Chemistry of a Car Crash

“You are now going to witness the greatest moments in history!” Jack said from behind a curtain that they had duct taped to the ceiling. Maddie and Taylor tried to hide their laughter.

“This is the three ring circus!” Jack said jumping out from behind the curtain. Zack, Rian, and Alex stood in three brightly colored neon hoola hoops on the floor.

“Here,” Jack said walking up next to Zack, “Is the world’s strongest man! He’s strong enough to lift a truck!”

“What the hell are you guys doing?” Taylor laughed. Jack went on with the show.

“And here is the man with the world’s best piano teeth!” Jack said pointing to him with a bunch of crayola markers with the ends stuck together. Rian smiled at the girls, “See!”

Maddie giggled.

“And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for!” Jack said dramatically, “The mad wild lion!”

Jack stood in front of Alex with a rope in hand. Alex was on all fours acting like a cat. Jack dangled the rope above Alex and he started to bat it around.

“Rawr kitty!” Jack commanded. This made the girls move around on the couch from laughing.
“Meow,” Alex said quietly.
“No!” Jack said frustrated, “Roar!”
“Meow!” He repeated.
“Fucking cat!” Jack said stomping his foot on the ground, “ROAR DAMNIT!”

“Meow,” Alex said once more. The girls were nearly falling off the couch in a fit of laughter.

“Well.. uhh.. we’re having some technical difficulties,” Jack said a bit uncomfortable, “Let us amuse you with the greatest act we have!”

Rian and Zack quickly jumped out of the hoops, kicking them to the side of the basement.

“All Time Low!” Jack smiled widely.

“Meow,” Alex said rubbing up against Jack’s leg.

“Or maybe not,” Jack shrugged, “Seeing as our lead singer is still in his cat trance.”

The lights then went dark in the basement and Maddie and Taylor had calmed down a little bit. A few ‘ow fucks’ and ‘shits’ could be heard, but nothing was seen.

Alex coughed into the microphone that had been previously set up. The lights flipped back on and revealed all four boys, minus Rian who was running to his spot, looking like they did in high school. Maddie smiled a true genuine smile when she saw what was happening.

“I got your picture, I’m coming with you, Dear Maria count me in, there’s a story at the bottom of this bottle and I’m the pen,” He sang and the rest of the music kicked in. The girls just sat and sang along, occasionally dancing with each other on the couch. The next few songs consisted of Circles, Noel, The Party Scene, and Six Feet Under The Stars.

Taylor and Maddie began dancing in the middle of Six Feet, ending up on the floor when it was over.

“And now, for a special treat!” Jack grinned.
“Oh shit,” Zack mumbled.

Jack pulled out his iPhone and looked at the results of his little question that he had asked earlier.

“Oh man! We’ve got to do this one!” Jack said excitedly and passed the phone around.

@JackAllTimeLow sing Shape Of My Heart by the Backstreet Boys for the girls. I know you aren’t gay, but it will be perfect for the moment.

“No way in hell am I singing that!” Alex exclaimed.
“It’s for them Alex!” Rian jumped in.
“No!”
“Please?” Maddie said making puppy dog eyes at him. How could he resist those?

Alex sighed; he knew he had been defeated, “Alright, but no cameras around.”

“Deal,” Jack said and put away his phone. Rian picked his sticks back up and got ready to make up a beat for the song, since they obviously had no synthesizers or anything but their stuff.

“Baby, please try to forgive me. Stay here don't put out the glow. Hold me now don't bother if every minute it makes me weaker. You can save me from the man that I've become, oh yeah.”

Maddie looked at him and smiled, she knew the words to the song, even if he didn’t.

“Lookin' back on the things I've done. I was tryin' to be someone. I played my part, kept you in the dark. Now let me show you the shape of my heart.”

Then he realized what he was singing and the words made perfect sense to him. He would have to reply to the girl who gave Jack the song and tell her thank you.

“Sadness is beautiful loneliness that's tragical. So heal me I can't win this war, oh no. Touch me now don't bother if every second it makes me weaker. You can save me from the man I've become. Lookin' back on the things I've done. I was tryin' to be someone. I played my part, kept you in the dark. Now let me show you the shape of my heart.”

The guys had made up a slow progession of chords and drum beats to fit in with the song. None of them could hear it, but the girls could, and it sounded amazing.

Alex took a deep breath, “I'm here with my confession. Got nothing to hide no more. I don't know where to start. But to show you the shape of my heart. I'm lookin' back on things I've done. I never wanna play the same old part. I'll keep you in the dark. Now let me show you the shape of my heart,”

That’s when the reality hit him of the song. It was an apology to Maddie, for everything.

“Lookin' back on the things I've done. I was tryin' to be someone. I played my part, kept you in the dark. Now let me show you the shape of my heart. Shape of my heart,” He sang and let the last note use all the air left in his body.

The girls started clapping when the boys stopped playing. The song was beautiful.

“Thank you!” Zack smiled. All four of them stood in a line in front of the girls, taking a bow before them.