Chapter Sixteen: "He's So Big."

I SPENT OF MOST OF  the plane ride sleeping in Sam's lap.

When we got off at JFK in New York he tapped me awake and I woke up content even though it was the middle of the night here but it was near morning in Manchester.

When we got off the plane I didn't know exactly who I expect that was until we entered the airport and I heard the first person yell my nickname. "PRINCESS!"

All eyes were on Caleb in the busy airport as he ran through to people to reach Sam and I, scooping me up in a hug that made me laugh with joy of just seeing him off the screen. When he let go I took a good look at him.

He was growing his hair out and it honestly looked better, the handsome face had a scruff of facial hair on his cheeks and chin and his brown eyes had that normal crazy look in them.

"Hey Charming." I flashed him a smile, looking over at Jon Ming who was walking towards us.

"Hola Princess." Caleb kept the biggest grin on his face as he hugged me again before switching to Sam.

I watched them both stare at each other, wondering who was going to say something first. I knew Sam's pride wouldn't let him speak first but I also knew he missed his best friend a lot.

Jon Ming reached us and I hugged my close friend since the ninth grade, looking at his half blue hair that was styled a bit different then when I last remembered seeing him. He looked a more muscled and my eyes widened at the tattoo on the back of his hand in some kind of pattern.

Well he's different.

I was glad he still had those pair of Beats around his neck.

We amusedly watched Sam and Caleb stare at each other and I brought my phone out to take a video of this moment.

Caleb eventually rolled his eyes and gave Sam a small smile. "Hi."

I could tell Sam was trying to bite back a smile and he raised an eyebrow. "Hi."

That's when Caleb scowled, punching Sam in the arm and my jaw dropped. Sam winced, staring at his best friend. "What the fuck?"

"You pour your cereal first? You weirdo, you're supposed to pour the milk first."

"Are you-It's amazing how I haven't seen you for months and this is the greeting I get from you?"

Caleb's small smile morphed into the grin that everyone was so accustomed too, the smile he had could make anyone in the world smile. He embraced Sam in a hug and Sam returned it without hesitation.

Ultimate bromance.

Then Caleb proceeded to try and ruin the moment. "I missed you, damsel in distress."

"Shut up." Sam snapped, trying to let go of Caleb's embrace but Caleb wouldn't let go.

I smiled at the sight before seeing Liz and two other people walking towards us. "Justin, Dad!" I yelled, dropping my bags before running over to my family.

I wrapped my arms around the both of them feeling overwhelmed by how much I honestly missed them.

Justin shrugged away from my embrace, grumbling and fixing his hair. "Jheeze, do you have to make a scene?" I raised an eyebrow at him and he gave me an innocent look. "What? You bashed me in the face with that messy hug of yours."

I rolled my eyes and hugged him properly before turning to my dad. I tried not to react to the strand of grey hair showing in his brown hair but I clearly did when he laughed. "I know, I know, I'm getting old."

I hugged him tightly before looking over at Justin. If I didn't think this kid could get any taller, I was clearly wrong. He was probably Sam's height, sporting an inch above me than he used to be and he was actually starting to have muscles from what I could see through his shirt.

I reached out to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me and he swatted my hand away. "What is wrong with you? I didn't think England made you weirder."

I focused on his voice and that's when I realized that it was much deeper than I had heard on the phone. My face broke out in a smile and I couldn't help but hug him again. "I missed you Patrick."

"I missed you too Sandy." Justin laughed, before pulling away and yawning. "I missed you so much that I could honestly be in my bed right now instead of here."

"I know." I couldn't stop smiling at my not so- but little brother. "Did you bring it?"

Justin scoffed, reaching into his jacket pocket and handing the twinkie to me. "Of course."

I immediately took it and my dad couldn't help but laugh loudly. "So this is what happens when my children are reunited."

"Of course." I repeated what Justin said before grabbing him and putting him in a headlock in the middle of the entire airport.

Justin groaned loudly and clasped my arm trying to get out of my grip. "I hate it when you do this Macy. Get off me."

"No." I laughed, bring my fist up and give him a well deserved noogie, my fist ruffling through his hair.

Justin got out of my grip faster than he usually would've when we were younger and fixed himself, huffing. "I know I didn't miss that."

"You lowkey did." Jon Ming said, grabbing Justin and putting him in a headlock as Caleb laughed.

Sam stood beside me watching Justin tangle out of Jon Ming's grip and shove him away, swearing rather loudly. "Okay, okay," Liz said, shooting Justin a look to make him stop swearing. He blushed and looked down, his hands behind his back as she spoke. "Okay let's get going. Phillip isn't going to bed until he sees Sam and we have a wedding tomorrow."

