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I followed Luke closely as we went into the house, several people in the living room immediately standing, huge smiles on their faces.

"Lukey!" A lady exclaimed, pulling him into a big hug, the other guys getting the same treatment from what I assumed was their mothers as I stood awkwardly, praying I wouldn't feel this out of place the whole time.

"So, hows America?" Ben asked- which I immediately wanted to thank God for.

"It's good- just hot" I laughed out lightly, seeing him slowly nod in agreement.

"Australia is much hotter" he spoke slowly.

"And we've got massive spiders and frogs-" "is that something that you guys actually brag about?" I laughed out, knowing that would be the last time I would brag about to someone new.

"Yes" he laughed out lightly, making me laugh with him before I heard my name.

"Aaliyah- this is my mom-" "Aw my Aaliyah, I've seen so many pictures, I'm so excited to finally be able to see your pretty face in person!" The woman interrupted Luke, pulling me into a tight hug- which I was not prepared for.

I hugged her back, seeing Luke smiling to the two of us.

"We have so much to do, so much catching up to do." She spoke, holding my arms as she pulled away, looking to me.

"Mom- chill, you're going to overwhelm her" Luke laughed out, pulling me out of his moms grip and into his own.

He covered her mouth at the sight of us having a simple second of affection.

"Where's my camera- I finally have a grandchild and I haven't taken any pictures-" she spoke as she left the room, making Luke let out the smallest laugh.

"Welcome home, pretty girl" Luke spoke quietly.

I got introduced to each of the guy's parents and siblings- who all seemed overly excited and happy.

I certainly was not used to that.

Soon everyone was sitting, the guys talking about work and at home life, the families coming back with their own stories.

I was seated between Jack and Luke, and the more talking that we did- the more tired I got.

I found myself fully fighting my sleep- having to bounce my knee to stay awake.

Just as Luke had finished talking- Ben taking over with another story, Luke looked to me, lightly touching my knee, making to cease the bouncing.

Anxiety?" He whispered to me, knowing that was one of my anxiety symptoms.
"Just tired" I whispered back, seeing the smallest smile take over his mouth.

Luke.

Her eyes stayed bloodshot, but no one pointed it out.

We had to keep her awake until at least close to bed or this week would be a miserable time zone transfer week.

I ended up announcing to everyone that I was going to show Aaliyah around, asking if anyone wanted to come with us- but only Jack accepted the offer.

I made Jack get in the backseat- telling him I wanted Aaliyah to have the full view, but in reality I needed to be able to wake her up without yelling her name.

As I drove her past our old school, the old park, the old stores we used to shop at.

"And that's Ashton's house" I spoke, pointing to it as we passed it.

I watched her slowly rub her eyes.

"You okay?" I laughed lightly to her, knowing this was killing her.

"My eyes just burn" she spoke quietly, looking to me after.

"About seven more hours and everyone will be going to sleep" I told her truthfully, knowing it was already evening time and knowing my parents never stayed up too late.

We ended up going back to my moms house, where we got almost everyone in the backyard to play volleyball.

This is something Aaliyah participated in, but you could tell she tired, because she normally would've already won the game, but instead she was tiredly running after the ball, barely hitting it.

Once the game was over, she came to me

"Do you have some eye drops?"

I brought her inside and to my room, where I had put my bag.

I searched through a few medicines- finding a small thing of eye drops.

I gave them to her- watching her put barely a drop in each eye.

"That's not going to do anything" I laughed to her.

"Yes it will" she argued with the smallest smile.

"No, it takes atleast two drops to start working" I spoke.

"I can't drown my eyeball-" "then let me do it."

After a ten minute argument over her not wanting more eye drops and me knowing that, that would be her only relief- she soon let me slowly drop them into her eyes, seeing her immediately shut them, the excess running down her cheeks.

"I like your family" she spoke as I assisted her in wiping the medicine off her cheeks.

"I'm so so glad to hear that"