With Me Tonight
Embrace The Ending
Alan's pov:
The obnoxious buzzing of my phone that was sitting on the bedside table woke me up.
I tried to ignore it like it wasn't happening, turning over on my other side and bringing the pillow with me to cover my ear, but it wouldn't fucking stop going off. Who the hell would call me at this hour? Wait, what hour even is it?
I groan, swearing under my breath as I throw my pillow and sit up, blindly searching for my phone as I rub the sleep out of my eyes. Who ever is calling me better have a damn good reason because I was looking forward to sleeping in today since we don't have to head to the airport until 11. I think are next destination is Illinois.
"Hello?" I grumble into my phone, not even looking at the caller ID before I answered it. The screen was too bright, it was hurting my eyes. I do manage to look over to the bed next to me and see my roommate, Jordan from Bring Me, is still passed out. He was out drinking like all last night. Lucky him.
"Hey, man," Austin's voice was easily recognizable, but sounded a little... exhausted.
"Austin? What the hell are you doing calling me at, what is it?" I turn to check the clock. "9 am in the morning!" Okay, I guess I do sound a little ridiculous, but I stayed up late watching TV last night and had at least two more hours of sleep I could have got. I'm just glad it was Austin who called because now I can yell at him, unlike if someone I didn't really know called me..
"Sorry, dude, but it's kind of important.." he says and I remembered all that happened last night with Hazel's boyfriend and then how she came over here freaking out after her and Austin had sex. She was going back to talk to him, so I can't help but worry about what happened. "I think you should get over here," he says and his tone scares me a bit.
"Is everything okay?" I ask, rubbing at my eyes a little more as I swing my legs over the edge of my bed so my feet can rest on the floor.
I hear him suck in a big breath, silence lingering after until he speaks again. "Hazel's dad died last night, man."
Holy shit, I'm awake now.
"Oh, fuck.." I mumble out, my hand going to rest on my forehead in shock. After all those weeks I spent at Hazel's before this tour, I became kind of close with her family. Her dad accepted me in his house and as Hazel's best friend so easily. He was such a good guy. But during the time I spent with him, I noticed just how sick he was, especially when he would wake up yelling in the middle of the night because of the 'voices'. He never deserved it, not at all.
But the thing I noticed the most, was how close he was with Hazel and her sister. I saw how much they loved him and took care of him and I had even wished I could have that kind of relationship with my dad.
My heart nearly falls out of my chest when I think of Hazel. I can't imagine what she's going through right now.
"And she's not doing too good," Austin continues a little quieter, like he doesn't want someone, Hazel, to hear. But then before he says his next words he sucks in a breath like he doesn't want to say it. "She needs you right now, Alan," Austin seemed like he didn't want to admit that she needed me more than him because I know he wishes he could be enough. Especially after he thought Hazel and I were together. But we weren't and won't be, she's just my best girl. Plus, Austin and her have are on an extremely shaky road right now. I mean not even a few days ago they were ready to pull each others throats out.
"I'll be over as fast as I can," I say, not really thinking much about it as Austin and I end the call and I get out of bed. Many things are going through my head as I search around for a change of clothes, but I have sadness lingering inside of me.
After getting dressed, I run my hands through my messy hair before grabbing my room key to have in my pocket and then head out. I make sure the door isn't too loud when it closes and then start down the hall to Hazel and Austin's room. I'm not sure what to expect when I get there, but I do know things probably won't be okay.
I reach their door quickly, my room only being a few doors down, and when I get there, I breathe out a sad breath before knocking on the door. I can hear feet quickly coming over to it and only seconds later Austin swings the door open.
His mouth parts open as he's going to greet me, but he shuts it and gives me a weak smile. He's still only half dressed with bed head and looks like he barely got any sleep. We don't say anything, we don't know what we would, but also, we don't need to. We both know this isn't a normal morning for any of us.
He nods to signal for me to come in, which I do so he can shut the door. I look around the open living room area, seeing no signs of Hazel. "Where is she?" I look up to him to immediately ask.
