20 Seconds [On Hold]

Chapter 9 - Reunions

Chapter 9 - Reunions

Riley's POV

We spent our last few days in New York just walking around. Once, Lisa found a man with a guitar and we gave him money to use his guitar and played. We basically stood out to busk in New York City. It was amazing.

We also made a plan on how to hang out, since we didn't even live in the same county...

But everything good comes to an end, so even though we wanted to stay for a few more days, everything was already booked and we were on the plane sooner than we would've liked...

We landed at five in the afternoon, with cameras at the arrival gate after we were through passport control and were taking our bags to see our families. We were knackered, of course, but that didn't mean that we were less enthusiastic about seeing everyone again.

"Oh my god." Lisa whispered as she saw the photographers all flashing their cameras and shouting and almost climbing over each other to get closer to our groups coming out from arrivals.

"Whoa!" Zach exclaimed as he caught Saoirse who was pushed back slightly by one of the men who was trying to hold the reporters back. "You alright?" He asked as she stood up again and grabbed her bag.

"Yeah. Thanks Zach." She sighed and flashed him a small smile as Lisa threaded her arm through Saorsie's to help her and the two girls laughed before continuing to go into the one place where our families were waiting. They barricaded a part of the arrival sidelines to let our families be able to welcome us privately, which was all of our destinations.

"This is crazy. Two weeks ago they didn't even know who we were." Logan said from beside me.

"I know, right? This is mad."

"Bonkers." Jake agreed as we walked, talking, but not paying attention to the shouts directed at us or our friends. We didn't want to answer questions about having to say goodbye to Shotgun, or Neon. Or even End of Them. They were gutted too, but then they were chosen as the judges' choice after a phone conference between Nicole, Louis, Gary and Simon. Sharon was replaced since Simon was meant to be working on this series, but couldn't make the first audition bit, or the bootcamp. So, he joined in at judges' houses. I'm not going to say our personal views, because there's no point in saying bad things about the band and competition. What's done is done, and Shotgun and Neon could come back any years in the future.

"Riley!" Robin exclaimed and picked me up, spinning me around. "I haven't seen you in, like, a day." He chuckled as he put me down.

"I haven't seen you either loser, but no need to get so attached." I laughed, patting his baseball cap.

"Whatever. Look." He pointed to the families who were squared off and I immediately spotted Harry, a wide smile breaking out onto my face. Jake's family was there too, and I already saw him picking up his steps and enveloping all of his siblings and parents in a massive group hug. I broke away from Robin and hurried to Harry who climbed under the rope and opened his arms as I dropped my bags a few steps in front of him and jumped into his arms as he hugged me tighter than ever before.

"Okay?" He asked, burying his face in my hair as I nodded into his shoulder, my legs around his waist and his arms around my waist.

"How's everyone?" I sniffed once he put me down.

"Fine. The guys are here to welcome you home as well." He turned to my three friends who arrived with a banner, a single lily and massive smiles on their faces.

"Welcome home!" Scott, Stella and Tory exclaimed as I grinned wider than ever before and hugged all three of them.

"I missed you guys so much. Thank you." I smiled as we pulled apart and they grinned even wider as Stella gave me the lily and the banner.