H.S | Same song, second verse | Second book

Bonus chapter

Four years later

The roar of the crowd is surreal, their cheers vibrating through the floorboards and up into my bones as I stand on stage, gripping the microphone. The lights are blinding, a sea of white and gold that casts the arena in a glowing, unreal haze. I can't really see the faces in the front row, but I know they're out there, singing along to my songs—my songs. It still blows my mind...

I take a breath, the last notes of the song fading into the air, I smile at the audience. "Thank you, Boston!" My voice cracks just a little, but they scream louder anyway. A wave of dizziness hits me, the lights swimming before my eyes. I try to shake it off, blink it away. It's been happening more and more, but I've just been blaming it on tour life.  Long days, little sleep, lots of pressure.

The set ends, and I wave one last time before the stage goes dark. The adrenaline drains out of me all at once, leaving me feeling like a deflated balloon. My stomach twists, and I swallow hard, trying to keep my composure as I stumble backstage.

Abi's right there in the wings, like always. Her purple hair is basically glowing in the dim light, and she catches me by the arm just as I start to wobble.

"You okay, babe? You look like you're about to pass out."

I nod, but my stomach gives another nauseating lurch. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just—" I don't finish the sentence before the bile rises up in my throat. "Fuck."

Abi's eyes widen. "Bathroom. Now."

She practically drags me to the nearest restroom, her grip firm but gentle. As soon as we reach the toilet, I drop to my knees, my head spinning. The contents of my stomach come up in a rush, my entire body shaking with the force of it. Abi holds my hair back, her other hand rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"Jesus, Noa," she murmurs, concern lacing her voice. "This has been happening a lot lately, huh?"

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, leaning back against the cool tile wall. I'm sweaty, my skin clammy, and I feel like total shit. "Yeah, but it's just stress, right? Or like, bad catering or something." I try to laugh, but it comes out more like a weak cough.

Abi raises an eyebrow, skeptical. "Maybe. But stress doesn't usually make you puke your guts out like this. And you've been eating the same stuff as the rest of us, and we're all fine."

"Maybe I'm just special," I joke, trying to lighten the mood. The smile doesn't quite reach my eyes.

She doesn't laugh. Instead, she keeps looking at me with that intense, assessing gaze she gets when she's trying to figure out the right makeup for a photoshoot, like she can see straight through my bullshit. "Have you been feeling dizzy a lot?"

I nod reluctantly. "Yeah, a little?"

Abi tilts her head, her expression shifting into something that looks like realization. "Noa... What if you're pregnant?"

The words hang in the air between us, heavy and absurd all at once. For a second, I just stare at her, and then I burst out laughing—like, full-on giggles. "Abi, come on. That's impossible. I'm on the pill, and Harry and I use protection. We're careful."

She shrugs, her lips quirking up into a half-smile. "Hey, nothing's impossible. You know condoms aren't a hundred percent, right? And the pill isn't magic. There's always a chance, even if it's tiny."

My laughter fades as her words sink in. My heart does this weird little flip in my chest, and suddenly, I'm not so sure anymore. "But we're careful," I repeat, this time with less conviction. "We've always been careful."