The next morning was full of chaos as Alissa and I rushed to get dressed and get Alex ready for the day. Alissa was preparing breakfast for the three of us, whilst I showered and got Alex ready. I had a short turquoise summer dress on with white ballet pumps and a pair of large sunshades, whilst Alex was in shorts and a dinosaur t-shirt. Alissa had decided on a simple white dress with a pair of black sandals and sunglasses.
Once we had eaten breakfast, I messaged the group chat.
Me: Hey, we're ready when you are! J
Ashton: that's great, but we still need to wake Luke up! XD
Luke: Hey! I am awake!
Calum: Could have fooled us with your loud ass snoring a minute ago!
Michael: Yeah! It was louder than Ashton's drumming!
Luke: Hey! You all snore too!
Me: Just hurry up! Where do you wanna meet?
Ashton: How about outside Hi or Hey Records? That was we don't get mobbed by fans whilst waiting for you?
Me: Sure thing. We'll meet you there!
Alissa grabbed her bag, and I grabbed mine, before we all left our apartment to go to the car. Alex climbed into the back of the Land Rover and Alissa sat in the passenger seat. I took the keys from Alissa and turned on the ignition. "Hi or Hey Records, and the zoo." I announced, before driving out of the car park.
It was a short drive to Hi or Hey Records, where we immediately spotted a large black car with tinted windows waiting for us.
"I thought we are trying to avoid fangirls?" Alissa asked with a slight laugh.
"Oops?" I shrugged with a grin. "Let's go." I turned the car around and drove down the road, following signs to the zoo, with the other car behind us.
About half an hour later, we arrived at Sydney City Zoo, and Alex was bouncing excitedly in his seat when he saw the massive welcome sign. The black SUV was still behind us, and pulled into the parking space next to us. Alissa got out and helped Alex out of the car, whilst I shut off the engine and grabbed both our bags.
Next to us, the four boys got out of the SUV, and greeted us happily.
"Hey Alissa, Carrie, Alex" Ashton greeted. Alex pulled the four boys into a hug before letting them go and grabbing hold of my hand.
"Let's go!" Alex squealed energetically, pulling me towards the entrance. Alissa and the boys followed, and we joined the queue for tickets.
"Six adults and a child please." I asked the lady behind the desk.
"That's 190.00 Please." She responded.
As I reached into my purse for my card, someone leaned past me and paid. The woman passed over our tickets and Calum took them. "Did you just pay for us all?" I asked.
"Yes. My treat." He replied with a smile.
"Seriously? Calum, that's not fair. Let me pay some of it a least. Please?"
"No." he replied, taking Alex's hand, and leading him through the gates into the zoo.
"Well damn." Alissa laughed, before following them.
"I think he likes you." Michael smirked, following Alissa. Luke followed him. I went through the gates with Ashton just behind me.
"Calum really likes you, you know." He said, looking at me as we hurried to catch up with the rest of the group who were far ahead. "Also, Calum told me that you and him met before we became famous, about six years ago. Is he Alex's dad?" He asked.
Oh shit. "can we talk about this later? When we aren't with the others?" I asked, as we caught up.
"Hey, Me and Carrie will go and get us all some food whilst you guys find somewhere to sit?" Ashton posed, looking at the rest of the group.
"Sure, that sounds good." Alissa shrugged.
"Im always down for food." Luke laughed, and Michael nodded in agreement.
Calum and Alex were talking and didn't seem to hear us.
"Great." Ashton exclaimed, before guiding me away from the rest of them. "So…" He started once we were out of earshot of the others.
"Alright. We were both at a club and I think you guys were there too, but I only saw Cal and Luke. We spoke for a bit and then did a drinking game. We were both wasted and had drunk sex. Alex is Calum's child. Are you happy now Ashton?" I sighed, looking at him.
"Well, fuck." He muttered.
"Yeah, that's what I thought when I found out I was pregnant." I retorted. "Anyways, I will tell Cal when I'm ready ok? Please don't tell him. I don't want to ruin anyone's career or image."
