the photographer [c.h.]

seven

+Calum+

"Hey, Calum." Leah smiled a little, opening the front door. I gave her a small hug and followed her to the living room. Ashton, an older woman, and a little girl were sitting on the couches.

"Hey, Cal." Ashton smiled as I sat down next to him and I smiled back, sitting down.

"Calum, this is my mom, Peri, and Sophie." Leah introduced me and I waved from my spot on the couch. Leah sat down next to me and I looked around the room a couple times. "Katie's upstairs."

Leah answered my thoughts and I thanked her, standing up. I walked down the hallway and found the stairs, jogging up two at a time. I finally found a room with her name on the door and pushed inside. She wasn't anywhere in the room so I furrowed my eyebrows. There was a twin sized bed pushed up against the window and a bookshelf with a bunch of records. At least ten cameras were on top and I smiled a little at the pictures of her as a kid.

"Calum?" I turned around to see Katie climbing back in through the window. "What are you doing here?"

"Leah invited me." I answered and she nodded, shutting the window. "How are you?" I asked, wrapping my arms around her tiny waist.

"Just tired." Katie shrugged, putting her arms around my torso, tapping her nails on my lower back.

"I was gonna come to the service, but my flight got delayed." I frowned and she just smiled a little.

"It's okay. You've seen me cry enough in the past week." I slightly laughed and we fell into a comfortable silence.

"Katie!"

I turned around to see the little girl from the living room, running into the room. Katie detached herself from me and shot me an apologetic look before hugging the girl.

"Hey, Soph." Katie slightly smiled. "Have you met Calum?"

"Yeah," Sophie giggled and hid her face in Katie's stomach.

"Don't be shy." Katie laughed and I smiled, watching them interact. "C'mon, he won't bite."

"Hey, Sophie." I smiled, bending down to her level and she peeked at me, fully turning around.

"You have a squishy face." Katie choked back a laugh and I smiled a little as Sophie poked my cheek. "What's that mean?" She asked, pointing to Mali's name on my arm.

"It's my sister's name."

"Like my Katie?" She asked and I looked up to see Katie's face fall.

"Yeah." I smiled.

"Soph, why don't you go find Leah?" Katie spoke up and Sophie nodded, running out of the room. "Sorry." She mumbled and I shook my head, standing back up.

"No problem, she's adorable." I smiled and Katie just nodded, casting her eyes to the floor.

"Um, dinner's ready." Peri poked her head in the room and we both nodded, following her down the stairs.

We sat down next across from Ashton and Leah with Peri and Sophie at the ends. Each seat had a plate full with spaghetti and a piece of garlic bread. Conversation floated throughout the dining room and I turned my head. Katie was just poking around her food, not taking her eyes off the plate. I nudged my knee with hers under the table and she turned to look at me.

"'Scuse me." Katie mumbled and stood up from the table. We all fell silent as she left the room, the back door closing behind her.

"I got her." Leah said and quickly followed.

+Leah+

I watched Katie leave the room and I quickly stood up, following. I walked through the living room and out the back door, into the warm air, and looked around the yard. I noticed Katie sitting on the swing set, slowly rocking back and forth. I sat down next to her and we stayed silent, swinging as the old set creaked.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." Katie whispered and I looked over at her. "My dad was all I had left."

"You haven't lost me or my mom." I said quietly. "We'll always be your family, Katie."

"I don't want to feel like I did when my mom died. I can't do that to myself again."

"Hey, you'll be okay." I nudged her shoulder. "I can barely imagine what you've gone through, but I know how strong you are."

"Really?" Katie looked up at me and I noticed the tears in her eyes. I nodded and cracked a small smile. "I honestly have no clue what I would do without you."

"You're my sister, of course you can't live without me." I joked and Katie laughed a little, wiping under her eyes. "We'll get through this together."

+Katie+

"So, what's up with you and Calum?" Leah asked, climbing into my bed. I shrugged, brushing through my hair and she snorted. "Has he kissed you yet?"

"Maybe." I mumbled, tossing my hair into a ponytail.

"Ah!" Leah squealed and I rolled my eyes, sitting down on my bed next to her.

"Only you and Ashton know so keep it quiet. I don't want all the gossip." I set my glasses on my bedside table. "What about you? Is Ashton serious?"

"Yeah." She sheepishly smiled and a blush creeped up on her cheeks.

"Aw, you guys are so cute." I smiled, happy that she found someone. "Do you love him?"

"Yeah and he told me that he did a few weeks ago. I freaked out and couldn't say it back." She frowned. "I got scared but I really love him, Katie."

"I'm sure he knows." I comforted her and we both laid down on the small bed. "I'm happy for you, Leah."

"I've missed our sister cuddles." Leah laughed and I nodded in agreement.

After everything that happened in high school, me and Leah would always sleep in the same bed. She was always scared that I would do something stupid. She found me crying one night, which I had done for weeks, and didn't leave my room until I was okay. I literally could not ask for a better best friend.

"Night, Katie." Leah mumbled, turning the light off.

"Night." I shut my eyes and drifted off with dreams filled with brown eyes.