Before We Fall

Part 1, Chapter 22

Trigger/content warning: Vomiting

Alivia's POV

I woke up the next morning with an inexplicable brick in my stomach. Must've caught something from someone at the bonfire. I rolled over to grab my phone and let our director, Jeff Calhoun, know I wouldn't be at rehearsal today, when I got a text from Sky. I didn't even read it when my stomach churned further.

Oh.

Maybe this feeling isn't as inexplicable as I thought.

Either way, it doesn't matter. Not like it'll go anywhere or be good for anyone. This isn't some kind of rom-com where everything turns out perfect in the end.

*cough*

I let Calhoun know I'd be out today and rolled back over, resolving to ignore Sky and the tangle of emotions that followed him. I tossed and turned for the next hour, trying to get some sleep while my thoughts refused to let me. Sky's jacket was draped over a chair in the corner of the hotel room, sending me into another wave of emotional motion sickness. 

Stephanie had left by this point, so I had free reign to scream into my pillow and pace and think out loud, which I did all three in that order.

"It's a colossally bad idea to do anything direct," I said to myself. "But men are dumb as rocks so maybe a hint wouldn't hurt."

I grabbed my phone from my nightstand, and, laying down on the hotel bed, scrolled through my gallery until I found the photo I wanted. I opened up instagram to make a "Sky Flaherty appreciation post" before shutting off and setting down my phone. 

I busied myself for the next little while, cleaning up my half of the hotel room and what was my mess in me and Steph's shared bathroom. Folding freshly washed clothes and putting them back in my suitcase, putting my makeup and hair products back in their designated cases, remaking my bed. I checked my email and cleared out voicemails, and before I knew it, it was reasonably early enough for me to get to the theater before the show. My mind was cleared, my room was cleaned, and Sky had only crossed my mind once or twice in the past three hours. 

I had barely walked into the theater when I saw Sky. Josh was there too, but I barely noticed or thought about him. I tried to suppress the butterflies, but that was forgotten when I saw how much of a mess he was. I might have conflicting feelings about him, but he is my friend.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked him with genuine concern in my voice.

His expression hardened. "You're really gonna ask me that right now?"

"What did I do?"

He sighed. "Just... just leave me alone, okay?"

He brushed past me, leaving me standing alone in the hallway. I didn't realize it at the time, but this was an eerie mirror of the day after we met. I also didn't realize I was crying until I couldn't breathe.

So I ran, like always.

I turned and I ran. I didn't stop to breathe until I was in the thankfully empty hotel elevator. By the time I made it to my hotel room, I couldn't contain it anymore. Everything came spilling over the edge. I pulled at my hair and I paced. I paced until I stopped crying, and kept pacing after that. My legs went numb but I kept moving. The horizon dimmed, and I finally took that as a sign to calm the fuck down.

I collapsed on my bed, not bothering to change or wash my face or anything. Just collapsed. Just gave up.

Like always.

Sky's POV

Liv

Hey liv