Storm in December

Chapter One

Friday 1th December 2023: 11 PM

Anne

I feel the waves of sound crashing against my skin. It gives me the chills, but good ones. I breathe deep in and out. My blond hair is tied up in a ponytail and some sweat is getting created on my forehead. It's so fucking hot in here. Everything is moving in slow-motion. I hear people cheering, being excited, laughing, but also crying. I feel like this music is really hitting them.

"Okay guys, we do one last song and then we take a break until the new year, because our guitarist decided to go to England for a month," I hear Rocky, the lead singer, saying.

I feel my cheeks turning bright red.

"So, we've decided to give her an awesome ending song for this year. Anne, I guess Life is a Highway."

I smile at her and I know exactly what she means. I start playing the iconic intro of Life is a Highway that is originally sung by Rascal Flatts. James joins me on the drums, Sam joins on the bass guitar and Rocky starts to sing. People get more and more excited, like they really like our music, even though we only play covers. I am really focussing on writing some music for us, but my mind is blocked.

After we've finished the song, I pack my guitar in his bag and I leave the stage. Rocky follows me instantly.

"We are going back to the room, I suppose?" she asks.
"Yes, I need to leave at five am tomorrow. It's late enough for now."
"You okay, An?"
"Yeah, I am. I guess I'm just nervous."

She gives me her car keys and I look at her rather confused.

"I'll let James drive me home. Get some sleep, girly."
"Okay."
"You are sober though?"
"I haven't touched any alcohol since the day I relapsed. I'm fine."
"I'm just making sure."

I kiss her on her cheek and I walk out of the room. I walk to her car and put my bags in the trunk and I take place behind the steering wheel. My hands are shaking, but I am able to control them. I start the car and I drive home.

I enter the room ten minutes later and I lay my bags next to my suitcase that I already packed. I crash down on my bed and I untie my hair. I check my phone and my boyfriend didn't text me unfortunately. I was kind of hoping that he would text me and tell me that he misses me. I decide to call Darla, my best friend.

"You've reached the voicemail of Darla O'Marley. I don't ever listen to them, so don't bother to leave a message."

I smash my phone on my bed and I sigh deeply. I put my headphones on and I listen to some serious rough techno music. I look to the ceiling. Everything about my past is haunting my mind. It's time for me to leave America for a while, maybe it's for the better. I close my eyes and I fall asleep.

Stan

Friday 1th December 2023: 10:30 PM

I feel the alcohol burning down my throat. My lungs and my stomach are on fire. I squeeze my eyes shut and when I open them, they are tearing up. I look at the barman and he is watching me closely, like I'm some sort of prey. I look next to me and I see my girlfriend sticking her tongue in my brother's throat. It makes me sick. I guess she's not my girlfriend anymore.

"Another whiskey, please."
"STAAAAN! MY BOY!" I hear someone shouting.

I look next to me and I see my best friend walking drunk to me. Even on the outside he looks wasted. His eyes are looking irritated and glazy. His hair is messy and he isn't walking in a straight line. I keep looking at my ex-girlfriend. I sigh again and I take my phone out of my pocket. I decide this day, this hour, this minute, even this second that I buy myself a plane ticket back to London.

I leave the local bar and I hear some music coming from the stage room at Harvard. It's a cover of Shameless by Camila Cabello playing. I walk in the stage room and I see a group of four students, probably from Harvard, playing. A casual looking guy with black hair is playing on the drums. He looks really focused, but he also looks like he is having big fun. A ginger haired boy is playing on the piano. He doesn't really look in the crowd, but he only keeps focussing on the tones he's playing on the piano. An awesome looking girl with a blond ponytail is playing the guitar. She's playing so awesome for a girl. A girl with brown hair is singing and she's absolutely killing it. I don't know how I've never seen them play before this evening, but they should play more often.

Later on in the evening they start playing my favourite song: Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts. I look at the girl who is playing the guitar. She is looking in the crowd, but she has a distant look shining in her eyes. As if she is here in this room, but she is not really here. I try following her gaze, but it's leading to an empty chair at the bar. I feel like there's something going on with her, but no one really knows what, why or how.

After Life is a Highway, they leave the stage. The girls are chatting a lot and I can't hear what they're talking about, but I also don't really care. It's not my business. They boys stay behind and I think it's time for me to go.

I leave the stage room and I see a white car driving away. I jog to my bicycle and I mount it faster than my brain can even process. I cycle back to my dorm.

I chain my bicycle to a pillar and take the elevator to my room. When I enter my dorm, I see my roommate sleeping on his own bed.  The scent of his  cleaning is hanging in the room. I smile. My roomie and I don't get along that often. I come home at midnight, he falls asleep around nine, maybe ten pm. He keeps everything clean, while I'm the one making a mess. He reads a book and so do I. I think reading is the only thing we have in common.

I silently change into some sport shorts and a wide shirt. I brush my teeth and I pack my suitcase without light and noise. In the bathroom I write a note that I'm leaving America for the rest of the year 2023 and that I will be back soon after New year's.

Soon after, I also lay down in my bed. I'm constantly turning and moving, feeling restless as fuck. I don't know if it's the amount of whiskey that's bothering me, but I only had two glasses, so I don't think that will be the reason. I take my phone and I see the clock has reached half an hour after midnight. I have to leave at five in the morning, alarm vibrating at 4:30 am, so I really need to try to get some well deserved sleep.