Rising Star: Book 3 of The Orion Series

Party Like A Rock Star

What have I done?

My forsaken son

What did I do

So that I lost you?

Perhaps it was me

But I'm down on one knee

So that maybe one day I'll be free

Please look at my hands

Do you see how they're clasped?

Maybe one day I'll fast

But do you see how I'm bound

Barely making a sound

I'm sorry for whatever I've done

--the song Questions, lyrics by Orion Bauwens

I open my eyes. I have zero idea where I am. I'm bobbing though, so I know I'm in water. Very cautiously so I don't fall, I look around.

I'm in a pool, floating on a clear yellow floaty bed. I'm in...someone's backyard. I'm fully clothed, though they're damp. My head is killing me, which explains a lot. The bobbing isn't making my stomach feel too good, so I decided getting out of the pool sooner than later is probably a good idea.

As I row myself with my arms to the edge of the pool, I try to think of the last thing I remember. Trying to remember anything makes my head pound though. As I carefully get out of the pool, the last thing I can recall is being in Orion's back yard as Ben stood over a campfire, laughing maniacally as Orion screamed at him to not burn the place down. (It was a pretty big fire Ben had made.)

Orion's house. That's right. I look around and I see that I'm in his neighbor's pool, the one directly behind his house.

"Shit..."

I pull out my phone, but it's not working. I really, really hope it just needs to be charged, although I have a sneaking suspicion it's broken after being submerged in this pool. As I start to walk towards the gate to go around front, I realize my knee hurts. I pause, lifting up my pant leg. There's a large bruise. I sigh heavily and continue to limp along back to Orion's house.

I go to the front of his house--which is wide open. Sighing heavily again, I shut the door behind myself. There's some random people passed out in various places. I find Ben curled up with some girl on the couch, half-naked. I make a face and continue on my way.

I finally find Orion in the backyard. He's asleep on a pool chair that he evidently dragged into the yard from the pool area. Next to him is a cooler filled with melted ice water and the fire pit, which is still flickering.

For the third time I sigh. Then I pick up the cooler filled with water and dump it on him.

He gasps loudly, jumping to his feet. I set the cooler down, fold my arms, and frown at him. He's gasping, eyes so large they're the size of the moon.

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

"Good morning!"

He gapes a moment. "F-FUCK YOU! THAT WATER IS F-FREEZING! ARE YOU TRYING TO G-GIVE ME A H-HEART ATTACK?!"

After a minute though he's not angry. He's laughing. He rings out his shirt and sits down, holding his head in both his hands. "Ohhhhhh fuck it hurts to laugh."

"What the fuck happened last night?" I ask, sitting next to him, also holding my head.

"A wonderful party?" He grins at me.