The Throw-Aways

I called Jack Barakat back as soon as I had the chance. In a couple days we agreed to meet up for coffee. Hopefully by then, I would have already released a statement on the injuries. Apparently, the tweets had kept flowing.

After just finishing up an interesting conversation with Jack, I texted back Kylar, who had sent me a message in the middle of my phone conversation. I was lying in my bunk, curled under the black blanket.

Kylar: HEYYYY GIRL HEYYYY!

Me: Yo, wassup?

Kylar: Nothing much. We’re all wondering how you’re doing?

Me: Pretty good. They guys are making me go out later this afternoon for smoothies at a joint they found.

Kylar: Oh yeah! So I hear you’re headed to Oregon and going to meet with ATL?

Me: Did Alan tell you? Yep, we going to PORTLAND! How’s the Ridge?

Kylar: BORING! Jake misses you! People are wondering where the Singing Specter went, but otherwise nothing much is happening.

Me: Speaking of pugs, I gotta tell you a story… XD

And so our conversation went like that. I explained to Kylar my story with Extreme Monopoly and Austin taking my shirt.

Kylar: OMG!!!!!!!!! He likes you <3 :D

Me: No way! Not possible :/

As much as I did start to like Austin, the probability of him feeling the same was very, very, VERY slim. Oh well, I had better things to focus on than my crush….I wasn’t fourteen anymore!

But I mean, it still gave me butterflies when I was around him…

Kylar: YESSSS! I see it happening! There are so many ships on the fanfiction sites! They call you two Ravelyn and a;lksdj;akljds it’s adorable!!!

I could almost imagine her squealing with delight.

Me: Sure, but will this ship sail?

Kylar: You’re such a dork, princess! XD Love you lots <3 :)

Um, Kylar? I love you lots, but what was that? Totally out of context, if I do say so myself. I started to furiously type something. I think I had an idea of who that was supposed to go to.

Me: KYLAR!!! WHO WAS THAT TO?!?!?!

Kylar: SORRRY!!!! That wasn’t meant for you!

Me: ASHBY!!!!!!

I quickly sent that text off to my best friend before leaping up. The curtain rattled as I threw it open.

“ASHBY!” I roared. Okay, I might think that Alan and Kk were cute together but I’m still WAY overprotective of my best friend! I glanced around and saw Alan yip and duck into the front lounge. I stomped after him, ducking past Tino as I went to the couches. Alan was wide eyed in fear.

“ALAN ASHBY ARE YOU DATING MY BEST FRIEND?!” I steamed. He whimpered, curling into a ball.

“Um…maybe?” He whispered. Phil leaned against the door, watching with an amused smirk. Tino’s eyes went wide.

“WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME THIS SOONER?!” I yelled again. He bit his lip as his phone buzzed. I could see the message on it.

Kye Bear <3: RUNN!!! R-Girl will go on a rampage!

“I was going to tell you!” Alan defended himself.

“FIRST MY LAPTOP, NOW MY BEST FRIEND!!! If you dare hurt her in any way, shape, or form, I will personal see it so that you wake up the next day in a vat of acid.” I growled, getting in his face. He bobbed his head quickly, showing that he knew.

“Good.” I said and turned tail, stalking off. Austin looked on from the back lounge, eyes wide. I brushed past him. All I wanted to do was to play Skyrim on the XBOX. Kicking Draugr ass was on my agenda.

But of course, having only one arm made even the ‘easy’ setting difficult.

Austin moved aside as I entered the back lounge. I could feel his eyes bore holes through the back of my shirt as I closed the door and sat on the couches. Frustrated with my friends (Mentally-we already had this discussion), I turned on the game console, and I grabbed a soda. The loading screen started up as I put the headphones on. Leaning over, I flicked the lights with the tip of my finger and they dimmed.

“Thank goodness for extra health potions.” I grumbled as my character stumbled into a cave. I lost my thoughts in the game. Kylar was happy, at least I had my laptop, and all seemed to be well with the world.

Until that frost troll came out of nowhere and demolished my petty life.

The loading screen popped up and I stared at it for a long while.

Reality never gave you a “redo” when you died. There was no “pause and reload a previous saved content” button for life. You had something tragic happen, like a frost troll killing you, you were gone for good. When something bad happened, there was no back tracking. You were stuck with it.

Gritting my teeth in frustration, rage, and anger, I used all my willpower to set the remote down before I chucked it at the TV screen. I just laid down after that, the TV pixels still glowing.

The door opened slowly and a figure came in. I pretended I was asleep, but it was pretty obvious I was awake

“Raven?” Aus murmured, sitting down next to me. I looked up to him, sighing lightly. It seemed like my life was full of sighs and forced grins now a days.

“Hi Aus.” I murmured, staring at the frozen picture of a frost troll mauling my body.

“Um, are you going to keep playing?” He asked. I shook my head, muttering that I wasn’t going to play.

“Austin.”

“Yes, R?”

“Why doesn’t life have a redo button?” I asked. Austin thought for a brief moment.

“I don’t know.” He muttered, restarting the game to right before the frost troll had killed me.

I don’t know, either.

Notes