Wanderlust (Kellic)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Raining in Baltimore

“Kell? Kellin? Are you still there?”

Lily is saying my name, but I can’t respond. I’m too busy feeling my world collapse around me.

Matty’s going to die.

"I’ll…talk to you later," I say, hanging up before she can protest and dropping the phone on the floor.

"Kellin, what’s wrong?" Vic asks, taking a step closer to me. "What happened?"

I look away, tears blurring my vision. “Nothing,” I say, my voice coming out cracked.

Matty inhaled too much smoke. He probably won’t live to see tomorrow.

"Kellin, what’s wrong?" Vic repeats, firmer.

I can’t answer him. I can’t even think straight.

He’s going to die. My best fucking friend is going to die.

"Matty," I breathe.

I run out of the room.

"Kellin!" Vic calls as I open the door and rush down the hall. I can hear his footsteps chasing after me, so I run faster, down to the lobby and then out the front door of the hotel, feeling like I’m going to throw up.

Even Matty’s going to leave me now.

It’s pouring down rain outside, but I don’t care. I let it soak through my clothes and into my bones. I let it disguise the tears that won’t stop.

I turn a corner into an alley, and that’s where I collapse on the ground, my chest hurting and my head starting to spin as I sob my fucking heart out. There’s a voice in my head saying, Breathe, Kellin, breathe, but I can’t seem to make myself slow down. My hands and feet are starting to tingle and I feel like I’m going to pass out from hyperventilating so much, just like last night, while Vic was drunk. I can’t stand up, so I lean against the wall of a building, hugging my knees to my chest.

Just when I think everything’s going to be okay.

It’s happening all over again. Matty’s one of the only people I have left, one of the only people who are still here, and now that’s changing. He’s dying, just like Jordan did.

"Kellin!" Vic yells, and then I feel his arms around me.

I shove him away with my shoulder. “Go away,” I snap, curling even farther into myself. “Please.”

He moves away, but I can hear him sitting down next to me. “Kellin,” he says, “talk to me. I want to help you.”

I shake my head, hiding my face in my knees and refusing to look at him. Please pass out, I think desperately through my lightheadedness. Please pass out. Please, dear God, just kill me already.

"Don’t say that."

Fuck. I must’ve said it out loud without even realizing it.

Slowly, I turn my head, starting to calm down slightly. Vic is watching me, completely soaked by the rain but seemingly not caring.

"You’re wet," I say stupidly.

He moves closer to me, putting a hand on my cheek. I don’t smack it away. “So are you,” he replies.

"I’m sorry."

"Don’t be." He puts an arm around me, pulling me into him and letting me rest against his chest. I want to push him away, want to forget about him before he leaves me just like everyone else, but there’s a bigger part of me that just wants to stay with him like this forever.