Adopted by Sophiam ||l.t

Chapter 32

Venice POV

I wait patiently in the dressing room for the boys to come off stage. We can't leave right away today because they have to do meet and greets right now or something. I'm fairly disappointed cause I really wanted to hang out with Lou, and I'm excited to go to London tomorrow, or tonight, I don't remember what Liam said. I really hope it's not tonight though, because Lou and I are supposed to go swimming. He's going to see my tattoo and I'm excited, but kind of nervous. What if he doesn't like it? You can't change it! That crap is permanent! I guess I don't really care if he hates it because I got it for me ... and partly for Liam, but mostly because it makes me feel like I belong somewhere.

"Penny for your thoughts?" a voice says next to me. I pull myself out of my gaze and look up to see Andrew sat on the chair adjacent to the couch.

"Just thinking about Liam," I sigh, lolling my head away from him and toward the door. "He's too good to me and I don't deserve it."

"Of course you deserve it love," Andrew says loudly, slight irritation and annoyance in his voice. "You deserve all of it and more. That boy loves you, maybe even more than he loves Sophia."

I look over at him, tears making my vision blurry.

"They all adore you, and they always will, no matter how much you think you don't deserve it," he continues. "You always will. Just continue to be yourself and stop having these silly worries. You're 16 for crying out loud. Let Liam act like the parent because that's what he's there for. You don't need to do that anymore."

A single tear slips down my cheek as I look at a blurry version of Andrew. He coos and sits next to me, pulling me onto his lap. I wrap one arm around his neck and clutch his t-shirt in my other hand, burying my face in his neck. Slowly tears slip from my eyes, falling onto Andrew's neck and shirt. He rubs my back soothingly, whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

After what feels like an hour, but if probably only fifteen minutes, I pull away and look at him, my cheeks wet from my tears and my eyelashes sticking together. I wipe my face with the back of my hand, keeping my right hand clutching his t-shirt. I sniffle and wipe my nose with my wrist before looking at him.

"Do you really mean that?" I ask quietly, my voice thick and rough. Andrew glances behind me before looking in my eye and rolling his, a smile across his lips.

"Of course I mean it," he continues rubbing his hand on my back. "That boy loves you, you should see the way he looks at you. Stop worrying. You don't need to be the parent any more. You don't need to worry about making sure all the kids are fed before you, or making sure everyone is cleaned up and tucked in, and that the house is clean-you don't need to think about that anymore, it's not your job. The only thing you need to worry about is being 16. That's all you need to think about. Being 16 and having fun.

Liam is the parent, that's why you're here, so he can take care of you. When he was your age, the lot of them got into loads of trouble, and that's what you should be doing," he says and then smirks at me. "Except maybe start watching where you skate because I won't always be there to save you."

I slap his arm then cross my arms over my chest, a pout on my face. "Hey! That wall jumped in front of me."

"Oh I believe it," he says in a tone that makes me roll my eyes. "And this is what I'm talking about. Be more playful and less parental."

He bops my nose, making me giggle. "And stop saying that you don't deserve anything that's happened and that you're not good enough, because you are. Everyone here wants you to be with us for a long time."

"Okay," I mumble, sniffling a little. "Thank you."

"Of course love," he smiles at me.

I lean forward and kiss his cheek before hopping off his lap and fixing my outfit. "When are they going to be back?"