Nine Lives

“Gabe? Vic? Tony?” I called walking into our joint house, shutting the door behind me.
I listened in for a moment and could faintly hear the running water of our shower. I walked up the stairs and down the hall to stand in front of the bathroom door.
I knocked on the door to be polite.
“Guys?” I opened the door slowly after no reply.
The figure of Vic could be made out from behind our shower curtain. I knew for definite it was him since he had the tannest skin of us all.
“Vic?” I asked walking over to hear small, pained cries escaping from him.
“Vic, come on.” I pulled the curtain back, turning the water off and wrapped Vic in a towel before helping him out. I took him to his room and he still clung to my shirt, trying to breath between his own heaving cries when we sat down on his bed.
“Austin, I don’t know w-what I’m going to do.” He choked out.
“We’ll figure it out when the time comes.” I tried to soothe him.
“I don’t want to hurt him…” he whispered
“I know you don’t. None of us do.”
At this point it was unclear who he was talking about, but I could only assume he meant Kellin.
“Have you talked to him…? Kellin?”
Vic nodded as he sniffed, wiping his tears away with part of his towel.
“Yeah.”
“How’d it go?”
“Well it went-until we kissed.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise “Kissed? But I tho-“
“Yeah I did too until he said he wasn’t sure then made out with me before declaring he had to break up with Katelynne and left.”
“So he’s…?”
“I guess so.” Vic shrugged.
“Are you okay though?” I was truly worried about him. Vic, Tony and Gabe were like my own kids or brothers, if I had any, and they meant the world to me. This is what I called a family.
He sighed long and loud “Yeah, I guess. It’s just dragging and it’s stressful and just… Austin…?”
“Yes?”
“What am I doing? I mean, first he’s my charge and then Mike and now…”
“Everything happens for a reason, Vic. You know that, but never give up okay?”
‘Never give up’ could be considered the shorter version of my motto.
You have many options in life, never making giving up one of them.
Vic nodded “Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
We exchanged a hug, which probably lasted for five hundred years before I left the room to let him get changed. I walked into the studio, pulling my phone out to see 3 texts and a missed call from Alan.
Where are you?
Austin, I’m getting worried.
AUSTIN ROBERT CARLILE! Answer your damn phone.
I forgot that I had a dinner date with Alan. After all the work on the record today, and even though he reminded me before we left, it slipped my mind.
I dialled his number pressing my ear to the phone.
“Austin, Jesus, I thought you got kidnapped or something. Where are you?” Alan sounded worried.
“I’m sorry I-Vic was really upset when I got home and things just slipped my mind I… Rain check?”
Alan sighed “Okay, but you owe me! Send Vic my love okay?”
“I will do. Bye, babe.”
“Bye.” He said sounding sad.
I really did owe him big time.