"So you and Harry are back together now?"

I look away from the baggage carousel and to my left, seeing my brother now standing next to me.

"No." I answered tiredly. I probably got three hours total of sleep on the flight and I was exhausted. I was never really able to sleep too long on planes, so I had a few movies and shoes downloaded on my phone for me to watch.

"Mhm. So that wasn't him asleep in your bed this morning?"

I chewed on the inside of my lip to contain a smile. "It was."

"And I know what you two were doing a few days ago before Anna and I walked in. You could have at least taken it to your room."

I snorted. "Please. Do you know how many times I've walked in on you and Anna doing it in the living room? At least Harry and I were fully clothed."

"Ha! So you admit that you're back together." He pointed at me with a smirk.

"No, we are not." I sighed.

"So what, you are having casual sex with your ex boyfriend now?" He retorted, folding his arms in front of his chest and turning his body to me.

"I would rather not discuss my sex life with my brother." I said in disgust, stepping closer to the carousel to grab my suitcase.

I saw Anna's come around soon after so I grabbed hers too.

"Fine. Just be careful and use protection. If I have to kill him, I will."

"You will not be killing anybody." I rolled my eyes, nodding towards his suitcase. "Grab it and let's go. Zia is outside."

Rolling mine and Anna's suitcases over to where she was sitting with the baby, I made sure Brandon was following.

"Ready?" I asked her. She looked up from staring into the carseat attached to the stroller and nodded.

"Yes, thank you." She smiled, standing up and reaching for her suitcase handle.

"I got it, don't worry." I tell her before I started walking towards passenger pickup.

When we got outside, I searched for a white Range Rover being driven by my aunt. It was nearing five in the morning since the time different between Florence and Toronto was six hours. It was ask a lot warmer here than it was in Canada, and I loved it.

I spot the car pulling up next to the curb and coming to a stop before my aunt hopped out and walked over to us.

"Hello, my loves!" She grinned, pulling me in to a tight hug.

"Hi." I mumbled in her embrace. I haven't seen her in almost a year, so I was going to take advantage of her hugs while I was here.

She pulled back and gave a hug to Brandon, looking over at Anna with a welcoming smile. "You must be Anna. I'm Fiona."

"Nice to finally meet you." Anna says politely, accepting my aunts hug while I popped the trunk and put out suitcases inside.

"Here, let me buckle up the car seat." I say as I open the backseat door and hop inside.

"She's just the cutest. Oh my god." My aunt gasps as she grabbed the car seat from the stroller and looks at the baby, carefully handing me the car seat. I took the seatbelt and weaved it through the hole at the bottom, safely buckling it in on the other side.

I smiled when the baby gurgled and reached her tiny hand out. I gave her my finger and she wrapped her entire hand around it, looking up at me with her giant hazel eyes and toothless smile.

"Hi." I whispered, kissing her little knuckle.

I hasn't even realized everyone had gotten into the car until the sound of doors closing filled my ears. Anna sat in the back with me and Brandon hopped in the front.

"Do you want to sit next to her?" I asked Anna.

"No, it's fine. She's enjoying your company anyway." She chuckled. "Would you rather be called Zia, aunt, or aunty?"

"I have no idea. Which sounds better?"

"Zia Maddie; Aunt Maddie; Aunty Maddie." She tested them out loud.

"Aunt Maddie." We both agree at the same time, acknowledging the only one that sounded decent.

"I'm your Aunt Maddie." I spoke to Aurora, watching as she played with the bracelet on my wrist. It was my first time wearing it in years, and I was hesitant when I put it on this morning. I wonder how Harry would react if he saw me wearing it, since he was the one that gave it to me when we were together.

I thought back to this morning before I left my apartment, and started to grow nervous.

I grabbed the sticky note from my desk and set it on the nightstand, placing my apartment key next to it.

As I was getting ready to leave my room, I stopped and looked at Harry for a moment, smiling at the sight of him sleeping peacefully, his hair sprawled across my pillow and the tiny pout on his lips.

I carefully stepped closer to my bed and sat down, pushing a curl out of his eye and sighing through my nose.

Hesitantly, I pressed my lips to the corner of his mouth, whispering "I love you, Harry."

His nose twitched as I stood back up, walking towards my door and quietly closing it behind me.

