I'm With The Band

0.8

FLASHBACK:

"Yeah, all she said was that she didn't want to g- oh shit!"

SKRRRRRR, BOOM, CRASH

"Hunter? Hunter?! Are you okay? Hunter answer me. Hunter?!"

Shit, shit, shit.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"Hi I'd like to report an accident?"

"911, what's your emergency?"

Can they not hear me?

"Hello? My brother's been in an accident he's not responding t-"

"911, what's your emergency?"

What the hell.

"HELLO? This is Lilah Grey calling on behalf of my bro-"

"911, what's your emergency?"

"Help me, he's going to die!"

"Lilah? Lilah! Lilah!"

PRESENT DAY:

"Hunter?" My eyes shoot open and I have no clue where I am. Two hands are holding my face and I feel more disoriented than ever.

"No, Lilah, it's Christian," I hear a voice whisper to me.

It was just a bad dream, I tell myself. I let out a deep breath and lean my head against the back of the seat. I wipe the tears from my eyes and take a couple seconds to calm my overloaded mind before turning back to look at a worried and confused Christian.

"You alright?" He asks with a genuine tone before cursing under his breath and shaking his head. "Of course you're not alright, you were crying in your sleep," he lets out and I can almost see him mentally slapping himself in the face.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just haven't had one of those in a while."

My voice comes out weaker than I wanted it too. I divert my gaze from his, still distracted from the taking place in my mind.

"You can tell me about them you know, if you want to," he says and turns so his body is completely facing mine. I'm not quite sure how that works but I guess that large seats must be one of the many perks of first class.

I haven't told anyone about the dreams except Mila and that was only when they first started. My dad knows too but I never tell him what happens in them. I haven't really told anyone, actually. Maybe it's about time though. After all it's been over a year and a half now since the accident. I can't keep it inside forever. Plus, it's probably a good idea to get close to at least some of the boys seeing as I'll be spending the next better part of a year with them.

"Yeah, so um," I take a minute to gather my thoughts as Christian waits patiently, quietly, and carefully cross from me. I notice Giovanni shift positions across the isle but he's probably still asleep. Mila is totally out seeing as she took some sleeping pills before the flight and the rest of the boys and crew are completely out.

"Around two years ago my brother died in a car accident," I find myself staring at the floor, unable to look at the sadness in Christian's eyes any longer. "He was a year older than me at the time, a senior, and was coming home from an after party at one of his teammate's houses after they won the championship game that night. He was responsible, you know? The type of guy that makes sure that everyone else was okay before himself. He practically raised me after our mom took off and my dad was stuck at work to pay the bills," I smiled, remembering the times he took the role as both parents and cooked dinner for me and helped with the chores and taught me how to do algebra. "Anyways, like I said, he was the responsible one. He was driving home from the party fully sober and called me to make sure that I was home okay. He was telling me about this girl he asked out and how she didn't want to go see a horror movie the next night and and then all I heard was-" I pause, collecting myself and to wipe the tear that escaped from my eye away. Christian grabbed my hand in a caring manner and his eyes flood over with sympathy. "I heard the crash," I choke out. "I heard everything. I called out to him but he didn't respond but I stayed on the phone until a parametic picked up on the scene and asked for his info and our address. They said he was hit by a drunk driver, some kid from the same party, and things were looking pretty bad. The kid was fine, he lived. He's in jail now and will be for a couple more years but he has his life and Hunter doesn't and it's not fair," I say. My voice is filled with frustration at this point and my head hurts from all the emotions overflowing from my heart and into my brain. "He died in the hospital an hour or so later and I wasn't even able to say goodbye. I've had this recurring nightmare since that night that I'm calling 911 and they can't hear me and aren't helping and I feel so helpless and useless and-"

"Shhhhh," Christian pulls me into a hug and I let out a silent sob on his shoulder. I'm never one to cry over things but when it comes to Hunter I just can't help it. It's been almost two years but I still choke up when I walk past his trophies in the hallway at school, or when I walk into the room to my left, filled with deep grey walls that we painted together.

"Listen when I say this, Lilah. None of it was your fault. I PROMISE you that," he says with a soft yet stern tone. "You've been through hell and back and it has only made you stronger. I know that in times like these, weakness is the only thing to feel, fear is the only thing to feel and grief is the only thing we feel, anger, pain, resentment, is the only thing we feel but it's because we are human. You've come out stronger and wiser because of it and it has made you a warrior not only for yourself but for your dad, Mila, and everyone around you. Take that pain and turn it into beauty. Use it in your art, write a song about it, write a poem, paint something, I don't know! But the most beautiful things come with the most beautifully complicated pain and I know beauty when I see it. Lilah your soul is beautiful and vibrant and nothing, not even a tragedy like this can change that."

At this point the tears are streaming down faster than ever. I have never in my whole life thought of it in that way and to be honest, he's made some pretty fair points. And thank God he hadn't pitied me because I hate nothing more than a pity party.

"Christian wow," I look at him with utmost admiration that I'm sure in beaming through the roof of this plane and into the cosmos. "I- thank you. I've never thought of it that way." I give him the biggest hug I could and held on tightly. "Thank you for listening."

"Anytime, Grey. I'm always here for you. Always." His wisdom radiates off of him in waves and I can tell why so many people love him.

"Thank you, Christian." He nods and leans his head against the headrest of the seat. I do the same, and cover a large yawn as my eyes start drooping and my brain is overtaken by a sense of peace.

"Goodnight, Grey," he says softly.

"'Night, Rivers," I reply, a small smile forming on my face.

I think I've just made a new friend.