Until We Fall (A Before You Exit Fanfic)

CHAPTER 23

*riiiing, riiiing*

"UGH." I scoffed as I grab my phone from my bedside table. Riley's calling... again.

It's 11:00am and surprisingly, I didn't wake up at the normal time that I used to wake up to. I flipped on my bed and laid back, looking at my screen before picking up.

"Riley" I said with my husky and still - partially asleep voice. Riley, as well as Toby, have been calling me non-stop since yesterday, after my confrontation with Connor.

Connor. My heart sinks just by thinking about him.

"Alex!" He replied immediately, probably shocked that I answered his call. "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry! It's just... Toby and I are wondering if..." He stopped for a few seconds.

"I'm okay, Ri. You don't have to check up on me." I said, responding even before he continued to speak.

"Hey, we're just worried, okay. You haven't been receiving our calls, and Connor hasn't even come back to the hotel since yesterday." He said, and I immediately start to worry.

I sighed. "Maybe he's at Bianca's. Try calling her."

"We already did, but she's not answering. It's THE day, Alex! And we don't know where he is!"

I can sense that Riley is pretty much worried about his older brother too. Today is the day they plan on releasing their EP to the public and they wanted to do a tweet spree of some sort, so they have to stay in one place.

"Stop being so frantic, Riley. I'm sure he's going to be there. Just wait." I said, trying to ease the atmosphere.

"Aleeeeex!" I heard Toby from the background. Based on the ruckus on the line, I bet he grabbed Riley's phone from his hands again.

I smiled. "Hey, Tobes. Don't even bother asking how I've been, okay. I'm fine. Don't worry about me." I said, telling him immediately so he will not have to ask about it anymore. It will just hurt.

"Actually, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go to Starbucks, but okay. I got it." He said.

"Sorry, Tobes. I'm just... I don't know, tired of talking about it." I said, taking a deep sigh.

"I understand." He replied, pausing as I heard Riley talk in the background, unable to hear him clearly. "Riley asked if you want to come by the hotel later and be with us during the release, just in case Connor wouldn't show up."

I sat up on my bed and ran a hand through my hair. "But what if he does show up? I'm not ready to face him.. again." I said, worrying.

"I doubt it. By the way he's acting, I'm not even sure if he remembered." It was Riley who replied. "You're now on speaker." He added, letting me know.

"I forgot to ask you this the other day but I just wondered now. I thought you guys are staying at Bianca's place?" I asked, since it crossed my mind that they are now staying in the hotel. If I were in good terms with Connor, I would have probably invited them to just stay over at my house.

They took a while to respond. "I guess it's just a mutual decision between Toby and I as well as Bianca and Connor's. Of course, Connor wanted to stay at Bianca's, but Toby and I are already feeling out of place there and we wouldn't want to be a bother to the both of them." Riley said.

"At first it was only Riley and I who stayed here in the hotel, but after a few days, Connor showed up with his suitcase, telling us he couldn't leave us all alone. He still wants to look out for us somehow." It was Toby who shared this story after Riley spoke.