( one! )

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YOU DON'T REMEMBER MUCH FROM THAT NIGHT.

Your friends, Chris and Josh, had gotten you to drink an entire bottle of Jeremiah Cragg in order to prove your toughness against alcohol.

Of course, because this was your first time even drinking anything you didn't take long to get completely wasted, and Everett knew that.

But of course, he knew this was also your birthday and you deserved to have a little bit of fun this year since it was also the death date of your parents.

2 years prior, both your mom and dad had died in a car crash that left just you and your younger sister.

Only for your sibling to later die because of lung cancer, having went to smoking in order to get over the death of your parents.

Which left you the only available L/N in your family of 3, Everett being there every step of the way.

You were pretty thankful for him.

He had basically grown up with you, you guys being next door neighbors and childhood sweethearts at a very early age.

He was there for you through everything, and you were very much grateful for his presence.

He was pretty grateful for yours, too.

Now, having known Josh and the twins growing up, you both were invited to every party they ever threw in their parents' lake house.

Along the way, Chris and Mike had shown up and then soon the girls and Matthew.

Yet it was always the five of you.

Until Mike and Everett became close and dragged you along in their small duo, and soon you were following them everywhere like a lost puppy.

But of course, everyone knew it would always be you and Everett.

You were the original duo.

Wherever one went, the other followed and it had been that way for years while everyone else kind of tagged along.

For years, it seemed like you would never get together because Everett was too stubborn to break the friendship and you were too shy.

Until Josh had gotten you both together 4 years prior, and then you were labeled boyfriend and girlfriend.

Now, as Everett watched you chug the entire bottle of alcohol he had never been more proud of calling you his girlfriend.

Until, you had fallen face-first on the counter which left the three boys startled then they began to laugh.

"She really chugged that entire thing."

"Not gonna lie, I didn't think she'd actually do it considering...her parents." Chris points out with a shrug, and Everett softly smiles.

"She's definitely not gonna do it again in the future, that's for sure." He chuckled.

"Well, let's toast! To Y/N!" Josh cheered.

And soon both Josh and Chris were out, which left Everett the only sober one between the four of them.

"They really can't handle their alcohol."

He began to clean up the empty bottles and scattered trash, right as Beth and Sam enter the kitchen talking with each other.

"Hey, have you guys seen Hannah? I can't seem to find her anywhere." Beth mentioned.

"No, I actually haven't. I'm sure she's fine, though."

"Whoa. Did you guys actually get Y/N to drink tonight? She passed out." Beth notices your figure slouched over the counter.

Everett chuckles. "Chris and Josh got her to drink an entire bottle. She's definitely gonna have a massive hangover in the morning."

"Really? I'm surprised that she was so willing to do it." Sam crosses her arms.

"Yeah, me too. But she seemed to enjoy it."

Suddenly, Beth picks up a note sitting on the counter that the brunet never noticed until now when the Washington twin pointed it out.

"What's this? 'You looked good in that top, but I bet you would look better out of it. Meet me in the guest bedroom. Mike'.

"What did my naive sister get herself into, now?" Beth sighs, and Everett rolls his eyes.

"Seriously? Another prank?" He sighed.

Suddenly, something rushes past the windows and the three suddenly hear the voices of their numerous friends.

"What the? Beth, Sam go check that out I'll get the others up." Everett suggested, and the two girls nod before rushing out of the room.

He went to shake your shoulder first, but you wouldn't budge so he quickly gave up to find the others.

He found them calling for Beth and Hannah outside, roughly pushing through the crowd.

"What the hell? Where's Hannah and Beth?"

"Hannah can't take a joke and just ran off! Beth ran after her!" Emily rolled her eyes.

"Seriously? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you guys not care that your friends just fucking ran off?" The brunet snaps.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine. Hannah just needs to learn to take a joke every once in a while." Jessica crossed her arms.

"You really are a bitch, huh?" He snapped, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Hey! Don't use that tone of voice!" Emily snaps.

