How To Stay Afloat (BxB)

Chapter 142: The whole story

"Is Adam okay?" I ask as Harry comes out after a few minutes.

"Yeah." He breathes out. He's standing next to the car and I have the door open.

I look at him, waiting if he has more to say.

"He's alright, just extremely angry." He says and looks at me worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. All good." I say. "He didn't hit me that hard. I just bit my tongue."

And that's true. It hurt like a bitch and I fell to the floor, but he definitely held back, otherwise it would have been a lot more painful.

Harry frowns. "Okay. Are you sure? You should probably get home. Didn't you say Austin is coming over? It's close to two in the morning."

Austin hasn't called me because I'm not home. Is he alright? He should have arrived thirty minutes ago.

Harry leans down and looks into the car to Dylan. "I didn't expect you two to be all buddy buddy." He points out.

"Yeah. The argument was all my fault." Dylan says.

It really wasn't.

"Yeah uhm. I'll drive home now if that's alright. Please be careful and text me when you're home." Harry says. "I have to get used to the idea that Noah might be miraculously alive."

_____

"Here?" I ask Dylan as I park in front of the uni dorms.

"Yup. Thanks again." He says cheerfully. "Nighty."

"Wait. Are you alright?" I ask hesitantly.

He smiles and shrugs and then leaves.

As soon as he's out of the car I call Austin. I hear it ringing, but he just doesn't pick up.

I frown at my phone. Did he have to work longer? Or maybe he forgot that we planned to meet up? Maybe he's already at my home and Caleb let him in and they got lost in a conversation.

All possibilities.

But what if Noah is alive and hurt him? What if Adam's reply angered him?

I take a deep breath and decide to just drive straight to his work place since it's kind of on the way.

I drive there and find the bar empty and closed. No need to panic. Next stop: his flat.

Or better: Nora

I stay seated and call her.

"Hello?" She asks me sleepily as she picks up her phone.

"Hi, is Austin home?" I ask her.

"What?" She asks confused.

"Did he come home?" I ask her.

I can hear her groan. "You seriously want me to get up at half past 2 in the morning?" She asks annoyed, but I can hear her get up.

I listen to her walk around, open doors and call Austin's name. Shit.

"Not here. Why?" She asks.

"I- I don't know. I should probably just drive home. He's probably waiting for me and forgot his phone at work or something." I say.

"Right. He said he'd sleep at your place." She notes. "He took the car. Tell him I need it at noon. Good night."

"Good night." I say and look at the parking lot of the bar.

Is that his car?

I get out of the car and walk over there with tightness in my chest.

It is his car. I press my face against the window of the passenger side and see his bag for sleeping over in there.