𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 - 𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐋 [✓]

𝟏𝟖. 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐎

𝙼𝙰𝚈 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟿 | 𝙾𝚇𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙳

Elizabeth had imagined that a few days in the UK would give her time to see Liliana and even travel up north to see her parents and Rebecca. However it ended up with her getting dragged to a studio in Oxford, so the band could work in a more 'familiar setting' on some of their new songs. Matty had been working to an unrealistic deadline and stressing over releasing the new album the whole time they were on the road, and he was hoping that going back to the place he practically called home would help him focus.

"I can't fucking do this." he sighed in annoyance, head resting in his hands as he stressed over writing lyrics to a beat George had lying about for years.
"Go and take a breather or something then, have a smoke and some fresh air." George suggested, hoping it would get rid of him for a bit so he could focus more.

Matty nodded, leaving the room and everyone in it behind. "The man is going to turn grey before he finishes this song." Ross stated, shaking his head at his friend.

Everyone chuckled, "I don't remember him getting this stressed back in the day." Elizabeth added, remembering how easily inspiration struck him when they were younger.
Adam laughed, "That's because he wrote about himself being a whore and doing drugs, now he's tied down and mostly clean."
"Touché."

Jamie walked into the room, about to say hi and question what Matty was doing outside before noticing Elizabeth. "Oh Elizabeth, I didn't realise you were here, that's very helpful actually. Hi everyone." he glanced around the room, everybody greeting him back.

He looked to Elizabeth, "Whenever you get the free time, can you just take a few shots of everyone around the studio. Even better if they don't know they're having their photo taken, people love that sort of stuff, for the behind the album thing we're doing with Spotify."

"I didn't even know about that." Ross interrupted his manager with his confusion. "Well it all happened a bit fast but I'm realising all of our recent photos are mid-performance, it'd look better with a mix."

She nodded at her instructions, "On it, I think I left my camera in the suitcase so I'll run and grab that."

Elizabeth re-entered the room, only to see George sitting alone at the computer with headphones on. She could tell he was listening to something by the way his head bobbed in tempo, instead of interrupting him she chose to sit on one of the sofas further away from where he was. She flicked through some photographs she'd taken recently and left on the SD card, ones of the band dancing about on the bus looking stupid but smiling really brightly together.

She decided she may as well start taking photographs now, holding the camera up to her face and fiddling with the settings before focusing on George. Perfecting the lighting and positioning of the shot before she took it with a loud 'click'.

The man in front of her jumped slightly, turning to look at her. "Fucking hell I didn't know you came in."
She snickered, not wanting this conversation to last very long and hoping somebody else would come in soon.

She put her hands up in defence, "Sorry, just following Jamies orders. Didn't think you'd hear me take it."
He shook his head and shrugged, "No bother, just a bit of warning would've been nice."

He smiled at her and she froze awkwardly, something she never usually did but since finding out what Gabby had told her, she hated having conversations with George. "Anyway I should probably go and take more photos of the others."

A puzzled look appeared on his face, "That's unlike you, taking one photo and then being done. We always make fun of you for taking about forty photos for every one that got used."
She pursed her lips and her smile turned into a grimace, she knew he was right and as she checked the photograph it wasn't up to her standards.
"Well if you get back into the zone I'll take some more candid photos of you, that's what the man in charge is after." he laughed at how she referred to Jamie and nodded.
"I'll get back to work then."

Every part of Elizabeth hated ignoring George, she planned on being civil with him and attempting to switch to complete lack of conversation has been near impossible for her, regardless of her employment situation. She took more photographs that George was partially aware of, moving around the room a bit more for some different angles.

He looked at her funny when she stood up on the opposite side of the table in front of him to get a different angle of himself and the boards with hundreds of sliders and buttons on in the same shot. "Don't ask." she stated, taking a shot of him looking up with furrowed brows which made her chuckle.

After hopping off of the table she scanned through the images, satisfied with her selection and made an exit. Unsure if he could hear or not she uttered a "See you in a bit." and shut the door, greeted with Ross.
"Are you about to go and play your guitar? Because then I can kill two birds with one stone." she said excitedly, able to take more pictures when she was in a creative mood before the gruelling task of picking her favourites to edit.

He shook his head, "I wasn't but I can do it if you'd like."
"Would make my life a bit easier."
They turned and reentered the room she was just in, "Time for my beauty shots, don't mind us." he informed George who replied with a thumbs up, getting back to his edit.

"What do you want from me?" Ross asked, picking up the bass.

Elizabeth looked at him as he jokingly posed with the guitar, showing her disapproval of his poses with her face. "Yeah, no that's not what I want. Just play a song and look in the zone." she shut the door to the soundproof room and he managed to follow her instructions of 'looking in the zone'.

"I've been meaning to ask what's up with you and George, I'm sensing tension." he quizzed as she fiddled with the camera settings.
She let out a deep sigh. "Ross it's like primary school drama, but Gabby warned me off talking to him for Caroline's sake."

He scoffed, "Bollocks, you're all nearly thirty."
"Oh well thanks for the reminder-"
"You knew what I meant." he retorted.

She nodded, "You're not wrong though, me and George weren't as close as we were, but we're mates you know. I respect Caroline so if she wants me to back off I will but I just don't get why it's an issue now? Especially if they're over, you know?"

He nodded, agreeing with everything she was saying. "Personally I think it's stupid too, do you know why she wants you to leave him alone?" Elizabeth debated her options, she wasn't sure if it was a good idea to tell him what had happened, she didn't even know if it was breaking some sort of girl code to tell him the parts she'd already spilled.

After much mental deliberation she decided she'd tell him. "Only because I need advice I'll tell you this." he nodded. "Apparently when George was drunk one night he got into bed, completely wasted, and called Caroline 'Liza'."

Ross's mouth dropped open, "Oh shit."

She nodded, "Yeah."
"Fuck I forgot he even used to call you that. It never really stuck with anyone else."

"I know, I don't think he ever called me it after we fell out. But Caroline got paranoid because she couldn't figure out who it was, and then she figured out it was me. I feel so guilty but I know it's not my fault."
Ross tutted, "It absolutely isn't your fault, but if they've broken up for good - which I think George thinks is what's happened - then surely it's fair game?"

They both thought in silence for a second before agreeing that it wasn't. "You can't date a friend's ex, I'm also not interested in George that way anymore, but it's wrong to Caroline."

He raised an eyebrow, "But technically she dated a friend's ex first, you and him already went out back then."

She rolled her eyes, "We didn't go out back then, and Caroline obviously didn't know. She didn't even know I existed, now if I did it I'd be in the wrong."
His lips pursed into a flat line. "That's a bit of a mess you've got yourself in without even doing it to yourself. Also I think you can definitely call what you and George had dating, you were in love with each other and you can't deny it."

She let out a loud groan and began to leave the room, "You sound like literally everybody else in my life from back then, but I'm done with you now." she walked off, putting her middle finger up at him as she left.

"Don't get mad because you know I'm right."