Bam's Mistake

Bam woke up feeling tired and sore. He must have really partied hard last night because he couldn't remember a thing. Bam let out a groan and tried his hardest to fall asleep again but he found it to be impossible. He sat up and stretched his arms over his head. Bam reached over to the bedside table to grab the glass of water and advil that Bird always put there for him. She was so considerate, and that was one of the many reasons he loved her so much. But the medicine wasn't there. He must of done something stupid last night for there to not be medicine ready for him.

He finally took in his surroundings. He knew he was in the spare room at Ryan Dunn's house, he claimed it before the party even began last night. Maybe Ryan didn't have any advil at his house, and Bird wasn't mad at him. That would be nice. Bam heard the shower turn on in the bathroom attached to this guest room. It didn't surprise Bam that she would take a shower before she had to talk to anyone other then Bam. If they were at his place, however, she would probably be downstairs wearing just his shirt cooking some eggs or something. She loved to make breakfast for people for some reason. Not that Bam would ever complain about his beautiful girlfriend making him some breakfast for no reason.

The sound of Bird coughing in the showering brought his thoughts back to her. Bam smiled at the thought of his girlfriend naked in the shower, water running all down her body. It made Bam bite his lip while he continued to smile. He got up and stretched while making his way downstairs. Brandon DiCamillo was sitting on Ryan's couch playing some video game Bam didn't know the name of. When Dico turned over his shoulder to see who was there he scoffed. He turned back around without greeting Bam with so much as a hello.

Bam shrugged it off. He was probably just being a dick to everyone last night, he did that when he was trashed sometimes. It all depended on what he drank. Bam walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of chips off the counter. He leaned against the counter as he began to munch on them. He wanted pancakes, but these would have to do. Dico walked into the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle without even acknowledging Bam was there. How much of a dick could he have been last night?

“Yo, Dico. What's up?” Bam said trying to start a casual conversation.

“Not now, Bam,” Dico said plopping back onto the couch to continue his game.

Now Bam was really confused. Dico was always playing video games, and that didn't surprise him but why was he being so touchy all of the sudden? What had Bam done last night? He walked back upstairs with the chips and a cold bottle of water and walked back into the guest room. He noticed a pink dress on the floor. He though he thought he remembered Bird wearing a dark blue dress, but, she had so many dresses. How was one to keep track? He could barely remember going to bed last night. Bam jumped onto the bed and continued to scarf down his chips. He still had a headache but once he got home he would have an advil and a cuddle with Bird and he'd be just fine. Not that he'd ever admit to a cuddle making him feel better.

“Hey, sweet cheeks! How much of a dick was I last night? Because Dico's not exactly acting friendly,” Bam shouted loud enough for her to hear over the shower but not loud enough to alert anyone else.

Bird just giggled in the shower. Bam pfft'd at her dismissal to a serious question. He decided it best to check his phone and see who's he drunk called. He called his mom, dad, and for some reason, Bird called him a bunch of times. He had three unheard messages from her and he already chuckled at the cute little drunk voice mails she probably left. He pressed play on the first one.

"Hey baby boy!" Bird's drunk and adorable voice filled his ear making a soft smile play at his lips. "Where are you? I haven't seen you in so many minutes. How many minutes Dico? Dico said a lot of minutes. Call me! I love you! MUAH."

He pressed play on the next one.

"Baby?" Bird voice was sickly and dull this time and his smiled faded. "I don't feel so good. Can you come lay down with me? Please. Just for a bit, then you can go party again I just feel like I'm going to –."

Bam assumed that she had been cut off because she ran to vomit. He frowned towards the bathroom even though she couldn't see him. Is that why Dico was being so crabby? Did he think Bam was too whipped for leaving the party early? Oh wait, he hadn't heard the message. Someone must have found him for her because there's no way he could party while Bird was ill. He pressed play on the final message.

"Bam, it's mom." What? Why was his mom talking on Bird's phone. Why was she at the party? What did he say to her when he called her own phone? "Ryan called me panicking because Bird passed out and wouldn't wake up. Is it true that you brushed him off when he came to you for help? Shame on you Bam. Shame on you. Well, anyway, we've brought her to the hospital. Someone spiked her drink with drugs. Drugs, Bam. I'm on her phone so if you text her, I'll answer."