"In her room," Austin mumbles before leading the way there. As we walk, I notice a picture frame that was supposed to be hanging on the wall, flat on the ground. I don't think much of it because soon, we are standing in the doorway of Hazel's room.
She sits on the floor with her legs sprawled out in front of her and her back resting on the side of the bed she sits against. She looks down at something in her hands, completely still and very quiet.
Austin and I share a look before I start to go over to her, knowing I need to make sure my best friends okay. As I cross the room, I catch glimpse of the attached bathroom, surprised to see that shit was broken all over in the floor. I wonder what happen, but take a good enough guess that it was Hazel.
I get to her side and sit down next to her, joining her on the ground. She still doesn't look to me as I do this, just down at what's in her hands. "Hey, bub," I use our nickname, talking lightly as I glance at whats in her hand. I recognize it because it's the photo Syd found in their dad's office and Hazel took it to keep with her the day we left. It was an old picture of all three of them, Hazel on her dad's shoulders while Syd was in his arms, both of them much younger than they are now.
"My brother took this picture," she says quietly, getting me to look at the side of her face. "He was doing a project for school and said he needed a picture that would make all the other kids jealous because they didn't have a family like his." A sad smile ghosts over her face as she looks down at the picture. It seemed like we sat in silence, looking at it, for hours. But during this time, her face fell and showed off how tired and sad she looked. She is breaking my heart, but mostly I'm shocked that this is all happening. Everything was just fine last night, but now everything is different.
"They don't know, Alan," she says, her voice now completely low in sadness and fear. There was no nostalgia anymore. "My brother and my sister don't know. They don't know our dad's dead," she whispers, her finger stroking over him on the picture.
"We'll tell them," I try to reassure, not wanting this to haunt her. "Syd will know soon enough, she's just not answering her phone, right?"
"My brother's in Afghanistan," she now whispers, still refusing to look up to me. "He's going to find out too late."
Her saying this makes the devastation of this tragedy really hit. None of her family knows yet and they won't know until she goes home. And going home means missing tour, planning a funeral, seeing her family broken. And her brother won't even be able to come to the funeral. He'll come home to find out his dad is dead.
I turn my head to look at Austin who is still is crouched down, his hands pressed together like they would be if he was praying and pressed against his lips as he looks at us, understanding everything that's happening. We share a look of sadness, both of us realizing how much this sucks. Hazel is a big part in both of us, and it hurts to know how she will. And that there isn't anything we can do to stop it or make it go away.
I breathe in deeply as I turn back to Hazel, wishing she'd look at me so I can really get a feel on how she's doing. "Hey, look at me," I say softly, expecting her to, but she continues to stare down at the picture, pressing her lips into a fine line while she shakes her head no. At first I question why she won't, but then I notice her fists squeezing together and her lip starting to tremble. She doesn't want to cry, she doesn't want it to be real. "Hey," I coo, shifting so I'm in front of her anymore. "Hey, it's okay. I'm here, Hazel. We're here," I take a quick glance back to Austin before trying to find Hazel's eyes. Her lip is trembling even more now and I gently slide my palm under her chin to move her head up. She lets me and finally looks into my eyes, but when she see's me, a cry that she was trying so hard to hold in breaks through her lips. Seeing me made it real for her. Knowing that I was here to comfort her, hurt as much as it felt good.
"It's okay," I repeat as I bring my arms up to wrap around her, bringing her into my embrace. She cries softly into my chest, gripping on my shirt. "Everything's going to be okay."
The obnoxious buzzing of my phone that was sitting on the bedside table woke me up.
I tried to ignore it like it wasn't happening, turning over on my other side and bringing the pillow with me to cover my ear, but it wouldn't fucking stop going off. Who the hell would call me at this hour? Wait, what hour even is it?
I groan, swearing under my breath as I throw my pillow and sit up, blindly searching for my phone as I rub the sleep out of my eyes. Who ever is calling me better have a damn good reason because I was looking forward to sleeping in today since we don't have to head to the airport until 11. I think are next destination is Illinois.
