12So, I have had the urge to write this kind of story for a while, since I play guitar and love music and all of that…. Anyway. I'm going to be using the band Paramore's lyrics in this story—which I do not own. I do own my characters and everything else, but I just thought that I would note it for the record. If you know a lot about Paramore, please tell me if there is anything too similar to their band, because this is supposed to be my own original idea, just using their lyrics since this is about a band… Anyways… I hope you enjoy this.
"Nothing compares to a quiet evening alone, just the one two of us who's counting on that never happens, i guess im dreaming again, lets be more than this..." As I belt out the last note, I push my sweaty hair out of my eyes. Aleric pushes out one last note on his guitar, and the crowd cheers in anticipation for the signature drum solo that we always put at the end of this song.
I gaze out over the audience, the screaming forcing me to smile even though I try to gaze at them dramatically. No matter where we go, the energy practically pushes me into the drum set, where Danny is drumming away. I can't hear him, of course, between the ear plugs in my ears and the audience screaming away, but I know it's good. As always.
Finally, the signal to make my final goodnight announcement, if the dimming lights are any indication.
"Thank you all for coming" I shout over the deafening screams.
"Did you have a good night?" The audience practically roars into my ears. For some reason, I always got the most screaming when I asked them questions.
"I hope you did, because we'll be playing here in only one more year!"
The yelps an whistles practically break my eardrums, even with ear plugs. A few fans in the audience hold up a flashing orange sign that says ' we love you Coaststar'
Now time for the inspirational speech. As corny as I make it, the words are actually genuine.
" I hope you all know that we love you. You guys are an inspiration us. We wouldn't be where we are without you."
Then I shout out one last "goodnight!"
The lights spin around in the pit like crazy, then fade to blackout so we can escape without the crowd following us. "Hurry up, Shortcake," Danny whispers behind me, giving me a little shove. I smile at the nickname that he's always called me, but walk a little faster. We have to sign autographs and take pictures before we can go to bed in the bus. I yawn from just the thought of my warm bunk waiting for me.
Finally outside, I take a few deep breaths of the cold air before getting into the stuffy bus to change for pictures. Inside, knowing I have to hurry, I spray on some Viva La Juicy perfume and pull on a knee length tight red dress that hugs my hips, and some silver studs in my ears. I grab a toothbrush to run quickly over my teeth when Aleric barges into the bus bathroom. He fakes choking and grabs the counter as though to steady himself an takes a few breaths.
"Geez... Why do you gotta spray all that girly crap around?" he says, grinning. He pops open his own bottle of AXE and sprays it all over his shirtless body. My lungs and nose suddenly fill with the sharp smell of too many chemicals in the air. I start to cough just as Danny comes in and tosses me over his shoulder.
"Cmon chica, it's time to go. The people await."
I sigh and resign to me being carried like a sack of potatoes. The only reason Danny and Aleric can get away with this is because I've known them for forever.
"K Daniel, let her go, " Aleric says suddenly in a firm voice as we get closer to the crowd. Danny gently drops me with a sheepish smile. I grin triumphantly at Danny, because for some reason he has always listened to Aleric, ever since we were were younger.
"You look good," Aleric whispers to me as we walk around the corner that
our bus is hidden behind. I automatically smooth down my hair. He starts to say something else but it's drowned out by the shouts of the people outside of the concert hall.
The next couple of hours are filled with flashes of cameras and sweaty, eager people. I hug about 10 zillion girls my age practically bowing at my feet, and I can't help but laugh at their attempts of copying my style of purple, black, or red. I have to bite my cheek at the guys who try to act like macho men around Aleric and Danny.
When the crowd finally starts to disperse around 2 am, I can't help being relieved. This would definitely be my least favorite part of the day. I'm cold yet sweaty, and tired at the same time. I take a gulp of the fresh air, which causes me to yawn.
The ground suddenly disappears under my feet as I get picked up again, by Aleric this time.
"Let's go to bed, girly," he says quietly, walking to the bus with me in his arms. Danny trails behind us, hands in his pockets. Though I love them both, Aleric is much gentler in general. At his six foot two height, he's like a gentle giant.
When we reach the bus, he gently deposits me into my bunk bed, then leaves the room to give me privacy while I change.
Yawning, I slip out of my tight dress, sighing in relief. I pull on some soft gray pajama pants and a light pink tank top. Then I carefully fold my dress and store it in the bin under my bunk.
"Done yet? I'm suffocating here," Danny says suddenly through the curtain. I open it for him.
"Here you are, Prince Daniel," I tease, showing him into the little room with a flourish. "Your castle."
He sighs at the same time I do, looking at the mess. The tiny bus seemed big at first, but not after living in it for... forever, and it's endlessly messy, no matter how many times we've tried to clean it. I dont bother leaving the room, because Danny never minded anyone seeing him change. If Danny is that kind of guy, Aleric is definitely the gentleman, and always has been.
As Danny slips off his shirt and pants, down to his boxers, I take out a photo album I've had since sixth grade, when we were forced to make it for our future selves. The old buzzards at the school were right, though, when they said we'd appreciate the photo album when we were older. I even still have the wrinkled note to myself that I wrote. I smile a little as I flip through the album, filled with dorky pictures of Danny, Aleric, and me, smiling or laughing in every one. I feel a dip in the mattress as Danny sits by me.
"Hey... I remember that one..." he says, pointing to a picture. It shows me in a pirate costume, standing with Aleric and Danny. Danny is scowling at the camera while Aleric tries to look heroic in his muscle suit. It was Halloween, and, "This was only a little while after we met right?" I ask, though of course i know it is.
Danny nods, smiles.
"The good old days," he says quietly.
I glance at him.
"These are good old days too, Daniel. The ones we'll remember. We're freaking famous!" I say, shaking his shoulder. He smiles a little.
"I know. It's just... This was before dad got sick and died though," he mumbles.
Shit. How could I have forgotten that, knowing him so long?
"I'm going to bed," he says suddenly. I erupt in a sudden yawn at the mention
of sleep, and realize it's almost 3:30 am. I nod.
"Me too," I say, at loss for any other words.
"'night, Shortcake," he mumbles, slipping under his covers.
Aleric suddenly opens the curtain.
"Joe wants to know if you guy are ok with us getting a move on while youre in bed," he whispers. I nod, knowing that we need to be in Washington two days from now. Aleric disappears again, to tell Joe, our driver, and the bus hitches with the start of the engine. A few minutes later, he comes back in, rooting in his bag for something.
"What are you looking for?" I mumble sleepily under my blanket.
"A pen. Go to sleep chickita," he says in a low voice. He says something else, but his words go slippery as I fall asleep.
"Come on Danny," the little boy with the dark brown hair said. He dragged behind him a shorter boy with a scowl on his face. "I dunno why I have to meet some girl," he mumbled, finally relenting to walking towards the swing set with his friend, where a girl was swinging and humming. "Allie!" the dark haired boy called to his friend. She looked, and when she saw him, scraped her feet on the gravelly ground to slow down. She got off the swing and pulled the two boys both into a hug, ignoring the shell-shocked look of the "new kid". "Hiya," the dark haired boy said cheerfully. "Hi Aleric." "Who's this?" the little girl asked, tilting her head and smiling at the shorter boy. "I'm... Uh... Danny," the little boy named Daniel Rollen mumbled, still blushing from the hug. "I'm Allie. You want to play pirates?" Danny nodded, a slow smile spreading onto his face. And that was how it all began.