A/N: Discalimer: I have not done anything related to ceramic in a while. Just a fair warning.

-Sunday, 23 March-

Sawyer's POV

Kaya and I were lying on her bed in her hotel room, watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Well, she was watching it. I, however, was playing with her hair (as per usual).

"Do you have to fly back tonight?" I asked her. She lifted her head and looked at me.

"Yeah. I have a massive project that I have to work on." She said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Can't your boss get someone else to do it?" She shook her head and refocused her gaze on the TV. "What time's the flight?"

"Eleven." That means I only have a few hours before she has to leave, unfortunately.

"Am I clingy?" I asked her and she chuckled.

"Hardly." She sat up and turned the TV off. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I'm always with you. I always ask you questions about where you're going when I'm not with you. How do I not classify as clingy?"

"Oh, believe me. You'd know if you were clingy. I'd make it a point to avoid you half the time if you were. And I enjoy your company, we have very nice chats." She said and got up from the bed. She walked over to her suitcase and started to refold her clothes neatly. "Are you going to that hangout thing with the Crew tonight?"

"Nah, what's the point in going when the only person that'd I'd want to hang out with won't be there?" Kaya rolled her eyes and zipped up the suitcase.

"Your best friends will be there, Sawyer. Don't be like that, because that is slightly clingy." She finished with a laugh. "Go be the young, twenty-three year old that you are and have fun. You'll see me Tuesday." I groaned and fell back on the bed.

"Fine. But I can't guarantee that I'll have fun." I told her.

"You want to go do something before I leave then?" She asked and I nodded.

"This isn't what I had in mind…" Kaya said as I pulled her through the doors of the art studio.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked as I walked up to the counter.

"I figured we'd go get dinner or something. But this is nice." She said as she looked around.

"Well, I remember you saying something about how much you like art, so here we are." I said and paid the guy behind the counter the necessary amount for two figures.

"What are you going to pick?" She asked me and I shrugged.

"I'm not gifted in the painting realm of art, so I'm not sure just yet."

"I saw a Pomeranian over there somewhere." She pointed to the other end of the studio.

"What are you going to get?" I asked her as I followed her through the place like a lost puppy.

"I got a mug." She said with a small smile. I quirked my eyebrow and cocked my head to the side.

"It's a thing between me and my mom." She clarified. "When I was younger we used to go to places like this and get mugs. We'd sit at opposite ends of the shop and paint them. Then after they were fired, we'd swap them. During our travels a few of them broke, but we still have majority of them. That's why none of mine match."

While Kaya was telling me this, she seemed distant. She was in her own little world, just her and her mom. Her eyes shone brighter than I've ever seen them, but they still held a sad twinkle. She was absentmindedly caressing the mug in her hands, and a small smile was still present on her lips.

"That sounds nice." I said and she nodded. I reached over to grab one of the little Pomeranian figures and turned it around in my hands. "So, how do you do this?"

She took the figure out of my hands and set it on the table next to us. She took hold of my hand and walked me over to where there were tons of bottles filled with liquids of muted colors. Her eyes scanned them for a few seconds before she picked up a few of the bottles.

"These are the glazes. They don't look like much, but after the pieces are fired, the color shows a lot more. They're pretty thin, so more than one coat may be needed depending on the desired look. But I'd wait until they're fired at least once to make that decision because sometimes the colors come out fine with just one coat. There's little porcelain squares in front the bottles to show you the color that the glazes are. Um, I'm pretty sure you know how to use a paint brush, yeah?" She asked me and I nodded. "Good. There should be palettes somewhere over here…" She crouched down and looked on the shelves below the bottles. After a few moments, she tapped my calf with her elbow.

"Could you be a doll and grab two of those palettes for me, please?" She asked and stood up. She walked back over to the table and set the bottles down. I reached down and picked up two of the palettes. I walked over to the table and sat down opposite her and watched as she poured the glazes into the wells of one of the palettes. She pushed it over to my side of the table, along with a few different paint brushes.