"Hello?" I grumble into my phone, not even looking at the caller ID before I answered it. The screen was too bright, it was hurting my eyes. I do manage to look over to the bed next to me and see my roommate, Jordan from Bring Me, is still passed out. He was out drinking like all last night. Lucky him.
"Hey, man," Austin's voice was easily recognizable, but sounded a little... exhausted.
"Austin? What the hell are you doing calling me at, what is it?" I turn to check the clock. "9 am in the morning!" Okay, I guess I do sound a little ridiculous, but I stayed up late watching TV last night and had at least two more hours of sleep I could have got. I'm just glad it was Austin who called because now I can yell at him, unlike if someone I didn't really know called me..
"Sorry, dude, but it's kind of important.." he says and I remembered all that happened last night with Hazel's boyfriend and then how she came over here freaking out after her and Austin had sex. She was going back to talk to him, so I can't help but worry about what happened. "I think you should get over here," he says and his tone scares me a bit.
"Is everything okay?" I ask, rubbing at my eyes a little more as I swing my legs over the edge of my bed so my feet can rest on the floor.
I hear him suck in a big breath, silence lingering after until he speaks again. "Hazel's dad died last night, man."
Holy shit, I'm awake now.
"Oh, fuck.." I mumble out, my hand going to rest on my forehead in shock. After all those weeks I spent at Hazel's before this tour, I became kind of close with her family. Her dad accepted me in his house and as Hazel's best friend so easily. He was such a good guy. But during the time I spent with him, I noticed just how sick he was, especially when he would wake up yelling in the middle of the night because of the 'voices'. He never deserved it, not at all.
But the thing I noticed the most, was how close he was with Hazel and her sister. I saw how much they loved him and took care of him and I had even wished I could have that kind of relationship with my dad.
My heart nearly falls out of my chest when I think of Hazel. I can't imagine what she's going through right now.
"And she's not doing too good," Austin continues a little quieter, like he doesn't want someone, Hazel, to hear. But then before he says his next words he sucks in a breath like he doesn't want to say it. "She needs you right now, Alan," Austin seemed like he didn't want to admit that she needed me more than him because I know he wishes he could be enough. Especially after he thought Hazel and I were together. But we weren't and won't be, she's just my best girl. Plus, Austin and her have are on an extremely shaky road right now. I mean not even a few days ago they were ready to pull each others throats out.
"I'll be over as fast as I can," I say, not really thinking much about it as Austin and I end the call and I get out of bed. Many things are going through my head as I search around for a change of clothes, but I have sadness lingering inside of me.
After getting dressed, I run my hands through my messy hair before grabbing my room key to have in my pocket and then head out. I make sure the door isn't too loud when it closes and then start down the hall to Hazel and Austin's room. I'm not sure what to expect when I get there, but I do know things probably won't be okay.
I reach their door quickly, my room only being a few doors down, and when I get there, I breathe out a sad breath before knocking on the door. I can hear feet quickly coming over to it and only seconds later Austin swings the door open.
His mouth parts open as he's going to greet me, but he shuts it and gives me a weak smile. He's still only half dressed with bed head and looks like he barely got any sleep. We don't say anything, we don't know what we would, but also, we don't need to. We both know this isn't a normal morning for any of us.
He nods to signal for me to come in, which I do so he can shut the door. I look around the open living room area, seeing no signs of Hazel. "Where is she?" I look up to him to immediately ask.
"In her room," Austin mumbles before leading the way there. As we walk, I notice a picture frame that was supposed to be hanging on the wall, flat on the ground. I don't think much of it because soon, we are standing in the doorway of Hazel's room.
She sits on the floor with her legs sprawled out in front of her and her back resting on the side of the bed she sits against. She looks down at something in her hands, completely still and very quiet.
Austin and I share a look before I start to go over to her, knowing I need to make sure my best friends okay. As I cross the room, I catch glimpse of the attached bathroom, surprised to see that shit was broken all over in the floor. I wonder what happen, but take a good enough guess that it was Hazel.
