Act Two // Book One

Chapter 21

Niall stepped out from behind her,

"You're not answerin' your phone."

Harry nodded.  He looked bored as he turned into the kitchen,

"Your powers of observation are staggering, Niall."

Niall followed him, leaving Samantha standing in the foyer,

"Why aren't ya answerin' your phone?  What was that text last night?"

Harry set his plate down in the sink,

"Read some tweets last night,"  He started, "Wasn't good."

"So what did 'I can't' mean?  You're not gonna record with us anymore?"

Harry threw his hands up,

"C'mon Niall!  You can't expect me to get out there again.  People hate me for what happened when Gwen died."

"We don't."  Niall pointed out, "People will get over it."

"Most of the tweets I read were from last night.  And did you see the morning shows this morning?  They're discussing it too.  Along with that damn tabloid story.  The going story seems to be I don't give a shit about anyone but myself and ya know what?  I can't blame anyone for thinking that."

"Twitter is the tenth level of hell, Harry.  Ya know it is.  You and I used t'talk about it in the group."

Harry nodded,

"Yeah, but now it's being discussed on morning shows."

Samantha walked into the kitchen just as he finished.  It had taken her a moment to regain herself out of the fear that he'd been hurt.  She stayed quiet, walking towards the island while Niall and Harry kept talking.  Niall was trying his best to convince Harry he was mistaken but it just wasn't happening.  Samantha pulled up her phone.  She tapped the Twitter icon and she searched Harry Styles. 

She was dismayed when she saw the first few tweets were exactly what he said.  She backed out and instead looked at some of the trends.  She tapped on the trend SupportHarryStyles and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw a barrage of supportive tweets.

"Harry Styles is still the love of my life."  She read out loud, interrupting Niall.  Both boys looked over at her, "Harry Styles lost his fiance, the pain must have been unbearable.  I support him returning."

Samantha looked up at Harry, watching as he dropped his eyes.  She continued on,

"I can't wait to be front row at a Harry Styles show again.  No one makes me feel the way he does."

Harry shook his head,

"It doesn't-"

"I will always be his fan.  I will always support his career.  He deserves our love."  Samantha set her phone on the countertop.  She shoved it towards Harry, "Read them.  There's millions.  What you read last night, those idiots on TV, they aren't your fans."  Samantha gestured to the phone, "These people are your fans."

Harry didn't move to take her phone.  He drew his eyes up to meet Samantha's,

"It's not that simple."

"It is that simple."  She challenged, "You're making it complicated because you want a reason to retreat back into the cocoon you created for yourself in this house."  Harry's mouth closed, his eyes flashed a bit but not with anger. 

Niall stayed silent while she spoke.  Clearly nothing he said was making a dent but Samantha seemed to be making some headway.

Samantha rounded the counter to walk towards Harry,