Tess left.

School dragged on, and I snuck into the bathroom a few times to text Tess. She has been hiding in a hotel room with several other people.

<Tess: go back to class! i have to go, im going shopping with dani, el, and perrie!>

<Taylor: fine lol have fun, byee>

<Tess: bye babe xx>