The next afternoon the jet touches down at Heathrow and I follow behind Gigi as we step into the black SUV waiting for us. The last time I was in London it was fucking freezing but it's slightly warmer today. Still being used to the L.A. heat it's still not very hot but I can see why the locals would be sat in their paddling pools.

Gigi rests her head against my shoulder and Will clambers into the front seat. We both watch out of opposite windows, watching the London landscape fly past. The sun glints off highrise windows and people flock to the streets, hands full of shopping bags under the harsh rays. Gigi's smile widens with every new road we venture down. Suddenly she jolts forward,

"Wait, can we make a quick detour?" She asks the driver, who glances at Will who nods. She tells him the address and falls back onto my shoulder, I curl a strand of her hair around my finger, its softness appeals when it glides through the rest of my hand.

"Its weird isn't it when you come back after being gone for so long," she mutters turning her head up to me,

"I don't know is it?" I ponder still twirling her hair between my fingers.

"Yeah, I just feel like the worlds moved on without me, like- holy shit what the fuck is that?" She pulls away from my body and presses her cheeks up to the window. I slide across behind her, close enough to see a poster on the back of the bus shelter. The cover photo for our single. She gasps,

"That's us! On a fricking bus stop!!" She gapes at me, covering her mouth with her hand, I chuckle at her antics.

"Yeah, you look sexy doll," I say moving back to my seat, she turns her head back to the window to hide the flame in her cheeks, but my grin widens seeing her reflection.

After another ten minutes the car pulls down a more residential road and stops outside of a school, parents and children flurry the street,

"Alright, I'll be back in a few," She says opening the door.

"Wait where are you going? I wanna come!" I whine, my legs are cramped as fuck back here, the backseats don't really accommodate those taller than five foot eight. I follow her out and quickly pull her into my chest as a scooter whizzes past us nearly knocking her off her feet.

"Hey watch it!" I shout after him. A slap in my pec draws me down to an angry munchkin.

"Oi! He's just a kid!" Gigi growls at me, I shrug and slip my fingers into hers as she pulls us down the street away from the car. She raises a brow at me but doesn't attempt to remove my entangled fingers from hers.

A bunch of kids stare at me as we walk past their parents' whisper.

"Gigi are you sure this is safe?" I whisper. She giggles,

"God, you're so right! Quick phone the security team! We need to be protected from the five-year-olds that want to bash out knee caps in!" She says dramatically, laced with sarcasm.

"Hillarious." I deadpan, still none the wiser as to why we're at a tiny school. Suddenly she stops, lost in my head I walk into the back of her, "Uh, why have we stopped? Why have you bought me to a school? I know I'm not the smartest but I don't need to go back-"

All becomes clear when an older lady in a floral skirt brings out a class of more small children, they immediately start running to the parents dotted around the metal railings. Suddenly I spot Luca and Zada, holding hands, scanning the playground probably looking for Bleu or his wife. Zada's eyes widen when she sees Gigi and immediately screams her name, dragging Luca behind her.

"Hey, babies!" Gigi smiles crouching down to hug them both as they pelt into her. I resist the urge to snap a photo so I have the picture with me forever, I admire her motherly qualities and how she'll literally do anything or drop anything to make them happy.

"Colton!" Luca beams attacking my legs, I bend down and hug him before shuffling him onto my shoulders as we walk out of the playground.

"Look Gigi I'm so tall." He giggles from on top of me looking down at Gigi who's holding Zadas hand as we walk back to the car. We buckle the kids in opposite us and listen to them talk about elementary drama as we move through the busy London streets. Eventually, we pull up on Gigi's road outside her flat. It seems like an eternity since I was stood here... kicking the tyres on the rental Merc, about to blow my top.

Fuck, how things have changed. I chuckle to myself as Gi unlocks the main communal door and leads us up the creeky damp smelling staircase to her apartment door. She enters the flat and Immediately curses,

"What the fu-"

"Auntie Gigi!" Zada scolds before darting down the hall and into the kitchen.

"I've been gone for five months! Five sodding months!" She shakes her head assessing the numerous pairs of shoes and random objects littering the hallway, "Why I ever agreed to move out with two of the worlds messiest people I'll never know!" she mutters kicking some of the shoes from our path.

" I apologise for the mess, my flatmates obviously don't know how to live like normal fucking people." She sighs making me and Will smile. She leads us into the kitchen area and curses again. Dishes are piled miles high by the sink, empty chip packets and pot noodles lay on the kitchen island. Mug stains and... baked beans sit on the countertops.

"You've got to be fucking joking!" She mutters under her breath picking up a dirty t-shirt from the floor, "I don't think they've even done the washing, I really do apologise." I laugh at her visible shame, if it weren't for my cleaner I'd probably live in the same state.

