Navy Blue Eyes.

Hearing Him. | .19

Noise is such an interesting thing. Sound, itself, is only the effect of waves bouncing off of each other as well as surrounding objects. However, the morning of the first day of Warped Tour 2014 was all but silent to Rowan's unconscious mind. This might be normal if it weren't for the fact that she was trapped in a small living space with an average capacity of six men, all of whom were in a rock n' roll band and most of whom had slight hangovers to fog their senses as they were to hurry and ready themselves for the day ahead. With all of this being true, however, this almost absolute quiet was definitely out of place.

    Rowan awoke with a gasp, having to force herself to come back to reality. 'Just a dream,' she chanted to herself, 'nothing but a dream.' But much to her dismay worse memories than those of of her twisted subconscious creations floated to the forefront of her thoughts, those of Kellin's wild eyes as he spoke to Rowan in clipped words that she could only allow herself to remember snippets of.

    Rubbing clammy fists against bleary eyes Rowan sat up slowly, careful not to gain another bruise to add to the ever-growing collection the new confines of her bunk had caused. "Hello?" she called out, her ears ringing with the suffocating silence. Surely she wasn't alone. Not only would that break the well-thought-out rules instated by the clinic but it also implied she was either unimportant and uncared for or forgotten entirely, neither option comforted the concerned child at all. No one answered and despite her almost paralyzing fear Rowan pushed herself to slide back her curtain, dropping to her feet and instantly feeling the all-consuming stillness in the surrounding air. "Is anyone here?"

    Childlike tremors shook Rowan to the bone as she crept toward the front of the bus. The only sounds breaking through were those of Rowan's ragged breaths. Shoving the door out of her way, Rowan emerged into the main living area. Bowls of stagnating milk and boxes of cereal left to stale littered the kitchenette's counter as she passed but they remained the only signs of life yet. Rowan knew somewhere in the back of her mind that she needed to eat soon but felt no hunger and therefore continued to peer around the clearly uninhabited room curiously.

    "Kellin?" Yet again her queries were met with no response. Not even Cal was sitting at his post. Now Rowan was more than uncomfortable, she was nearly coming unglued. A muffled bang sliced through the air and Rowan jumped as if bitten, her eyes scanning the room hurriedly for any signs of life. "Hello?!"

    "Ro?" She sighed in relief and practically fell onto the couch beside her before she remembered exactly what she'd been trying to forget. Yes, Kellin was here but that didn't mean the previous night was completely in the rear view mirror. He popped into being by way of the door to bunk ally, his hair in disarray and wearing nothing but a pair of grey sweat pants. Rowan felt the sudden and ridiculous urge to run right out the front door. But she needn't worry, it appeared, for Kellin looked weary and perhaps a bit out of it but definitely not angry or even hurt. In fact, he smiled at her slightly before his lips were stretched into a yawn and he cracked his knuckles. "I was wondering when you'd wake up."

    Unsure what to say, Rowan settled for a tight smile in response but she was almost positive it looked about as genuine as a wax figure. "Where is everyone?"

    Kellin scratched one hand against his stomach and used the other to shuffle bowls into the small sink. "Sound check I assume," he told her, "that's where we'll be headed if we get dressed in time."

    Rowan picked her steps cautiously, as if crossing a land mine, as she made her way toward the dining booth. "Shouldn't you be there, too, then?"

    He shrugged, shooting her a wicked grin as he poured two bowls of Cheerios, "Haven't you met me? I'm a rebel."

    Despite herself Rowan laughed at that, almost easing right back into the regular routine aside from the little voice in the back of her head telling her that this situation wasn't stable, at any moment she could step on the wrong floorboard and fall right through. "Thanks," Rowan murmured as Kellin sat across from her and slid one bowl before her.