Salvation

5 ∆ trail of ants

        Hours into the night and I had lost track of all things happening. I wasn't content with downing only the bottle of wine, so I grabbed the beers too. Also there was cognac and other drinks from the guys, and I couldn't say 'no' to them again. Plus there were joints which they also forced up on me. And then goodbye sobriety and common sense.

''We should go back home,'' George groaned, lifting himself from the bench, taking away my pillow -- his lap. I groaned as I hit my head on the hard wooden bench and Hann laughed. ''...it's getting really cold. And it's really late. And I'm really - what?'' He looked down at me, who was tugging at his legs. ''High. I'm really high.''

''We all are,'' Matthew said. ''and that kid is too. Oh fuck, it'll be quite - uh? AH, A TRAIL OF ANTS! THEY'RE GONNA CATCH ME!'' And with that he ran off somewhere, only to return a couple of minutes later. That had happened before earlier in the night; I was used to it by now. ''... it'll be quite a task to get home. You know, why are we here? I mean, what's the meaning of this? Of me? Of you, and what about this girl?'' He nudged my forehead and I groaned. ''What's the point of everything?''

''There's no point. It is what it is. See?'' Ross said, pointing at the grass in front of him, where ants walked slowly. ''Ants. What's about them? Nothing. They just carry... their leaves around and... they eat them and... and yeah, you see.''

Walking and talking, smoking and drinking, we made our way home -- home being somewhere I had never seen before, and it was full of people, loud music, and then it all went black. 

***

Voices awoke me from my slumber. I couldn't open my eyes because the headache was too intense to even think straight. I don't even know how I managed to remember half of the events of last night, just as I reminisced in the place I laid. 

I had no idea of when my power of never having hangovers stopped working and now I was left aching for water and with a splitting headache, and I also had no idea of where I was, or who was around me.

Still with my eyes closed, I turned around on whatever I was laying on, only to fall and be faced with a fluffy carpet. I breathed dust for half a second, which was enough to wake up all of the allergies in me and make me sneeze like a madwoman. 

''Fucking hell,'' I cursed as I laid back, rubbing my eyes and trying to contain the sneezes. ''oh, god.''

As I continued rubbing my eyes furiously, I felt myself leaning against something warm. I managed to open my eyes the slightest bit just to notice it was someone's legs. 

''Are you alright?'' A familiar voice asked. Sneezing again, I sat up, blinking rapidly and trying to focus my vision. 

''Where am I?'' I whispered as I scanned the face in front of me.

He chuckled, ''Hann's place. You know who's Hann, right?''

''Yeah, but- I thought I was going back to where I live- they said go back... home?'' I said, confused, looking around, trying to understand why there were so many bands in the same area and why was Chris Wood from freaking Bastille talking to me.

''Oh, look who woke up!'' I heard Ross' voice from behind me. I turned around slowly so I could face him; he was grinning and holding a red cup in his hands.

''Hey?'' I sort of asked; he chuckled.

''Hey. Here, come with me.'' He said, once again grabbing my wrist and dragging me somewhere inside the house.

We ended up on the kitchen, where he got a glass of water and a couple of painkillers for me, even though I hadn't asked for anything. Well that was one sweet band member.

''So,'' Ross started, turning around to face me while I swallowed the pills. ''wanna go meet the lads?''

''Um, I sort of know them all.'' I awkwardly said and he raised his eyebrows. ''But yeah, it'd be nice to be officially introduced.'' I quickly added, not to sound like an obsessed fangirl.

''Alright,'' He chuckled. ''before we go, do you want a drink?''

''Uh, what time is it?''

''Nearly 2am. You slept for only a couple of hours.''  

I nodded, and he got me a drink -- cuba libre, coke and rum. We made our way back to the living room, me following close behind, feeling awkwardly out of place. 

''Hey, guys!'' Ross shouted over the music, waving at a group in the corner. They waved back and made their way towards us, while I cowered behind him. ''This is Anna.'' He held my hand and brought me to his side. I smiled awkwardly. ''Anna, this is Max, Chris and Josh, from You Me At Six, ya know? And those guys over there, Harry, Louis and Zayn, from one-dee. And those guys over there with George and Hann, Dan, Woody and Will, from Bastille.'' 

''Nice to meet you.'' I said quietly as I shook hands with Chris, Josh and Max. They and Ross started chatting, while I was left out, observing the ambient around me. 

That was insane.