My Understandings

~Austin~
Her eyes rolled in the back of her head as the gas kicked in.
“How could I not see the signs Alan?” I asked as he walked next to me.
“What signs?”
“Her height, after every show we played in Texas she would always clutch her chest and sit down for hours. I mean it’s been obvious for months now!” I sigh as we walk into the waiting room where everyone else was.
“Austin!” David yelled. He ran up to me and squared me in the jaw. “What the hell is happening to my sister?! How do you know about it?!” he went in for another punch, which I took. I wasn’t thinking about the fact that I was getting my face pounded, I was thinking about, what would I do if Ellie died?
“David, stop.” Lynzie begged. Her brown eyes met David’s and instantly they were filled with fear. Ellie was basically like a sister to her. They grew up in Colorado together and moved to long beach together like family and now they live in L.A. of course Lynzie is feeling this way.
“What’s happening Austin?” she asked while wrapping her arms around David.
“It’s the same thing I have.” Everyone’s eyes slash heads shot towards me. “Her uhm artery burst because the aorta wall collapsed. She’s erm bleeding on the inside.”
“Will she survive?” Miley piped from the back. Alan and I looked at each other.
“Well-”
“What was your survival percentage?” Max asked.
“It was a 30 to 40 percent I wouldn’t make it.” I say, running my fingers through my hair. My jaw aching in the process.
“What about Ellie?”
“Erm,”
“Will she die?” Ryan asked.
“Well,” I begin.
“Why didn’t she tell us?” Max asks again.
“Maybe,”
“Austin.”
“Austin.”
“Austin.”
“Please! SHUT UP!” I yell. Everyone calling my name at one isn’t helping the situation. “She didn’t tell anyone because I don’t know! Ask her! I don’t know if she will die or not I hope not!!!” I yell, yanking my hair.
“What’s the percentage?” David asks. I choke on a sob and spin around twice. I look at Alan for help. He sighs.
“There’s a 80 to 90 percent she won’t make it.” He tells them. Once again I go back to muttering to myself. Gosh, how could I not notice? It’s been going on for 25 years! That’s far too long! The doctor told me she’s known for two years. If she would’ve said something, this could’ve been avoided. While an argument brews between them, I walk back to the glass to see Ellie’s heart on ice. That heart holds all the love I gave to her and now it’s freezing away. Ellie herself is freezing away. She’s paler then usual and looks like a fragile stick attached to life support. Her nose no longer holds the lip ring. Her lips no longer hold the lip ring. Her once bright ice crystal eyes are now shut and pale as ever. I take out my phone and compose a tweet.
Austin Carlile: at the hospital with a very close friend. All my prayers are sent out to Ellie and her friends and family. And to her second family at Warped.
Immediately my phone blows up with notifications. My phone began to ring and I took the calls one by one. Talking to Andy from BVB, Andy from WCAR Taylor from WATIC Kellin and the SWS guys, Devin from I See Stars, Kyle, the ATL guys, Mitch, Drummer Matt and Oli from BMTH, 3 OH! 3, Beau, and Ben. By the time I was done, they we’re still performing the surgery. Trying to stop the bleeding. I refuse to cry. So instead, I watch those eyes as they work to keep her living.
She has to live. She has to.
For me.
~Ellie~
“Squidgy fa la la la la la.” Austin sang from the kitchen.
“Why are you singing a song about Squidgy?” I asked.
“Because, I want to make a Squidgy theme song.” He splatter pancake batter on my face.
“But it’s stupid!” Lynzie yells as she walks from David’s room.
“Yeah, who on earth thinks of a theme song for a plush squid?”
“HEY! Long Beach may be for dickheads, but it doesn’t mean you all have to act like one!” Austin throws more pancake batter at us. Today was a relaxful day. David didn’t have to record and Austin was staying the night over while my mom worked.
“Hey no one said Long Beach was for dickheads.” David retorted.
“Exactly. Mr. I have a theme song for a plush squid.” I turn around to high five Lynzie when a blobby substance hit the back of my head. Unlike my brother, I actually like to keep my hair brown, not dyed black, but that might change. the substance dripped down my forehead as I turned around to face Austin. He raised his eyebrows as he smirked at me. I ran and did a full blown tackle on Austin, making him fall backwards. I was now sitting on his stomach with a bowl full of pancake mix. I poured it all on his face and shirt.
“David, let’s go before this gets messy.” And with that, it left the two of us.
“Cocky aren’t we Carlile?” I asked.
“Sexy eh? Schmitt.” He sat up so I was now straddled in his lap.
“I don’t know, am I?” I asked while biting my lip.
“Defiantly.”He crashed his lips against mine in a frantic fury. Pancake mix caked my lips and face. Austin is my personal drug. He makes my high and higher and higher and I will never get over it. When he pulled away he stared at me.
“You have a little, something,” he ran his thumb along my bottom lip, scraping any mix off before licking it clean.
“You’re so cliché!” I yelled while getting up.
“Babe! Cliché is so overrated!” I flip him off and walk into the bathroom to wash my face.
“That’s what she said!” I yell from the bathroom. After cleaning my face I turn to find Austin in the doorway.