When we were leaving the airport, Caleb just had to ask a question. "So bestie," he said to Sam, throwing an arm around him. "Did you purposely request a fuckboy haircut or...?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My dad didn't bother moving my bed after I left so the fact that I was sleeping in my bed was one of the best things on Earth right now. Not much changed to be honest and I was glad about it, I thought as I buried myself deeper into the pillow.

I was going to fall deeper and back into my sleep when suddenly a body landed on top of mine, almost crushing my lungs. "Oh my God." I wheezed, pushing the person off of me quickly and breathing in.

I held a hand to my chest and the thought of kicking that person out flew out of my mind when I saw the flash of blonde hair and the bark of a dog. "Andrew." I almost whispered, seeing my best friend in front of me.

He laughed when I literally leaped on him, giving him a hug that sent us tumbling to the ground. I looked at him fully, from his hair that was now cut from what I had seen on the screen, from his blue eyes that looked excited to see me and that stupid dimple on his cheek that had to appear.

I hugged him again and I could feel his laugh rumble through his chest. "Yeah, yeah I missed you too Mace."

"I doubt that," I told him, the both of us getting up. "You were probably too busy with football to even think of me." 

"Trust me. I missed my unbiological sister almost as much as my little sister." He said, reminding me of his four year old sister, Riley who I haven't gone to see yet.

You literally just arrived into town like four hours ago Macy, I reminded myself.

"I feel loved."

That's when Andrew held up two packages of cinnamon rolls and my eyes couldn't help but widen. He laughed and put a finger on his lips. "Don't tell Coach."

"I won't if you won't." I told him, laughing. "Just give me a second."

I ran to brush my teeth and take care of some morning stuff before I went back to my bedroom where Andrew was camped out in the middle of my bed, flicking through his phone. "How's school?" I asked, joining him.

"School's school. It's boring, it's good, and some classes are okay, some classes are boring as hell. Parties. Parties are okay. I went to one rave, it was great. I went to another rave, it was boring. So basically school is-"

"Boring," I finished for him. "I know. If something is boring even once you'll get bored of everything overall. You're weird Prescott."

"I know Anderson." He joked as we dug into our food.

"How's Cahill?" He asked me with a mouth full and I rolled my eyes, not even bothering to hand him a napkin that was in the bag.

"He's good." I trailed off, narrowing my eyes at the suspicion in Andrew's voice.

Andrew shrugged when he noticed my look. "What? I'm just looking out for you. He's my friend and everything but if he does one thing then I'll mess with him, you say the word."

I snorted and Andrew laughed as his dog, Freddy climbed up on the bed. I reached out and scratched behind his ears as Andrew continued. "I'm not lying. C'mon Mace I think I could easily take Sam down now. I got stronger."

He did look stronger but I couldn't help but snort again. "He's faster."

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Stupid soccer players."

"Shut up and stop indirectly insulting my boyfriend...and me." I pointed out.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry." He said when I threw a pillow at his face.

There's was a moment of silence when all of a sudden when I asked him the question I wanted to ask, the light of the morning shining through the curtain. "Have you heard from her?"

"Yeah, she'll be here in probably an hour." Andrew mumbled but he didn't look troubled and I figure that he and Jasmine actually have talked. It was probably just miscommunication.

Through the open door of my bedroom, I hear another sound of a door opening. Exchanging glances with Andrew, I grabbed my camera from my nightstand and we get up to go to the hallway. Justin was pacing up and down already and I almost bumped into him.

He cleaned up, looking as if he had already taken a shower and probably brushed his teeth like five times. He looked like he tried doing his hair but not to much luck and he wore presentable clothes, bouncing on his feet.

"What's going on?" Andrew asked when Justin stopped in front of us.

"She's almost here." Justin said, rubbing his hands together.

"She?" Andrew asked confused.

I sighed and smiled at the reason why my little brother was so nervous. "Emma."

"Yes Emma," Justin hissed. "Who else would I be crazy about right now? Like c'mon Andrew keep up with the program here."

Andrew shot my brother a look and Justin who would've shrunk back months ago only held his gaze. Andrew looked surprised at that before scowling. "One, don't talk to me like that. Two, stop being an asshole. Three, why are you upstairs? Go downstairs to see when she'll arrive idiot."

Justin flinched. "Oh yeah, thanks. Sorry." He ran downstairs, almost tripping over shorts that were on the ground.

Andrew and I followed him downstairs and I waited to see what would happen. I guessed my dad was still asleep when Justin had reached out to open the door quickly almost gasping.

Andrew stopped him, slamming his hand against the door to keep it closed when I looked through the curtains, seeing Emma come out of the driveway. If Emma was here too I knew someone else was here as well.

My amazing, poker playing grandmother Gigi.

"What? What are you doing? Let me see her." Justin went to open the door again and Andrew shoved him away from it, keeping his back on it.

