Lover of Mine (CTH)

1. Welcome Home

(gwen's pov)
i cant believe tour is basically over. we have one more show that we added here in sydney, then it's over. and i'm so sad. there's something so exhilarating about traveling the world with your four best friends, each of you doing what you love. when the boys asked me to be their tour photographer, i couldn't turn down the offer. i love photography with every bone in my body. i love capturing people being people. and i adore capturing my best friends doing the very thing they love most in this world.
we stepped off the plane and headed to baggage claim where we collected our bags. once we had our bags, we headed down the escalator where there were fans waiting for the boys. i took my camera out as the boys got ready to stop and greet the fans they started this journey with. i smiled as we walked over to the fans and took pictures as they talked and took pictures with each of the girls. once they finished, i put my camera away and we headed out to the front of the airport toward the parking lot where our families would meet us. well, more like where the boys' families would meet us.
      we stopped for a second, scanning the parking lot for where they were camped until we spotted them a few seconds later. i looked with a slight glimmer of hope that maybe my mum would be there. but to no surprise, she wasn't. calum ash and michael immediately started walking toward them and i stayed back a second and let out a sigh. luke put his arm around my shoulder.
"no sign?" he asked. i shook my head.
"not surprising in the slightest. don't know why i even bothered getting my hopes up for a second." i said. luke gave me a sympathetic smile and i half smiled back. "let's go see your family." luke smiled and nodded and we walked across the street behind the other boys to their families. their families greeted each of them with so much excitement. they always do. and it's always the most bittersweet sight for me. i love watching my best friends with their families getting the love they deserve from them. but i cant help but be jealous that i don't have that. while the mums had gotten to their babies first, the dads stood close by, waiting for their turns, and the siblings came to greet me.
"MY GIRL!" yelled mali. i smiled wide, putting some of my stuff on the ground and opening my arms, mali running into them. she hugged me tight and i hugged back just as tight. "oh how i've missed you." she said.
"i missed you so fucking much." i told her. she let go and stepped back, giving lauren the chance to greet me. lauren hugged me.
"man have i missed you, G." she said.
"i missed you more laur!" i said. she squeezed me a little tighter before stepping back, harry replacing her. harry hugged me. "you've gotten so big since i last saw you harry!" i said. he let go and looked at me with a smile.
"i grew 3 inches!" he said excitedly.
"wow! you're gonna be taller than me in no time!" he laughed a little before ashton came over and ruffled his and lauren's hair. they turned excitedly and hugged ashton tight, both of them giggling with excitement. calum walked over and greeted mali and liz came over to greet me.
"g, darling! hello beauty! welcome home!" said liz, hugging me.
"hi liz! thank you so much! it's good to be home!" i said. luke's dad hugged me next. we spent the next 10 minutes saying our hellos to each others families and having them welcome us home. once we'd all said hello, the boys and i said goodbye to each other since they were all going home with their families. calum's family offered to drive me home to my apartment since it was just down the street from their house and i clearly needed a ride. i shyly accepted the offer and walked with them to their car.
calum and his dad put our bags in the trunk and we climbed in the van. his family asked about tour and we told a few stories as we drove to my apartment. it wasn't nearly enough time to tell all the stories we'd accumulated, but we crammed in as many as possible. once we pulled up to my apartment, calum and i got out and opened the trunk. we took my bags out of the trunk and i peaked back into the car to thank his dad for the ride and say goodbye to his parents. mali got out and hugged me and then got back into the car. calum and i took my bags up to my apartment.
i live in an apartment above a bar. at first i wasn't sure how i felt about living above a bar with the noise that comes with it. but it ended up being the best choice. i can be as noisy as i want, play music from my speakers, play guitar or piano and sing as often as i want and as loud as i want. i don't have neighbors. and when i don't wanna make food myself, i can just go downstairs and order something. im also a night owl anyway so by the time im going to bed, the bar is closing. i don't regret it for a second.
we walked into the first floor door and saw john, the owner of the bar.
"hey G! hey calum! welcome home! how was tour?" he asked. we smiled at each other, then him.
"fucking incredible." said calum.
"made memories to last a lifetime." i said.
"that's amazing. i cant wait to hear all about it. but i'll let you get your stuff up to your apartment. i'll see you later!" we said goodbye and walked up the stairs to my apartment. i unlocked the door and we walked into my apartment. i stood in the doorway for a second, taking in the sight. my apartment is a one bedroom, open floor apartment. my bedroom is on the far side with only a sliding door that makes it a separate room, which i usually keep open anyway. when you walk in, you walk into the living room and the kitchen is on the left. on the right in the living room is a window seat that looks our over the street. next to it is a book case that's filled with vinyls and my record player on one of the shelves. on the other side of the window seat is where my piano sits and my guitars and amps around them. and in my room is my desk with camera and editing equipment. my apartment is fairly chaotic but it's me. in each corner and inch is something i love and am passionate about. i have a poster of the boys hanging in the corner above my piano because i love them so much and they inspire me. i have pictures of the 5 of us and some other friends around the apartment because my friends are my family. my closet is filled with clothes, as many as i can fit, because i love fashion so much. i smiled as i looked around my apartment. im proud of the way i've made this place my home.
calum and i brought my bags into my bedroom. i turned to him to say goodbye but he stayed for a few minutes to talk.
"you gonna be okay here alone? it's been a long time since you've been alone because of tour." he asked. i smiled at his concern.
"yeah, i'll be okay. i think i'm gonna go see my mum later tonight anyway." i said, giving him a 'yikes' look. he returned the look and nodded.
"you'll call me if you need anything, right?" i smiled.
"of course cal, thank you." he smiled and i smiled back.
"it was great touring with you again gwen. thank you for all you do for us. you're a blessing to us all." i smiled and hugged him. he hugged back tight and held my head. i relaxed into the hug and we stayed like that for a minute or so before letting go.
"i love you cal. thank you for the help. and thank your parents again for the ride back." he smiled and nodded.
"i love you gwen. i'll see you soon." i smiled and nodded and he patted my shoulder before turning around to leave. he shut the door and i went over and turned on my speaker and connected my phone. i played some music and started unpacking my suit cases and bags, knowing there's no way i'd wanna do it later. once i finished, i sat on my bed and opened my phone to a text from my mum. i sighed and opened it.