"Here you are. I got the colors that were closest to Hitch's fur color."

"Thank you." I told her and she nodded. She began pouring other colors into the other palette and picked up her mug. "What are you going to paint on yours?"

"A few landscapes that I'm quite fond of." She said and dived into her work.

A few hours later, Kaya and I were walking out of the studio hand in hand with a bag that held both of our creations. Mine looked like a toddler got a hold of it, whereas Kaya's was a little masterpiece. On one side of the mug, she had carefully painted the London landscape complete with Big Ben and the London Eye amongst other landmarks. On the other side, she painted the Hollywood sign and palm trees and I could've sworn there was a little tan dog near the 'D' of the sign. Or I could be seeing things.

"That was nice, thank you." Kaya said as we climbed into the cab that was waiting outside.

"Anything for you." I said. The drive back to the hotel was quick, almost too quick for my liking. When we arrived, I made the cabbie stay there and wait for Kaya.

"Do you have everything?" I asked her as we walked through the front doors of the hotel towards the cab.

"Yes, now stop worrying about me and go have fun with Marcus, and the rest of the crew." She said and threw her bag into the trunk. "I'll see you Tuesday."

"Yeah, Tuesday." She waved and got into the car and it drove off.

"Woo! You ready to party, mate?" Alfie asked as he jumped around. I turned around and saw everyone walking outside and shrugged.

"Woo-hoo." I said sarcastically and followed them to a long line of cabs that I hadn't noticed earlier.

"Turn that frown upside down, Sawyer-anya." Joey chirped and patted me on the shoulder.

"I'm fine." I said and shrugged his hand off of me.

"Shots!" Tyler shouted as he neared our massive table with a tray in his hand covered in tiny little glasses, filled to brim with various liquids.

"No thanks." I said when he offered me one. "I have to go see my mother tomorrow morning. I'm not going to see her with a hangover."

"Party pooper." Tyler muttered and offered a shot to Marcus who gladly took it.

"I should've stayed with Louise." I said to myself as they all got up from the table, leaving me alone. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and logged onto Twitter. There was nothing really interesting that caught my eye on my timeline so I switched to Instagram and scrolled through what seemed like thousands of posts until one caught my eye. It was a simple black and white picture of two sets of feet in the sand. Some people would overlook it and keep scrolling, but I couldn't. I literally stared at the picture for twenty minutes before double tapping it and reading the caption.

Keeping things, and people, in the dark sucks. (and apple needs to step up their emoji game.)

I chuckled and went to my messages and found mine and Kaya's conversation.

S: I know you're on a plane right now, but I'm pretty sure your Instagram post will have your followers asking you tons of questions about what you mean. And who's in the picture.

I locked my phone and set it on the sleek black table. I looked around the club that I was in and couldn't see any of the people I came here with and sighed. As a server neared the table to pick up the empty shot glasses, I asked for a glass of water. He nodded and left, coming back minutes later with a glass filled with ice and water. As I was about to take a sip my phone buzzed on the table. I sat the glass down and unlocked my phone.

K: I /would/ be on a plane, but it got delayed :( so now I have to listen to this little boy talk about superheroes and why the Avengers and the Justice League should form one cohesive group. And I am 99% sure my followers will have a field day with that post. And for all they know it could be my brother sitting next to me. Or the picture could be one that I found on Google.

S: Gotta love kids. Haha. What time is your flight supposed to get there now?

K: At three… But don't fret, I have a ton of movies on my laptop to keep me occupied.

S: I could maybe leave this place and keep you company?

K: Noooooo. You. Will. See. Me. Tuesday. Have fun with Marcus and Alfie and Joey.

S: I'd have more fun sitting through all eight harry potter movies. Or Skype-ing Darcy with Louise.

K: Whatever… you like them as much as I do :P

S: Only because you make a very attractive Hermoine Granger, so that may have gotten me more interested in them

"Hey buddy." Joey said as he sat down. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Nothing." I said and looked back down at my phone.

