Status: Back in business. Please read second authors note added to the 'Info" section of this story.

Head on Collision

Kids In The Dark

Jack’s POV

I kept my eyes on Alex as the spotlight we asked for just fell on him; the rest of the stage plunged into darkness. Here it goes; him laying it all out there. A song about one of the darkest days of his life put on display for all of our classmates to see. He closed his eyes and took a visible breath. He rolled his shoulders, slid his guitar around to his back and he smiled a smile that seemed to be just for himself. He opened his eyes, took a step up to the microphone and i started to play.

Make it a sweet, sweet goodbye
It could be for the last time and it's not right.
"Don't let yourself get in over your head, " he said.
Alone and far from home I'll find you…


The lights came back on with a vengeance illuminating the whole band. Alex swung his guitar around this his front and played with an energy i haven't seen before.

Dead,” He all but screamed into the microphone. “Like a candle you burned out;”

Spill the wax over the spaces left in place of angry words.
Scream, to be heard, like you needed any more attention;
Throw the bottle, break the door, and disappear.


Zack joined in the harmony for the chorus. We had planned it as a just in case; just in case Alex didn't get this far, just in case he couldn't do it. But i knew all along he’d be able to fight the fear, to bust through the anxiety surrounding this song and make this song an anthem rather then a farewell chorus.

Sing me to sleep, I'll see you in my dreams,
Waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry."


I stepped up along side Alex and grinned over at him. He caught me smiling and grinned right on back. Zack stepped up to Alex’s left, forming a line across the front of the stage; the three of us playing in unison, moving together.

Forever's never seemed so long as when you're not around
It's like a piece of me is missing.
I could have learned so much from you but what's left now?

Don't you realize you shot this family a world of pain?
Can't you see there could have been a happy ending we let go?


That was always the hardest part for Alex to sing. The part thats about his family and Daniel leaving them behind. He’d powered through it stronger then ever. So much stronger then the day in the auditorium, strong then every band practice and individual rehearsal. I’d never been more proud of him.

Sing me to sleep, I'll see you in my dreams,
Waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry.”


We sang together on the bridge. a chorus asking for lullabies.

Sing me to sleep.
Sing me to sleep.
Sing me to sleep.
Sing me to s…


I had never noticed how well Alex and Zack’s voices complimented each other as Zack sang the answering line to Alex’s plea.

Sing me to sleep (You've taken so much with you...)
I'll see you in my dreams, (But left the worst with me...),
Waiting to say, "I miss you. I'm so sorry."
I'm sorry, I'm sorry!


Just as the crowd started to applaud the entire room was plunged into darkness.

“What the hell?” i heard Zack ask.

“What’s going on? someone in the crowd yelled.

“Who turned out the lights?”

I heard movement on the stage behind me and felt a hand slip into mine.

“Okay, just to be clear,” Rian said to us in the darkness. “We didn't ask for this right?”

“No we didn’t,” i replied.

In the silence of the room i heard the sound of something familiar. a piano tune playing a song that was very fucking familiar. a light turned on, one that looked like a light coming from a projector. it projected an image onto the blank white wall beside the stage. Alex’s grip on my hand tightened a bit.

“Jack,” he spoke n a hushed tone. “Thats Lullabies.”

He was right of course. It was Lullabies; the first time i heard it. Alex sitting at a piano in the audiorium. I watched the heads of our classmates all turn towards the image that was now clearly being displayed stage left. It was shaky cell phone quality caner work but that was unmistakably Alex.

Alex’s POV

I watched in shock as all of the kids heads in the room turned toward the recording. i swallowed nervously as i turned to watch myself. i didn't have a good feeling about this. i watched as i played and sang. The song sounding so much more honest, more vulnerable then how it was just played for this crowd. i watched as faces started to drift between the recording and me standing on stage clutching at Jack’s hand.

“They must think its part of the act,” i whispered to him. “Look at them Jack. they're smiling at me.”

Jack turned and glanced around the crowd.

“Promise me this wasn't you guys,” i demand softly.

“I promise Alex,” he told me. “I couldn't have taken this footage. i was with you. and the guys only learned that you could sing when i told them.”

I felt my anxiety rising. What the fuck was going on?

The song stopped and i watched past me drop my head to the piano keyboard, my shoulders shaking as i cried. The recording didn't stop. I wiped my cheeks with he back of my hand. Jack came into view, walking down he centre of the auditorium.

“Wow,” recording Jack said softly. You could hear every damn word.

I watched exchange. i let out a breath i dint realise i was holding.

“What is this?” someone in the crowd shouted.

“is this part of your act guys?” one fo the Barrett Road boys, i thinks names Nate asked.

I just shook my head. I couldn't find anything to say. I didn't now what was going on.

“I have a bad feeling about this guys,” Rian’s voice came from beside me.

I watched as past Jack approached the piano and picked up the sheet music. He asked me about it, the title, what its about.

“Fuck,” Jack swore under his breath before shouting. “Someone fucking stop this!”

“Whoever it is, shut it off!” Zack yelled as well.

I approached the piano and picked up the paper.

“Um,” the me on the recording stopped fiddling with the keys.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Jack offered. i remembered realising that i had to tell him in that moment, that was already falling for him. That he was already one of the sweetest guys i had ever met. “It’s just a pretty powerful song. I figured there must be something pretty deep behind it.”

I closed my eyes. The recording wasn't stopping. Teachers had gone to find the source. i could hear so much movement; people trying to turn it off, others trying to block the thing itself. Its like they knew this was a secret. Its like they knew this was private moment that was about to be outed.

“He committed suicide,” Alex on the recording whispered

Gasps could be heard around the room. It was so quiet before; besides the scuffling of feet but the sound of my confession could be heard loud and clear. I looked back at Zack and Rian and found them watching me. I couldn't read their expressions. Jacks grip on my hand grew tighter. I could feel my heart racing as i looked around at my class mates. My breath caught in my throat. I fel the tears rising in my eyes. My chest was burning like there was a fire in there and nothing to put it out. Every one knows now. Every one….

“So what happened Gaskarth?” i familiar voice broke the silence. a figure approached from the back of the room.

Chris Stanley
♠ ♠ ♠
Lullabies. Listening to the song over and over to get the timing and staging right was really hard for me.
If anyones seen the movie 'New Guy' you'll know that this scene was sort of inspired by that. Bully get s fucked over, bully wants to get back at hero, brings up something horrible from hero's past to humiliated or alienate him.

Alright. so heres another. ive gained subscribers and recommendations for this and its making me excited that people are still reading. if youre new and you found this on the 'recently updated page' please hit me up with a comment! i love meeting new readers,

Thanks for the love guys!!