This One's For You (an Austin Carlile fanfiction)

Chapter 10

Headaches are nasty little fuckers. Waking up with them isn't pleasant either. My head was throbbing as I blinked my eyes, which only increased the pain. My mouth felt dry and sticky, like my tongue was made of fabric. I wanted to go back to sleep, but it didn't take me long to realize I wasn't in a bed. My neck was aching like I had slept on it wrong, and the surface beneath me was bumpy and damp. I forced myself to open my eyes and look around, trying to block out the sunlight by squinting. 

I was surrounded by green. It was clearly a forest, and the sun was a good ways into the sky. It must have been around 11 in the morning. I felt my cloudy thoughts snap into focus with a rush of adrenaline. Why was I here? Where was everyone else? How could I get back to them? Where was I? 

With the panic came tears. I vaguely recalled wandering out of the bus, and being upset at Austin, for...for what? Oh yeah, because he wouldn't have sex with me. I hung my head in my hands as more tears fell, realizing how stupid I had been. I knew I would have regretted asking him if he had said yes anyway. I wasn't ready. Being drunk just made me forget about that I guess. 

I got up and stumbled, I was still a little dizzy. I wondered how far away from the bus I was. I wasn't even sure which direction to walk in. 

I sat back down again. I needed to calm down. I was starting to hyperventilate, which was making my headache worse. I also needed water, because I was thirsty as fuck. Not to mention an aspirin. I also had to pee really bad.

Well, it was the forest. I pulled down my pants and peed, giving no fucks. Sure enough, it was in the middle of that when I heard someone call my name. "Lee!" I could tell it was Alan's voice.

The shock almost made me fall, and I quickly pulled up my pants and looked around. It must have been a ways in the distance, because I didn't see him. "Alan!" I called back. I wasn't very loud, my voice was really scratchy. I tried again. "Alan!"

I heard him call my name again, and I called his back, and it went like this until we found each other. As soon as I spotted his ginger tuft of hair, I ran towards him and wrapped my arms around him in a hug. He caught me and spun me around. I was still a bit dizzy, and he wasn't helping, but I was just glad to be safe. "Why'd you run away?" he asked me, not letting go. "I woke up hungover and everyone except Austin was passed out. He was freaking out about you, and we were both so worried, Lee. He's out looking for you, too."

My eyes widened at the news. I felt so guilty for making them worry. I always do, I always mess everything up. "I...uh...I can't remember why," I lied. The reason was too embarrassing to say. 

He just nodded, but I wasn't sure he was totally convinced. "Okay, let's get you back to the bus, you look awful," he said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me towards safety. "Do you remember anything at all from last night?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah, a few things..." I mumbled. I felt his arm tense around me, and I glanced at him to see his jaw clenching. 

"Like what?" he asked. He seemed nervous, and I knew why. What he'd confessed to me was something he'd hoped I was too drunk to remember. 

"Well, I remember meeting the Pierce the Veil guys," I started. He nodded, and I hesitated before continuing. "And I remember things getting crazy, and you wanting to talk to me and...well what you said made me really confused." I rushed the words out. 

He nodded again, sighing. "I'm sorry. It was really stupid of me to tell you that. I should have kept it to myself...and I'm sorry if that's why you ran away. I feel like this is all my fault."

"No, it's not what made me run away, don't feel guilty, really." No, the reason I ran away was much more idiotic. 

"So you do remember why you left?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Shit.