"You can leave if you want. You're obviously not having fun."

"No, it's fine. I really love the smell of cheap body spray, alcohol, and body odor." I said sarcastically and took a sip of my water.

"I don't understand how Kaya deals with you." I shrugged and spun the phone in my hands.

"We're equally sarcastic. It just works." I told him and drained the glass. "I'm not feeling well. I'll see you Wednesday."

"We'll both be in LA early Tuesday morning though…" Joey said, sounding confused.

"Yeah, I know that." I patted his shoulder and got up from my seat.

"O-oh… I get it now." Joey said after a few minutes. I rolled my eyes and exited the building, immediately scoping out a taxi. Once I saw one I jumped in and gave the driver the address of the hotel. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and unlocked it.

K: ... You're so annoying. Anyway, what are you doing tomorrow?

S: You love me though. I'm going to go spend the day with my mom and grandmother. Then I'll be boarding a plane at ten and coming back to LA.

K: eh… Don't push it. And that sounds lovely.

S: They are. They'd love you. Can you keep your door unlocked tomorrow night?

K: I'm sure I'd love them as well. Why? Don't you have your own apartment?

S: Yeah, well Overly Attached Boyfriend wants to see his girlfriend and you'll have Hitch, yeah?

K: Fine and yes, I will. I'm getting him as soon as my plane lands. Wouldn't want him to suffer in an overpriced dog hotel. And who called you that? I wouldn't say 'overly'… mildly is more like it.

S: Thank you…?

K: You're welcome. So are you still not enjoying the little hang out?

S: I left like twenty minutes ago.

K: Really?! :\

S: Yup. And there's nothing you can do about it :P

K: You're unbelievable.

S: It's not like they'll notice that I left. Only Joey knows that I did. Well, it's late. And I'm probably being annoying, so I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you Tuesday.

K: I'm pretty sure they'll notice, Sawyer… But yeah, goodnight. And you're not annoying me. x

I slid my phone in my pocket and handed the driver some money before walking into the hotel. I eagerly welcomed the silence of my surroundings and went up to my room.

I changed into a pair of sweats and sat on the edge of my bed and stared at the bag that contained my little Pomeranian figure. I got up and snatched it out of the bag and took a picture of it and went on Instagram.

I should really stick to filming videos… I typed and uploaded it. I placed my phone on the nightstand and turned the lights off. I tossed and turned for an hour before I fell into a dreamless slumber.

-Monday, 24 March-

"Alright, I'm out. I'll see you on the plane." I told Joey as I walked out of the hotel room. I got on the elevator and rode it down to the lobby. I saw a few YouTubers walking through to go get some lunch, or a very late breakfast, and waved on my way out of the building. The cab I had called was sitting directly outside the doors and I threw my suitcase in the trunk and got in.

The ride to my mother's house was long, but the scenery was a plus. I missed this place a lot. But I loved LA, and my whole life was in LA so it'd be hard to just come back to Florida. When the cab pulled up to her house, I hopped out quickly, grabbed my stuff, and paid the driver.

"Sawyer!" My mom said and waved to me from the front step.

"Hey mom." I called back and walked across the lawn to the door. I hugged her tightly and followed her inside.

"How have you been?" She asked as I sat my bag down.

"I've been good." I told her and sat down on the couch. "Do you and grandma want to go get some lunch?" I asked and she nodded.

"So Sawyer, how has my little love muffin been?" my grandmother asked me and I blushed at the nickname she gave me when I was born.

"I've been fine, grandma." I told her and she gave me a small smile.

"How's your love life?" My mother shot her a look and I shrugged it off.

"It's nice."

"Do you have yourself a girlfriend?"

"Yup."

"Is she nice, respectful? Come from a nice family? Good relationship with her parents?"

"Yes, yes, and yes." I told her and she nodded.

"Good, what's she like?" She asked.

"Mom." My mother said and I waved her off.

