Friendship Never Ends (One Direction)

Chapter 30

Harry’s P.O.V.

It has been a few weeks since Steph and I visited her father and she was still out of it. She never wanted to go anywhere with us and participate in our activities. No matter what we did, she didn’t budge, even if it was one of her favorites. I was starting to beat myself up because it was partially my fault. I didn’t tell her the full story and now she’s afraid of her own dad. What did I do?

We were supposed to leave for a trip to London in a few days and I had no idea how to fix this. I wanted this trip to be a getaway, a sanctuary, even a paradise for her, not something she’s going to hate me for. The only thing I needed to focus on was how to change her mood. But how and how fast? 

“Hey, the boys are playing games outside. You wanna join?” I asked her, moving around the couch and towards the door.

“No, I’m fine,” she responded, not moving from her spot. She was watching some movie on TV just like she has been for the past few weeks, basically moving for food and sleep.

“Come on, Steph, you’ve been glued to that couch for a while now. Don’t you think it’s time to move on and get some fresh air?” I suggested.

And as usual, she didn’t answer. Whenever I say something like that, she doesn’t reply and acts as if she can’t hear me. 

“Steph,” I urged, a little louder.

“What?” she questioned, actually looking at me this time. 

“Come outside,” I firmly said.

“I don’t want to,” she mumbled, watching the screen again.

“You love the outdoors. Come on, please?” I begged.

Again, no answer. Sighing, I approached her and sat down on the couch, reaching for the remote and turning the power off.

“Hey!” she yelped, facing me.

“Are you mad at me?” I asked cautiously.

“No, why would you say that?” Steph muttered. I just raised my eyebrows. “What?” 

“Steph, you know what,” I responded. She sighed and focused her attention somewhere else. “I don’t know what to do anymore. You obviously don’t want to hang with us and try to get your mind off of the situation but it’s hurting you even more. Look at you, Steph! You’re sitting on the couch like it’s your job. I don’t like seeing you like this and neither do the rest of the boys and Rachel.”

Silence.

“Stephanie, I love you to pieces, but I can’t do anything else for you if you don’t stop sulking around,” I tried.

“What do I have to live for?” she asked quietly. 

“What?” I replied, confused by the question. 

“What do I have to live for?” she repeated. “I’ve done what I came here to do. What else is there?”

“Stop talking like that. You have me, Rachel, the boys, Gemma, my mum, and so many other people,” I answered.

Inhaling a deep breath, she continued, “I just don’t know what to do with my life anymore. I still don’t know where I’m going to live, if I’m even going to school next year, what I even want to be if I graduate…this is what I’ve been thinking of all these weeks, Harry. I’m scared.” 

Looking up at me with glassy eyes, Steph’s face showed signs of panic and I realized that I had forgotten about that issue. 

“Summer is halfway over, Harry. These things take time to process,” Steph concluded.