After Andy (#6 in the 'Outcast' Series)

Chapter 57

Chapter 57:

-6 Years Later- Present -

Ashley's Point of View:

"Has anyone seen Brian?" Matt asked, looking at the three of us in front of him. "He was here less than five minutes ago; anyone know where he's gone?"

"He's probably stepped out for a smoke or something," Zacky said with a shrug, Matt looking to him with an unimpressed look. Zacky returned it. "What?"

"You boys and your fucking cigarettes," Matt said with a shake of his head; Zacky just shrugged. "The worst thing you could've gotten yourself into."

"As much as I agree that cigarettes aren't good, I think there're worse things they could've gotten into," I spoke up, all of them looking to me.

"Yeah," Zacky said in agreement before looking back to Matt. "You should be glad we haven't gotten ourselves into hardcore drugs or anything like that. Cigarettes are the least of your worries Matt."

"I'm really not in the mood for joking around right now guys," Matt said, Zacky rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. "Yes, you could've gotten into worse stuff but the fact still remains that smoking will kill you and right now, I hope it kills you quickly."

Zacky looked to me, making me return the look.

"As you can see, this' why we're all such good friends."

I smiled a bit, unable to help myself; Zacky smiled back. Sometimes it made me wonder how they were all still as close as they were friendship wise. I knew that they'd known each other for a long time which was probably the reason why. They all knew each other's flaws and perfections so I guess they were all used to it. Matt wasn't always so snappy either.

"So has anyone seen him?" Matt asked again, the three of us shaking our heads. Matt sighed, sounding frustrated. "Terrific."

"I'm sure he'll show up," I reassured, Matt looking to me and looking rather unhappy with the current situation. "I somehow doubt he'd just get up and walk out on you."

"Well he's got five minutes before I decide to replace him," Matt said, though we all knew there was no chance he'd even dream of getting rid of Brian. "We can't exactly go out on stage without him!"

"Matt, breathe for a second and calm down," Zacky said, Matt looking to him. "You're stressing over nothing; Brian couldn't've gone far, ok? He knows the times he has to be where so he'll show up in a couple of minutes because he knows you always wanna talk to us all before we go out there."

"How long've we got?" Jimmy asked, Zacky looking to him.

He got his phone out, checking the time. "Roughly fifteen minutes."

"Can someone please go and find him?" Matt asked. "Like, now? We only have fifteen minutes and the longer I have to stress over one missing person, the worse it's gonna get. So someone, please go and find him and bring him right back here. Scold him if you have to, as long as you get back here before we have to go onstage."

Zacky shook his head and left the room, clearly assuming that no-one else was going to volunteer to do it. Matt readjusted his snapback as he tried to calm himself down.

"Why do people have to make life difficult?" he asked no-one in particular, collapsing himself down onto the closest chair. "Why can't people just abide by the rules and not disappear when they're needed?"

Jimmy sat down next to him, not looking too fazed about what was happening; made me wonder if that was just how he was or if he actually knew where Brian had gone. I didn't know him that well, but I knew that he was very close with Brian, so there was always the possibility that he knew something.