Make It Up To You ~ Luke Hemmings (5 Seconds Of Summer)

Chapter 6

As we walked into the garden cheers erupted and parents bolted towards their children. I spotted my dad and launched myself at him, the two of us colliding with a thud.

"I've missed you so much!" I smiled, crying into his shoulder. My dad rubbed my back, laughing himself when he saw me crying.

"I've missed you too, Ricky," He kissed my forehead, smirking at me. "Why are you crying?!" He teased, poking my stomach - I was insanely ticklish. I squealed and jumped away, swiping my hands at his arms.

"Don't be a dick!" I squeaked, protecting my stomach with my own arms. I turned around to see the boys all finished saying hello to their own mums and everyone kind of switched.

With my mum not being in the picture, the boys' mums all felt like they needed to be there for me, to have a mother figure in my life. I was so thankful to them all, because they all felt like my mum - when I was growing up I talked to them about things I would have with my own mum.

I was closest with Anne Marie; living opposite her, she had told me from the first time I'd met her that if I had anything that I'd wanted to talk about with another girl I was more than welcome there.

Karen and Joy (Michael and Calum's mums) had said that from the start too, and as soon as I'd started seeing Luke, his mum Liz had welcomed me with open arms. These people really were my family.

Anne Marie spotted me and smiled, beckoning me over. I giggled and ran at her, "Anne!" I squealed, throwing my arms around her shoulders. "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too, sweetie! I hope my boy has been looking after you properly while you've been on tour?" She pulled away and smiled at me, an eyebrow quirked.

"Yes! I have been well looked after," I laughed, pushing my hair off my shoulders. "Ash is like the dad of the band, I've been saying this for months!" After a laugh about that, Anne Marie waved me over to Joy, Calum's mum, who's face lit up.

"Erica! It's so good to see you back!" Another big hug was waiting for me with Joy and she held on to my forearms when we let go.

"It's good to be back," I smiled. "Cal didn't actually warn us about bringing dessert until a couple of hours before now, so we didn't really have much time but I made Eton Mess. It's a British summer tradition."

"It sounds lovely! Calum has already put it in the fridge," We talked for a little while about the dessert and what it actually is before Mali shouted her mum over to help her with something. I spotted Luke and Michael stood with their mums and wandered over.

Karen spotted me first and she smiled widely, opening her arms, "How is my favourite default daughter?" I laughed at the term; I used to be at Michael's so much Karen had started calling me her 'daughter by default.'

"I am wonderful, Karen," I smiled. "Has it been quiet without us?"

"It has, but now it's back to how we like it!" I laughed and hugged Liz, who squeezed me hard.

"Erica, we've missed you!" Liz pouted. "It always seems so quiet when you're away."

"Ricky's getting a better welcome than all four of us combined," Luke moaned, hissing when I pinched his arm.

"Just because your parents love me more doesn't mean you have to be bitter about it," I joked, earning two playful punches.

"We do owe Erica a lot," Karen commented, sharing a knowing look with Liz. "You boys wouldn't be able to cope with living on your own if Erica wasn't there."

"That is absolutely something I agree with," Luke said seriously. He snaked his arm around my waist and pulled my body into his. "Without you, that whole apartment would descend into anarchy."