Chasing the Night

The second Travis stepped back onto the bus, the others were immediately on edge. They didn’t know how to act around him these days. Ever since he’d broken up with her, his friends had been walking around on eggshells. They didn’t know what to say to make him feel better and they feared that they’d say the wrong thing. Travis had hardly spoken in the weeks since the breakup and the others were starting to worry about his health. He was rapidly losing weight and hardly ate, living on nothing but coffee. It seemed like he never slept, and he was always up until the early hours of the morning.

“Hey, buddy,” Hunter said when Travis came up the steps into the front lounge of the bus. Travis just stared blankly at him. This didn’t faze Hunter in the slightest. The muscular brunette stood up and walked over to Travis, hugging him. His muscular arms wrapped around Travis’ bony frame much too easily. “Hey, let’s go out for dinner tonight,” Hunter said carefully, releasing his grip on Travis. The ginger-haired boy really wished that Hunter had held on for longer. That was exactly what he had needed. He just wanted someone, anyone, to hold him and tell him that everything was going to be okay, even if it felt like it really wouldn’t.

“Where are we going?” Travis asked quietly. Hunter tried not to look shocked that Travis had spoken, and held his composure. “Wherever you want, Trav,” he said, slinging his arm over the singer’s shoulders. “I really don’t care,” Travis said quietly. He so badly wanted to wrap his pale arms around Hunter’s body and stay there, but he didn’t want to seem gay or freak his friend out.

Hunter seemed to sense this in Travis, he always noticed little things about him. He pulled Travis into another hug and the singer leant his head on his chest, bringing his arms up to grip Hunter around the back. Travis tried to hold them back, he really did. But he couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He cried whilst hugging his best friend somewhat sexually. He mentally slapped himself for acting like a girl. Danny and Drew suddenly walked into the room, and didn’t hesitate to join the two, wrapping their arms around Travis in a group hug, the ginger-haired boy in the middle.

“Thanks guys,” Travis said into Hunter’s chest. “Really.” And just like that, Travis felt like maybe, just maybe, things could get better. His friends weren’t going anywhere and they’d always support him. They’d never leave him. Not like she had. Travis refused to even think her name. It hurt too much.

The four boys broke apart and sat down one of the couches together. “Thanks for being here for me,” Travis said, tears welling up in his eyes again. He couldn’t thank them enough. “We love you, man,” Drew said, messing up Travis’ hair. Travis almost smiled. And that was enough.
______

“He hasn’t eaten anything yet,” Danny said that night at dinner. Travis was at the bar getting drinks and his friends sat at a booth together, all clearly worried about him. “Give him a chance,” Hunter said. “We’ve still got time.”

“We’ve been here an hour,” Danny said. “We’ve all eaten. He hasn’t.”

“We can’t force him. We’ve only just got him back,” Hunter said, rubbing his jaw.

“He’s not back,” Drew said. “He’s just...less zombie.”

“Look, we can’t force him to eat,” Hunter said.

“But look at him,” Danny said, glancing over at Travis, who was standing by the bar. He was wearing a pair of denim shorts and a loose, plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His wrists looked tiny, as did his ankles. The amount of weight he’d lost was painfully obvious and his friends worried for him. They’d all known each other since they were kids, but they’d never seen Travis like this before. “He’s only getting worse,” Danny said.

When Travis made his way back to the table, he sipped at his coffee while the others drunk their sodas in silence. No one knew what to say, or how to broach the subject of Travis’ health without offending him or freaking him out. Travis noticed the tense silence immediately, but had no idea what was wrong. Was it something he’d said? Not that he said much these days, anyway.

“Hey, Trav, want some fries?” Hunter said, breaking the silence. He pushed his plate towards Travis, who stared at the fries for a moment, before grabbing a handful and eating them slowly. “Thanks,” he said, reaching for more. He knew that this must have been what they wanted. They wanted him to eat something. He hadn’t missed the way they’d looked at him. Travis just felt so sick all the time. Ever since she...

He just didn’t want to eat anything. It felt like if he did he’d just throw it straight back up anyway. But the fries tasted so good, and he hadn’t eaten anything substantial in such a long time...

He abandoned his coffee and finished the entire plate of fries, while his friends looked on in amazement. Hunter was pleased, sure that he’d fixed it. Danny and Drew weren’t so sure. What if Travis was bulimic? Drew had always thought that was sort of a girl thing, but why couldn’t it effect guys, too?

“Sorry I ate all your food,” Travis said, staring at Hunter, his light blue eyes wide.

“It’s fine,” Hunter said, messing up Travis’ hair. “Let’s go.”
______

This was the moment they’d all been bracing themselves for. Their first show on the Warped Tour. Danny, Hunter and Drew weren’t sure if Travis would make it through the set. So many of the songs were about or had been inspired by her. Playing them would be difficult. And then there was Travis’ health to consider. Would he be able to keep up, physically? It was hot out, and the show was always energetic. Travis could pass out at any second.

The band members of We The Kings all walked out on stage to a huge crowd of screaming fans. The first few songs went through as usual, and Travis seemed to be the normal, happy guy he’d been before he’d had his heart broken. His friends could hardly believe it. They couldn’t understand what they were seeing. It was like watching a dog walk on its hind legs.

Travis had done well. He’d sung all the songs like he usually did. He’d even acted happy and managed to be pretty damn convincing, he thought. But everything had turned to shit when he came to the last song, ‘August Is Over.’

Arianna Rush was a wanderer. She always had been. Lukas, Jase and Embry were off doing their own thing, and she had decided to wander around the festival and check out some of the other bands playing. She watched from a distance, as she walked past the huge crowds gathered at the various stages.

She was walking behind one of the largest crowds yet, when she heard a voice unlike any other she’d heard that morning. It almost sounded like whoever was singing was crying. Arianna stopped in her tracks and craned her neck to see over the crowd to find out what band was playing, but it was no use. She was much too short.

Whoever was singing was amazing. His voice resonated over the top of the crowd to Arianna. She almost started crying herself when the singer reached the chorus again.

Breathe in deep and say goodbye.
The saddest song I’ll ever write,
For anyone, anytime.
Breathe in deep before I say,
I can feel us slip away.
You’re almost gone,
You’re good as gone.
August is over.

The lyrics were so painfully honest. Arianna wished she knew who was singing. She had to meet this mysterious singer. She had to know. Something within her was determined to meet the boy who had written the song. The lyrics reminded Arianna of her own. She had to meet the boy who had obviously been through a lot. The boy who’d had his heart broken, just like she had. The boy who she was sure she would connect with immediately.

Little did she know, they’d already met, and she hadn’t liked him at all.