Misunderstood(COMPLETED)

Chapter 43

Groaning from the pounding in his head and the dry cotton taste in his mouth Austin squinted as the bright sun enveloped his room.

"Good morning sunsine" the perky southern voice resonated through his ears.

"Shoot me..just shoot me" he begged covering his head with his arms.

"What fun would that be" he replied now standing next to the bed with aspirin and water.

"How did I get here" he mumbled.

"You don't remember? I'm crushed" he sighed dramatically.

Austin suddenly jumped up and ran for the bathroom making it just in time before he hovered over the toilet heaving.

Waiting patiently for him to emerge he set the aspirin and water on the table before starting a pot of coffee. "This is gonna be a long day" he expressed as he ground the coffee beans.

"Damn, why you gotta be loud. Can't ya see I'm dieing here" Austin whined as he came out and flopped onto the sofa.

"Hey, your self inflicted pain is not my fault" he quipped back.

"Yea, I know, everything is always my fault" Austin replied covering his eyes with his arm.

Sitting on the footstool he offered the cup of coffee, "Come on, sit up and start drinking this" he coaxed.

"Ugh" Austin replied pulling himself up.  Taking the cup he looked above the steaming coffee to the familiar face in front of him, "so you brought me here" he asked slowly sipping the hot beverage.

"Well, I couldn't just leave ya there. No telling what kind of trouble you'd have gotten into if I didn't " he replied.

"But how did you know I was staying here " Austin asked now taking the aspirin.

"You told me as we walked you to your truck" he replied.

"We?" he questioned cautiously.

"Me and the fella you were talking to. Who was that guy anyways, I've never seen him in there before" he told him.

"Just a fan, I guess" he replied sipping more of the coffee.

"Seemed a bit more than a fan, he acted as if you two were best friends " he stated.

"Nope, don't know him from anywhere.  Like I said just a fan staying low key to not let on I was there and enjoying a drink" Austin replied leaning back against the sofa.

"Yeah, um you may have started out unnoticed but that changed by the time we carried you out " he informed him.

"Why, what happened" he asked.

"You were obviously drunk but you were singing loudly just about every broken hearted song ever written" he told him.

Austin sat silent, rubbing his hands over his face, "is that it?" he asked unsure if he wanted to hear if there were more.

"Weellll" he replied with hesitation.

"Never mind, I dont want to know, so let's just leave it at that" Austin told him as he stood and walked to the window overlooking the city.

"You know, you need to face the truth, once and for all so you can move on with your life" he told him.

"I have moved on" he replied staring out the window.

"Have you, have you really because the man I watched last night is stuck in the past, hoping to wake up from the nightmare of being alone" he stated.

Austin turned towards him, "and when did you get your psychology degree " he asked with sarcasm.

"The school of hard knocks" he replied pouring another cup of coffee. "Come, sit, we need to talk".

"I'm good, I've got nothing I need to talk about" he replied.

"Well come humor me then because I do" he retorted.

"You, your life is perfect now" Austin replied plopping back on the sofa.

"No one's is ever perfect..there's no such thing. Is it good? Absolutely but it's still a work in progress, as is yours" he replied.

"Yea, well mine is at a stand still at the moment" Austin stated.

"Seems like your whole world is caving in, huh" he said.

"Something like that" Austin replied.

"I know how you feel but it will get better" he told him. "Life is so crazy, it's not easy for any of us. Just let it go, the pain, the hurt..you can learn from all of it" he told him.

"How when I can't see the future" Austin replied.

"No one can really see the future but you can't stay in the past. You're not living if you do" he told him.

"I just want to give up sometimes, ya know. My whole world has been turned upside down" Austin solemnly replied.

"I know you can't see it now, but you will be ok" he assured him.

"Wish I was as sure as you are. Look how great your life is, look at the guys and their's..then look at me" Austin stated his voice cracking.

"Austin, you will love and be loved again. In the meantime you have to let go of her, for good" he told him.

"I've tried, really I have but it haunts me. The whole five years haunts me" Austin stated.

"Write about it" he suggested.

"What?" he asked.

"You heard me, write about it, put it to music. Music is the best therapy for everything, just look what it's done for me" he told him.

"Will you help me? I don't know where to start, I can't just put it out there. My heads a jumbled mess" Austin told him.

"We'll get you through this, all of us, together" Jeff told him.