The flight to LA was a go. 10AM Colorado time and two of the guys plus Alexa were safely buckled into their seats, tray tables up, and the plane currently taking off, only fifteen minutes off schedule.
"I can't wait to get home," Kendall said staring out the window as the plane made its ascent into the air.
"And to Jo," James muttered from the seat in front.
"Hey, you're just as anxious to see Lucy."
"Yep!" James brightened. "And she'll actually be here this time," he referred to returning home from the tour over the summer.
"What about you, Alexa?" Kendall turned to the girl sitting next to him in what would have been Carlos's seat.
"Promise not to tell Carlos?"
"You're cheating on him!" Kendall exclaimed.
"Yep." Alexa shook her head. "Do you promise not to tell?"
"I can't keep something like that quiet from my best friend," James responded.
"I'm not cheating on him."
"But you sa—"
"I wasn't serious."
"Whatever you have to say we won't tell unless it does hurt Carlos," Kendall warned.
"It doesn't hurt Carlos. You know I wouldn't do that. Anyway, I'm moving into the Palmwoods."
"Why?" James asked.
"Did you burn your place down?" Kendall asked at the same time.
"I know it's much smaller place than my current place, much smaller, but Carlos lives there. I thought about asking him to move in with me, but I'm not sure he's ready for that. So, this is the next best thing."
"But, it's the Palmwoods," James whined.
"It used to be known as the Home of the Future Famous, but ever since you four moved in, it's gotten an upgrade. And I've heard about your bodyguards."
"Bodyguards?" James raised an eyebrow.
"Your fans keep the paparazzi away."
"Oh yeah, that." He turned to face front and then immediately turned back around. "I forgot to tell Fallon I was leaving! I mean, I know she's not my girlfriend, but she is a friend who does deserve to know."
"You can call her when we land," Kendall said.
"She'll hate me for sure."
"You'll never see her again," was obviously the wrong thing to say. James glared at him and slumped in his seat.
Alexa sighed.
"What's wrong?" Kendall asked.
"I feel bad for suggesting Carlos wait to fly back with Logan."
"Waiting a few days will be good for his concussion."
"Yeah, but my motive was purely selfish. I want to get moved into the Palmwoods before he gets home. If he hadn't injured himself I probably would've left last week. I'm not a bad girlfriend, am I?
"You're moving into the Palmwoods for him."
Alexa slept with her head on Kendall's shoulder and James sat in the row above listening to music on his mp3 player. Actually, he might have been asleep, as well. Kendall watched out the window as the plane began its descent into LAX. He thought James had to turn off his electronic device, but he didn't say anything. It was the flight attendants' job and if they weren't going to do it…
"Hey, Carlos," Alexa said into her phone as soon as they landed.
Kendall texted Logan that they arrived. He knew Jo was not working that day so he planned to surprise her. He also texted his mom and Katie they'd be home soon. Of course in LA soon could mean anywhere from fifteen minutes to two hours.
"James." He tapped his best friend on the shoulder.
"On the phone with Lucy," he hissed.
"I know," Kendall hissed back. "I want to surprise Jo so tell her not to say anything."
"She's in her apartment alone. You have nothing to worry about."
"Gustavo Rocque," Kendall read when his phone began to ring.
"Dog, I hear you're back in LA."
How did he do that? They just landed and hadn't even exited the plane yet. He was pretty sure Logan, Carlos, Lucy, Katie, nor his mom contacted him.
"We're still on the plane."
"8 AM tomorrow. I want to see you at the studio."
"Logan and Carlos aren't with us."
"I know—wait, where's Carlos?"
"You know he suffered another concussion last week. He'll be flying back with Logan in a few days."
"Hm," Gustavo seemed at a loss for words. "You and James be at the studio at 8 AM. We'll fit Logan and Carlos in when they get home."
The break was officially over.
"Home!" James cried when the limo pulled up to the Palmwoods. The three climbed out with only their carry-ons as everything else had been shipped home—including Kendall's guitar. Alexa asked to be dropped off at the Palmwoods so she could check out her new apartment which Jo and Camille had helped her obtain while she was away.
