Labels || H.S. [#Wattys2020]

FIFTY-FOUR

Reagan awoke slightly confused, but at least in her own bed. She turned on her side, yawning lazily, only to see Kennedy sleeping beside her peacefully. She rolled her sleepy eyes but didn't mind. Kennedy had probably come in sometime after 3 am when Reagan had finally passed out. Kennedy used to have a really bad habit of always wanting to sleep with her older sister, it used to bother Reagan, but today she needed the company.

"Kenz?" Reagan whispered.

Kennedy stirred but didn't respond. Reagan huffed, not caught between wanting to let Kennedy sleeping and needing urgent advice. She figured Kennedy wouldn't be too mad if she woke her up to talk about her and Harry though.

"Kenz!?"

"What!?" Kennedy said, clearly frustrated.

"I need to talk to you about something."

"What, it couldn't wait til a decent hour?" Kennedy asked, rubbing her eyes.

"It's noon."

"I went to bed at six."

"Why?"

Kennedy shrugged, "Started watching a new show, got caught up and didn't realize what time it was."

"Whatever." Reagan said, sitting up and leaning against her headrest, "Look, I kind of need some advice."

Kennedy sat up immediately, the sleepy look upon her face disapearing completely, "About what."

"About, um, Harry."

"What about him?" Kennedy asked, trying to keep her cool.

Reagan sighed, not wanting to tell Kennedy, but not really having any other choice. She was at the end of her rope. This whole Harry thing was getting out of control. She had no idea what in the hell she was doing anymore, especially not after what he had said the day before.

"I...I think I messed up."

"Why?"

Reagan cleared her throat, "Look, I'm telling you this because I trust you, I swear to God if someone finds out about this Kennedy-"

"Rae, please."

"You know how Lydia was going to talk to us yesterday?"

Kennedy nodded.

"Well, she came up with a strategy as to how to make people not think that Harry and I are dating."

"Okay?"

"She's basically flying Harry in a new girlfriend."

"What!? I knew it! I knew his relationships were all for publicity!"

"You don't know that they all were." Reagan mumbled.

"He doesn't seem like the type that goes for superficical airheads, Rae."

"That's beside the point."

"No, you're right. What did he say?"

"He said that he wasn't going to do it."

"What, so your boss know that you guys are dating?"

"No, god. No. Do you think I'd still have a job?"

"Okay, wait, so he said he wasn't going to do it. What's the problem."

Reagan hesitated, "The problem is that I told him to do it."

"Are you out of your mind!? You're making him date someone else!?"

"He's not dating her! You just said it's for publicity!"

"Still!" Kennedy sighed, shaking her head, "What did he say?"

"He um...he told me he loved me."

"OH MY GOD!" Kennedy exclaimed, falling back onto the bed, squealing and kicking around. Reagan just rubbed her temples. Kennedy was right, it was way too early for this.

"He said he loved you?" She said when she finally calmed down and sat back up, "You said it back right?"

Reagan shook her head, "How could I?"

Kennedy's face suddenly became serious, "Do you...not?"

Reagan avoided looking at her sister's prying eyes, knowing that the moment she looked up Kennedy would know the answer.

"You do, don't you. That's why you're doing that thing where you ignore me, right?"

Reagan looked up, "What am I going to do? I fucked up so bad Kennedy. He was drinking last night! I made Harry Styles get drunk!"

"He was drunk?" Kennedy said with a chuckle, "I would've loved to see that."

Reagan cracked a smile, "He was texting me."

"Was he? See, you're overreacting."

"You think?"

"He's not a bad guy, Rae. He probably just thinks you aren't ready to say it yet. I mean that's understandable. Maybe he just got so wrapped up in his own emotions that he blurted it out."

"Yeah, kind of just did."

"Exactly. So you were taken aback, that's totally a legit reason to not say it back."

"Yeah?"

Kennedy nodded, "Do you love him, Rae?"

Reagan blushed, her pulse increasing as she thought of his big smile and glittering eyes, "Yeah. I do."

"Then go tell that hungover idiot that you love him, don't waste another fucking minute."

"Kenz-"

"No! Stop making excuses! If you love him, you have to tell him. You know how he feels, you know that he loves you. What's the problem?"

"What if he gets bored of me? What if he realizes that I'm not the kind of girl for him?"

"Why wouldn't you be?"

"I'm no Taylor Swift."

"I think that's a good thing."

Reagan rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious. He chose you because of who you are, not because of what you look like. Although I'm sure that was a huge plus."

"Shut up."

"I'm serious. You don't give yourself enough credit."

"Look, regardless, I can't just run to him and say 'Harry I love you'"

"Why not?"

"Seriously?"

"Didn't he just blurt it out? God, Rae. For once in your life stop overthinking things, just fucking go tell him you love him!"

Every cell in Reagan's body agreed with Kennedy, as much as she didn't want to. Last night, he might have been drunk, but she had a feeling that everything he had said he had thought when he was sober. What if he did see a future with her? What if he really did love her? She would never know unless she finally just told him she felt the same way, would she? And, after all, he did already tell her that he loved her. He couldn't reject her if she said the same, right?

She got up from the bed, throwing the covers aside.

Kennedy furrowed her brow, "Where are you going? Weren't we talking?"

Reagan smiled slightly, "I have a hungover idiot to go visit."