“You’re joking!!” I laugh, leaning back against the couch while I catch my breath from laughing. “I’m not, that actually happened!” Hayley laughs with me, sitting only a foot away from me on the couch. My tour ended a few weeks ago so I decided to come back home for a long weekend to see my family, and I insisted you come with me.

We’ve been together for several months now but you never got the chance to meet my family because of my tour, so I figured this was the perfect time. Hayley is an old friend of mine from school before I was on X Factor, and she surprised me by showing up after dinner. I haven’t had the chance to see her in years, so it was nice to hang out again.

“Do you want anything to drink, darling?” My mum, Anne, asks you with a small smile. You’re sitting on the other side of me, but I’ve been talking to Hayley for a while now and haven’t noticed you just sitting there quietly.