VICE

| A BUST |

Austin had hardly slept that night. He spent most of it staring at the screen of his phone. Noah had not called yet.

He woke up in the morning and the first thing he did was grab his phone hurriedly from his nightstand; no missed calls..no messages.

His stomach churned and a migraine was starting to manifest itself in his head. He tried to call Noah but it was still the same result –dead silence.

He threw the blanket off of himself and jumped off the bed, rushing out of his room. He rapped Nicky's door incessantly and since it was still morning and most people were still asleep, the noise travelled further.

Nicky came flying to the door angrily and yanked the door open. Her hair was sticking out everywhere, her clothes were disheveled and her eyes were bloodshot. She looked like she hadn't slept for days.

"What!" she growled at him.

"You look like something straight out of The Walking Dead!"

"Is that what you woke me up about, you moron?" She shouted at him, then realized what a bad idea it was before she cradled her head in pain, "Ow! Stop making me shout, my head hurts." She was wise enough to whisper this time.

"Why?"

"Hello? Hangover!" She said patronizingly.

"Has Noah called you..or texted you, by any chance?"

"Why would Noah call me?" she asked slowly. She was clearly still sleepy, judging from how her eyes couldn't open all the way, "And why do you look like crap, did you even sleep at all last night?"

"Me?" Austin asked incredulously.

"I haven't looked in a mirror yet but I'm sure you look worse." She gibed.

"Whatever, I'm worried about Noah." Austin sighed.

"Why... what happened?"

"I haven't seen or heard from him since Max and I left him last night."

"I told you that I saw him drinking beer with those guys."

"I know...I went there and didn't see him anywhere."

"Don't be such a drama queen!" She dismissed his fears, "Maybe he had to get away from the rain and his phone ran out of juice, was too drunk to recharge it and –"

"He was last seen with Jesse!" Austin cut off her prattling in frustration.

"What?" Nicky asked more seriously.

"Somebody told me that Jesse came by and insisted that he wanted to talk with Noah...and then they left together."

"Well, I don't think you need to worry, Jesse couldn't possibly do anything to Noah. Noah would crush that goddamn putz like a bug!"

"Do you remember what happened the last time Jesse was around any of us when we were drunk!?" Austin asked insistently. His face was contorted into worry and fear, and a hint of confusion.

"You really think he would try any of that again?"

"I don't want to wait around and see if he does or does not. I'm freaking out here!" he yelled.

"Shhh..keep it down, some of us are not really awake yet!" she cringed her nose and frowned at him.

"Sorry...what am I gonna do?" he whispered, "I can't just sit around and wait for him to call."

"Are you ok?" Nicky asked, watching as her brother's face got redder and he was starting to sweat. He looked like he was about to pass out.

Austin nodded at her and leaned against the jamb of her door, "I'm fine."He said, but he was hyperventilating.