AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I will.” I say, trying to sound convincing. I highly doubt I would have any fun, but I would pretend.
I mingle backstage for a bit before heading outside towards the bus area, assessing the situation. It’s easy to tell which bus isKey Failures’as people are hanging around it. The doors of the bus are open, and music is playing. Someone has set up a keg and a table with hard liquor on it.
I stop a safe distance from the bus, hidden in front of another bus. Panic is creeping in. I hate this. I don’t want to mingle or party. I don’t want to play the part anymore. I’m exhausted.
Plus, I just know I’ll wake up in the morning to new rumors. I will do or say something dumb, and it will be all over the headlines. Or, even worse, someone will lie about something I did. Someone will claim to have fucked me. They will say I got crazy and wild, even if I just sit in a corner and keep to myself. Though, that would come with its own risk, too. They may say I’m a snob, too good to hang with the opening band.
I couldn’t win. Someone would sell some story, anything to make a buck, to get fifteen minutes of fame, or some bullshit at the cost of my name.
My breath is getting caught in my throat, escaping in gasps. I can’t get a full breath in. I double over as everything engulfs my mind, hugging my stomach and trying not to cry. My heart is racing, and I don’t know if it’s from the coke or the panic attack I am having. Now I really fear I’m going to have a heart attack, and everyone will find out what a cokehead I am.
“Hey.” A deep, gravelly voice says from behind me. “Hey, hey, woah.” I can’t even look up to see who it is, but this isn’tgood. “You’re okay.” They put a hand on my back. I recoil, pulling away. This is the last thing I need, someone seeing me having a fucking panic attack. “Just focus on breathing. Slow and steady.” They say in a voice softly. I’m vaguely aware it’s a man talking to me. “In. Out. In. Out.” They repeat slowly, and I try to follow along with their voice. “That’s it.”
I begin to get back control of my breathing. My heart rate slows slightly. I blink out a few tears, feeling them drip down my face.
“There you go.” They touch my arm. I jerk away.
I look up, sucking in a deep breath and releasing it.
“Better?” He says, coming into view.
The first thing I noticed about him was his big, caramel-brown eyes. Dark curls frame his face. His skin is tannish. He must be about six feet tall and lean, like he works out a little or something. He is quite handsome, and I vaguely recall seeing him backstage a few times, but I can’t recall his name or if we’ve been introduced at all.
“Yeah. Thank you.” I say, coughing to clear my throat, my voice sounding hoarse.
“Want some water?” He asks, holding up a water bottle. I eye the bottle. I could use some water. Having the unfortunate privilege of being roofied before, I’m hesitant to take a drink from someone I don’t know. “I promise it’s just water. I don’t have herpes or anything.” He smiles, flashing me his white teeth as his almost perfectly symmetrical lips part and turn upwards in a friendly smile.
“Uh, okay.” I say, reaching for the bottle, taking a small sip, and handing it back. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” He smiles again. “So, panic attacks aren’t fun, are they?”
“I’m fine. It wasn’t a panic attack.” I say defensively.
“Okay.” He nods but doesn’t seem convinced. “You headed to that?” He nods to the party going on at Key Failure’s bus.
“Yeah.”
“You don’t seem too excited about it.” He laughs and I can’t help but smile a little at the sound of his warm, infectious, chuckle.
“I’m fine.” I repeat, wishing he would just leave me alone.
“Okay. Shall we?” He motions to the party.
“I just need a minute.”
“Okay.” He nods, still standing by me.
“You go ahead.”
“I figure I should stay in case you have another panic attack.”
“It wasn’t a panic attack.”
“Whatever you say, Abbey.” He smiles. “Not like I’m going to go blab this all over the place.”
“Sure.” I say, folding my arms across my chest.
This is the last thing I need. Some guy glued to my side after seeing me have a panic attack. If he told anyone, if it got out that I have panic attacks, no one would ever leave it alone. Sue would be so pissed.
