I Can't Take Another Disappointment- Ben Bruce

Always Drowning

I couldn't believe I was sitting next to my best friend, singing Wheatus's Teenage Dirtbag at the top of my lungs with You Me At Six.

We were incredibly off key, and I'm pretty sure we were assulting people's ears. Even Josh who was an outstanding vocalist couldn't escape that charge.

Nikki burst into laughter as the song ended and Danny came over and told us all to shut up. I had to admit though, this was the most fun I'd had in a very long time.

"Hey you, mind if I join?" I looked up to see none other than Tyler Carter gazing down at me questioningly.

"Of course not, come sing with us!" I courageously grabbed his arm and pulled him down beside me. The fire in front of us crackled loudly and I looked back to Tyler who was holding an acoustic guitar I hadn't seen before.

It took me a moment to figure out he was strumming the beat to one of his bands songs, 'The Worst of Them'.

I smiled as he caught me watching him and he nodded. I took that as a cue and began singing the first verse, much to everyone's surprise.

"Funny how everytime you push me away, you turn around and you beg me to stay.

Cut down by the things you say, it's the beating of a broken drum."

It was almost as if the words were flowing out of me, as if I was my complete and utter self in that moment as I sang to one of my favourites.

"This love is addictive, I'm trying hard just to quit it. But you're drowning yourself, you won't catch your breath, until you admit it. Is anybody out there? I'm dying in a nightmare. Put a hole in your heart and then you can start to feel what I feel. And if it don't hurt then you know what we got ain't real, yeah."

Out of nowhere Ben appeared and sat down across from me. As he did, I continued with the song, taking over Tyler's role in the song. I could feel everyone's eyes on me and kept my own closed, afraid of the attention but unable to stop singing.

As the lyrics left my lips, it was eerily silent apart from the ongoing roar of the flames in front of me.

I began to be too aware of my voice and was grateful when the song ended. After a moment of silence, I thought I must have sounded dreadful, but I felt a hand on mine and looked only to Tyler as he smiled widely at me.

"Your voice is amazing, Ash." He said and I looked around so he would not see the shade of red my cheeks were glowing. Maybe he'd mistake it as the glow from the fire.

As I looked around, everyone's eyes were on me until somebody cheered, causing a chain reaction. "That was awesome!" Someone exclaimed and I looked to my feet, hiding my smile.

When I looked up, I couldn't see Ben anywhere and hid my frown with a forced smile to Nikki who kissed my cheek and patted my leg.

"Ashlyn!" I looked around my the person that called my name, only to find a very drunken Sam behind me, dirty dancing on Danny along with Ben.

"Oh good lord," I muttered before laughing. Ben had to keep pushing his messy hair back from his face and I bit my lip. It might be half bottle of vodka I'd had, but in that moment, I knew what I wanted.

I said goodbye to Tyler with a hug and he promised he'd find me tomorrow to hang before their show. I began walking over to the boys when I saw a girl with long brown hair with a slick black mini dress and dangerously high heels on.

My feet stopped in my tracks as I saw her snake her long arms around Ben's neck and even worse, him pull her closer.

I stepped back into someone and they spoke, but everything was muffled to my ears, like I was under water. I felt like I was drowning.