"It's fine, mom. Um… Well, she's really nice. Very caring." I told them and chuckled. "When she first moved into the complex, she made me and Joey dinner for helping her. She's a phenomenal cook. She has two brothers, a twin and a younger one. Very active, loves music. She actually works with one of the top record labels."

"Really?" my mom asked and I nodded. "Do you have any pictures of this mystery girl?" I nodded again and went to the photos on my phone.

"Um, there are a ton of them so just scroll through them. And her name is Kaya." My mom and grandmother flicked through the pictures and looked from the phone to me and back to the phone repeatedly. Most of the pictures were of us pulling weird faces, but some were normal pictures, and some were just of Kaya doing random things like reading or making a mix.

"She looks lovely. How long have you two been together?" My grandmother asked me.

"A month. But I fell for her immediately when I saw her."

"Sawyer, I don't want you to get hurt." My mother said in a cautious tone.

"I'm not going to get hurt. Kaya wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Well, since she won't be hurting you, maybe she could get you to call us more often…" My grandma said and I instantly felt bad.

"You know I'm busy." I told them. "But she talks to her parents every week, and her brother every day, so maybe that'll rub off on me."

"Yeah, that'd be wonderful." I rolled my eyes at my mom and continued eating.

"Flight 174 to LAX now boarding."

I stood up from my spot on a bench and walked down to the gate. I passed through security quickly and boarded the plane. I walked to my seat and threw my carryon in the overhead compartment and sat down. I was like a walking zombie. Much like Kaya's plane, mine had been delayed as well so instead of boarding the plane at 10:15, Joey and I had to wait and board the plane at 12:47 in the morning. Of course we didn't spend that extra time just doing nothing. No, we occupied ourselves by playing a rather boring game of "Go Fish", which ended fairly quickly. Then after that, we were left sitting in the airport, dead on our feet, wishing to just be home already.

The thing that sucked the most though was the fact that I was in the window seat while Joey had the aisle seat. Normally I'd be fine with that, but I drank like five million bottles of water today and I had a feeling that I'd be frequenting the tiny little bathroom a lot during the flight. He wouldn't switch with me though, no matter what I offered him.

I also couldn't sleep during the flight. My body desperately wanted for me to pass out and get a few hours of undisturbed sleep, but my mind was too hyped up for some reason. Maybe it's because I'll be reunited with Hitch. I couldn't stand being away from him, even if it was for such a short amount of time to go to the store. It was terrible. Maybe it was because I have to upload a video later today and I wanted it to be perfect. Or maybe it's because I'll be able to treat my addiction to a certain person who would be sleeping right now.

Yeah, I've come to the conclusion that I have an addiction to Kaya. It's not a physical addiction because we haven't done anything like that except for make out here and there. It's more of a psychological and emotional addiction. She's so open, like a journal personified. It's different from what I've experienced. It's refreshing, and it's making me more open. I talk about feelings and shit, and while that used to scare the living hell out of me, I've been feeling a lot more confident in myself. It's weird. But it's a good weird.

She's also really funny. But serious at the same time. It's like she has a switch and can flip between the two at the blink of an eye. And she's so smart, too. I overheard her Skype session with Alex the other day and was blown away by the knowledge that she possess about everything. He was beyond confused about some class called Theory of Knowledge (which sounds like a joke of a class) and she just dove into the different lenses of perception like it was nothing. I still have no idea what she was talking about, and I don't plan to because I fear that my head will explode if I try to wrap my head around it. And then she started talking about the Area's of Knowledge and the Ways of Knowing. That's where I stopped listening and went back to editing a video for Joey.

She may not have been into any of the main classes that you have to take in high school, but she sure retained information like a sponge. It's interesting just listening to her theories. It's interesting to just listen to her talk in general. She knows how to carry a conversation easily, it's not forced. She knows when you don't really feel like talking, so she'll just stay silent and communicate through looks or touches.

