better version ; fletcher

back to nyc

we arrived back in new york this morning after a very early flight, its now 11am, megan has just arrived to pick us up. "hey guys!" she says getting out of her car and coming over, hugging us all individually. she helps us get our bags in the trunk and then we all get in the car, reggie and alex in the back and me in the front. "it feels weird having you all here with no cari" meg says, pulling out of the airport car park, already getting stuck in new york traffic. "I know its quiet without her" reggie says.

I look down at my phone as it vibrates seeing messages coming from our group chat.

cari
text me when you guys arrive back in new york so I know your there safely. I'm just sat chilling in the venue in houston texas, I might go and have a walk around in a bit tho.
received at 11:03am

alex
we are here now, megs just picked us up and were on our way home. houston is nice go for a walk around. get some food.
received at 11:03am

cari
literally just got in a taxi now to go and get some food haha.

received at 11:07am

alex
the weather looks beautiful
received at 11:08am

cari
whats it like there?
received at 11:08am

me
the snows gone, it's rainy and cloudy and we're stuck in traffic, I'm falling asleep :(

sent at 11:09am

cari
aw I wish I could come and give you a cuddle
received at 11:10am

"what are you guys doing" meg says, me and alex both look up from our phones and laugh. "were talking to cari" I tell her she quickly glances over seeing the message and then looks back to the road. "tell her that ill cuddle you its fine" she says and we both laugh, alex typing the message out.

alex
meg said its okay she will cuddle her.
received at 11:12am

my phone begins ringing, its cari trying to facetime me. I accept the call and she appears on the screen smiling. "meg, hands off" she says, with a fake serious look on her face. I turn my phone so its facing megan, as she laughs and hits my thigh gently. "erm excuse me no touching" she says, alex and reggie laughing in the back of the car. alex leans forward so her face is on camera beside mine. "what food are you getting?" she asks her best friend who looks towards her band mates to see if they know.

"I actually have no idea actually, i'll send pictures to you when I figure it out. what are you guys doing today" she replies to her. "probably napping" I say, yawning straight after it, cari smiling at me. "I think its a takeout and a couple drinks kind of night" meg says, looking relieved as we finally get out of the traffic. I look out the window as we start heading through the city, it all still being pretty unrecognisable to me.

"are we here?" I hear cari ask someone who replies saying yeah. she unbuckles her seatbelt and gets out of the car, I see her eyes scanning her surroundings. "okay well, I better go guys. alex you now can't shout at me because I've facetimed you today" she says to her best friend as she looks back at her phone screen. "okay i'll let you off for today then" alex responds, sitting back in her seat now out of view of the camera.

"I'll call you tonight before my show beautiful" she says to me, biting her lip a little. "okay, enjoy your food I'll speak later" I respond. "bye" she says before the phone call ends and she disappears off my screen again.

//

finally 20 minutes later we are back at the apartment, I'm so tired I can't even explain it. meg unlocks the door and we all quickly pile inside, relief hitting my body because I'm finally home. I drag my suitcase down the hallway to my room, glancing into cari's empty one as I go past it. I shut my door behind me and put my suitcase near my closet which I will sort out later on. I grab some sweatpants and a hoodie, changing into them getting myself more comfy.

I walk back into the kitchen once I'm done and grab a snack out of the pantry, sitting down on the sofa with one of cari's blankets over me as I eat it, watching whatever reggie has put on the tv. now I'm home it feels so weird not having her here.

//

later on in the evening

my phone begins vibrating, waking me up from my nap. I answer the call seeing cari faceTiming me. "oh shit did I wake you up?" she asks, her phone propped up on the bathroom sink which she is leaning her arms on. now dressed in some red pants and a cropped black vest. "yeah its okay, I need to get up anyway" I say seeing that the time is 8pm. I hug onto my bed covers, watching her as she gets her ear monitors put on. "I miss you" she says, leaning her elbow on the sink and resting her chin in her hand.

"I miss you too, are you nervous for your show" I ask her and she nods. "yeah a little" she admits, keeping her eyes on me as her team continue to walk in and out of the bathroom. "how do I look?" she asks, doing a little spin making me smile.

"you look good, you always do" I tell her, making her smile and then bite her lip. she groans and throws her head back in frustration, "I wish I was in that bed with you right now" she says to me, licking her lips as she focuses on me again. "I know, I could use a cari cuddle right now" I tell her and she sighs.

"I meant too ask you something actually, the last two nights of the tour are new jersey and then new york. will you fly out to new jersey for me and you can see me and you can meet my family and see where I'm from" she questions me. I smile at her and nod, "of course I will" I say to her.

"if you send me all of your passport details i'll get it sorted for you, I'm looking forward to it" she tells me, with a happy look on her face. I grab my passport and hold it up to the screen so she can see it all, she takes a screenshot and thanks me. but our facetime soon has to come to an end when her tour manager shouts her saying its time. "okay I've gotta go, ill speak to you soon beautiful" she says.

"bye, enjoy the show".

//

findingxfletcher: thank you houston, see you tomorrow dallas.