Bam felt like throwing up. He felt like throwing himself from a bridge. Ryan had come to him trying to get help and he brushed off that plea? The plea to help his own girlfriend? He felt the shame that April cast upon him. He felt it all over. He quickly began to throw on all of his clothes when the pink dress caught his eye again. His mouth hung open and he dropped the belt, shirt, and shoe he was holding.

Oh god.

The girl in the shower wasn't his girlfriend.

He ran into the bathroom and pulled the shower curtain aside. The girl shrieked but calmed when she saw who it was. She invited him to join and he got sick. Literally. He threw up at the girls feet. He stood up straight to look at her disgusted face. He assumed his mirrored hers. He saw the hickey's all over her collarbone and shoulders. Bird had those all the time. He did that.

“Tell me right now, that we didn't fuck. Tell me!” Bam shouted making the girl retreat into the wall of the shower. “Fucking tell me!”

“We did,” she whispered swallowing hard.

“Fuck! No! No, no, no!” Bam threaded his hand through his hand and pulled at it. Bam turned to rush to the aid of his girlfriend but the girl grabbed his elbow.

“Bam, wait,” she said in a voice that made Bam gag. Fake.

“Don't touch me or talk to me, you fucking mistake,” Bam sneered viciously not even turning to look at her before he rushed away.

Bam quickly redressed and rushed downstairs again.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where do you think you're going? To create an alibi?” Dico said judging Bam intensely.

“I'm going to make sure she's okay,” Bam said as if it were obvious.

“She's fine. I was there an hour ago. She asked about you. She wasn't even mad, just concerned,” Dico said as he put an arm over the back of the couch and he looked at Bam dead in the eye. “I didn't tell her. I thought I'd give you a little time, a chance, to tell her yourself,” Dico said all while maintaining eye contact. “Tell her, or I fucking will.”

“I will,” Bam said rushing out the door and ripping Bird's car door open. He sat in the drivers seat and stared at the steering wheel for a moment. “I will,” He repeated turning on the car and driving to the hospital.

Walking into the hospital he felt like scum. This place smelled stale to him. That was the best word to describe it, he thought. He walked up to the lady at the desk and asked where she was. He was directed to the fourth floor, room 7B. It was a private room. The elevator would be too crowded and waiting idly by for it seemed wrong. So he took the stairs.

BIRD.

“Alright, all done. See? It wasn't that bad,” Dr. Noah said taking the small bag filled with blood out of Bird's line of sight. “I'll go get the tests run to make sure your system is cleared of the drug and then you'll be set to go. A nurse will be by any second to remove the IV.”

“Thanks, Doctor,” April said rubbing Bird's forehead soothingly.

“April, has –” Bird was cut off when April shook her head sadly. Bam still hadn't called, or texted. “He must have been right wasted last night then.”

“That's what Brandon said earlier. I'm surprised he didn't wake Bam up though,” April said getting more quiet towards the end of her sentence.

Ryan Dunn was cuddled up in the visitors chair like a child. He had been there all night and refused to leave even when April said she had things under control. Bird believed that Ryan felt responsible. His house, his party, his friends. He claimed over and over that he shouldn't have invited Calum. Apparently he had done this before and Ryan was so sure it had been him. Bird thought about the guy she thought did this to her. It's practically all she has thought about since she woke up. Luckily, Ryan hadn't let anything happen to her. No one had been able to abuse her. Bird shuddered. She talked to a bunch of people but one guy stood out. The one by the bathroom line. It had to be him. The moment she had told Ryan that she suspected the red haired, freckled, twenty something year old he provided the name Calum.

Bird jumped slightly when the door burst open. Bam was finally there. He rushed over to Bird so quickly. He had been there for less than a minute and he must have apologized thirty time already. Bird shushed him and he sank to his knees by the side of the bed leaving them almost perfectly eye to eye. Bird traced the edges of his face down to his chin with just the tips of her fingers. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, promising to never let anything like this ever happen again. Bird smiled softly and leaned back on her pillow. Looking around Bird took everyone in. She saw April's split expression. Both disappointment and relief. She chuckled at Ryan and sympathized for his muscles which would most likely all hurt when he woke up. And lastly, she saw Bam looking so sorry, and just so guilty. Bird wanted to kiss all of his sadness away and tell him that it wasn't his fault, and honestly, it wasn't even that bad.

