One Way Love Lane

[three] The What The Where The When

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, ABOUT TEN HOURS AGO:

Black. Fuzz. Ears twitching to muffled sounds.

My eyes were fluttering open and close. Heavy. Boom boom in the halls. My leg flinched.

"Katya?" The Voice said. "Katya? You need to get up." And then there was something quick poking my cheek.

I flung myself upwards from the scratchy flat surface beneath me ("Shit," a voice exclaimed in the distance) and my brain spun and a rough moan escaped my lips. My eyes felt stingy.

"I'm okay," came out as a mumbled slur as my vision faltered and I tried to find my footing. But instead there was this terrible lurch forwards as my foot did not find something flat and soon I was falling, flailing in the dark.

I tumbled. Arms, elbows, head, shoulder, legs, ankles- whacking edges and wood, hard then fast until finally my forehead smacked right into something smooth and rigid.

I whimpered and snapped my eyes open, finding myself at the bottom of the stairs having just finally whammed my head into the massive pillar of the banister.

Agony.

There was a rapid thumping as someone hurried down the stairs, muttering incoherently, and I stared up at the ceiling.

A shadow loomed over me and then vanished as quickly as it came.

"Bloody hell."

The Voice. And it was trying to help me up, reaching out for me and I slapped away the hand.

"I'm fine- just go," I muttered, gathering myself to my feet slowly, holding my arms out to steady myself. "Is that Daft Punk?" I wondered out loud under my breath as the song played and I listened to the jumping tune and lyrics being screamed behind the hall doors, to the right.

Niiiice. That was the only thought I had.

One foot forward then another. Again. But the fourth time had me almost flying to the ground again as my foot fell over a blue plastic cup. A strong hand curled round my arm, stabling me. A foot, not mine, sent the cup kicking.

"Are you okay? Can you walk?"

I pulled myself out of the soft grip on my arm as the hall doors opened and I blinked. Calum walked through them.

The fall down the stairs had sobered me up a bit from my drunk crying spell.

Calum looked me up and down, eyebrows furrowing before his gaze turned to my left.

I followed the gaze, peering over.

"Campbell?" Our voices called out in unison. Calum and I exchanged glances as Campbell Stone stood there, adjusting the navy cap on his head. He was Kit's football captain.

"Hey..." he said, eyes on me, looking as confused as us.

Calum pointed an accusatory finger at me. "What are you sounding so surprised for?"

I blinked. "Don't..." I wracked my head for the right word. "Don't-ask," I managed to blurt out finally. I tried to squeeze the throbbing pain away from my skull. I didn't even notice Calum staring at me.

"You're wasted." He stated, stepping closer to me and looking me over again. "What the hell happened to you face?" He leaned and brushed his finger against my forehead, chasing away strands of hair. His eyes widened. "Shit. Was that you making all that noise?" His wide eyes then darted to Campbell. "What the hell happened? She's bleeding."