Vic

I woke up with my heart thudding. Flashes from last night were returning, overloading my mind. I cringed and buried my face in my pillow, before feeling disgusted from the position. How could he do this to me? I started shaking, my body racking itself with tremors. I basically leaped out of bed, a nasty taste in my throat. My stomach was churning. I barely made it to the bathroom.

'Vic! Are you okay?' A hand held my hair back from my face while I puked, my insides heaving. 'Shh, shh, it's okay.' Another hand rubbed my back and I finally stood up, rinsing out my mouth. I felt the last shudder leave my body, but my legs were still unsteady My eyes focused on my comforter, the long, dark hair not entirely making him recognisable immediately.

'Vic?' He asked, as I finally identified him to be Josh.

'Thanks,' I said, my voice quivering. 'It means a lot.'

'You still haven't told me if you're okay or not.'

'Uh,' I said, not sure as to answer him. Luckily, there was no need as Mike appeared, his face morphed into worry. He pushed Josh out of the way and wrapped his arms around me, rocking me backwards and forwards. I shot out of his grasp, the memories resurfacing.

'Sorry, I've just, uh, gotta go.' I chucked on a clean shirt, blushing as I realised that I had none on, and jeans over my boxers. Jamming a beanie on my head, I was out the door, disappearing into the Warped Tour crowd.

Silent tears trailed down my cheeks, and with each step my body ached even more. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I retrieved it. checking the message.

Kellin: Sorry about last night. I'm off for laser tag with the guys. See you tonight. xx

My hand clenched as I read the message, and the trickle became a flood. I stuffed the phone back in my pocket and began wandering aimlessly, my thoughts racing. I saw a few random bands play, as I walked around and stood in different crowds.

'The echoes of this desperate world,' The singer's sweet vocals caught my ear, and I finally tuned in, drowning out the yelling fans, and their different voices belting out the lyrics.

'And hold that truth close to our heart,' My mind wandered again as the singer paused, holding out the mic for the fans to bellow back the repeat.

But what is the truth? My mind was becoming overfilled with negatives. Around and around they swirled, like moths, bashing against my brain. The pain became acute, and I cringed yet again.

'Shut your eyes, and let life restart. Love is an abandoned thought,'

Isn't that the truth. My mind was snappy and sassy, but the words chilled me to the core.

- - -

'Move it! Coming through! Hey, lemme outta here!' I opened my eyes, and saw I was in the arms of a stranger. The world was dizzying, black creeping up my vision. People were looking concernedly at me, and I stared back at them, unsure of why they were looking at me like that.

'Hey, buddy, are you okay?' The person holding me asked as we left the throng of people. I made an indistinguishable noise, that was meant to be yes, I'm fine, but what happened?

'You passed out, and I think you might have a concussion.' The person was female, and she answered my unspoken question. She looked down at me and smiled.

'I figured you would want to know.' She put me down on the grass and handed me a bottle of water, telling me to sip it.

'Thank you,' I said gratefully. She blushed and smiled.

'You want me to call someone you know or something? Tell them what's happened?' I retrieved my phone, nodding. Mike was probably sick to his stomach not knowing where I was.

As the girl dialed Mike and filled him in, I saw Kellin walking with his bandmates, laughing and talking animatedly. I felt sick and flipped myself over onto my stomach, the water reappearing. I coughed, and wiped my mouth, spitting afterwards. The girl bit her lip and passed me my phone back, helping me move over.

'Your brother - Mike, was it? - will be here soon.'

'Thanks. Really.' I nodded at her and had a few more sips of the tepid water.

'Vic!' Mike came running over a few minutes later. He turned to the girl after encasing me in a hug. 'Thank you so much!' He said to the girl, who nodded and went back to the set.

'Vic, what were you thinking?'

'Uh,'

'No, shh. I'm just glad you're safe.'

'Mike,' I said, untangling myself from his grip. 'I have to tell you what happened.'

'Okay, shoot. I'm here for you.'

'Last night, Kellin -'

'Woah, I'm going to stop you right there.' Mike said firmly. 'Kellin wasn't on our bus last night.'
'Didn't we go back to the gas station?'

'Yeah, but he didn't get on.' Mike looked at me weirdly, and I gulped. 'Vic, what's been happening?' Oh shit.

Notes

Song was Graveyard Souls - Crown The Empire. Title credit also goes to that song.