"Carrie, he's already missed out on six years of Alex's life, and you want to keep him out of it for longer?"
"Ashton, we have all managed for six years, ok? Now please just drop it."
Thankfully, Ashton dropped the subject and we bought food for everyone and headed back to where they were sitting, waiting for us to come back.
I passed around all the food, before sitting between Alissa and Calum. I felt a hand slip around my waist slowly, and I glanced at Cal with a slight smile. He returned it, before squeezing my waist slightly.
"Hey, Alex?" Ashton spoke.
"Yeah?" he replied eagerly.
"Wanna go see the monkeys?" he asked.
Alex got up and took Ashton's hand and they soon disappeared into the crowds.
Alissa went with Luke and Michael to go and see the penguins not long after, leaving me and Calum sitting alone together.
"Carrie, you're a wonderful person, and I want to get to know you better." He started.
"Calum, that would be wonderful." I replied happily.
"So, how about we go and see the wolves first?" he suggested, taking my hand. We walked hand in hand to the wolf enclosure, and we were watching the beautiful creatures, before we were disturbed by the flash of a camera behind us. "Calum Hood, we have a few questions to ask you." A journalist pushed as Calum guided me through the crowds away from the paparazzi.
"Just try to ignore them. I'll deal with them." He said, handing me my sunglasses and bag.
I put on my sunglasses gratefully and pushed my bag onto my shoulder. Calum took my hand again, and we left the wolf enclosure behind us, leaving the paparazzi searching for us. I sent a quick message to the group chat explaining that there was paparazzi at the zoo.
We met back up with the others, and were discussing what to do when more camera flashes went off and a swarm of journalists appeared. "I don't want Alex on the front page of a newspaper." I spoke with irritation. Ashton picked Alex up and put a pair of sunglasses on his face and a sunhat on his head, hiding most of his face. Alissa had gone up to the crowd of journalists.
"Can you just mind your own business and let us have a group outing?" she spoke, glaring fiercely at the cameras.
"Alissa, let's go." Michael said, taking her hand in his and pulling her away from the crowd.
"You know what annoys the pap the most?" Luke said with a smirk. "When they can't get close enough to us to get decent pictures."
"How do we do that?" I asked curiously.
"Fan army." Luke responded with a grin. "Let's take a selfie and then they will appear almost instantly."
We gathered around Luke, and I took the hat and sunglasses off Alex, before removing my own glasses. Alissa did the same, and we took a group selfie and posted it on the 5SOS official Twitter and Instagram. Ashton was still holding Alex and Calum's arm was wrapped around my shoulders. Alissa was sandwiched between Luke and Michael with a massive smile on her face. Luke captioned it: 'Trip to the zoo with the band and friend AlissaDioneOfficial and our new photographer and friend CarrieDioneOfficial. Would love to meet some fans'
"Brilliant. Now we wait." Michael laughed.
We headed over to the high ropes because Alex wanted to have a go. We were watching him when a group of about ten girls approached us and asked us for photos. We happily agreed, and soon after the paparazzi turned up, but by then, we were surrounded by about fifty fans, blocking the paparazzi.
"You were right Luke. It does keep the pap at a good distance." I laughed. "Alex! Over here sweetie!" I called out, as he finished the high ropes. The Paparazzi didn't move to let him past, so I passed through the fans, who politely moved to let me through. "WOULD YOU IGNORANT COWS MOVE TO LET MY SON THROUGH!" I yelled at the swarm, shocking them all. "DO YOU KNOW HOW RUDE IT IS TO NOT MOVE OUT OF SOMEONE'S WAY?" I seethed. As they still didn't move, I pushed through, knocking over a few stupid journalists to get to my son, who was waiting patiently for me. "Come here Alex." I cooed, picking him up, and shoving my way back through the rude paparazzi.
"Sorry about that." I apologised to the fans. I put Alex back down and went back to signing autographs.
"I can't believe how rude the paparazzi are." One fan said, as I signed a picture of 5SOS that I had taken.
"Neither can I. I'm so glad they don't follow me all the time." I replied.