"Are you stupid?"

"Stupid for her, yes." I answered and Justin glared at me.

"No, I'm not stupid."

"Well clearly you are. You're acting so eager." Andrew said.

Justin looked over at him with a glare that would've put him six feet under. "In case you haven't noticed, I kind of am eager to see her. I've been trying to tell her something and I finally have the chance to do it this weekend. So, you idiot, if you are going to stop me from telling that girl that I love her, I swear to God I'll kick you in the balls so hard you won't be able to ever have children."

My best friend paled and I stood there shocked. Where did my little brother Justin go?

Andrew nodded when the doorbell rang, muttering something about how us Anderson kids were violent under her breath.

Justin's eyes widened and he quickly shoved Andrew to the side. I took my camera out and started recording when he dusted the non-existence dust on him. He took a deep breath, almost shoving my camera in his nervousness before he opened the door.

"Justin!" Gigi said, squeezing the cheeks of my little brother with happiness. I heard a rumble of Italian words come out of her mouth, along the line of bambinos and you're so tall. Justin grumbled, telling her hi but clearly embarrassed.

Andrew and I were on the side laughing our butts off at this when Gigi moved onto me and I quickly hugged her as Emma stepped into view.

"Emma." He said, almost whispering in some kind of astonishment.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Andrew muttered behind me and I nudged him in the stomach with my elbow to keep him quiet.

"Hey." She smiled at him and I didn't even know who hugged the other first. All I know was that they were hugging and my lovely grandmother was gushing over them before turning to me.

"Where is your father?"

I shrugged. "Probably still sleeping."

Gigi grumbled and stomped up the stairs and I exchanged looks with Andrew. Gigi had a habit of waking up my father by whacking him with a pillow. I swear it was something I would've done when I was younger so it added to the our relation. I looked over at Emma and Justin and even though I liked Emma, I wasn't really up to the idea of watching my brother kiss his 'girlfriend' so I pretended to gag.

Justin shot me the middle finger to which I swatted his hand down and ran back upstairs with Andrew on my tail. Freddy was lying down on my floor when we returned back to eating. Just then my phone buzzed and I picked it up without checking the Caller ID. "Hello?" I asked with a mouthful of food.

"You're eating aren't you?" Stevie asked me.

"Yeah." I answered, trying to chew.

"Figures."

"Shut up." I told her, laughing as I struggled to swallow.

"Is Drew with you?" She asked me.

"Yeah." I said as Freddy barked again before finding his way on my lap and making himself comfortable.

Before I knew it Stevie entered my room and I almost flinched. She put her phone in the pocket of her skinny jeans and smiled at Andrew and I before looking down at Freddy.

Oh yeah, she wasn't a big fan of dogs.

She may look like the type of person who would probably carry a little dog in her purse and walk through LA or something but I swear to God over the months I've known Stevie any stereotypical theory that will come to a person's mind about her especially because she was blonde was irrelevant.

She backed away, past my threshold and Andrew rolled his eyes, pointing for Freddy to lie down beside him and he complied. "I don't understand how you're still scared of Freddy."

"How am I not? He's so big." Stevie said, her eyes still on Freddy as she took a cautious step inside my room.

Andrew snorted. "He doesn't even bite."

"That's what you've probably been told." Stevie countered before I got up to give my short friend a hug.

Andrew looked over at her. "I forgot how short you are." He muttered.

Stevie scowled reaching over to hit Andrew on the head and he groaned. "I forgot how annoying you are."

"How's Cahill?" He asked her, referring to Cedric.

"Why do you keep asking about a Cahill?" I asked. "Like, you're going to see them in literally an hour."

"I can't know if the guys that are dating my friends are treating them right?" Andrew asked. "Is it my fault that for some reason I actually care?"

Right then Freddy barked and Stevie visibly flinched as Andrew patted him on the head. "He's not going to hurt you." I rolled my eyes grabbing her hand towards Freddy.

She immediately took her had back. "Nuh-uh. No way. Never going to do that."

Andrew and I exchanged a glance and shrugged. "One day."

Stevie looked at both of us, raising her eyebrow when the sound of footsteps came from my open door. Before I knew it, the twins, Jacob and Brandon were shoving themselves through my bedroom and although I was glad to see them I couldn't help but want to shove them out of my room because of all the noise I knew they would cause.

I groaned loudly. "I love you all. I really do but why the heck are you at my house at..." I checked my phone, changing it from England time and wanted to scream. "At 6AM!"

"Because we heard Macy Anderson was in town and we wanted to see her since we haven't seen her in months." Jacob said, giving me the 'are you stupid' look.

Jacob, who out of our entire group probably annoyed me the most in a brotherly way. Sometimes I really wanted to kick him but this time I settled for tackling him on the ground.

