Dating Ross had upsides - too many to count. With him you could be yourself, you didn't need reassurance that he loved you because he made you feel so loved everyday.
However, he was in the public eye, which for sure had its downsides - the most being the spiteful words coming from people who had never met you. They didn't know you, they had just taken one look at you and decided to make their awful opinions known.
'She's bigger than the other boys' girlfriends.'
'Why does she never stop and say hello?'
'She looks horrific without makeup on, who let her out the house?'
'Why is someone like Ross with someone like her.'
The comments felt imprinted on your mind, you know you shouldn't have read them but it was impossible to know that there were words out there about you which you didn't know about. But now you had discovered what was being said, you wanted to throw your phone away and curl up in a ball.
Lying quietly in Ross' bed on the bus, you felt yourself tempted once again to go through your comments. Somehow people had discovered that you and Ross were together and the response was worse than you had imagined. Sure, some people were nice enough but all you could focus on was the abuse.
As you scan more and more awful comments about your appearance, lying in the dark and silently crying, you hear heavy footsteps approach the sleeping section, alongside some distance voices. The boys were done with rehearsal for the day and it was getting late. The footsteps became louder as Ross came closer to your bed.
It was small, but big enough for the pair of you. The curtain was thin, making the bed hardly private, meaning everything could be heard. This included your late night antics, as well as your silent tears.
You hear the curtain be drawn back slowly, not attempting to face the direction of your boyfriend who had peaked his head into the bed, concerned. Instead, you lay still, hoping to convince him that you're asleep.
You realise your plan had clearly failed when his large body sinks the mattress down low and the curtain is pulled over once again. His warm hand reaches over to your back as his attempt at comforting you brings more tears to your eyes.
The vulnerability you were feeling got the best of you. Quickly turning to face your confused boyfriend, the look on his face only caused you to feel worse.
'Hey, whats up?' He consoles you as his hand rubs circles on your back, encouraging you to open up to him. Instead you find comfort in being held in his large body, where he catches sight of your phone. The messages are open and it doesn't take long for him to register what's caused your upset.
He sighs loudly before pulling you away from his chest, wiping your tears away with his thumb and moving your tear-stained hair away from your face.
'Y/N. You aren't any of those things. These people that are saying these things are just horrible trolls who, for some reason, find comfort in making other people feel bad about themselves. I am telling you honestly and truthfully that you are so beautiful and I thank my lucky stars each day that you are mine. Maybe you're not perfect but I don't care! I wouldn't change a single thing about you, maybe other than the fact you read all the shit these random people say about you.'
His words meant so much, more than you could ever express to him. His lips soon found their way to yours as you quietly thanked him, his touch giving you butterflies, much like it had when you first met.
As his body warmed yours up, both externally and internally, his hand brushed your cheek, removing the remainder of the tears that featured on your face. Your kiss was deep, passionate and comforting. It came to a close as you pecked his lips slowly before resting your face in the crook of his neck.
You hadn't been together long, but you instantly knew he was the one. He was your person, you knew for a fact that no one else could make you feel this way. Bundled tightly together in his uncomfortable and shitty little tour bus bed with virtually no privacy, you had never felt more at home, because that's what Ross was. Wrapped safely in his arms was your happy place, you felt completely safe. You felt tiny compared to his giant stature, the feeling was comforting though. Despite only being together for a short amount of time, you knew you had found your soulmate.
'Ross?' You ask as you feel him begin to sleep into a deep sleep.
'Hmm?' He responds.
'I love you.'
Your statement seems to bring him back to a state of consciousness as he looks down at you, his dark brown eyes staring at you in a way that you had only imagined someone would. He softly kisses your forehead before stroking your hair.
'I love you too, Y/N. More than you will ever know.'
