Dial Drunk - Post Malone

30

Austin blinks his eyes open. He is freezing cold and his head is pounding. He sits up and scans his eyes over his surroundings. He is on a bench somewhere in the stadium he is playing at tomorrow. How the fuck did he get here? What happened last night? He knows he had way too much to drink given the empty whisky bottle at his feet. Levi is going to be so upset when she smells it on him. How is he going to explain this to her? How is he going to explain he did not go back to the bus last night? She must be so worried. He feels his pockets for his cell phone then hisses when pain shoots through his hand. He inspects it but sees no blood, it's swollen and angry and looks broken. What the hell?

He stands and grabs the coat then walks back to the bus. It's quiet when he gets on it. His phone is on the floor by the bar and there are shards of glass on the floor. Shit. What happened? He searches his mind but comes up blank. He had too much to drink last night and does not remember anything past the main course at dinner. Damit. He hears footsteps and looks up to see Grassy walking closer to him slowly. He looks pissed off which is very unusual for Grassy who is normally grinning from ear to ear.

"Where is, Levi?" Austin asks, he is going to have to explain himself to her.

"She left."

"She has a client meeting today? Can't have, we have a day together planned. When is she getting back?"

"She has gone to LA, buddy. She is not coming back."

Austin stares at Grassy and then walks through to the bedroom. It's void of any indication she was ever there, the only evidence she was ever there to begin with is a faint sweet smell in the air. "She left. Just like that..." he whispers to himself in disbelief. He knew this would happen. Like his mother, she made promises and broke every dam one of them.

"You told her to leave. You told her you didn't want her here. You did this. Don't fucking blame her," Grassy says in a low growl from behind him. For the first time in his life, Austin is on the receiving end of Grassy's anger. It's a horrible place to be. "I didn't. She left on her own accord," Austin says as he spins around to face Grassy. He doesn't need Grassy's shit right now. "Funny thing about whisky, Austin, is the more alcohol you shove down your throat the more extensive the memory loss is. This will include things like difficulty remembering what happened the previous evening or even the whole night. Maybe one day, dementia or death - then your memory loss will be permanent. I was there. I heard. You told her to leave, she didn't want to," Grassy says.

"Bullshit..." Austin says dialling Levi's number and listening to the silence while Grassy sighs and leans on the wall with his arms folded over his chest. "Voicemail," Austin mumbles. He tries again and then another three more times but it goes to voicemail each time. Then when he tries again it won't connect at all. "She won't pick up, Grassy," Austin says, anxiety making his chest burn and his knees go weak. What the fuck did he do last night? He flops onto the end of the bed and opens his messages but when he tries to send her a text it won't go through either. "She blocked you," Grassy says. "No, she didn't. She wouldn't," Austin says trying to send another message, but it does not go through again. "She did. I told her to," Grassy says. "Why..." Austin whispers.

"You hurt her."

Austin's eyes widen and his heart stops beating as he lifts his head slowly to look at Grassy. How? Fuck, please don't say he hit her. He couldn't live with himself if he did that.

"How...Grassy, how?"Austin asks, his words wobbling out and his throat going thick. "Just words, buddy...but words sting and so she is gone...she is gone now," Grassy whispers as he kneels in front of Austin. "Are you going to go too?" Austin asks. "No, buddy. I'm gonna stay. You need me," he says. "I need to get hold of her. I don't know where she is. I need to know she is OK," Austin croaks out. "She is not OK, Austin. I am sorry, but that's the truth. She is on her way to LA. She is safe. She is very sad and you will not make her life harder than it is right now. I won't let you," Grassy says.