The Music or the Misery (Book 2)

The Foxes Hunt The Hounds

Later that day, we got ready for the concert. Riddly made sure Sophie was coming, while I invited Ollie, who agreed the moment the words left my mouth.

Riddly, Sophie and I are waiting outside our accommodation, when Ollie pulls up. The girls climb in the back, while I get the front seat. We usually take turns with the seating arrangement and normally being next to Ollie wouldn't bother me but after the night we went to the cinema, I feel a little cautious.

Still, I shake the thought aside and focus on the road, as he asks me how my day has been, while the girls chat in the back.

"Are you excited for tonight?" Ollie asks, enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I haven't been to a concert in a while, I hope they're good" I reply, smiling slightly.

"Yeah me too, I'm going to try out my head banging skills" he laughs softly and I try and do the same. It's really weird to know something is funny but not have the ability to laugh for real.

The venue isn't far, so I don't have long to feel depressed about my lack of excitement about the concert. I focus on the small positive things, as we get out of the car, like the fact that I have three good friends who all seem to have my best intentions at heart.

We buy our tickets at the door and get labelled with wrist stamps that make sure we can't buy alcohol. I might be a year older but I'm still not twenty-one. I suppose that this point in my life, it's probably best I can't buy any.

Regardless, we stand at the back near the bar, staying away from the crowds of people. Riddly bounces on the spot beside me, clearly very excited about this whole thing and Sophie occupies Ollie, so that I can have a minute to think. I don't know how I feel being at a concert, I know it really doesn't have a huge link to my past but anything could be a trigger.

"So, I'm guessing these guys are some kind of alternative rock band, judging by the music playing" Riddly says, while I shrug.

"Yeah I looked them up, there's not much about them. All I really know is it's four guys" Sophie counters. I didn't even think of Googling them.

"I hope they're good" Ollie says.

"I'm sure they will be" I reply, actually having no idea.

We all stand there, chatting about our week. I feel comfortable with these people but I'm just not the same person I was before. I don't feel the need to make any witty comebacks and if I'm honest I'm not sure why any of them wanted to be my friend. It doesn't really make sense but I feel lucky that they even bothered.

We're completely oblivious to anything happening on stage, in fact none of us are even looking in that direction.

That's why we don't notice, the four men walking onto stage. Ollie nudges me, laughing at his own joke and I'm just about to tell him how terrible it was when I'm stopped by something.

"We are 'Fall Out Boy' and this is 'Sugar We're Going Down'" a familiar voice says.

Turning quickly, my eyes lock onto the band member who just spoke. It's Pete.

My blood runs ice cold, knowing that if I shift my gaze to the left slightly, I'll see the one person I left town to get away from.

"Violet? Are you okay?" Ollie asks but his voice fades out replaced by the one I love most in the world.

"Am I more than you bargained for yet?"

That's all it takes for my body to ignite and for me to move faster than I have in a long time. I begin battling with crowd, pushing my way to the front with more determination than I thought possible. I don't why I'm doing this; I know I shouldn't be near him but I have to make sure it's him. It's possible I'm hallucinating.