I zipped up my small suitcase, shoving it aside with our backpacks. I stood up and brushed my hands, letting out a relieved sigh. I glanced towards Nino who was also just finishing packing up her suitcase, her earbuds clung in her hands.
"Are you guys ready to go?" Jade popped into the room, the jingle of her car keys made my head cock towards her.
I looked towards Nino and saw her slinging her backpack on, nodding at me. I turned back towards Jade and gave her a thumbs-up, bending down to grab my backpack and our suitcases.
We made our way towards Jade's car, stuffing our baggage into her trunk. Nino and I climbed into the backseat, and out of the humid LA weather. Jade turned the car on and began to back out of her driveway, the radio playing in the background.
"Thank you a lot for letting us chill here, we appreciate it a ton," Nino thanked Jade, patting her shoulder softly.
"It was no problem. It was fun staying with you guys, anyways," she assured with a soft smile, turning onto the highway and making her way towards the airport.
It was only six in the morning and our flight was at seven. It was another nine hour flight, straight to Sheffield where we rented our an apartment to record. The plan was for everyone to meet there tomorrow.
Nino leaned her head on my shoulder the entire trip while I stared out the window, watching the blur of our surroundings zoom past. 10 minutes later and we finally arrived at the airport. Jade pulled up to the drop-off zone where she placed her car in park, turning around in her seat to say goodbye to us.
"Hopefully you guys come the US again soon, I would love to catch one of your shows," she said sadly, rubbing Nino's shoulders.
"We'll see. I'll text you if anything, thanks again! Bye!" I said with a large smile before Nino and I climbed out of the car.
We grabbed our suitcases from the trunk, saying our final goodbyes before turning away from Jade and walking into the airport.
"I'm so ready to record this album," Nino said excitedly, her eyes lit up.
"Same, I think it'll be a great experience. I can't wait to see everyone," I agreed, talking to her while trying to find our gate on the departures board.
I found the gate and grabbed Nino's hand, dragging her towards the gate. We made it just when everyone was starting to board, and we lingered at the end of the line. After half an hour, we made it onto the plane and into our seats. We were at the back again, but I was at the window seat this time.
"Goodnight," Nino said, shutting her eyes and leaning against me once more.
😇
"Come on!" I urged Nino, excitedly running out of the airport.
We finally arrived in Sheffield and all my excitement finally kicked in, awaiting to see everyone else at the apartment. Nino was trying to hail a taxi while I looked up the address, making sure I had it right.
"I finally got one," Nino said, the taxi pulling up on the curb next to us.
We set out suitcases in the trunk and climbed in the back. I told the driver the address and we began to make our way, sitting in silence the entire time. When we arrived, I payed the driver and quickly thanked him before grabbing our luggage. I heard the car drive away as I turned to Nino with wide eyes, we were finally here.
"Do you think they're all here yet?" she questioned, anxiously playing with the strap of her backpack.
"Only one way to find out, come on!"
We made our way towards the front door and I pulled out my pair of keys from my backpack and stuck them into the door, unlocking it and pushing it open. We were met with all the lights off and the apartment was completely silent, nobody was here yet.
"Oh my god!" Nino screamed, running into the apartment and spinning happily.
It was empty, no furniture at all. The only thing in the living room of the apartment was one mattress and a single guitar amp. The apartment itself smelt like dust, but it would be home for the next couple of months.
"When do you think everyone will get here?" I asked, shutting the door and setting our bags next to it.
I went and sat down on the floor next to Nino, running my eyes across the apartment. It was a small and cozy apartment, it was enough to house all of us. We would need to go grocery shopping later, I noted.
"Hopefully soon, I'm eager to get all our gear in here," Nino lay down, her limbs splayed across the floor.
"Is that your guitar amp?" I gestured towards the guitar amp I noticed earlier.
"Yeah, it is. I guess one of them brought it in, and that mattress too," she acknowledged, looking at the sheet-less mattress.
"So whoever wants to sleep on the mattress, and then the rest of us will sleep on the floor probably," I commented.
"That's fine with me," Nino nodded.
"Oh lord, we're going to need so much coffee, booze, cigs, and a fuck ton of motivation to do this," I joked, chuckling slightly.
"We're probably gonna listen to so much music too. Hey, do you have a cig?" Nino added, and then asked.
I nodded before pulling two out of a pack, slipping one in my mouth while I lit Nino's and then mine. I inhaled and exhaled the smoke, the apartment filling up with it. I spotted a ashtray near the mattress, pulling it towards us. We both ashed our cigarette, the both of us sat in comfortable silence.
The doorbell suddenly rang. I looked at Nino excitedly as I heard two voices on the other side of it. I nudged Nino to answer it, it took her a moment to get up. She went to the door and unlocked it. Tay and Mads clambered in the apartment, cheering loudly. I immediately stood up and we all hugged tightly, eventually pulling away.
"Who's up for a celebratory drink?" Tay wiggled her eyebrows, a goofy grin on her face while she held up two bottles of liquor.
"Someone put on "Selfish Machines" please," Nino chuckled, grabbing on of the bottles of alcohol.
"On it!" Mads exclaimed, shuffling the album on her phone.
We all sat down on the floor, taking swigs of the bottles as we all caught up.
