Status: Completed
Fracture
two.
"Well, I'll start from the very beginning... It was the beginning of June in 2009, and I was a new high school graduate. I had managed to snag an internship with a record company for the entire summer, called Fearless Records..."
The weather outside my Virginia home was mild for a new summer day. I had gotten the call from Fearless earlier in the day telling me that instead of reporting to the label so I could do coffee runs and grunt work all day, I'd be getting on a plane and flying to California. I'd be selling "merch" for three months on the famous summer tour: Warped Tour.
I started packing my bags before I had even pushed the end button on my cell phone. They told me a ticket had been reserved in my name and I needed to be at the airport the next afternoon. Telling my parents wasn't going to be an easy task, due to the fact that they were already weary of letting their 18-year-old daughter leave for the summer, let alone travel the entire US and parts of Canada.
I haphazardly pulled clothes from my closet and dresser drawers, finding very little summer attire. I made a mental note to ask my father to take me shopping later. I picked through the clothes that had been thrown into the hamper and pulled out a promising few, putting them in another pile that I planned on bringing down to the laundry room so I could wash, then pack them into my suitcase.
I gave up on the strategy of "grab and throw" and decided to go with a more organized plan: I'd write a list. My desk was already a mess, but I somehow managed to find a notebook leftover from economics class with a few pieces of empty lined paper and a pen that actually worked. I sat on the edge of my bed and started constructing a list of clothes and other items I would need to take with me.
Hours later I found myself folding clothes neatly and putting them into the suitcase, then checking whatever it was off my list. I hoped that I would be prepared for the months ahead, but there was nothing I had put on my list or packed in my suitcase that would prepare me for the way my life was about to be changed.
***
"You're not going to replace me, right?" Natalie asked as she rifled through the pages of a People Magazine.
"Natalie, how in the WORLD could I ever replace you?" I abandoned the seemingly impossible task of zipping my suitcase and sat next to her on my bed.
She threw the magazine to the side and sat cross-legged, "I don't know, maybe you'll meet some bad-ass rocker chick who's awesome or something."
Natalie and I had been best friends since 6th grade, when she punched a girl in the face who'd called me "Gumby". I was awkwardly proportioned with glasses and braces, but Natalie didn't seem to care. She grew up to be beautifully curvaceous, with long, fiery red hair and emerald eyes that always seemed to sparkle.
Volleyball had eventually given my skinny frame a more toned, athletic look, and the braces and glasses were history. I kept my dirty blond hair long and naturally wavy most of the time, and wore contacts on my blue eyes.
"Rocker chicks have nothin' on you, baby girl!" I laid my head on her shoulder.
"I didn't think so," She smiled, laying her head on top of mine.
"You know you're going to have to come visit me for like a week," I said, making my way back to my suitcase.
"Girl, of course! I'm not missing out on those boys!"
"You jerk!" I yelled playfully.
"Oh, please," She smirked, "You're going to be all about those guys when you're there."
I playfully hit her, "What am I gonna do without my wing woman!?"
"I don't know, darling," Natalie pulled me into a hug.
***
"I'm going to miss you so much," My mother kissed me on the cheek and pulled me into a tight hug with tears already forming in her eyes.
We had barely made it to the gate when my parents started getting choked up. I promised myself I wouldn't cry, because if they saw me do so, I knew they'd immediately regret letting me go.
"Make sure you eat. I don't want to hear about you not eating. Make sure you shower as often as you can, and don't do any drugs or drink any alcohol. You're there to work, not party," She rambled.
I smiled at her efforts
"And don't get involved with any boys, Em," My father told me sternly, "Those boys in bands are no good."
"Okay, Dad," I smiled and hugged him tightly, "I've got to get going, though. My plane's gonna leave soon."
"Alright, honey. We love you. Make sure you call home when you land so we know you made it okay," My mother told me.
"I will. I love you guys, too. I'll see you in August."
I hugged them one last time, grabbed the handle of my suitcase, and didn't look back.
***
I had only been on the tour for a week, but I was already settling into my little place within the community that had formed. I stayed on a bus with a Fearless band, The Maine, and we all got along pretty well. Our ages were close, and so were our senses of humor. I called home every other day, not really wanting to hear about anything that was happening at home in case I got too home sick.
I worked with one other person at the Fearless booth. His name was Pete and he was 22. I didn't think I'd ever met anyone as funny as him. Every morning I woke up looking forward to the day ahead, something that happened rarely back at home.
"Peeeeete."
