Not So Picture Perfect

Chapter 26

"Shawn", I laugh, "You're holding the Camera upside down"

"Oh, shitty", He says flipping it around. Then he looks up at me, as if to ask if he's done it right.

I nod to him and fix his hands onto the buttons they should be on. He holds the camera up to me and tells me to smile at him.

Laughing I shake my head, reminding him that I prefer to stay on the opposite side of the lens.

"C'mon Hayden just smile for me", He pleads as his driver comes to a stop.

"Oh look, it's time to get out", I giggle as I hop out of the car into the brisk Toronto air. It's been about three months since I left Texas and things are going pretty well. I have an EP in the works currently, and I'm scheduled to tour with Shawn next year, not that anyone is supposed to know.

Shawn is almost finished working on his third album, it's beautiful honestly, something people haven't heard before. He's been gone a lot writing, but then again so have I. We're both sort of wrapped up in our work, not that its a bad thing, but when he called me to ask if I wanted to come to Toronto for a week, I couldn't refuse.

He slings his arm around my shoulders and guides me into his apartment. I've been here once before when he first moved in, it's a nice place, and I'm glad he has it, it keeps him close to home. Home, something that I haven't thought about recently, sure I call my mom everyday, and FaceTime Sophie and Hunter when I can, but things feel different.

"Hey. Where are you?", Shawn asks bumping my shoulder with his.

"Just thinking about home", I shrug.

"L.A.?"

I shake my head.

"oh"

"exactly"

It's funny how one place you think is your home for all eighteen years of your life and then some how you can just leave, and it really isn't home anymore. I didn't go back for thanksgiving, I didn't go back for Christmas. Sad I know.

I'll be heading back there in a few weeks though, I promised Sophie I'd go spend spring break with her. Shawn promised me he'd come to.

"Anyway", I drag the word out, "My EP drops in a month", I grin plopping down on his big white couch.

"I'm aware", he says walking behind me and stamping a kiss on the top of my beanie covered head.

"Remember the first day I met you?"

He nods and smiles fondly as he joins me on the couch.

"Remember how all you could say was how talented I was and how amazing I was at taking pictures and how much you liked them?"

He nods again.

"Why am I doing this then?"

"Do you remember that afternoon on the bus? In the bathroom?"

I blush and nod.

"That's why".

His answer was vague, and simple but it made sense, maybe this is what I'm supposed to be doing, not staying, tucked away, behind that camera of mine.

~<>~<><>~<><><>~<><>~<>~

Shawn wakes me up with a shake and I groan rolling over to face him.

"You're my boyfriend shouldn't you wake me up with a kiss or something?", I groan snuggling back into the sheets.

"Hayden lets go we have to leave in an hour", he says shaking me again.