Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, Its All About Vegas Baby

My body is your body/ I won't tell anybody/ If you wanna you use my body/ Go for it.

Once again I stood at the side of the stage and watched Fall Out Boy perform. It was all going to plan, until they launched into The (Shipped) Gold Standard. Since I read Brendon’s blog, I couldn’t listen to the song without welling up.

Tears stinging my eyes, I ran from the side of the stage in search of some seclusion. I ran with my hands covering my eyes, not looking where I was going at all.

I bumped into someone; I looked up and saw Charlie, the band’s security guard. “Sorry, Charlie.” I muttered before running through an open door.

The room was dark, silent, just what I wanted. I made my way over to the leather couch in the corner of the room and I sat down, my head promptly dropped into my hands.

Why was I doing this?

Why was I doing this to Pete?

My thoughts were everywhere the undeniable love I felt for Pete was so obvious, yet this new, strange connection I felt to Brendon messed that all up.

I sat there through the whole of FOB’s set; I heard the band finish and Panic start up. The tears that fell from my eyes were yet to subside.

I lay down on the couch and tried to get some sleep. Just as I was drifting off into an uncomfortable, slightly forced slumber, the door opened.

‘Harriett?’ I heard Patrick’s worried voice call.

I couldn’t speak, my throat was hoarse, so I groaned.

‘Oh my god, you’re here.’ He said as he rushed over to me, switching on the light as he did.

‘Are you oka-’ he stopped himself, once he saw my tear-stained face. ‘Why are you crying Harry? Do you want me to get Pete?’

I shook my head, ‘please don’t get Pete. I don’t want to worry him.’ I said quietly.

‘Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?’ he rubbed my side in a comforting manner.
I paused, wondering if I should tell him. Holding this secret inside was tearing me up and I wasn’t sure if I could hold it any longer. So I told him, I told him everything. About me and Brendon, about the ice cream shop, about us making out, about my feelings, anything and everything I felt, I told him.

He sat there, as if he was stunned into silence at this major secret I had let him in on.

‘Don’t hate me Patrick, please.’ I whimpered as I clung onto him.

‘I’m not going to hate you Harry, but you know you can’t carry on like this. You have to choose. Pete or Brendon, you’re not only hurting yourself, but you’re hurting both of them too.’ He said, in his ever sensible manner.

‘I know, I know.’ I said, confirming the one thing that I was trying to hide from.

The following day, I avoided both Pete and Brendon. It was the last day of the tour and a few other Decaydance bands were coming out for the last show. Cobra Starship, The Academy Is, The Cab and Gym Class Heroes were all on the bill for the show. It was going to be spectacular.

Although, as hard as I tried, I couldn’t hide from the looks Patrick kept sending my way. I knew he hated the fact that I was messing around with Pete and Brendon’s feelings

At around 3pm, the other 4 bands arrived, it was like a big reunion, the whole group hadn’t been together for around 6 months due to conflicting touring schedules and recording. It was like the family was together again.

‘Hey Vicky,’ I said talking to the Cobra Starship keytarist.

‘Hey Harry, how’re you holding up around all of these madmen.’ She said, as Brendon promptly ran past with a bucket on his head, crashing into a couple of people on his way. I simply shook my head at his antics.

‘Don’t ask me how I haven’t ripped my hair out!’ I exclaimed. I looked down at my watch and realised everyone was 5 minutes late for sound check. ‘Shit.’ I muttered before power walking towards the big group of guys. As I sped past, I shortly said ‘Sound check. Now!’ everyone followed my orders.

Once inside the venue, I rounded everyone up and began talking to everyone.

‘Okay guys, I’m just going to run through everything, from sound check to the actual show.
Okay?’ various nods and signs of approval were given from each person in the massive huddle in the middle of the arena.

‘Right, firstly, the order of sound check is The Cab, The Academy Is, Gym Class Heroes, Cobra Starship, Fall Out Boy and then lastly Panic. This is also the order in which you will perform.’

‘What time does the show actual start?’ Mike Carden of The Academy Is asked.

‘It starts at 6:30. The Cab and TAI will have half an hour slots, Gym Class and Cobra will have 45 minutes with Panic and FOB having an hour each.’

‘Awesome!’ Gabe and Pete said at the same time.

‘Okay, now for guest appearances. Brendon and Patrick will join The Cab during One Of Those Nights. Patrick you will join Gym Class during Cupid’s Chokehold and Clothes Off. Travis, you will join Cobra during Kiss My Sass and Patrick you can go on during whatever song you please, you’re on practically all of them!’

Laughter sprung from most of the group causing Patrick’s cheeks to redden slightly.

‘Alex, you can join Panic during I Write Sins and Travis, Gabe and Brendon, you can join Fall
Out Boy for the remix of I Don’t Care, then Sisky, you play bass for Pete during Saturday. That’s all I got, so The Cab?’ The band all looked over to me. ‘Sound check!’ I pointed towards the stage and they scampered off. The rest of the group dispersed, either to watch the various sound checks or going back to their busses.

The time flew by and the show came around quicker than I expected. As I had predicted, I couldn’t bring myself to watch Panic’s set, so I busied myself making sure FOB were ready and the guests for different songs weren’t missing their cues.

I heard the closing notes of Mad As Rabbits so I made my way back to the side of the stage. Fall Out Boy were waiting there raring to go. I high-fived then and they took to the stage.

Saturday, when these open doors were open ended.
Saturday, Saturday

As Patrick sang the last verse of the song, everyone descended upon the stage. It was chaos, but it was awesome. All five bands dancing and jumping together, it was one of the best shows ever. The crowds screams were unbelievably loud, I bet they couldn’t believe how well the show had gone, nothing went wrong, everything went to time and no one missed their cue to go on.

It was the perfect way to end the tour. All that was left was the end-of-tour party…