He groaned instantly as I sat down on him. "What have you been eating?"

"This thing," I told him with a tight smile on my face. "It's called food."

Brandon looked down at me with a smile before helping me up. Forever the only gentleman I'll ever encounter in my amazing group of friends.  "Always the charmer Macy."

"You know it." I told him with a smile. "How's New York?"

"It's interesting," he told me. "Jacob learned that he needs to watch his mouth when walking down the street or just anywhere to be honest."

Jacob lifted himself up with ease. "That guy challenged me to a fight. He can't take a joke."

"And yet who was the one that walked away still standing? Because in case my memory serves me right you were on the ground groaning in pain and had a broken wrist."

"You and Natalie didn't even bother helping me." Jacob accused his twin brother, poking him in the chest.

Brandon rolled his eyes. "I'm not one for violence and we tried but you were so cocky. You were like, 'oh don't worry guys I got this', next thing I know you're on the ground."

Jacob scratched the back of his head, thinking of something else to say when I stepped between the two, rolling my eyes. "Besides Jacob's stupid need to fight and lose, where is my cousin?"

"She's at our house," Jacob said, brining his hand down. "She wanted to sleep for a long time."

"I wish I was her." Stevie muttered. Stevie probably enjoyed sleep more than anyone I knew and it was a hassle to get her out of bed.

I heard another set of footsteps and my dad stepped into my room, looking tired and bothered. "So...your grandmother's back." He said.

"I noticed." I told him amused. "Good morning."

"Nothing good about having a morning where your mother in law walks into your room and wakes you up by whacking you with a pillow." He said dryly.

"Morning dad." I laughed.

He squinted his eyes, looking at the amount of people in my room and Freddy who had leaped off the bed and trotted over to my dad. While Freddy practically ran over to my dad, Stella shrieked getting on top of my bed as Jacob burst out laughing at her fear. He pointed at her while Freddy basically greeted my dad. "Is she still scared of him?"

I nodded watching as my dad and Freddy left the room, Stella finally calming down. When I turned around I already found Jacob taking a bite out of my cinnamon roll. My eeys widened as I stared at him. "Jacob...I swear to God if you do not get your hands off of my food..."

Jacob leaped off my bed, giving me a big hug in which I wanted to yank him off of me. "I really did miss you Macy."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." I muttered, pushing him away as I heard the ring of a doorbell from downstairs.

See, whoever that was actually knew how to use a doorbell instead of barging into the house.

I quickly ran downstairs, the only sight of Gigi who was making herself comfortable on the couch watching some show on the TV.

I opened the door and my jaw dropped in surprise.

Standing at the foot of the stairs that led to the front door was my other best friend, Jasmine Johnson.

She wore jeans and a thick sweater and was rubbing her hands together. Her thick dark hair was put in a sock bun where the some of the strands were out of place but I knew she was too tired to even care about that at the moment. She did look tired and drained but that didn't stop the smile from coming to her face when she saw me.

"Is that Macy Marie Victoria Anderson?" She asked.

I don't know if it was the fact that I hadn't seen her face for months or even her face off screen in over a month but tears welled up in my eyes. I ran to her and hugged her so tight like she would end up disappearing in my grasp.

She laughed and hugged me back just as tight and I could see the tears streaming down her own cheeks when I pulled away. She wiped them away quickly as I smiled at her before frowning. "Really? Marie Victoria? It's Victoria Marie, Jazzy. We've been over this a million times I swear."

She laughed loudly and I heard the sound of the front door open again and a faint call of her name.

We both turned to where Jacob was set to go hug Jasmine but Brandon held him back before he could. Brandon grabbed someone who was behind the twins. He motioned for Andrew to go forward. I watched his eyes lock on Jasmine    

I could see him mouth her name before he pushed Jacob back who went flying into my house to which I couldn't help but laugh at. Andrew ran over to Jasmine hugging her probably tighter than I thought was possible.

Jasmine slapped his shoulder just when he lifted her up. "I can't breathe babe."

"I-I'm sorry." Andrew apologized, letting go loose enough so that she would inhale. "It's just-I missed you so much."

Jasmine grabbed her hands in his. "I missed you too. It's just that my phone-"

Andrew put a finger on her lips and I knew that if this wasn't the situation where they hadn't seen each other in a while then I most definitely knew that finger would be swatted down. "Don't. It's okay. Nothing else matters now."

My best friends kissed and even though I would've personally gagged to just watch that, I smiled because they were content and finally together. Finally.

"Macy, get out of the shot. Stevie is trying to take a picture and your big head is in the way." Jacob yelled at me.

I rolled my eyes and made my way towards him, making sure he was running inside the house to get away from me.

I really missed them.