"Emilyyyyy."
"I'm hungryyyy," I told him, grabbing a bottle of water from the small red cooler and twisting the cap off.
"Grab some tips and go get some fooood," He told me, pushing the tip box towards me.
I obeyed, grabbing $6 and asking if he wanted anything.
"Jenn's bringing me something already, but thanks anyway kid," He scooted me out of the tent.
Jenn was Pete's girlfriend, and I was absolutely positive they were the cutest couple I'd ever seen.
I made my way through the swarms of sweaty teenagers to the lines of food stands. The temperature had to be well over 90, but I was doing okay in denim cut-offs and the baggy tank top a band had thrown my way and my lean body was brushed with a deep tan.
"I think I'll have... Hmm..." I pondered the board behind the impatient attendants at the burrito counter, "A super burrito actually sounds pretty good."
"That's $7," The woman told me.
"But it says $5.50 on the-"
"It's $7 today," She snapped back at me.
"Oh... I only have $6..." I looked down at the wad of singles I had crumpled in my hand.
"Well that's just too bad, honey."
I stood momentarily baffled at the woman's rudeness, unable to think of anything to say back. I looked down at the pathetically crumpled bills in my now sweaty hands.
"I've got it," A voice behind me said as a $10 bill was handed to the woman who glared, but started working on the order anyway.
I turned around to see a tall, lanky boy with dark hair and big brown eyes.
"Here," I held out the bills to him meekly, "Thanks."
"No, it's totally fine," He shrugged with a smile and pushed his wallet back into his pocket.
"Are you sure?" My hand started retreating.
"It's really not a big deal," He shook his head, still smiling, and looked from my falling hand up to my face.
No one has ever stared that intently at my eyes before. All throughout my life I've been told, "you have beautiful eyes" or stuff along those lines, but no one had ever looked at me like that. The jangle of keys and various ID's hanging from the shorts slung on his barely-there hips gave away the fact that he was with a band.
"Well, thank you," I smiled in an attempt to break the silence.
He snapped out of his stare, "Yeah, of course."
"I'm Emily, by the way."
"Jack," He replied with another smile
"Here's your order, miss," I turned and picked up the plate she was holding for me.
"Thanks," I smiled sincerely and turned toward Jack, "I'll see you around?"
"Yeah," He nodded with that unwavering smile.
I smiled and waved lightly before finding my way back to the tent.
The weather outside my Virginia home was mild for a new summer day. I had gotten the call from Fearless earlier in the day telling me that instead of reporting to the label so I could do coffee runs and grunt work all day, I'd be getting on a plane and flying to California. I'd be selling "merch" for three months on the famous summer tour: Warped Tour.
I started packing my bags before I had even pushed the end button on my cell phone. They told me a ticket had been reserved in my name and I needed to be at the airport the next afternoon. Telling my parents wasn't going to be an easy task, due to the fact that they were already weary of letting their 18-year-old daughter leave for the summer, let alone travel the entire US and parts of Canada.
I haphazardly pulled clothes from my closet and dresser drawers, finding very little summer attire. I made a mental note to ask my father to take me shopping later. I picked through the clothes that had been thrown into the hamper and pulled out a promising few, putting them in another pile that I planned on bringing down to the laundry room so I could wash, then pack them into my suitcase.
I gave up on the strategy of "grab and throw" and decided to go with a more organized plan: I'd write a list. My desk was already a mess, but I somehow managed to find a notebook leftover from economics class with a few pieces of empty lined paper and a pen that actually worked. I sat on the edge of my bed and started constructing a list of clothes and other items I would need to take with me.
Hours later I found myself folding clothes neatly and putting them into the suitcase, then checking whatever it was off my list. I hoped that I would be prepared for the months ahead, but there was nothing I had put on my list or packed in my suitcase that would prepare me for the way my life was about to be changed.
***
"You're not going to replace me, right?" Natalie asked as she rifled through the pages of a People Magazine.
"Natalie, how in the WORLD could I ever replace you?" I abandoned the seemingly impossible task of zipping my suitcase and sat next to her on my bed.
She threw the magazine to the side and sat cross-legged, "I don't know, maybe you'll meet some bad-ass rocker chick who's awesome or something."
Natalie and I had been best friends since 6th grade, when she punched a girl in the face who'd called me "Gumby". I was awkwardly proportioned with glasses and braces, but Natalie didn't seem to care. She grew up to be beautifully curvaceous, with long, fiery red hair and emerald eyes that always seemed to sparkle.