“And this is what she said,” he crashed his lips to mine and locked the door........
~Austin~
“Austin, honey wake up.” I hear a voice call me.
“Mom, five more minutes.” I groan and turn over in the chair.
“Wake up dipshit!” someone yells at me. I grumble something inhuman and turn over again. Then a hot fiery feeling spreads across my face. it burns! I shoot out the chair to see Ellie’s mom and a pissed David staring at me.
“David! That was not necessary!” she barks at him.He rolls his eyes before walking away. “Don’t mind him. He’s just stressed.” Her mom looks the same. Long brown hair, laugh lines, and chocolate brown eyes. David took after his mom , but Ellie took after their dad.
“No worries Ms. Schmitt.” I reassure her. she takes a seat next to me.
“How is she holding up?”
“Well, the surgery finished-” I check my watch for the time. “-thirty minutes ago. I just wished I would’ve noticed the signs earlier. Maybe I could’ve saved her.” I put my hands in my face.
“It’s gonna be okay Austin. No one knew.” She pats my back.
“Yeah, no one but her.” I mumble. She pats my back again and leaves to find David. Max or Matt (I don’t know. Too many Matt’s and Max’s on tour.) sits next to me.
“What’s gonna happen if she dies?” he asks. I snap my head towards her.
“She’s not gonna die. There is no If’s and When’s. she’s going to survive and pull through and I will be there one hundred percent of the way.” I spat.
“But is she’s here, then who’s coming with us back on tour?” he asks, slightly afraid.
“Miley can take over the vocals. She can play rhythm right?”
“Yeah, but who is gonna play bass on such a short notice?”
“I know someone.” The doctor walks through and everyone looks up.
“Relatives only.” He says first.
“I’m her sister.” Lynzie says.
“Yeah, we’re related?” Miley pipes in.
“I’m her brother.” Matt says.
“I’m her brother too.” Phil and Tino say.
“So am I.” Alan and Ryan say. They glare at each other for a moment.
“I’m her brother.” David says.
“Mother.” Ms. Schmitt raises her hand. The doctor looks at me.
“Husband.” I blurt out. He looks at us with a “what the fuck?” look.
“Okay, the mother and husband may go.”
“No actually, the husband and brother may go first.” Ms. Schmitt points at David and I .
“Okay, follow me.” we follow him down a narrow hallway and we pass so many sick patients. This is why I hate the hospital. But I come there more than I would like to. He opens a room door and laying lifeless is Ellie.
“Is she,” David stutters.
“No. She’s breathing, but not responding.” He says.
“When will she wake up?” I ask.
“Hard to tell. When she wants to. Only time can tell.” He writes something on a clipboard before turning to us. “Talk to her. see if anything you say wakes her up.” He gives us a small smile before leaving.
“What are we gonna do? We have to be at Warped soon.” He says.
“Me and the guys can stay.” I say.
“And miss Warped?”
“We still have our headline tour.”
“What about her band?”
“I have someone who can fill in bass while Miley takes over vocals and rhythm.” I take out my phone and dial the number I never want to.
“Who?” I put a finger up signaling him to hush.
“Austin.” The voice snaps at me.
“Long time. I need you to do me a favor.”
“Why would I do that?” he snaps again.
“Because it gives you a chance to be at Warped.” It was quiet for a while before he spoke up.
“What is it?”
“My friend is in the hospital and they need a bass player slash backing vocals until Warped is over. I have to stay with her, so will you do it?”
Please say yes, please say yes.
“I really don’t like stuff at short notice,”
Come one dickhead say yes!
“Please?”
“Fine. When do they leave?”
“In six days.”
“See you then.”
“Thanks.”
“Whatever.” And the line clicks.
It’s gonna be okay. Nothing is gonna hurt you.
I seriously freaking hope.
*At Warped*
~Vic~
“Give up for my man Kellin! Thank you guys!” I yell and run off the stage. Warped has a sad vibe running through. Everyone’s mind is focused on Ellie. Andy is bitcher than usual. Ronnie cuss at everyone and Kellin and Beau are complete wrecks. Out of all the bands here, I say my band is taking it the best, behind closed doors we’re freaking out. What if she dies? She’s like a sister to all of us and we don’t want her dead. She’s crazy talented and clumsy. She’s all of our best friends even if we broke up; I will still love her like a little sister. Austin calls us and updates us. He even goes on Twitter, but its been two days. We also heard that she got signed to Rise Records and Kellin almost shit bricks when he heard.
“Hey Mike! Toss me a Monster!” he throws it to me and it hits me in the chest. He goes off stage and slams the tour bus shut. Rubbing my chest I turn to Jaime.
“Hime-Time, what’s his problem?” I ask.
“Frenchi found out he cheated. She’s coming here in three days.” I gulp. A pissed Frenchi is never good. Especially at Warped where beer bottles are everywhere. Tony gave his guitar to the Tech guy and took off his ear piece.
“What are we gonna do? Now we have two girls to worry about. One who is at her deathbed and one his is planning a deathbed!” I shrug.
“I don’t know Tony. Only time can tell this time around.

Notes

Oooh. Who do you think Austin called? I'm pretty sure anyone could guess.....the mystery caller has a band who has claimed the prize of this week's title. I Owe You Nothing.
Correct guesser gets a vitrual hug and pancakes!