"Oh shut the hell up, Emily. You all know that what you did was fucking wrong." He points out, and everyone stays quiet.

"It was just a dumb prank. We didn't expect her to react like that." Mike eased the situation.

"And you're not making this any better."

Before another word was spoken, he ran off after the two girls in hopes of finding them and bringing them back safe and sound.

"Everett, wait!"

It had been hours since the disappearance of Hannah and Beth Washington, along with Everett Stark.

By now, you had been up and pacing the living room floor, mouth greedily biting down on your nails.

You were anxious, they knew that much.

Ever since your sister's death, you had a fear of abandonment which is why you were often traveling with Everett.

Every time he left your side, you would have a panic attack and your breathing would become irregular.

Everyone knew that.

Everett knew that, which is why he had never left your side and always promised to stay by you.

You being without him scared you.

"Y/N, deep breaths. I'm sure Everett will be back soon, he wouldn't ever leave you alone." Mike reassured, but you wouldn't listen.

No matter what anyone would say, all you could hear was Everett's going to leave you like everyone else.

Tears built up in the corner of your e/c eyes.

Soon, your heart began to beat erratically and your palms began to sweat as your breathing came out forced.

You fell to your knees, hands cupping your head as tears made their way down your face.

Nobody knew what to do.

The only person who was able to ease your worries was missing, running around in the snowstorm.

Or possibly dead.

"Shit. What the hell do we do? She's not breathing." Mike paced the floor, knowing that it was his job to keep you safe for Everett.

You couldn't hear anything but your thumping heart and the constant fear of Everett dying.

He's gone, he promised, you thought.

You tried practicing the breathing exercises your therapist taught you but nothing seemed to work as your only stable thought was no where to be found.

"Okay, okay. What did Everett tell us in case this happened without him near?" Emily questioned.

"She needs to regulate her breathing."

Sam then crouched down in front of you and began to mutter reassurances in hopes of them actually reaching your ears.

It didn't work for the first few minutes, and she began to lose hope until you began repeating those reassurances to yourself.

It was then that your heart was slowing down, and your breathing was becoming even.

It isn't until you fully collapse on Sam's lap, when everyone releases the breathes they have been holding in.

"Shit, man. That was intense." Emily sighs, dropping herself on the couch.

Then there's footsteps.

A knock is hood on the wooden door, and Josh is the one who races over to open it in hopes that his sisters or even Everett are on the other side.

Fortunately, the familiar brunet stumbles inside and nearly collapses on his friend.

"Everett!" Everyone whispers in excitement.

They didn't want to wake your sleeping figure, as the blonde is still holding you against her chest but her eyes focus on your boyfriend in the doorway.

"Everett, what the hell happened? Were you able to find my sister's?" Josh wonders.

He leads the male to the couch.

It is then that he realizes you're on the ground and immediately drops beside you to take your figure from his friend's arms.

"Shit, I shouldn't have left you. I'm so sorry, Y/N." He apologizes, quietly.

The group gives him a second to breathe.

It looked like he'd been running for ages, snow completely covering his jacket as his body shivers from the heat that washed over him.

He received countless scratches on his face, bruises surely hidden under his clothes that seemed ripped.

They wondered what'd he been through.

"I'm sorry, Josh. I couldn't find Hannah and Beth anywhere. I looked all around, it's like they completely vanished." He apologizes to his friend.

The male stays silent, seeming to take in the brunet's words before slowly leaving the living room.

"It's okay. You must be freezing, though."

"I failed, and I'm sorry. I failed to find Hannah and Beth and I failed Y/N. I promised I wouldn't leave you, and I broke that."

He slowly leans his forehead against yours, but you only snuggle against his chest.

Your shaking hands tightly gripping his jacket.

"I won't leave you alone. Never again." He vowed, and everyone watched him slowly cradle you.

They could tell he meant every word.

And that would be his downfall.