"Lucy!" James shouted when they entered the lobby. She had come down to wait once he called her. He dropped his bag and ran to her, enveloping her in a tight hug, taking in the scent of her hair, her skin, of her.
"Gosh, I missed you."
"Me, too." She looked deep into his eyes and crashed her lips into his. James's knees went weak and if he hadn't been leaning on Lucy he probably would have fallen down. Feeling Kendall watching Lucy pointed toward the pool not breaking contact with James.
Kendall stepped to the door and watched. Camille and Jo sat with their legs in the pool. Looking up Camille caught Kendall's eye. He put his finger to his lips and she abruptly turned Jo for her back to be to the door.
"What are you doing?" Jo asked.
"I'm uh…do I have something on my face?" Camille quickly came up with.
Kendall placed his hands over Jo's eyes.
"Guess who?"
"Dad!" Jo squealed.
"Gee thanks."
Kendall sat down next to his fiancée. Turning to him, she kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Home for good?"
"Well, until the next tour, but yeah, long time." He grabbed her left hand and practically shoved it in Camille's face. "Have you seen this thing? Isn't it gorgeous?"
"Yeah," Camille laughed. "Congratulations! Have you picked a date?"
"Not yet," Jo replied. "I'm kind of thinking maybe a long engagement?"
"Oh, why keep the man waiting?"
She shrugged. "I don't know."
Kendall rubbed her shoulders. "I know you're nervous. If you want to wait a little while we can wait."
"Thanks." She pecked his lips.
"I miss Logan," Camille muttered.
Logan yawned. He had been up late last night studying. While his two buds, Kendall and James, were flying over the western United States he was sitting in Room 232 of McEzra Hall ready to begin his Biology exam. He sipped the coffee he bought from the university coffee shop after Carlos dropped him off. He had arrived a bit early being that he had to be dropped off before Carlos took everyone else to the airport.
"So, this is it, huh?" Alicia sat down next to Logan in her usual spot.
"Looks like it."
"So, uh, we're not going to see each other after this." She pulled two yellow number 2 pencils out of her purse.
"Probably not. I leave tomorrow for California."
"Yeah…um, so, uh, are you, uh, doing anything, uh, tonight? I thought maybe, uh, we could, um, go get something to eat or something, you know, just to say, uh, say goodbye?"
"I don't know." Logan fiddled with the blue pencil he had placed on his desk. "I kind of already planned to have a guy's night with Carlos, you know, since James and Kendall already left. You know I have a girlfriend whom I love very much so it probably wouldn't be a good idea anyway."
"Yeah." She looked away. Logan knew he had disappointed her. He hated disappointing people, even the ones who annoy him.
"Hey, we can still keep up with each other via email or whatnot."
"Yeah, cool," she smiled weakly.
"Good luck on the exam."
"You, too."
Almost an hour later Logan put down his pencil. This was mostly a multiple choice test, but the last ten answers required written answers. This was supposed to be the typical freshman introduction class, but maybe the teacher was a sadist or something. Turning in his answer sheet, Logan exited the building, grateful that he'd finished before Alicia. She was a nice enough girl, but she just went on-and-on. Maybe a part of him would miss her, but he didn't think so. But, again, it was nice to have some sort of friend in class. He didn't have that in Calculus.
With an hour to kill Logan headed for the library. He should've brought his Calculus notes so he could study but the mad rush that morning with James, Kendall, and Alexa leaving, he forgot. He headed to the second floor where some of the non-fiction materials were kept and found a good book, What is Life by Erwin Schrodinger, and read.
Or rather, he tried to read. His mind kept going back to how he was going to miss these classes. Maybe not so much the classes themselves, but he really enjoyed learning. He knew he had to find a way to take a few classes back in Los Angeles.
If you read Big Time Baby I did just start a new chapter the other day. I've been caught up in this story so it's getting most of my attention. Only a handful of chapters left!