Ever After -Completed-

You Knew Me Well

><Collin><

I woke up before the sun was even dreaming of rising, a headache ricocheting through my skull. Honestly, I felt for Zeus. I was pretty sure giving birth to Athena had to feel something like this. 

Of course, giving birth to the goddess of wisdom from your forehead was a lot more badass than moping over your ex.  

I looked at my unread text messages. A few from Mike and Ian, one from Matt, which was old, but none from Josh. Just one from Jacob, someone who lived down the street from us, asking if I wanted to go to a concert with him. It was a little weird, seeing as how I always figured he had a thing for Meg, but I agreed nonetheless. She'd want me to get out of bed, anyways. 

I pulled on some clean clothes and looked around the room. It looked like someone had ransacked it during the night. More than it usually did, at least. I through the various clothing articles into a hamper and picked up some trash. Then I gathered the remaining bottles, full and empty, and dumped whatever remained down the skin and put them in a bag for the trash man to bring. 

Mistakes had been made that would need to be fixed. Even if I wouldn't be able to get back together with Josh, and, let's be honest, he could do so much better, I didn't want to leave things the way they were. 

I went out to grab a cup of coffee. Since I had a few hours to spare before I had to meet with Jacob, I just sat in the restaurant for a while and typed out a short story. It was noon by the time I was done. Meg would be up by now. Hopefully she found my note under the blankets. Maybe then she'd be able to get some sleep; waking up early, as she had been doing, wasn't her forte. 

The waitress was giving me a nasty glare so I ordered a sandwich to eat for lunch, scrolling through some of my media. There weren't too many updates, just a few from Mike's profile. They had another gig today, back in Canada. Boredly, I clicked the picture for more information.

Back in Van. 

The fact that Josh would be so close wasn't comprehensible to me, not after so long with him in other countries and providences. I tried to shake the thought, gathering my laptop and paying for my food, but it wouldn't leave me alone. 

><Josh><

I was reviewing the new song with Ian and Mike when Matt sprinted into the room. "Okay so-hi, Matt-that's about it. We'll open with it and then go to Fallout."

"We know, Josh." Ian shook his head, twirling his drumsticks through his fingers absentmindedly. "We went over it all at soundcheck." He turned to Matt, "Where've you been?"

He shrugged, breath slowing down. "I was talking to Meg. She decided to come, after all." 

I think we all could tell he wasn't telling us something, but no one pressed him. It just about confirmed for me that Collin was actually here, somewhere in the crowd. I had no idea as to why, but it seemed like the only thing he would be hiding from me, if it was the case. 

We got onto stage, where the lights were dim. As soon as we were ready, they brightened, revealing us to the crowd and vise versa. 

The son started with a short instrumental. I waited for a moment, scanning the faces in the crowd. A lot were filled with happiness, some surprise. A few people were yelling in the background. 

There was a lot of variety between all the people in front of me. Emo, pop. Black, White, Asian. Hair that was blond, brown, black, dyed. I thought I could see one or two faces from previous concerts, or that I had just seen on the streets, but there was no one that I could see who I knew well. 

I heard the familiar drum beats and started to sing. 

Astoria, I'm warning ya, not ready yet, not for you
Don't wanna know my darkest lows
My blackest pitch, murder of crows
Feels far from home, close to the vale
Goodbye mother's fairy-tale
Never After will suffice when star-crossed lovers take their life

Now we begin a harlequin, kaleidoscope in spite of when
Top of the world to lowest worth, from blackest pearl to slower birth
Don't remind me what the price is when left to my own devices
'Cause I'll find out in all due time what happens to never say die

My eyes fell on a couple in the front row. They were talking, one trying to leave while the other tried to shake his head, like he was convincing her to say. 

The girl turned and met my eyes. I stuttered, almost late to sing again. 

I'll see whatever doesn't make me stronger kills me
But it's gonna to be a long year till the hospital can find hope in me

It was Collin. 

Do I survive you, Astoria?

She shook her head at me, pushing through the crowd and away. The guy with her shrugged, obviously not caring too much. 

Do I survive you, Astoria?
You know everything happens, it happens in threes

I tried not to lose her, but it was easy in the dense crowd. She was gone before the song was even halfway through.