I get to her side and sit down next to her, joining her on the ground. She still doesn't look to me as I do this, just down at what's in her hands. "Hey, bub," I use our nickname, talking lightly as I glance at whats in her hand. I recognize it because it's the photo Syd found in their dad's office and Hazel took it to keep with her the day we left. It was an old picture of all three of them, Hazel on her dad's shoulders while Syd was in his arms, both of them much younger than they are now.
"My brother took this picture," she says quietly, getting me to look at the side of her face. "He was doing a project for school and said he needed a picture that would make all the other kids jealous because they didn't have a family like his." A sad smile ghosts over her face as she looks down at the picture. It seemed like we sat in silence, looking at it, for hours. But during this time, her face fell and showed off how tired and sad she looked. She is breaking my heart, but mostly I'm shocked that this is all happening. Everything was just fine last night, but now everything is different.
"They don't know, Alan," she says, her voice now completely low in sadness and fear. There was no nostalgia anymore. "My brother and my sister don't know. They don't know our dad's dead," she whispers, her finger stroking over him on the picture.
"We'll tell them," I try to reassure, not wanting this to haunt her. "Syd will know soon enough, she's just not answering her phone, right?"
"My brother's in Afghanistan," she now whispers, still refusing to look up to me. "He's going to find out too late."
Her saying this makes the devastation of this tragedy really hit. None of her family knows yet and they won't know until she goes home. And going home means missing tour, planning a funeral, seeing her family broken. And her brother won't even be able to come to the funeral. He'll come home to find out his dad is dead.
I turn my head to look at Austin who is still is crouched down, his hands pressed together like they would be if he was praying and pressed against his lips as he looks at us, understanding everything that's happening. We share a look of sadness, both of us realizing how much this sucks. Hazel is a big part in both of us, and it hurts to know how she will. And that there isn't anything we can do to stop it or make it go away.
I breathe in deeply as I turn back to Hazel, wishing she'd look at me so I can really get a feel on how she's doing. "Hey, look at me," I say softly, expecting her to, but she continues to stare down at the picture, pressing her lips into a fine line while she shakes her head no. At first I question why she won't, but then I notice her fists squeezing together and her lip starting to tremble. She doesn't want to cry, she doesn't want it to be real. "Hey," I coo, shifting so I'm in front of her anymore. "Hey, it's okay. I'm here, Hazel. We're here," I take a quick glance back to Austin before trying to find Hazel's eyes. Her lip is trembling even more now and I gently slide my palm under her chin to move her head up. She lets me and finally looks into my eyes, but when she see's me, a cry that she was trying so hard to hold in breaks through her lips. Seeing me made it real for her. Knowing that I was here to comfort her, hurt as much as it felt good.
"It's okay," I repeat as I bring my arms up to wrap around her, bringing her into my embrace. She cries softly into my chest, gripping on my shirt. "Everything's going to be okay."
Notes
okay i just had best-friendly Alan feels but FILLER ALLLLERRT! I just had to add in Alan finding out because idk I felt like it was important. Sorry for this poopy chapter, I promise more stuff will happen in the next ones and more Austin in those too! Sorry for getting slower on my updates, I didn't mean to go this long between chapters!
Let me know what you think or what you think will happen!! How will Hazel handle things? Will Austin step up and not be an ass in her life anymore? Also, let me know if there is anything you guys want to happen! Maybe I can please you guys with my story;)
Thank you guys so much for the comments! They absolutely make my day to read! So don't stop, haha!
BTW, I'm going to Mayhem Fest tomorrow, and then Warped on Friday! I'm so pumped! Seeing Avenged Sevenfold again and Suicide Silence and so many others tmr ahh i'm excited!:) Thought I'd share! Love you all:)
I haven't been on this website for ages now but I'm more than happy to see that there are more chapters to this story ! And even happier seeing that Hazel is doing a little bit better and on the long road to recovery... I don't know when you last posted these chapters so I'm not sure if there'll be new ones soon though ^^' anyway, I love this story as always.
1/5/16