Sick of Love Songs (Sean&Kaycee) FINISHED

The next morning

Hi guys! Another day, another short update! I can't believe it's the 10th chapter and we're now FINALLY getting to the next day, lmao. As usual, pleaaaase do let me know what you think and don't forget to click the cute little star in the corner! <3

Sean's P.O.V

The present

I woke up in pain, utterly confused about where I was. That couldn't have been my bed, everything was so cold and hard, not to mention the unfamiliar buzzing sound. Where am I? I asked myself, unable to open my eyes.

Do you know how they say that there's a moment of bliss, pure oblivion for just a split second every morning when you wake up? Reality hasn't hit you yet, but you're no longer drowned in the sweet slumber of your wildest dreams and everything just seems blank before you gather your surroundings? A new start to a new day, they say.

I'd never enjoyed that moment as much as I did that morning, I just didn't realize it until reality came crashing down and threw me for a loop. It almost felt as if someone just let a heavy, thick blanket fall on top of me. It became hard to breathe again, hard to move my arms and legs or even turn my head. I forced my eyes open, still not completely able to grasp what the blanket was or where it came from.

A single thought entered my mind. Kaycee. Was she there, is that why everything smelled like her? What was I holding and where was I? But the human mind wasn't designed to be gentle to us. It had no problem feeding me the events of the previous night, making me feel as if I was being choked. Kaycee definitely wasn't here, it was just my hoodie she'd worn that I now still clung to, not even having released it in my sleep.

And I was still laying on the floor of our garage.

I laid the hoodie across my chest and searched for my phone in the pocket of my sweatpants. Even the phone seemed to weigh a ton, especially with the knowledge of all the texts and calls.

*12 missed calls*

*134 unread texts*

"Jesus," I groaned, swiftly sorting through them. Looking back, it was probably a clear sign, but I automatically ignored everything from Camilla, telling myself I'd call her later on.

Many of the messages were from my family, asking if I was alright. I guessed they'd gotten back sometime during the night, but I doubted any of them had actually checked on me, hence why I was still in the garage, uninterrupted. My mom would've been so mad if she knew, she always nagged if I was so much as sitting on cold concrete, not to mention sleeping on it the entire night.

The rest of the texts were from my friends, wondering where I'd gone and why I hadn't met them at the hospital. Because I feel dead inside and I can't face you, because other than Kaycee, you are the ones most likely to see right through me. To see that I would die, if she did.

There was one message from Laura, received in the early hours of the morning, the one I'd been looking for in my hopeful state.

"No change. Are you coming back today?" it read. I typed back a quick yes after closing my eyes in disappointment for a second and asked if I could bring them anything. I knew they'd stayed the entire night and weren't planning on leaving any time soon, because that's the kind of family they were.

I got her reply a bit later, just as I'd managed to drag myself up and started heading inside with the hoodie still clasped in my hand. Yeah, I wasn't going to let go until I could hold her instead.

It was still early, barely 8 am, so I didn't expect to find anyone up already, but it seemed everyone was. My dad and Serris were sitting at the kitchen table while Sarah was on the phone in the living room, judging by the words exchanged, she was talking to Kylie or Devon.

"Yeah, he just appeared," Sarah said into the phone, putting me in the spotlight. My dad and sister turned to look at me, all four of us wearing pale faces and miserable eyes.

"Morning," I croaked, grabbing a glass and filling it up for the tap. My throat hurt so much with clogged tears and I hoped I could just wash it down. But you don't wash down half a lifetime of memories in jeopardy, I learned that the hard way.

"Hey, how are you holding up?" my dad asked, rising from the table and patting me on the back. I noticed just then that the table and the fallen glass had all been cleared from the table while I was asleep. Everything seemed almost normal, as if we hadn't left in a rush the previous night.

"I'm alright," I said, forcing a steady, sure voice. "Is mom still at the hospital?"

"Yes, she stayed with the Rices, just in case they needed something."

"They need Kaycee back," Serris choked unexpectedly, breaking into a sob, her spoon still half-way in the air with her cereal.

I think we were all too shocked to say or do anything at first. Serris had been mostly composed last night, focusing on trying to comfort Kylie, but she was hurting too and it took a breakdown for us to notice.

"Serris," I sighed, setting down my glass to go and hug her. She sat with her elbows on the table so I just wrapped my arms around her and let my chin rest on top of her head. "Don't cry."

"But it's K-Kaycee," she sobbed, grabbing onto my arms, "She doesn't deserve this!"

"That's exactly why you should stop crying. This is Kaycee. The same Kaycee who twisted her ankle and still ran the half marathon with you the next day, the same Kaycee who tripped, fell down the stairs and ended it with a back flip, the same Kaycee who watched that god-awful Pretty Perfect Liars with you for 17 hours straight when you were on bed rest," I said, grabbing her face and turning it to look up at me, "this is Kaycee and Kaycee is not a quitter. Don't quit on her."

Serris just looked at me with puppy eyes, seeking comfort from her younger brother. I smiled slightly and stroked her cheek.

"It's Pretty Little Liars," she replied, wiping her nose and grinning up at me. "Is this Kaycee's?" she asked, touching the sweatshirt in my hand, still wrapped around her.

"No, it's mine," I said, releasing her, suddenly protective of it.

"Funny, it smells just like the shampoo she has in our bathroom," Serris said with a smirk, drying the last of her tears. I just shook my head and returned to my drink. I could feel their eyes on me, but I had a feeling none of them was going to say anything more. Well, I was wrong.

"Kaycee will be okay, Sean," Sarah said softly, having hung up the phone already, "She has no choice, how else will you spend the rest of your life with her, right?"

Sarah knew just where to hit to make it hurt, she always had. At least with me.

"She's a tough little cookie," my dad agreed, looking at a photo of her and I on our wall. It was one from our trip to Hawaii, the one I hoped would never be seen by the public eye. We were looking at eachother with so much happiness in it, it made my chest tighten. Hawaii seemed like a lifetime ago with everything that had happened since then.

"You know we aren't that close anymore," I said, feeling the pressure of their expectations creeping up my spine.

"You may have been distant, but your eyes can't lie, Sean," Serris said, shrugging her shoulders, "And the rest of us aren't as blind as you two."

Again with this crap, I thought. For years, Kaycee and I had been coupled together by everyone, and I mean everyone. Our friends, our family, our fans and our mentors. We were always together, side by side, Kaycee and Sean. I didn't know for certain, but when things started going downhill, I had a feeling the pressure was the reason, the catalyst to start it all.

They were right about me, about the way I looked at her. I'd figured out that I loved her years ago, but love wasn't always returned and I'd learned to accept us for what we were. Friends.

Still, every time someone thought it best to bring up my love for her, it twisted the knife in my heart a bit deeper. I'd figured I'd get over my feelings eventually, especially after our dynamics changed and I met Camilla.

Well, it was worth a try.