So I've been listening to Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros a lot lately and it has inspired this story (and the title). If you haven't heard it before, go listen to it watch?v=4306i99LMXo
I hope you enjoy this. This is the first fic I've written where it's got details from real life and is realistic but set in the false world of the show – it's an interesting one to write for me! Please review if you'd like and let me know what you think/whether you want more.
"We're leaving at ten tonight. Have you got everything packed? " Kendall asks you as you sit next to each other, soaking up the remains of the Kansas sun. You'd graduated high school last week and since then, you'd spent the time doing not much, just hanging with your group of friends.
You and Kendall had been best friends since before you could remember – your parents had been friends for years and living as next door neighbours, you'd spent every summer and winter playing in each other's gardens. Your twin sisters had been born at the same time as Kendall's sister Katie had been born and so naturally, they were best friends too. They were a team, always sneaking around getting into trouble.
"Ten? Ok. I'll be ready. I think so. Whose car are we taking?" You ask, making a daisy chain as long as your arm.
"I'll take my old Chevy and James is driving his Bronco. This is going to be amazing!" Kendall smiles, dimples showing.
It was crazy. You and Kendall and your friends were planning to road trip until you got to California and then were going to spend the summer in the beauty of Los Angeles. You had no idea where you were going to stay but you knew you wanted –needed to get out of the small town you'd grown up in. And Kendall, your best friend, needed that too. You were pretty sure your parents wanted you to do something more productive with your summer before you went to college, like charity work or something. But all you really wanted was adventure. You'd persuaded them it'd be ok – that you'd only be gone for two months and although they weren't exactly happy, they weren't angry.
"It will be! I need to get stuff ready. See you later" You get up and affectionately touch Kendall's shoulder before jumping over the fence that separates your gardens.
"Hey (Y/N)!" Kendall calls. "It's going to be ok. I promise you" He grins wide and you mirror him. You knew everything about each other, were two sides of a coin and so you shouldn't have been surprised that he saw the stress in your face when talking about leaving. He knew you like the back of his hand.
"Promise me you'll keep us updated and let us know you're ok" Your parents stand watching from the decking as you throw your suitcase into the boot of Kendall's beat up Chevy. It had been a present from his parents for graduating and although it looked like it had seen better days, you knew how much Kendall loved that car.
"I've put some money into your bank account for emergencies only (Y/N)!" Your mum tells you. You grab your guitar case and lay it down next to Kendall's in the foot wells of the cars.
"Thanks guys" You kiss both your parents on the cheeks and give them hugs. Kendall had already said by to his parents so he just looks on fondly from the driver's seat. You hear loud voices and see your sisters running down the stairs, through the thresh hold and out onto the decking.
"Will you bring us something cool back from L.A?" Lissie asks, her dirty blonde fringe in her eyes. She's slightly shorter than her twin, Rae and though they're identical, you have no trouble telling them apart. Especially now that they're twelve years old, they couldn't pull the swap trick on you anymore.
"Maybe" You tell her. "But only if you both come here and give me a hug!" You pull the two girls to you and say you're going to miss them. They might drive you crazy sometimes, but you still loved them so much.
"You look after our girl, OK Ken!" Your dad shouts down.
"I will, but we both know she can look after herself!" He laughs. And it was true.
You drive off with the roof down, waving goodbye to your family. It was only two months but you were going to miss them.
Kendall pulls up at James' house ten minutes later. Or castle rather. His mother owned a cosmetics business and his father was a business man, always jetting off somewhere, never really telling people what his job actually entailed. Their divorce had been so hard on your friend, but they were all so well off since it. But James didn't care about money, he never had. He just wanted to be happy and that was why he was going on this trip – to get away with his best friends.
His white 72 Bronco was idle in the drive, all the lights on and people milling to and from the car and the house when you arrive.
You see your friends Logan and Camille embracing, like usual, before hearing Carlos yell that they need to grab their bags. They do as told and when you and Kendall walk up to where the car stands, you all say hello with hugs and embarrassingly cliché high fives.
"You guys all ready?!" Carlos exclaims, pulling on a hoodie.
"Absolutely. How are we going to travel?" You manage to say before Carlos shouts "Shotgun!" and jumps into the passenger seat of James' Bronco.
"I guess I'm taking Carlos then" James laughs. "You two can take the lovers" He says looking over to where the two brunettes stand, locking lips, and rucksacks in hand.
"Afraid not! The guitars are in the back of mine. They're all yours" Kendall laughs.
"Guys, we can hear you!" Camille shouts and makes you all laugh. The two jump into the back of the car as Carlos puts his head out of the window.
"By the way" He starts, rummaging in his bag for something. "I bought us walkie talkies so we can stay in contact!" He throws the two black blocks, one to Kendall and one to James.
"Seriously dude?" James laughs. "We have mobiles for this sort of thing" He laughs.
"Walkie talkies are way more fun though!" Your dark haired friend says, putting his head back inside.
"Are you sure about doing this?" The tall brunette asks his best friend, his hazel brown eyes searching. Throughout everything, Kendall and James always had each other's backs. They honestly were like brothers, all four of the guys were. James was the only person Kendall could go to for boy advice or when he couldn't talk to you about something, and vice versa. Nothing could ruin the four boys' relationships.
"James, opportunities like this only come once in a life time. In a few months, who knows where we'll all be – Logan will be studying at a school for doctors and everything might be so different. So we've got to grab it and go big time!"
"Ok, you're right. Of course you're right, you always are. Let's do this before I change my mind". They share a handshake and you all get into the two vehicles.
"Chevy, come in" You hear Carlos's voice through the walkie talking and laugh.
"Chevy here, how're you doing Bronco? Over" You reply and Kendall laughs, starting up the car.
"All good. Let's get this show on the road! Over" Carlos exclaims. You put the talkie down the side of your seat and buckle up. The Bronco drives ahead of you and you see Carlos wave.
You look over at Kendall, your best friend, his blonde hair pushed back, his t-shirt tight and his eyes alight, even in the night. "You ready?" He smiles.
You nod gently. "You going to miss home?"
He doesn't hesitate when he shakes his head no and smiles "Home is wherever I'm with you".