Southern Constellations

"No, I'm serious Cora. Be nice." Kellin warned, dragging me around the corner of a building.

I laughed again. "I'm always nice!" I protested, causing him to chuckle.

"Just behave, please?" He seemed worried, and that scared me.

I nodded. "My best behavior." I mumbled.

Tinika and I were finally going to meet Katelynn, Kellin's...girlfriend. I wasn't to thrilled about that idea. But Kellin loves her, and he's happy.

I, unlike Kellin, was dressed in causal clothes. Skinny jeans, an Of Mice & Men tank top, and Vans. I was nothing compared to Kellin and his tuxedo. It made me laugh, to say the least. I had assumed that Tinika would be dressed up too. I knew Kellin had informed me about this 'date' thing, but it went in one ear, and out of the other. I knew a couple more of us – Warped Tour members – were coming, but I wasn't sure who. I had assumed Austin would be coming with Tinika, though.

As Kellin and I entered the restaurant, I immediately spotted Tinika's purple hair. A few people stared at me, or rather my clothes. I was holding back laughter as an elderly woman scooted her chair away as I made my way over to the table everyone was sitting at. A table for six.

Kellin and I sat down, he was right next to a girl I had never seen before – I assumed she was Katelynn. There was an empty seat next to me, and then Austin, and Tinika on the other side of it.

"Kell, who's late?" I asked, trying to keep my voice soft.

"Sorry, guys." Vic sat next to me, and my heart stopped.

This'll be just perfect...

"I'm Cora." I said, reaching across the table to shake Katelynn's hand.

"Katelynn." She flashed a brilliant smile, "Kellin's told me a lot about you."

I nodded, but did not reply. This was already becoming awkward. As we ordered our food, Vic's hand grazed mine. We both caught each others glance, and I cleared my throat. It was mostly silent, until I got an idea.

"Kellin, what would you do if two people who were really close to you were in a relationship?" I asked, earning a nudge from Vic.

He shrugged. "It depends on who it is. Why do you ask?"

"What if it was a family member, and a best friend?" I pushed the subject, leaving his question unanswered.

"If I trust both of them, it'd be fine." He took a sip of his water.

"But a best friend wouldn't date a family member. That's stupid. Everything would be awkward if they didn't work out." Vic interrupted, before I could reply.

I stared at him. "But what if they really like each other? And are just too scared to admit it?"

"You don't admit it. You keep it to yourself, instead of ruining things." He answered, looking at me completely for the first time tonight.

"That doesn't seem very fair." I commented, licking my lips.

"Not everything's fair." His breath was shaky this time.

"But wouldn't you be hurting yourself more than your friends? Especially the person who lov- likes you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

"If you really liked someone, you wouldn't want to hurt them. But some things are unavoidable."

"So, friends are more important than love?"

"At times, yes."

"Your friends are more important than happiness?"

"Can be."

"Friends are more important than yourself?"

"Yes."

"Friends are more important than your companion?" My voice was rising in volume.

"Cora, can I talk to you for a second?" Austin asked, understanding the entire conversation.

I ignored him. "Are friends more important, Vic?"

"Cora-" I cut Austin off, my gaze locked on Vic.

"Are friends the most important thing in the world? More important than happiness? And love? And confidence? And life? An-"

"Cora!" Austin got up and gently grabbed my wrist, pulling me outside. The entire restaurant stared at us as we exited through the glass doors. He pulled me out of view.

"What the hell was that?" He asked, his voice just above a whisper.

I was so angry. Certain things, like this, made me hate everything. The air picked up for a moment, and my straightened hair blew across my face. I refused to answer, and chewed on the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. It was as if my anger was connected to my tear ducts. I always cried when I got really angry. It was embarrassing.

"We're supposed to be talking to Katelynn, and getting to know her! Not having an anonymous fight with Vic!" His voice wasn't angry, but rather sympathetic.

"I need to leave." I focused on my breathing, nothing else. I felt like someone had tied a rope around my heart, and was tightening it as the seconds went by. I needed to get back to the bus. I needed to sleep. I needed to calm the hell down.

"Just stay a little longer. And then we can go home together." He smiled, and we walked back into the restaurant.

For the rest of the night, I didn't say a word. I didn't eat, drink, answer any questions, or ask them. I just sat there in silence. It's the only thing I could do right.

Overall, it was a horrendous night. I was more than happy to go to bed and maybe, just maybe, I'd never wake up.

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The summer air heated my pale skin. I was more than comfortable with my head on Vic's chest while he was twirling my hair in his fingers. He was humming an unknown song, yet it was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. He kissed my head, and I looked up at him.

"I love you," he mumbled.

I smiled. "I love you too," I replied, before he pecked me on the lips.

He seemed to change. His facial expression, and his tone of voice. "You know, it's really annoying when you don't trust me with things. We're not meant to be together. Yes, we want to, but we can't." He smiled apologetically. "I don't like you, Cora. I just want you to be happy. And you're my friend. Friends are more important than myself."

I could feel the tears falling from my eyes. It was horrible. It would've been much easier if he had just told me in the beginning. Wait, what was the beginning?

My eyes opened quickly, the tears from my nightmare were reality, so was the pain in my chest, and the shaking my body wouldn't stop. As I got out of my bunk as quickly as I could, I realized that the boys had let me sleep in again, which was a really good thing; they were all performing at this time.

I sat down on the floor, and pulled my knees up to my chest. Calm the hell down, Coraline.

What was I letting him do to me?