Close As Strangers // c.h.

11

*Calum's POV*

On our walk back we started discussing ideas for surprising Ren. A few different ideas came up from surprising her at the airport, to surprising her in her own house. We really didn't have a solid plan when we entered the hotel to go and talk to the rest of the boys.

"Finally you guys are back," Mikey said with some relief, "We were starting to get really worried. Where did you go anyway Cal?"

"I found a tree about a half mile down the road and planted myself there," I shrugged it off like it was no big deal, but I also earned some groans from the pun I decided to make.

"How are you doing, honestly?" Luke looked completely concerned, I think that he understands what it feels like, because I know for a fact that being away from Lizzie is killing him.

"Fucking terrible, but things are going to get a little bit better," Luke looked at me bewildered, "and it involves telling everybody, besides Ren, that we are coming home this Sunday." I said finishing my thought.

Mikey and Luke are now ecstatic. Luke then turned to me.

"Does that mean I get to tell Lizzie?"

"Of course, as long as that big mouth of hers can keep it from Ren," I said this with a smirk so that he knew I was joking.

We all started laughing after that, it feels good to laugh with them again.

It's been a long time.

"Okay, I really want to call everybody at this moment, but unfortunately, it is too early for them right now," I paused, "and since we are telling everybody that we are coming home, I really want to have everybody in on this, in on surprising her,"

They all start nodding in unison, like they really like the idea.

We then started discussing what we could possibly do to surprise her. Just like with Ash and I, the ideas of meeting her at the airport or meeting her in her own home came up in the conversation. We quickly ruled out the idea of getting her to the airport because that would make her too suspicious. We then ruled out meeting her at her house because they required her to get out of her house to set up and that might also make her suspicious. We bounced a few ideas back and forth and finally decided on a rough idea of what we want to do.

Ren and Mali are pretty good friends, even though they don't really hang out unless we are home, so we are going to have Mali and the other girls take Ren out to a movie. They are going to have a good time and then my mom is going to call and tell Ren that she needs an emergency babysitter for Harry. She is then going to go over to Ash's house and find us there to surprise her.

This plan better work because this is my last chance.

We don't decide how we are going to surprise her but we do know one thing, what song we are going to sing, and it's not going to be the one that I am writing, that's for the concert the night before we come home.

"Hey guys, look at the time," Luke said to the group. To my surprise it's midnight. We had been talking about this for quite a few hours, and now it is finally time to facetime the girls.

Ashton sends a text to Gabby telling her to get Lizzie and call them when they are alone, without Ren.

About 15 long minutes later, there is a facetime call going through to Ash's phone. He picks up on the second ring.

"Hey Gabs, before you say anything, there is somebody that want to talk to you..."

He then hands the phone to me and I shoot him a glance that says, 'Thanks a lot, mate'