Bird had to push Bam away when the nurse came to remove the IV. The task would take no time at all but Bam just didn't seem to want to go anywhere. April quickly manoeuvred next to him and put her arm around his waist. Once the nurse was finished and gone Bam broke down. No one knew what to do as he crashed onto his knees and cried into his palms. His dramatic weeping woke up Ryan and Bird could only imagine what people in the hall were thinking. They probably thought someone died. Bird gestured to the door and April closed it quickly. Pulling her attention away from Bam, Bird looked at Ryan. Who seemed sore and very confused.

“Why are you crying?” Ryan asked cracking his back mush to Bird's dismay. “She's okay, no one touched her, this shit happens all the time. You should be upset that someone did this, but Jesus dude. Calm down.”

“Yeah, Ryan's right,” Bird said softly but surely. “I'm okay, sweetie.”

At the word sweetie Bam seemed to break down worse, not get better. Bird held out her hand to him and had April not literally directed his head towards it, he'd never have seen it. Tears still cascading down his face, he stood up and walked over to grab her hand. Ryan pushed the chair he was sitting on right behind Bam who sat down without a second thought. Bird held his hand as she waited for the doctor to arrive.

“Alright, I'm gonna go grab some other clothes for you, honey. I have some sweatpants in the car that you can wear out of here. I'd hate for you to have to leave in the dress you wore,” April said opening the door.

“I'll come with you, I could use a smoke,” Ryan said following April out of the door.

Once they were alone Bird smiled at Bam who was still crying, just silently. He kept whispering apologies that were all brushed aside by Bird. She wasn't mad at him at all. What had he really done? Not checked his phone while partying? There are worse this for a man to do. Sure, Bird thought, him being here all last night would have been preferable. But he wasn't, so she just let it go.

“I love you so much,” Bam whispered resting his head on the back of her hand. “Please never leave me.”

“Why would I do something so silly? I love you too.” Bird tugged on his hands gently instructing the sad boy closer.

“I made a mistake that's why,” Bam said moving closer.

Bird was concerned at this point. What could he have done so wrong that would make her leave him, she thought. No, everything can be fixed; for the most part.

“Babe, you're scaring me,” Bird whispered and Bam wiped his cheek with the back of his free hand.

“I woke up this morning and some girl was in the shower. It wasn't you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,” Bam kept saying his apologies but Bird hardly heard them, she was in shock. He wasn't saying what she thought he was saying.., was he?

“Bam, please, tell me you didn't,” Bird muttered out. But Bam said nothing. Bird took that for an answer. Bird couldn't even cry, nothing was getting registered in her brain.

“They'll probably be too big,” April said completely ignorant to the scene going on. “Because you're so little. You're just leaving a hospital anyway, no ones expecting a fashion show.”

“Man, are you still blubbering? Bird's fine,” Ryan reassured smacking Bam on his shoulder blade.

“Cassidy, how are you feeling?” The Doctor asked walking into the room, adding to the list of people oblivious to the heartbreak being felt in the room.

“Fine,” Bird said snapping on her game face. She pulled her hand away from Bam causing him to retreat back into the chair.

“Well, the tests are good. Your system has flushed out any trace of the drug and you're free to go. There will be paperwork at the nurses station down the hall you must sign before you go home, but other than that, have a safe drive home.”

“Thanks Doc,” Ryan said waving goodbye when the doctor walked out.

“Alright, Bam's here so I'm going to head home, I'm going to attempt to make it to work on time,” April said walking towards Bird. April kissed Bird's head before leaving the hospital.

“She musta forgot she drove me here, so, Bam, can you give me a lift home?” Ryan asked and Bam nodded. “You want me to pull around front?”

“No, I will,” Bam said dragging himself out of the room with slumped shoulders.

“Okay?” Ryan said looking at Bird. “You don't need help getting dressed, do you?”

“No, just, turn around,” Bird said weakly. If Ryan noticed how feeble she sounded, he didn't mention it.

“So,” Bird said swinging her legs over the side of the bed and untying the uncomfortable hospital dress. It fell and pooled around her waist and she pushed it onto the floor. “Can I crash at your place for a few nights?”