"Are you and Calum dating?" she asked curiously.
"No. why?" I asked with a slight smile.
"You seem like you are. He had his arm around you in the picture on Twitter and you seem like a really cute couple." She shrugged innocently. "There are already rumours about you two from the photo."
"Sorry, but we aren't dating." I laughed.
The groups of fans soon disappeared, but we did keep meeting the odd fan or two. Thankfully, the paparazzi seemed to have cleared out, leaving us alone for a while. We visited the reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects, and predator areas, as well as the aquatic area and the African sector. Alex was exhausted and so was everyone else.
We were just leaving the zoo when we were greeted with some more journalists, pressing us with questions.
"Look, we'll answer just a few of the questions." Calum compromised with them.
"Alissa, are you hooking up with any of the boys?" one asked, thrusting a mic in her face.
"No. I am not hooking up with anyone at the moment. I'm focusing on my career right now." She responded.
"Carrie, there are rumours that the child is Calum's, is this rumour true?" Another asked.
I was panicking inside, but I tried to think rationally before answering. "I haven't heard the rumour about this, but I would have to agree that he does look similar to Calum. Alex was an accident six years ago and I don't know who the father is, but I love him all the same."
"Luke, is it true that you and Arzaylea have been seeing each other recently?"
"No. We broke up a couple of months ago, and I am focusing on my career and family currently." He replied casually.
"I call shotgun!" Michael called, as he ran towards the black SUV.
"No!" Calum countered, "Not if I get there first!"
The journalists were trying to ask us more questions, but I was too focused on carrying Alex's sleeping body to answer any more.
"Here, let me take him." Ashton said, taking Alex from me gently.
Alissa was already waiting by the car, to plug Alex in and Luke was laughing at Calum and Michael, who were both pouting at him because he had got the front seat whilst they were fighting over it.
Ashton placed Alex into the back of our car, and said goodbye to us before getting into the driver's seat of the black SUV. Calum and Michael scurried into the back of the car before Ashton left them behind.
We had finally left the media behind and Alissa let out a deep breath. "I hate dealing with the media. It's to exhausting."
"Thankfully I only have to put up with the celebrities, not the media that comes with them." I laughed.
"I've cancelled the photo shoot for this evening. I can't be bothered after the pap at the zoo." Alissa announced as we parked outside the apartment tower.
"Really? Don't they mind?" I asked, surprised.
Alissa shook her head with a grin. "Nah, as long as I turn up to the next one."
Between Alissa and I, we managed to get Alex back into our apartment and put him to bed. I then settled down on the sofa, waiting for the kettle to brew when I got a text from Calum.
Calum: Hey, wanna go out sometime?
Me: like a date?
Calum: yeah, I mean, unless you'd rather not. It's just I really like you…
Me: sure, when? J
Calum: Wait, you're serious? How about tomorrow after your work?
Me: Sure, I finish at 3 o' clock tomorrow.
Calum: how about I pick you up at 4.30 then?
Me: Great! I'll see you then!
Calum: see ya!
I squealed happily, catching the attention of Alissa.
"You seem happy." She smiled, sitting beside me.
"Calum asked me on a date." I responded, my excitement bubbling through my veins.
"Finally!" she exclaimed, her face breaking into one massive grin.
"What do you mean 'finally'?" I retorted with a laugh.
"Never mind." She shrugged, before continuing. "When's he picking you up? Can I babysit Alex? Can I help you get ready?"
I laughed at my older sister's excitement before nodding in agreement. "So, when are you getting with Luke?" I asked, pouring myself a cup of tea.
"What?" She blinked, embarrassment flooding her face.
"It's obvious that you like each other." Im surprised there aren't rumours from the media about it yet. You guys were practically undressing each other with your eyes." I sniggered, laughing at Alissa's bright red face.
"Was it really that obvious?" She whispered, her shock taking over.
I nodded in return and passed her a mug of tea.
We curled up on the sofa next to each other and put on American Horror Story, us both drooling over Evan Peters.