I need them to stop treating me like I'm blown glass about to break. I am Noah fucking Beckett, I am tough as nails, but somehow they forget that.
I walked into the red room as we called it. It’s the same as the green room but without the fans. I needed to get my head straight before I went to the green room to play rock God.
I grab my bass and strum it mindlessly, whatever the tune is to my mood and light a smoke. I hated going on when I was in a mood. It effected us all and the crowd could catch the vibe. Shows were exhausting, but fun. I would jam, headbang and play side by side with Cal and Chad. We had chemestry the four of us, and trust. I need to remember they took the pain in while I was high. I can't blame their fear.
I see Shame walk in out of the corner of my eye but say nothing to him and keep strumming. I should have known he would volunteer to head over. He's the only one who doesn’t pity or play me.
We sit like this, me playing him watching for about ten minutes until he starts to beat his drum sticks on the arm of the chair, and the table in front of me.
I look up when I realize he is on the same beat, following me in sync. Not the best tune, a bass and drum sticks on furniture, but I like it all the same and it soothes me.
"Everyone is just scared dude. You need to remember when you were high we were watching. It's hard for us to laugh about it just yet, if ever."
I nod and take a drag, still strumming while he keeps drumming. "I know, but at some point you guys gotta let me breathe and cope how I need to. You forget I was sober for years and now because Candey died and I relapse…" I shake my head knowing their fear and knowing my annoyance for it. "I am me and always have been. I make no excuses and don't bitch about it, it just is."
He nods now and that's that. I get their concern but in turn they need to see mine. We keep playing when Cal and Chad show up, sans the girls and I know they are in the green room dialing up on thefangirlsand making bets of who will go at who.
Twisted life we lead.
Chad and Cal both grab guitars and pick up on our beat, Cal pitching in high with his lead skills and damn this song it kinda bad ass. Cal stops a second and hits record on his phone and we have put him into work mode. We play a little longer, none of us saying anything and when the lazy and kind of sad tune turns into Hells Bells we all start laughing and Chad starts screaming,'I'm rollin' thunder and pourin' rain…'
We play it through, feeling the beat and getting amped up when Tay comes in, waits for Cal to finish his riff and kisses him on the head. "Opening band Yellowcard is going on now, so make your way to the green room for meet and greets please." She says and walks over to the flowers in the room from various sponsors, stealing the cards so she can return in kind with Thank you baskets.
Before we leave she stops me. "Thank you for trying Noah. I know you're mad and you feel like a child how you're being treated, but please remember it is one tour and then you are free."
I look at her, unable to hide my distaste for her pep talk. "If you think that is what I'm upset by then you need a good long lesson in remembering who I am and what I'm about. You all do." I say and leave her standing there.
I may be a dick, I may be over reacting, but I was sick and tired of the pity and the babying and I would be a dick until they all figured it out.
Garrett Kato
Sweet Jane
Bright
The energy in the venue was alive like a heartbeat. From where I stood on the side of the stage I couldn’t even see the fans in the cheap seats it went on forever. And it was loud, so loud and I couldn’t reel my excitement in. Growing up wealthy and being an heiress held perks, perks where I could see any band I wanted, I went to parties and sweet sixteen's that top musicians played at so it wasn't star struck. It was something more and I couldn’t name it.
Before long the vibrations of stomping feet and an audience in sync screamingTAT, TAT, TATI jumped when I heard the kick drum in a five beat set. The place went ballistic and the lights went out. Cell phones lit it up, white lights shining from as far back as I could see and tears stung my eyes. Magical, it was magical.
"How you doin' San Francisco?" Chad said from somewhere in the stadium and it was insane the eruption and it vibrated through the place and bounced off the walls. "I love you too." He said absently before I heard the simple strum on an acoustic guitar causing the crowed to erupt again.
"Tell me what ya'll came here for?" Chad said and they all started screaming TAT again. "I can't hear you mother fuckers, get loud and tell me what the fuck you came here for?" As he said the last word the lights shone down on him in the center of the audience on an extension from the stage, his microphone was out to the crowd and the cheers reverberated from everywhere.
"You ready to go into the Fray with us?" Screaming fans started jumping up and down as the first chords to one of their songs started.
Then I saw Noah and was captivated. He was so different under the lights. Sexy, oh God so sexy. He would jam side by side with Cal and Chad on the heavier songs, running across the stage and jumping. He was so enthused and I wasn't sure what to expect, this wasn't it.
A few times he would walk to the edge and squat down so the women could show their boobs, or toss bra's, he ate it up and they loved it. Chad and Cal, both so unfazed by the women who would give anything to be near them. Noah, was not however, it was like he connected with every single one and promissed them a ride.
I fucking got it now.
Did I ever.
He was sex, and he wore it, every stitch.
From there the songs came one after the other until they took a quick break and Shame stayed on the stage doing sound effects and riling the crowd until the stadium went pitch black again and then I saw him, this time much more reserved. Alone, he walked out to the stage, sans bass and took a seat at a piano. He was dressed in blue jeans that had shredded holes all over and a T-shirt that saidFacelifton it.
Then he pointed to me. Small red lights line the stage enough that I knew he meant me. I felt butterflies at seeing him acknowledge me. It was then and there that I admitted I might have a crush, but I think he did too. I heard the first few strokes of the piano keys and melted a little at hearing him go soft.
