The Only Way I Know
Home Away from Home
On arrival at the cricket ground with my best friend, Alex, I nearly screamed in excitement. I saw the huge stage - complete with the heart grenade and Warning symbols.
I had never been to a concert before. I wouldn't have gone to this one either had I not one those backstage passes.
I still remember winning them. I called the radio station nervously, terrified I would get the Green Day question wrong. But I shouldn't have been worried. I knew so much about them. When they were born, where they grew up, each album's name...stuff like that. But I knew so much more!
The question I was asked was so simple - name the 3rd song on American Idiot,
And that was oh so easy. Especially as it was my favourite song off that album.
I looked over to my best friend Alex's face. Sure, she didn't like Green Day that much. She was more into indie rock. But, she was my best friend. She supported me in every way. She knew every thing about me, every little fear, phobia or like. She could always guess who my next crush would be before I even decided I liked him.
"To the mosh pit!" I said lamely. She grinned, linking arms with me. We eagerly joined the large crowd, watching My Chemical Romance play.
I felt increasingly impatient. When the hell would Green Day play?
As I made my way further forward through the crowd, the humidity grew close to unbearable. But I didn't care. I was loving every minute of it.
And then, for the first time in my life, I watched Green Day run out on stage.
Billie came to the front of the stage.
"Don't wanna be an American Idiot - "
I couldn't stop screaming. It was all so unreal!
Towards the end of the show, the usual time when 3 lucky audience members would replace the band members, I jumped up. I had played that Operation Ivy song countless times on my guitar. I knew it off by heart. I had to be picked!
Billie picked a drummer.
Then a bassist.
"And who wants to play the fucking guitar like there's no fucking tomorrow?" He yelled.
He picked some random girl near me. Ah well. I had my backstage pass.
And all too soon, the concert ended with Good Riddance. The security guard pulled me and Alex out of the crowd after seeing out passes and let us through the back.
It all happened so quickly. Me and Alex walked behind the stage to the dressing rooms. Inside was my favourite band - Green Day. Sitting right in front of me.
I tried so hard not to act like a teenie. In fact, I ended up acting really shy.
"Hey guys!" Mike welcomed. "Um, this...is Green Day."
Billie and tre got up. I shook hands with all three members. We had our photos taken, some free merchandise given...it went too fast.
Before I knew it, I was catching the bus home. The weird looks I got from strangers I was completely used to. My heavy eyeliner, my short black skirt with my red and black stripy socks, my black hair held up in various ways, and my Clash t-shirt so worn down the writing had nearly disappeared.
When I arrived outside my house in suburbia, a little area called Balmain in Sydney, Australia, I hopped out quickly, my hands carrying the bags full of various merchandise.
I unlocked the front door. It was eerily quiet.
I gasped when I saw the hallway. Vases were knocked down, everything in ruins. I made my way to the kitchen in shock.
I screamed when I saw what was on the ground.
My mum was lying there, unconscious. Blood trickled from a small cut on her face.
"DAD?" I screamed. Who could've done this?
I ran to my parents' bedroom. My dad's things were gone.
The words He did this to mum... rang through my head. I flopped down on the floor, screaming non stop.
I had never been to a concert before. I wouldn't have gone to this one either had I not one those backstage passes.
I still remember winning them. I called the radio station nervously, terrified I would get the Green Day question wrong. But I shouldn't have been worried. I knew so much about them. When they were born, where they grew up, each album's name...stuff like that. But I knew so much more!
The question I was asked was so simple - name the 3rd song on American Idiot,
And that was oh so easy. Especially as it was my favourite song off that album.
I looked over to my best friend Alex's face. Sure, she didn't like Green Day that much. She was more into indie rock. But, she was my best friend. She supported me in every way. She knew every thing about me, every little fear, phobia or like. She could always guess who my next crush would be before I even decided I liked him.
"To the mosh pit!" I said lamely. She grinned, linking arms with me. We eagerly joined the large crowd, watching My Chemical Romance play.
I felt increasingly impatient. When the hell would Green Day play?
As I made my way further forward through the crowd, the humidity grew close to unbearable. But I didn't care. I was loving every minute of it.
And then, for the first time in my life, I watched Green Day run out on stage.
Billie came to the front of the stage.
"Don't wanna be an American Idiot - "
I couldn't stop screaming. It was all so unreal!
Towards the end of the show, the usual time when 3 lucky audience members would replace the band members, I jumped up. I had played that Operation Ivy song countless times on my guitar. I knew it off by heart. I had to be picked!
Billie picked a drummer.
Then a bassist.
"And who wants to play the fucking guitar like there's no fucking tomorrow?" He yelled.
He picked some random girl near me. Ah well. I had my backstage pass.
And all too soon, the concert ended with Good Riddance. The security guard pulled me and Alex out of the crowd after seeing out passes and let us through the back.
It all happened so quickly. Me and Alex walked behind the stage to the dressing rooms. Inside was my favourite band - Green Day. Sitting right in front of me.
I tried so hard not to act like a teenie. In fact, I ended up acting really shy.
"Hey guys!" Mike welcomed. "Um, this...is Green Day."
Billie and tre got up. I shook hands with all three members. We had our photos taken, some free merchandise given...it went too fast.
Before I knew it, I was catching the bus home. The weird looks I got from strangers I was completely used to. My heavy eyeliner, my short black skirt with my red and black stripy socks, my black hair held up in various ways, and my Clash t-shirt so worn down the writing had nearly disappeared.
When I arrived outside my house in suburbia, a little area called Balmain in Sydney, Australia, I hopped out quickly, my hands carrying the bags full of various merchandise.
I unlocked the front door. It was eerily quiet.
I gasped when I saw the hallway. Vases were knocked down, everything in ruins. I made my way to the kitchen in shock.
I screamed when I saw what was on the ground.
My mum was lying there, unconscious. Blood trickled from a small cut on her face.
"DAD?" I screamed. Who could've done this?
I ran to my parents' bedroom. My dad's things were gone.
The words He did this to mum... rang through my head. I flopped down on the floor, screaming non stop.