45" ▪︎ a.i.

37"

"So, you'll be on the upcoming tour with the band as their personal photographer, on stage and off stage. Ryan will join in on some occasions. But you'll be the main photographer. This contract is for the upcoming tour and the following tours if either of us doesn't resign.", their head of management explained. That last sentence left me in a shocked state. I had expected a contract for the next tour, but not for all of them. I looked over at Ashton, but he seemed just as shocked as I felt. The meeting ended soon after, and we walked back to his car. 

"You didn't know about the long-term part, did you?", I asked, while getting in the car. 

"No, and I'm not sure any of the other boys did. But I'm really happy about it. We were already happy they agreed to one tour, so this is even better.", he replied, and I was glad he felt that way. For a second there, I was worried, he was afraid to plan this far ahead. 

"So, when were you planning on talking to your mother?" I looked out the window, trying to find an answer to a question I've been asking myself for a while now. 

"I don't really know, I'll probably talk to my uncle first, he should have some time to find someone to replace me at the store and maybe he has some advice regarding my mom.", I eventually replied. 

"Good idea. I have a song writing session with the Calum and Michael tomorrow, but if you want me to tag along, I'll reschedule that.", he offered, but I shook my head. 

"I'll be fine, it's just my uncle. Don't worry. I'll take the car though.", I said, and he laughed at the last part, telling me that I of course could have it. We arrived at his and I immediately texted Sav and Luke, telling them about the news. They were both excited and like we guessed Luke knew nothing about the other tours. Seeing this future ahead of me should make me the happiest I've ever been, but there was still that dark cloud in the shape of my mother hanging right above me, just waiting to unload the rain and storm it's been holding the last years. 

I hoped that the conversation with my uncle tomorrow would help ease that feeling a bit. He had been talking to her still, so he knows what she's like and maybe he'd have some advice. To say I'm anxious about tomorrow would be an understatement and if Ashton noticed it, he didn't mention anything and instead pulled me down to his drums, still trying to teach me how to play. It was the best distraction I could have asked for and spending the afternoon with him like this is something I've really missed. We didn't really have the time lately, just to spend it alone, not having to write songs or be somewhere. So to be able to sit here with him, phones turned off and left upstairs, trying to hold that damn beat while I know he's asking himself how I can't do that...it's refreshing.

The day ended way too quickly, and the new day came too fast. Before I knew it, I was in the car on my way to the record store, ready to tell my uncle that I had to quit the job I've done for years. However, that wasn't the part I was nervous about...

I arrived at the store and parked the car. The familiar ringing when I opened the door almost felt nostalgic. I hadn't been here too often the last week as I was always busy with Ryan or writing sessions. The store wasn't too packed, but that wasn't anything that worried me these days. It usually was full of people that enjoyed vinyl as much as we did, and regularly bought something too. At some point it had just picked up and the concert evenings did the rest. Ashton and Calum had been photographed there, and even though there were no fans camping outside of the store to wait for them, it still worked to bring some attention.

"Hazel, happy to see you found your way back.", my uncle greeted me, and I returned the greeting. 

"So, what brings you here? You weren't scheduled to come in and it's fairly quiet today." 

"Yeah, I've noticed, I wanted to talk about something.", I started, not really having thought through how to approach the topic. 

"Go on then.", he encouraged, and I decided just to straight out tell him. 

"Yesterday I signed the contract with the bands management. I'm their new band and tour photographer." I expected my uncle to be happy, but we were never really ones to show affection, so when he hugged me with the biggest smile on his face, I knew he must be truly happy for me. 

"I better start looking for someone new then?", he asked, after pulling away, and I nodded, laughing slightly. I had hoped that he wouldn't take it personally. We talked about the job a bit more, I told him that we'd go on tour after the album is finished and that I wasn't only in charge for concert photography but also everything else. 

"Are you gonna tell your mother about it? After all, it's what you always promised you'd achieve and everything she always said you would never be able to.", he asked, and I was kind of glad he was the one to mention her, because I still wasn't sure if I would've backed out. 

"I'm planning on meeting up with her, maybe even later today, see if she's at home.", I told him, and he nods, telling me that she should be home because she works from there these days. 

"She does ask about you, you know? But I haven't told her much, thought you'd want to do that one day. She doesn't know about that Ashton guy or your photography taking off, but it's been all over the internet, so I don't know if she picked up on it.", he added, and I nodded, not really knowing what to say. That seemed to happen often whenever the conversation involved my mother. 

"I probably should get going then before I think this through too much.", I admitted, and he knew I was right, so we said our goodbyes and I promised to update him on the conversation with my mom. I walked to the car and started the short drive to my childhood home.