eighteen ∣ one direction

chapter six

A month later, the boys and Ophelia had gotten impossibly closer. While the boys couldn't learn the important parts of her life, her name for starters, they had learned the little things about her. Like how she was not planning on going to college because she had already found her calling (they were unable to learn what exactly what that calling was) and how she had bad social anxiety. How she always sang along with the songs on the radio and how she drank hot chocolate by the bucket load, no matter the weather.

The boys were falling for her, fast and hard. Even though they had never met their soulmate in person and they had no idea who she was outside of their little dream world, they loved her. They could see why the universe had paired her with them. She balanced all of them out perfectly. She was down to earth enough to keep them all grounded and calm, but other times she was just the spark they needed to be excited about life. She was the missing puzzle piece in their lives. 

Despite them getting closer, Ophelia had yet to tell her friends and family who her soulmates were. Her sister was aware that they were famous, due to the chat on the first day, and Dream knew about the 'fake' dream, but that was about it. It wasn't like she didn't want to tell them, because she did. She was just scared of how they would react to the age differences. She didn't want them to judge her or her soulmates. 

They tried not to be hurt. They understood she was just scared, but it felt like she wasn't proud of them. They didn't want to be hidden. 

They had had enough of that for a lifetime. 

"I'll do it soon. I just need to find the right time and place. These things are delicate, Baby," she told Niall. 

That was another new thing that started throughout the month. They had pet names for each other. Since they didn't know her name, these were what they referred to her as. Ophelia joined in and called them all terms of endearment even more than their actual names. She only really referred to them by their names when she was angry or stressed. 

"We just want your family to know and accept us, Princess. I know it's killing you inside that they don't know. I know you're scared, but it's time." As Louis spoke, he pulled her closer, hugging her into his chest. She cuddled closer to him, content in his arms. 

Lia hummed in acknowledgment. "You're right Lou, I need to stop putting it off. It's killing us. I'm just so scared of how they are going to react... What if they don't believe me? Or don't approve?" She looked up at her boys for encouragement. She didn't know why, but she had a bad feeling about telling her family. Age differences were a huge controversy, especially for her own family. After what happened to her mom...

Ophelia shook her head, not wanting to go down that route. Her soulmates were nothing like her biological father. It wasn't even worth thinking about. 

She understood that they did not want to be hidden. She got that. However, it wasn't like they were announcing her to the world either. 'That's a different situation, and you know it...' she had to remind herself constantly. 

"Your family loves you. I'm sure that they will accept it. And even if they don't, you'll always have us," Harry spoke up from his spot across her in the sand. He was very touchy, but over time they developed a system for spending time with Ophelia, so everyone had an equal amount. 

"It's not like we can pick who our soulmates are, sweetheart. They'll understand that we're meant to be, despite the setbacks."

Ophelia considered Zayn's words. 'He's right, it's not like they can force me to stop dreaming or to block them. We love each other. We were made for each other. They'll respect that. They have to.'