It's All About You

January 22nd 2016

January 22nd 2016

Meri was sat on the sofa; her knees curled up to her chest and her chin rested on them. Jim and Tanya had both tried to talk to her but she refused to speak. She refused to even look at them. She felt like her whole world was collapsing in front of her. There were articles everywhere about Joe's cheating.

Jim bent down to Meri's level and put his hand on her knee. "Meredith... I know you feel angry and upset, but you need to listen to me now," he said softly.

"Go away," Meri whispered. Jim barely heard her.

"That man isn't Joe. You know him, he loves you. He wouldn't ever do that to you," he tried.

"Why does it look like him then? Why does it sound like him?" Meri asked weakly.

"It doesn't. If you watch it properly, if you pay attention, and really look at him; he looks nothing like Joe," Jim informed her. He got the video on his phone and went to show it to her.

"Get that away from me," Meri insisted angrily.

"Meri, you have to watch it properly. You have to see that it isn't Joe Sugg. It isn't the love of your life," Jim said.

Meri's eyes filled with tears. "Not anymore, no," Joe was the love of her life. Past tense. Jim pressed play and she went to close her eyes. But then the man started talking. Then they kissed, talked about how much they loved each other. Meri felt her heart breaking into a million pieces. But she couldn't tear herself away.

"I love you Joe Sugg," said the woman in the video. A single tear trickled down Meri's cheek.

"I love you too," the man said. Meri gasped.

"Play that again," she ordered.

"What?" Jim asked, confused.

"Play that bit again. Where the man says I love you," she repeated. Jim did and Meri started to cry. "That isn't him. Joe doesn't say love like that. He says it differently. That isn't him, Jim!" Meri sobbed happily.

Jim laughed in relief and hugged his sister tightly. "It isn't Joe," he repeated.

"It isn't Joe!" Meri told him again. And then she stood up. And ran out of the house.

"Meri, where are you –" Jim started. But the door slammed shut. Jim smiled. Meri was going to Joe. He knew she was.

...

"What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to get her to believe me?" Joe asked Zoe and Caspar.

"I don't... I don't know, Joe," Zoe said sadly. Caspar shook his head. Joe sat on the sofa in despair.

"She could have died. She was seconds away from drowning. I did that! That was my fault!" he yelled angrily.

"You saved her life. You pulled Meri out from under the water," Caspar told him.

"I was the one that made her do it!" Joe yelled.

"You weren't Joe. You are not the guy in the video. He was the one that's to blame," Zoe tried. She hated seeing her brother like this. He was crying and trying hard not to break down completely.

There was a knock at the door. Joe opened it. "Meredith?" he whispered in disbelief. Meri was standing there; with tears running down her face. Wearing one of Tanya's hoodies and some black leggings. She looked so... beautiful.

"It isn't you," she whispered back. And then she leaped into his arms and started crying loudly. Joe hugged her tightly; also sobbing. She believed him. She finally believed him. "It isn't you, Joe! I love you," Meri assured him.

"I love you too. I love you so much," Joe mumbled. Zoe and Caspar watched on. Zoe had tears of relief in her eyes.

Meri and Joe were hugging each other tightly; neither of them wanting to let go. "You say love differently. You don't look at me like that when you say it. You would never wear that ugly shirt," Meri whispered into his body.

"I love you so much," Joe could only say in reply.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Meri kept saying. "I'm sorry, Joe,"

"It doesn't matter. I love you. You're here, you're okay," Joe assured her. Meri sobbed into his arms. "I've got you, babe. I'm never letting go,"