I still can't believe I said that to him, and I wondered if he had heard me or not. Despite him being asleep, I felt relieved to have at least said it out loud to him, and it eased my mind for the moment I would actually say it to him while he's awake.

"So...you got a boyfriend now?" Anna asked suggestively, bunking her shoulder against mine.

"Nope." I answered.

"Weren't you making out with Harry the other day? And he was in your bed this morning." She says quietly, making sure my aunt or brother can't hear.

"It's...complicated." I frowned, resting my head back against the seat.

"Do go on."

Glancing up at the two in the front, I noticed they stopped talking and could potentially be listening.

"I'll tell you later." I say, and she nodded in understanding.

I was bouncing in my seat when we turned into Nonna's neighborhood, watching all the large houses pass by until we eventually stopped in front of hers. We all got out of the car, grabbing the bags while Anna grabbed the car seat and diaper bag.

"Be quiet when you go in. She was asleep when I left." My aunt says as we approach the garage. She typed the code in and waited for it to open before we walked to the door.

Everyone was dead silent when we walked inside, and I led Anna up to the bedroom that Brandon usually stays in so I could set her stuff down in there. After that, I went into the bedroom that I usually stay in and flopped onto the bed.

I pulled my phone out of my backpack and went through any texts that I got while I was on the plane. It was probably midnight in Toronto right now and I didn't want to wake anyone if they were asleep, but I knew if I didn't respond to them now, I would forget about to do it later.

- have a safe flight. Let me know when you get to Italy. Love you!

- just got to my grandmas. Love you too

Next was a group chat I had no idea I was in, but I checked the days to see it was created during my flight. It had Riley, Nick, Louis, Zayn, and Harry in it.

we miss you already :(

love you mads. Let us know if you need anything

you two are some sappy mother fuckers.

Send pics of the coast, boo

I chuckled at Nick's text, holding it down and tapping the thumbs up icon before reading the rest.

what Nick said.

I always knew I loved you, Harold

both of you are idiots. Our friend is going through something

as her best friend of over fifteen years, I can say that she would rather have our support in the form of humor

and as her ex who dated her for over a year, I agree with Nick

and as her OTHER best friend, I can say that all of you need to shut up before I kick you out of the chat

come at me, biatch. I dare you

Riley removed Nick from the chat

try talking now, "biatch"

Harry added Nick in the chat

you hoe

thank you, Harry. *kisses thru phone*

what in the actual fuck did I miss

as a gay man who almost slept with Madison, I can say that she will probably be reading these texts wondering why on earth she's friends with you guys

go back to sleep, Louis. We didn't need your input

Maddie loves us

ANYWAYS

if you can't tell I'm flipping you all off

we know, Lou. We are all in the same apartment

I found myself laughing as I read the texts in my head, rolling my eyes at the conversation. I rolled off of the bed and opened the window that had a seat to let it in the sun that was slowly starting to come up. I sat there and waited for a few minutes before taking the perfect picture of the sunrise before sending it in the group chat and then posting it on Instagram as well.

*insert photo*

Surprisingly, I got replies.

she's alive!!!

hoorah! Nice picture btw. It's still dark as hell over here

maybe because it's midnight, dipshit

you know what, Riley? I don't like your attitude

then get out of my apartment :)

can you two sort out your bs somewhere else so we don't have to read it? Thanks

I thought you were on my side. I feel betrayed

I am on nobody's side. Leave me out of this please and thank you

you are all very irritating, I hope you know that

trust me, we know

but I love you all anyway

we love you more

It's six in the morning here so I'm gonna go pass out. I'll talk to you guys later

After everyone texted their good night's and bye's, I set my phone aside and continued to look out the window.

Visiting Italy gives me the same feeling as visiting my hometown I get sad knowing that I'll have to leave eventually, and it just makes me want to move here.

Except with Italy, that feeling is stronger. I even made plans to move out here after I retire and become a coach at my Nonna's old skating club. I still have that plan, but I would miss my friends and family too much. Yeah, I have family here and I can always visit, but I am so used to my life in Toronto that I can't really see myself living anywhere else, especially without my friends since I see them nearly everyday.

I sat there for a little longer, watching the darkness turn to light before I got up and laid down on the bed, passing out immediately.

• • •