Not Warriors- Awsten Knight

Chapter 6

Claire didn't want to walk too far, just in case something happened and they needed her she decided to sit down leaning against the bus. To anyone walking by, they probably wouldn't notice her considering how dark it was outside. 

She took in a deep breath of fresh air, as much as she played it off like she was just the bitter ex in the situation. She was reeling from running into Awsten after so many years.

She hears the bus door open, "Collin I don't want to talk about it, it's fine. Go back inside I know how much you like them, you don't have to pretend like he's the worst person ever for me. He's a good guy past aside." she says.

It's quiet for a moment before a voice speaks up, and she feels chills run down her spine. 

"Uh-not Collin." Awsten says softly, not daring to come any closer to her. 

"Can I help you? I came out here to be alone." she asks him bitterly. The whole reason she walked off the bus was so that she could sit and be alone, not have the very person she was trying to get away from follow her.

There's silence for a moment between the two of them before Awsten speaks up again, "I didn't know that you knew how to play the guitar." he tells her softly.  

Claire lets out a laugh of disbelief, "Six and a half fucking years since you last saw me and all you're concerned with is that now I know how to play the guitar?" she asks him, she didn't want to be having a conversation with him at all but the fact that this is what he chose to touch on has a feeling of anger boiling inside of her again.

"You didn't know, because you don't know me Awsten. You know nothing about me, this is just some shitty coincidence that now were stuck on the same tour together." she says, still not daring to look at him. 

"You don't get to sit here and ask me random questions about what's happened over the last few years, or if I finished school, or whatever else you're curious about because you don't deserve to know those fucking things. You have to reap what you sow." she spits out once more in a bitter tone. 

"Can I sit with you?" he asks her, not acknowledging the dig she just threw his way. 

Silently she points to a spot to the right of her, not sitting right next to her but it's better than nothing. 

He makes his way over, not saying anything but he holds out her the water bottle that she had left inside next to Jawn. 

"You're probably more dehydrated than you think after playing today." he tells her, knowing how the sun gets to you on a Warped Tour stage.

Claire looks over at him, nodding and taking the water bottle from his hand opening it to take a sip. 

"Jawn and Otto are excited you're here, Jawn said he would love to talk to you about photography one of these days. You've been doing it longer than him." Awsten says as he relays a message from her old friend. 

"And Otto's missed you." he adds in after the fact, figuring now wasn't the time to tell her that he was excited she was here too. 

Claire nods again in response, "Jawn has my phone number still, it's still the same from all of those years ago. He can text me whenever, same goes for Otto. I'm just we'll be seeing a lot of you guys." she tells him softly. 

"I'm sorry." Awsten tells her, meaning it whole heartedly.  

She turns her body to face him, "What exactly are you apologizing for? Because frankly your apologies don't mean a fucking thing to me. They probably never will." she asks him as she feels her breath get choked up in the back of her throat.