𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 - 𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐋 [✓]

𝟔. 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐎

𝙼𝙰𝚁𝙲𝙷 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟾 | 𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙳𝙾𝙽

After the seaside trip, the final photoshoot was a few days later and back in London. Elizabeth and Liliana had taken some time to recover from the copious amounts of travelling, and in Liliana's case drinking too; they decided to spend most of their time binging Netflix. 
The studio today was more or less empty aside from the shoot with the band, which everybody was glad for as they had a lot of editing to get through. 

"Knock knock." Elizabeth looked up from her computer where she was retouching one of the shots from the first day, excited to see Ross staring back at her. She stood up immediately and greeted them, a simple shake of the hand to look professional in front of her boss who was also sitting in the studio until the end of her shift. 

She ushered them in and showed them around slightly, it was a relatively small space but big enough for everybody to fit comfortably, "Welcome! To what is basically my second home because I never leave." Everyone laughed at her, her manager finding it just as funny because it was true. "I've been going through the reference material this morning so I am ready when you are I think." 

Liliana came walking in from the break room, bowl of cereal in hand and eyes wide when she realised they'd arrived. She quickly swallowed her mouthful and put the bowl down. "I'm so sorry I didn't realise you were here, how are you all?" A chorus of 'good's and 'alright's answered her question and soon they were able to get on. 
While Liliana set up the screen for the shoot Elizabeth started talking through the photographs, explaining her edits like they understood what she was referring to when getting technical. 

"Anyone else getting mad De Ja Vu?" Matty questioned, referencing the same set up of Elizabeth editing for them while in a photo studio. Though this time it wasn't a chain anybody could get hired in, she worked hard for this position. Elizabeth nodded, a smile on her face. "It's mental innit? Like how have we ended up here after five years?" 

With a smile Ross started, "I don't know but it feels like it's been a matter of months since we last saw you - not years." the other three all agreed but for Elizabeth she had felt every day of the last five years. Their tour schedule and the repetition of going on stage every night, doing interviews then photoshoots then back on stage made time move quickly for them.
When she shook her head slightly, disagreeing with his statement they all looked confused. "That's crazy to me, it really feels like it's been years since we've seen each other. I mean look at Adam - he's blonde again for fucks sake!" 

Adam chuckled, he hadn't really thought how much his life had changed in the last five years. "Because we've barely stopped, it still feels like we're back in Twenty fourteen sometimes. What have you done since we last saw you then?" he felt it was polite to ask, but honestly he was scared of the answer. 

Elizabeth felt like playing with them a little bit, "Actually I had a kid." she said as seriously as possible, wanting to see how they reacted. All of their faces dropped in shock.
"You're joking?" Matty asked, unsure if she was serious or not. She nodded at them, hiding her grin as they all didn't know how to take that news. She could only imagine their thoughts. 

Ross looked really pleased for her but also not sure whether he believed it, his grin tried to mask the confusion behind his brows but it didn't work. Matty was grinning, seemingly happy for her as if he believed it. Adam smiled but made it clear he didn't believe it for a second by the way his head shook; he knew her too well after growing up with her. George however looked like he was trying to smile, but it turned into a grimace; completely unimpressed by the news. They were all mentally trying to do the maths, sure they were approaching their thirties but none of them had thought about children yet. 

"You are joking right?" George asked in a deadpan voice, Matty turned to him, about to tell him off for sounding so negative but Elizabeth got in there first with a laugh.
"Oh my God, your faces were priceless." they all sighed in relief, glad they hadn't been gone that long that their youngest friend had a baby of her own. 
Elizabeth shook her head at them, "I'm ashamed you all thought I'd have popped a baby out already. No way am I having a kid with anyone anytime soon." she stressed her point as much as she could.
"Seriously though, I moved to London and got this job. Moved in with Liliana, broke up with Tyler, found my current lover, now things are sweet and life's good." she beamed at them with a toothy grin and they smiled back. 

"Well I'm glad for you-" "Right you lot, we ready to take some photos then or what?" Liliana's East London accent sounded more prominent that ever in the room of northerners. Their little chat was cut short as they were beckoned over to the 'set' while Elizabeth stayed behind to continue with her edit. 

"Looking good." Matty appeared behind Elizabeth, leaning on the desk to look at the images of the four boys standing in the water. She thanked him and briefly explained the ideas she had for the other images and he nodded, trusting her creativity.
"Aside from your actual job what's been going on recently? How are you and George?" 
Elizabeth couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly at the mention of their drama, they were both adults now and at twenty eight years old she thought it was petty.
"I don't think there's anything that's gone on, we've just not spoke that much. I'm not sure if he told you but way back he rung me on tour, we sort of made our peace and said goodbye." Matty gave a slight nod, his lips pursed in a straight line as a sorry smile. 

A deep sigh left her lips, "I've got nothing against him, but I contented myself with never seeing him again - out of sight out of mind you know - and now he's back and I don't know what to do. We were great friends before, you know what, but I think it might be a bad idea for us to get involved with each other again in any way." 

He nodded again, taking in what she was saying. "Well at least you can be civil, that's all that matters really. I just wanted to check because a few of us are going for drinks tomorrow if you're up for it?"
She had no plans, she was sure Liliana wouldn't say no to going and getting drunk. "Yeah, that'd be great." she grinned, taking the time and place from the now beaming Healy.