I Can Write It Better Than You Ever Felt It

[[I’m going to keep this current because that’s always easier.]]

Ryan Ross’s POV [2009]

“Brendon, I’m going to tell you one last time, I’m shit of your shit,” I declared.

“We’ll I’m sick of your shit,” he swayed back and forth to me and put his arms around my neck. “Gimme a kiss.”

“No, Brendon. No!”

“You were the one that came to visit me,” he laughed. “I know you missed me.”

“I came here because I wanted to tell you it’s over.”

He laughed again. “We’ve been over for like... a year, silly.”

Actually it was seven months.

“No, Brendon. I’m sick of you being a lazy ass who sits around and drinks and gets laid by whores all day,” I explained.

“What else am I supposed to do? You left me for Victoria.”

“I didn’t leave you for a person. I left you because you’re an idiot! The band is over. Me and Jon quit.”

He just laughed and laughed and laughed. “This has gotta be a dream.”

“Have fun without a lyricist,” I said, glared at him, and turned to walk away. Tears were stinging my eyes as I left his messy apartment.

Jon was waiting for me in the car.

“How did he take it?” he asked.

I wiped the tears away. “He was drunk. As always. He just laughed at me. He probably doesn’t believe me.”

“I told Spencer. He said he was staying with Brendon ,” Jon explained.

“Fine, let him. He’ll get pissed off and leave in a couple weeks!” I screamed.

“Ryan, please calm down. We’re doing this because we have different worth ethics and we want a different sound than Brendon does. It’s not a personal thing. Stop trying to make it a personal thing.”

I wanted to yell at him, but I didn’t. I waited till I was home to yell at myself. And then I yelled at Vicky-T until she calmed me down and got me to take a bath.

“It will calm you down,” she told me and locked me in the bathroom.

I punched the wall, leaving a dent, and took a bath.

Mike Carden’s POV [2009]

Your heart can heal after all.

In February I met Sierra Kusterbeck, of VersaEmerge, the new band signed to Fueled By Ramen. Being with her taught me to love again. And I hadn’t loved anyone for years. It had been years since Tom had left.

And I was never more glad he was gone.

That day we went to get ice cream with William and Gabe. I think I was the only one that knew they were together. They were really good at keeping it secretive in public. And they’d been together for almost a year in secret. They were cute together.

Sierra had gone to the bathroom for a minute and almost instantly Bill, Gabe, and I got a text from Pete.

i’m mass txting to all the members of fbr. ryan ross and jon walker have left patd.

I almost dropped my phone. Bill let out a gasp and Gabe cursed under his breath.

Sierra came out a minute later and sat down with us at the table. “Did you guys get Pete’s text?”

“Yeah,” Bill breathed, looking downcast.

“I mean its not the end of the world but... damn... those were two great guys...”

“C’mon Si, this has been in the works ever since Brendon drunkenly announced his and Ryan’s relationship at Spencer’s birthday party.”

“I wasn’t there...” she reminded him.

“Well yeah but it they broke up like seven months ago or something and it was pretty harsh on everyone that knew them,” I said.

“Ryan wouldn’t leave his apartment for weeks because he didn’t know what he really wanted and Brendon started drinking even more and surrounding himself with whores,” Bill explained.

Gabe smirked, “The only thing that made Ryan happy was Vicky-T. I’m glad those two are together.”

Sierra nodded. “They are good together but... I don’t know... this is really bringin me down.”

“And I mean they both wanted different sound too,” Gabe reminded. “Ryan was able to convince Brendon to do the Beatles sound for Pretty. Odd. but everyone knows that’s not what Brendon wanted. He wanted the sound of the first album. Brendon never wanted to work on more music because he was lazy, Pete was constantly yelling at them because he didn’t want their next album coming out three years later than expected. Brendon wanted to release the cabin demos because it wouldn’t be that much work for them, but Ryan wanted to start all new stuff. And when Brendon wanted to work on music, all they would do at the studio was yell at each other. I was there once. It was terrible. They’ve been so bitter to each other since they broke up.”

“That’s why people in the same label shouldn’t be togeth...” Sierra’s face went red. “Nevermind...”

Bill started to laugh. “You don’t know half the stuff that goes on here. We’ve been on the label for ages. Lots of freaky shit goes on at Fueled By Ramen.”

“That’s for sure,” I said quietly.