Place In Me -l.r.h

11- Reeling... And Rizzo

RJ's POV

I felt all of their arms around me as I listened to their soft cries, man were we broken. I don't know how much time went by but we laid against pillows on the floor just letting the tears flow. The whole night felt like a fever dream, it was hard to comprehend that I spent hours in my living room crying with my best friends over the worst thing imaginable.

"How long did we lay here?" I asked.

"I'm not sure but I can tell we all needed this, and that's okay. Sometimes you just need a good cry, I know I did." Calum spoke up.

"I second what he said, we all really needed this. We just needed a minute, or an hour to actually acknowledge how we feel about this, and you know when we're all together, and if we're feeling the same way, it's easier to let it out because we all understand how each other feels."

"Geez, Ashton. But you're not wrong, that's probably the best way to put it."

"What can I say, I'm a wordsmith of sorts." Ash chuckled.

"But now what? I don't know what to do."

"At the moment, maybe we could watch a movie but a funny one," Mikey spoke up, "But in the long run, I don't think we know what to do either so just take it day by day, and we'll be here when you need us."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Now what movie?"

"This is gonna sound weird since I'm like twenty-something but Happy Feet?"

"As in the penguin movie?" Cal asked.

"Yea, ya know the cartoon, it was Leah and I's favorite, it's where she got her penguin obsession from." I laughed.

"You had me at penguins." Luke laughed and I just smiled.

"Okay, it's settled. Happy Feet it is, I'll make the popcorn. Can you guys make sure not to destroy anything while I'm in the kitchen?"

"RJ, you know we can't promise that," Ash yelled as I shook my head walking away.

I was in the kitchen listening to the popcorn pop as I was interrupted,

"RJ, your phone. Liz but the other one, not my mom." Luke screamed.

"Bring it to me?" I asked.

Luke brought me the phone and I answered it,

"Aunt Liz, what's going on?"

"Don't worry, I'm not calling with bad news." I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding in, "I just wanted to see if you were back at your house or the apartment. Rizzo is eager to see you, but I wanted to give you some time before I gave him back, he misses you."

"Oh shit," I laughed, "I kind of completely forgot you had him with you, I've been a little scatterbrained lately. I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

"Not at all, the girls and I love having him over but we figured it's time to take him home."

"Yea, I miss the dude. I'm at the house and the boys are over, but I don't think they'll mind if you bring him back today."

"Sounds good, I'll make sure to get all his toys packed up and I'll be there within the hour or so."

"Thank you, I'll see you then."

"Everything okay? No one died right?" Cal laughed as I walked back in with the popcorn.

"Too soon Cal, too soon," Mikey said, hitting him in the arm.