"Do you guys want something to drink? I'm hoping they've at least gone shopping whilst I've been gone," She opens the fridge and a few of the cupboards, "There's diet coke, ice tea, Ribena, tea, coffee?" She rummages around.

"I'll just take a coffee, I'm so jetlagged I can't keep my eyes open," Will says looking drained,

"I'll join the old man," I say slapping him on the back.

"Old. Old? I could run rings around you, Hemmings," he narrows his eyes.

"Yeah my money's on Will," Gigi giggles drawing a stool from under the counter and placing it next to the cupboards, she climbs onto it steading herself and reaches for the coffee on the top shelf,

"I don't know why Jacob puts it up so high, he knows I can't reach!" she pouts straining her fingers. I chuckle at her attempts but no matter how hard she stretches she still can't reach it,

"Alright mind out strawberry shortcake," I help her down from the stool and grab the coffee for her.

"I could have done it." She rolls her eyes swishing her hair in my face, going to turn the kettle on.

"I know, doll."

Two mini people join us at the kitchen counter, "Auntie Gigi..." Zada drawls, trying to hide her sheepish smile.

"Yes..." Gigi spoons the coffee into mugs,

"Can we watch hairspray?" Luca finishes his eyes just popping above the granite top.

"Well, that depends... do you guys have any homework?" She raises a brow, they both look at each other and shake their heads very unconvincingly, "Go get your bookbags you monkeys!"

After helping the kids learn their six timetables, we're all practically falling asleep. Jetlag sneaks up on you then poisons when you least expect it. We sent Will to the hotel when he face planted on Gigi's kitchen counter but I didn't want to leave yet, which is why we're now all huddled on the pee green sofa watching Hairspray. Gigi's leaning into my side, Zada cosied up on her lap and Luca sat on mine. The last thing I remember is the sound of the munchkins singing and the smell of Gigi's strawberry fragranced hair before I slipped into a content sleeping state.

"Aw, would you look at that," My eyes spring open at the foreign cooing, I can feel something warm against my chest, my eyes flit down to the top of Gigi's head, at some point she'd moved into me and fallen asleep like I had, her strawberry scent wafts around my nose making me grin slightly. She stirs beneath me, stretching her arms out before scowling at Sofi and Jacob who are staring at us eyebrows raised.

"Look at us?" Gigi moves from my chest which makes me slightly sad but she keeps her hands on my thigh, "Look at this! " She shouts gesturing around the messy room, she'd started to clean earlier but she looked so tired so I made her sit down and watch hairspray with us.

Sofia sinks back into herself and Jacobs's mouth makes an 'o' shape, "Oh that... uh yea, well in our defence we didn't know you'd be back... so soon." She says sheepishly.

"Well you know, I thought it would be nice if I surprised my best friends but I come home and it looks like a bloody dive!"She stands up, putting her perfect ass right In my sightline, even in her joggers I just want to reach out and grab it.

"We were going to clean-"

"Oh cut the crap, Gigi we are useless without you! I accidentally dyed Sofias shirt pink in the washing and she nearly gave me food poising! We are literally living off of Antos leftovers and pot noodles." Jacob moans looking around the apartment.

Gigi looks behind at me, a grin sneaking itself across her lips, "You two are useless," she shakes her head chuckling, "Even Colton knows how to do his own washing... just," She mumbles.

"Hey!" I jump up, "At least I can reach the coffee in the cupboard," She shoots me a glare.

"Ugh, its Jacobs fault! He always puts it up too high!" Sofia adds for Gigi's defence.

"What are you guys doing here anyway... together..." Sofia asks.

We all take a seat on the barstools and we tell them about preforming at Pride, needless to say, they were ecstatic, Sofias already planning my outfit... I didn't know I had to have an... outfit but apparently, that's what you do for pride.

We're interrupted by the pitter-patter of little feet, clammy hands clutch onto the countertop.

"Because Auntie Gigi's home and that means it's a very special occasion... can we go to Lindas?" Zada asks, showcasing her wobbly front teeth.

"Ah, can we babe?"

"Please!" The other two adults add. It makes me chuckle, they're all the same age- actually Jacob and Sofia are actually a good few months older than Gigi but she still acts the parent to them and the kids.

"Fine... I suppose we can go to Lindas..." she laughs casting me a glance, reaches over to squeeze my hand under the tabletop.

Hey guys! Only 2 and a half days now!
I still need to wrap all my presents 🤦‍♀️

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and I've actually got some news, for those of you who don't follow me on social media I'm already working on a new story called Balance, since TTS is coming to an end :( it'll be out hopefully after I've finished the last chapters of TTS, I'm so excited for it and I hope you that are too! 🖤

Have an amazing day!

Thanks for reading and don't forget to Vote!

Iz x