“What?” Ryan asked turning to face her only to get a full view of her nude front.

“Dude! Wall!” Bird said pointing to the wall. Ryan made a whale noise and smacked his hand in front of his eyes. He turned back to the wall quickly.

“Why do you wanna crash with me?” Ryan asked but noticed the small whimper that came out of her. “But you're always welcome, I mean, you know that.”

“I don't want to deal with Bam's stupid infidelity. Not tonight,” Bird said but regretted it. “Maybe I shouldn't have told you about that.”

“Secrets safe with me,” Ryan said quietly scratching his bearded chin.

Bird didn't know how Ryan felt. Was she wrong to ask him for that? Would Bam feel betrayed? She wanted a place to crash not to turn Bam's friends against him. Well, his friends are her friends now. So he'd have to deal with it. Bird finished changing her clothes and told Ryan that he could look again. Ryan turned around just as Bam walked into the room. Bird told them she was just going to sign the paperwork. Bam offered to go with her but Bird just brushed past him. Bam burst into tears yet again. Bird walked down the hallway and started signing the papers. She was numb.

RYAN.

Bam started blubbering again and he felt behind him for the chair. When his arm hit it he pulled himself into the seat. Ryan was less than impressed with Bam. Bird was a great girl, Ryan often thought of her as his little sister. How could Bam do this to her? Ryan knew that Bam absolutely adored her. Ryan knew that Bam was whipped beyond belief. Ryan just must have put too much faith in Bam's love, because drunk Bam apparently didn't care. Ryan walked over to Bam and pulled him to his feet. Ryan gave Bam his sunglasses to wear out of the hospital. Ryan grabbed Bam's armed and led him out of the small room and into the busy hallway. Ryan got them down the hall to the nurses station Bird was at.

Bird looked at them and said goodbye to the nurse at the station. Ryan took in her body language. A tight lipped smile, hands in pockets, slumped shoulders. She's obviously heartbroken. Ryan has no idea how Bam will react to Bird staying somewhere else. Ryan didn't know if she already told him, Ryan didn't know anything other then the fact that Bam cheated and Bird would be staying in his guest room. Wait. Isn't that where Bam cheated? Ryan couldn't let her sleep in that room, and his house is where she got drugged, and his room is too messy to lend out to her. He'd have to call someone. Dico came by earlier to make sure she was okay so he must genuinely care. Ryan would call him when they got to his house.

When they got down to the car Bam got into the driver's seat. Ryan got into the passenger seat so Bird wouldn't be expected to. She got into the backseat and smiled at Ryan sadly. She must have known what Ryan was doing. No one said anything during the entire trip. Bam sniffed occasionally but other then that there was complete silence. Ryan thought briefly about saying something but thought it better if he didn't. Ryan didn't know what to do. He didn't want to pick sides, he loved both Bam and Bird. Actually, he felt like Bam didn't want anyone to choose. Ryan felt that Bam just wanted Bird back. Did he even really lose her? Ryan watched the scenery as they pulled into his driveway.

“Thanks for taking care of Bird when..,” Bam stopped and sniffed. “When I didn't.”

“No problem man,” Ryan said and looked over at Bird who started getting out of the car as well.

“I'm going to stay here tonight Bam,” Bird said quietly and Bam's head snapped up. “I need to think.”

Bam practically jumped out of the car. He was crying and pleading for her to come home. Ryan watched in shock as Bam got onto his knees in front of Bird. Bam had so much pride, Ryan wasn't used to seeing Bam put his ego aside for anyone. Ryan almost wanted to cry in this moment. Bird crouched down in front of Bam and brushed a little hair out of his face. Bird leaned forward and kissed Bam's forehead.

“It's not goodbye,” Bird whispered so quietly that Ryan barely heard it. “Go home, sleep, eat, have a hot shower. I'll talk to you tomorrow.”

Bird stood up and walked past Ryan quickly. She scurried into his house and Ryan looked down at Bam. Bam was struggling to catch his breath. Ryan stood awkwardly to the side as Bam calmed down. When Bam was finally calm, he took a look at Ryan and sniffled. Bam got into his car without another word and drove off. Ryan sighed and walked into the house. Bird was crying on the couch as Dico rubbed her back.

What a mess.