She's delicate, like a dainty little flower. She's comparable to a calla lily, in that at first glance she's cloaked in this white gossamer sheet that just exudes purity. But once you get deeper, that white slowly turns into black and she transforms into a beautiful black rose. She's shrouded in this mysterious air that keeps you guessing. She's been through a lot, and I don't even know majority of what she's been through. But I do know that whatever has happened to her in the past has taken that lily hostage and replaced it with the rose. Both are equally beautiful, but I can tell that she's desperately trying to regain hold on that lily.

I spent the whole flight just thinking about random things. Joey spent it snoring next to me and I envied him. We got off the plane and grabbed our bags silently. The cab ride back to the apartments was silent as well. And Kaya's door was unlocked just like I asked. Hitch was sleeping on one of her jackets that had fallen off of the hook onto the floor. She'd either be extremely pissed about that, or she wouldn't care. I don't think she'd care, but I still picked it up, shook it off, and hung it back up. I locked the door quietly and slipped my shoes off. The apartment was dark and silent for the most part. The only thing that could be heard was Jay-Z's Magna Carta…Holy Grail playing.

"That an interesting album to listen to while you're sleeping." I said to myself and walked through the apartment. I passed Kaya's shut bedroom door and lied down on the couch. I was out in a few minutes.

"Hitch, stop." Kaya whispered. "You have to wait a few more seconds."

I peeked my eye open and watched as Kaya slipped her Nike's on and clipped Hitch's leash to his collar. She grabbed her keys and left the apartment quietly. I took that as my cue to get up and walked into the kitchen. Sitting on the counter was a piece of notebook paper. I picked it up and read it.

Sawyer, I went for a run and took Hitch with me. Back in an hour or so. X Kaya

I set it back down and rummaged through her fridge. I pulled out a Styrofoam container and inspected its contents. Shrimp fried rice seemed like a nice breakfast food. I looked at the clock on the stove and saw that it read 2:13.

I slept for ten hours… sweet.

I grabbed a fork and leaned against the counter. I was about to take my first bit when the door opened and Kaya and Hitch entered the kitchen.

"What are you eating?" She asked me.

"Shrimp fried rice…"

"Don't eat that. I have to clean out my fridge. I think that's been in there since before we left for Playlist." I tossed the fork into the sink and the container into the trash.

"Thank you for telling me that." She nodded and continued rummaging through drawers. "What are you looking for? I thought you were going for a run?" I asked her.

"I forgot those little doggy bag things." She said as she pulled some out of a drawer and stuffed them in the waistband of her shorts. "I'll be back in a little bit." I nodded and she left again with Hitch in tow.

I looked through Kaya's cabinets and settled on having a granola bar. I returned to my spot on the couch and watched TV until she got back.

"Why aren't you at work?" I asked Kaya as she sat down on the couch.

"Artist was a no show. I can't really work on what I have to without them, so Alex sent me home." She said and I nodded.

"Have you told Alex, your brother, about us?" I asked her and she shook her head. She shifted in her spot next to me on the couch. "Why?"

"Because I haven't really felt like telling him yet. He'll ask why things didn't work with Sam, and I already know that he'll say 'I told you so' and I don't really want to deal with that." She told me and I nodded. It made sense.

"So he'll find out when everyone else does?" I asked her and she nodded.

"April twelfth."

"April twelfth." I repeated.

A/N: Cheeky little update. This chapter is the product of an un-recommended amount of allergy medicine and an unhealthy amount of no sleep. So, I'm dreadfully sorry if this chapter is lacking. It's mainly a filler. I also had a dream last night of a very good chapter idea and I'm 90% sure that I'm going to do it, and you guys are literally going to go craaaazy… It's not going to happen anytime soon. It's going to happen in the sequel so there will be some time to mentally prepare for it. Also, on a very far away side note: I'm going to Japan in July for vacation. I'll be there for 3 weeks and I'm not sure what my internet situation will be like. So for that time there may not be any updates. But that's forever and a half away. Did anyone get the IB reference with TOK? I have my IB exams in a few weeks and I'm going to get two's on my history, psych, and ESS exams. I just know it… Well, my word vomit has subsided. Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate it. -Katy