The day the music stoped

Nat's pov

The car sped down the street, a blur of colors and noise, the engine's roar matching the chaotic rhythm of my heart. My parents were anxious, their voices barely above whispers, punctuated by the sharp sounds of the blinker and the tires skidding against the pavement. I sat in the back seat, clutching my teddy bear, feeling the unease settle in my stomach."Is she going to be okay?" I asked, my voice trembling like a leaf in the wind."Of course, sweetie. Just a little bump in the road," Mom replied, her smile faltering at the edges. I could see her hands grip the steering wheel tightly, knuckles turning white. Dad kept looking out the window, his jaw set, his silence louder than any words.I turned my gaze out, the world rushing by in an indistinct haze. Blurs of trees, lampposts, and houses melded into a painting of worry. As we approached a red light, the car came to an abrupt stop. I glanced at Mom's worried face, her brow furrowed, and felt a wave of panic wash over me. Why did Rose have to try for those stupid concert tickets?Suddenly, I noticed the car in front of us not moving. There was a deafening crash, metal crumpling like paper. Time slowed. My heart raced, and a scream lodged itself in my throat."Mom!"Before I could blink, our car lurched forward with a stomach-churning force. The sound was a cacophony of metal crushing against metal, splintering wood, shattering glass. My body was thrown against the seatbelt, and I could hear the distant wail of sirens as my world tilted into chaos.When things finally settled, silence enveloped us, heavy and suffocating. I could see shards of glass glittering like stars on the road. My breaths came in short gasps, and I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I could barely comprehend what just happened. The sight of my parents slumped, motionless, sent a wave of cold dread through me."Mom? Dad?" I whimpered.No answer.I was so scared. My mind raced back to Millie, and I remembered her excitement. "We'll be in the pit and then you'll see how amazing Billie is!" she had said. Each word echoed in my mind like a haunting melody. What was happening? Was Millie going to be okay? Were we?The sirens grew louder, and someone was pulling open the door, hands reaching in, voices drowning in a sea of panic. They spoke to me, soothing yet frantic, but I couldn't focus on the words. All I could think about was the promise of that concert, the laughter we would share, and the worry etched on my parents' faces.Nobody's pov:Panic surged within her, tightening its grip. "No!" she gasped, fighting against the invisible restraints of her own mind. She could hear the cries, the helpless confusion as her world unraveled.As the final blow of the crash resonated, Nat's heart threatened to leap out of her chest. The room became stifling, the air thick as if it were pushing down on her, weighing her down like an iron cloak. She could almost feel the warmth of her mom's hand slipping away, the comforting presence of her dad fading into the void. It was too much.In a flurry of despair, Natalie shot up in bed, her breath quickening, clawing at the sheets. Her body felt foreign, like a marionette with tangled strings. She gasped, struggling to gather the air that was slipping away. The edges of her vision began to blur as panic flared in her chest, consuming her like a wildfire."Oh, not again," she thought, feeling the room tilt and scream around her. Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out the present, trapping her once more in the grip of her nightmare.And just like that, the room spun into chaos. The breath she fought so hard to take slipped through her lips as everything faded into black. Nat fell backward, the familiar embrace of unconsciousness wrapping around her like a soft blanket, mercifully pulling her from the nightmare and into a place where the pain couldn't find her. 6 hours later Billie paced back and forth near the entrance of the café, the familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee mingling with her worries. She glanced at her watch for the third time in five minutes, anxiety gnawing at her. It was getting late, and Natalie's absence felt like a gaping hole in the early morning bustle.When she finally mustered the courage to approach the café employee, a nervous knot formed in her stomach. "Hey, have you seen Natalie?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. The employee shrugged, his brow furrowed in thought. "Nope, last I heard, she was supposed to open up this morning. Nobody's seen her since yesterday."Billie felt her heart drop. "That's really strange. She never misses a shift... not even for the flu." Doubt crept into her thoughts. Was something wrong? Did she relapse or go to far? A million scenarios raced through her mind, each more alarming than the last."What do you mean, like... missing? Do you think she's okay?" Billie asked, her voice rising slightly, betraying her calm façade. The employee frowned, shrugging again as if it were simply a casual thing. "Maybe she just overslept or something? People do that, you know."But this wasn't just a case of oversleeping—Natalie was dependable, always in control. The thought of her friend not being alright gripped Billie, and she felt her chest constrict. What if she needed help? What if something had happened, and Billie wasn't there for her?"I should try calling her," Billie said, more to convince herself than anything. She fished her phone out of her pocket, her fingers trembling slightly as she swiped through her contacts on snap. Each ring echoed in her mind, building up an unsettling rhythm of doubt. "Come on, Nat... pick up."Nothing but the mechanical voice of her voicemail. Billie bit her lip, suddenly feeling the weight of her unspoken feelings. If anything had happened to Natalie, she wouldn't forgive herself for not being more direct, for not letting her know how much she meant to her.She paced again, fighting the urge to storm out and search for her friend. "Maybe I should check her apartment," she mumbled to herself. The café was buzzing with morning customers unaware of the storm brewing in Billie's heart. She grabbed the employee's arm, her resolve hardening. "I'm going to find her."With a final glance at the café, Billie stepped out into the bright sunlight. It felt like she was diving into the unknown, her friendship with Natalie pushing her toward the edge———————————————-——————————————-——————————————-——————————————-——————————————-——————————————-——————————————-——————————————-——————————————-——————————————-——————————————-Idk a long one guys but y'all deserve it for being patient w me-xoxo bitches- 1121 words