Now or Never (An Austin Mahone and Crew Love Story)

My Insides Came Outside

When I came around a few hours later the party around me was in full swing and Austin was smiling and talking to Tyler, who was sitting on the floor next to us. “Hey,” Tyler said to me when he noticed I was looking at him. “Are you feeling any better?”

Austin brushed a hand across my forehead. “Your temperature came down some. Are you alright?”

I sat up. “My stomach.”

Austin pulled the hair tie off my wrist and pulled my hair into a loose, messy ponytail. “Are you going to get sick?” My face twisted and I couldn’t answer. I wasn’t sure. “Zach,” Austin called, “Bring us that trashcan. I think she‘s about to get sick.”

Zach rushed the little trash bin over and sat it next to Tyler by my feet. I closed my eyes and silently begged myself not to be sick. I hadn’t had the stomach flu since I was in third grade, but I remembered what it felt like. The short description would be how I felt right then. My stomach clenched, but I begged harder. “Please don‘t get sick. Please don‘t get sick.”

I knew I was losing the battle against myself and reached for the trash can. In little detail. I got sick. Austin rubbed my back soothingly and the guys around me scattered. Rob handed me a piece of paper towel and Drew held out my water bottle.

Dave took my trashcan in exchange for a bucket he pulled from the laundry room and went to dispose of what just happened. “Rinse your mouth out with the water and take a little sip,” Zach encouraged from across the room.

I did what everyone said and laid back against the couch in a cold sweat. “I‘m sorry guys,” I apologized. “I know you didn‘t want to sit around and watch me get sick.”

Robert found a brush and worked my hair into a better pony tail. “It‘s okay, Liv. We all know you don‘t want to be sick. We‘ll take care of you. That‘s what friends are for.”

Austin hugged me gently. “It‘s literally my job. It‘s in the contract your mom signed before we took you on the plane. I have to take care of you.”

I looked around at all of their worried faces, but was too exhausted to respond. I leaned into Austin and closed my eyes for what only seemed like a second before I was reaching for the bucket again. It went on like this from nine to nearly one-thirty before anyone really changed their reaction.

Every time it happened Austin would hold me, Dave would go rinse out the bucket once they were sure I was okay, Robert would rip me off a new piece of paper towel and Drew would let me rinse my mouth. Zach would take the old paper towel and toss it out, and then Tyler would try to crack a joke before I laid back to try and get more sleep.

At one-thirty I announced that I had to pee. Austin helped me walk over to their downstairs bathroom with the bucket in hand and waited outside the door. “I want to actually lay down this time,” I said when I came out. “I don‘t think I‘ve ever been this tired and weak in my life.”

“Okay,” Austin replied. “How about you lay on the floor after we take your temperature again. I‘m going to see if I can find the old thermometer that you just swipe across your forehead. Someone get her a pillow and blanket laid out on the floor awhile,” he demanded. “I‘ll be right back.”

Zach quickly replaced Austin at my side and led me the rest of the way back to the TV where there were now blankets and a pillow laid out a little ways out from the couch. He helped me sit down on the floor and put the bucket next to me. “Is your stomach feeling any better? You must be getting close to empty by now.” I nodded and he smiled at me. “See. It won‘t be all that bad from here on out. There‘s practically nothing left for your body to get rid of.”