Volleyball had eventually given my skinny frame a more toned, athletic look, and the braces and glasses were history. I kept my dirty blond hair long and naturally wavy most of the time, and wore contacts on my blue eyes.
"Rocker chicks have nothin' on you, baby girl!" I laid my head on her shoulder.
"I didn't think so," She smiled, laying her head on top of mine.
"You know you're going to have to come visit me for like a week," I said, making my way back to my suitcase.
"Girl, of course! I'm not missing out on those boys!"
"You jerk!" I yelled playfully.
"Oh, please," She smirked, "You're going to be all about those guys when you're there."
I playfully hit her, "What am I gonna do without my wing woman!?"
"I don't know, darling," Natalie pulled me into a hug.
***
"I'm going to miss you so much," My mother kissed me on the cheek and pulled me into a tight hug with tears already forming in her eyes.
We had barely made it to the gate when my parents started getting choked up. I promised myself I wouldn't cry, because if they saw me do so, I knew they'd immediately regret letting me go.
"Make sure you eat. I don't want to hear about you not eating. Make sure you shower as often as you can, and don't do any drugs or drink any alcohol. You're there to work, not party," She rambled.
I smiled at her efforts
"And don't get involved with any boys, Em," My father told me sternly, "Those boys in bands are no good."
"Okay, Dad," I smiled and hugged him tightly, "I've got to get going, though. My plane's gonna leave soon."
"Alright, honey. We love you. Make sure you call home when you land so we know you made it okay," My mother told me.
"I will. I love you guys, too. I'll see you in August."
I hugged them one last time, grabbed the handle of my suitcase, and didn't look back.
***
I had only been on the tour for a week, but I was already settling into my little place within the community that had formed. I stayed on a bus with a Fearless band, The Maine, and we all got along pretty well. Our ages were close, and so were our senses of humor. I called home every other day, not really wanting to hear about anything that was happening at home in case I got too home sick.
I worked with one other person at the Fearless booth. His name was Pete and he was 22. I didn't think I'd ever met anyone as funny as him. Every morning I woke up looking forward to the day ahead, something that happened rarely back at home.
"Peeeeete."
"Emilyyyyy."
"I'm hungryyyy," I told him, grabbing a bottle of water from the small red cooler and twisting the cap off.
"Grab some tips and go get some fooood," He told me, pushing the tip box towards me.
I obeyed, grabbing $6 and asking if he wanted anything.
"Jenn's bringing me something already, but thanks anyway kid," He scooted me out of the tent.
Jenn was Pete's girlfriend, and I was absolutely positive they were the cutest couple I'd ever seen.
I made my way through the swarms of sweaty teenagers to the lines of food stands. The temperature had to be well over 90, but I was doing okay in denim cut-offs and the baggy tank top a band had thrown my way and my lean body was brushed with a deep tan.
"I think I'll have... Hmm..." I pondered the board behind the impatient attendants at the burrito counter, "A super burrito actually sounds pretty good."
"That's $7," The woman told me.
"But it says $5.50 on the-"
"It's $7 today," She snapped back at me.
"Oh... I only have $6..." I looked down at the wad of singles I had crumpled in my hand.
"Well that's just too bad, honey."
I stood momentarily baffled at the woman's rudeness, unable to think of anything to say back. I looked down at the pathetically crumpled bills in my now sweaty hands.
"I've got it," A voice behind me said as a $10 bill was handed to the woman who glared, but started working on the order anyway.
I turned around to see a tall, lanky boy with dark hair and big brown eyes.
"Here," I held out the bills to him meekly, "Thanks."
"No, it's totally fine," He shrugged with a smile and pushed his wallet back into his pocket.
"Are you sure?" My hand started retreating.
"It's really not a big deal," He shook his head, still smiling, and looked from my falling hand up to my face.
No one has ever stared that intently at my eyes before. All throughout my life I've been told, "you have beautiful eyes" or stuff along those lines, but no one had ever looked at me like that. The jangle of keys and various ID's hanging from the shorts slung on his barely-there hips gave away the fact that he was with a band.
"Well, thank you," I smiled in an attempt to break the silence.
He snapped out of his stare, "Yeah, of course."
"I'm Emily, by the way."
"Jack," He replied with another smile
"Here's your order, miss," I turned and picked up the plate she was holding for me.
"Thanks," I smiled sincerely and turned toward Jack, "I'll see you around?"
"Yeah," He nodded with that unwavering smile.
I smiled and waved lightly before finding my way back to the tent.