Status: Finished. I hope everyone enjoyed. Stay tuned for the Prequel to this story. ;D
Life Given.
The Meet and Greet.
After the show, after the encore, I found myself sitting back on the same counter with a bunch of sweaty, tired men who had re-assumed their positions on the couch. I broke about a thousand different drumsticks and just straight up rocked the fuck out.
“See, nothing to worry about.” Jimmy laughed at me from his place next to Brian. It was so strange, he looked entirely there I could have sworn that he was. Ghosts are always said to be translucent, that’s a lie. He was entirely there, I could feel his touch and I could see him entirely, just… no one else could.
“Kid, I don’t know how many times I have to remind you that you are part of the band.” Matt shouted without looking at me. I about jumped out of my skin at his outburst.
“That translates to get over here and sit with us. Stop being such a loner.” Brian smiled, patting the seat Jimmy was currently sitting in. I got up and made my way over slowly, watching as Jimmy stood up and bowed mockingly at his place. Johnny got up really quickly before I could actually sit down and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I winced as his shoulder went straight into my newly un-bandaged tattoo.
“Johnny, put the kid down.” Brian laughed but still demanded. He set me down on the couch with my feet on Brian’s lap. “Good bassist.” Brian cooed him like a dog.
“Are you all good? Sorry, Johnny has sharp shoulders.” I guess my wince was noticeable.
“Fine, just a bit sore from before, is all.” I laughed, they looked at me. That was a re-occurring theme. They stared at me as if, like a map, I would unfold and reveal all my secrets or something. “I got a tattoo like… two days ago.”
“Well then show us, you see ours, we see yours.” Zacky pushed me as if to hustle me along. With a quick nervous giggle I pushed my shirt up and my pants slightly lower to reveal my inked up pelvis.
“Why’d you get it?” Matt asked, I figured someone would say it. Jimmy nodded, that was pretty much the universal signal for “tell the damn truth”, like I wasn’t going to or something. I have nothing to hide anymore.
“Someone important told me that if I got a tattoo it had to be important to me, that it meant something. This means something. I didn’t know him, but I idolized him. He was my hero.” I got a pat on the back from the guys as I pulled my pants up and shirt down.
“You’re alright, kid.”
“Guys… and gal; meet and greet time.” With a bit of pep in his step, Brian pulled me along to the outside where everyone would be. Everyone kind of dispersed through out the crowd and signed autographs.
“Nat!” I heard a girl shout. I turned around to see a crowd of kids around me asking for me to sign stuff. It all went well and a thousand and one pictures were taken of me and kids or the entire band and kids, it was really exciting.
“Nick-Nat-Kitty-Cats-In-Paper-Hats!” I was alarmed to hear that nickname because no one in the world knew it other than…
“Cam! Mack! What are you two doing here? I thought you were in Seattle.” They were the closest things to best friends I’ve ever had in my life. We went through hell and high water together, when it all got bad, together we got it better.
“You act like word didn’t get out and your dad didn’t call everyone and their mother to brag about how his daughter is drumming for Avenged Sevenfold!” I got a punch in the arm. “You little bitch, how could you not tell us?” I laughed, they laughed.
“I was busy trying to learn five albums worth of songs.”
“Excuses, excuses, but we weren’t going to miss our best friend’s first show.” Cam laughed at me. It felt so good to see them again.
“Hey kids, meet and greet is over.” I heard Matt say from behind me. I turned around to see everyone kind of having an epic staring contest. Even Jimmy was in on it.
“Oh, it’s cool. They’re friends of mine, from a past life. Cameron and Mack, this is the band.” It felt nice introducing everyone to everyone. Jimmy smiled mischievously; it almost felt like he had something to do with all of this. I stayed outside with them for a little longer catching up and saying fare-well.
“Make us proud, you little punk.” Cam said as they walked away. Mack never did talk much, but it comforted me to know he came. I was walking back to the dressing room when Brian came out of the men’s room and bumped right into me. He gave me a hand and we walked in together, like usual he had his arm around me.
“See, nothing to worry about.” Jimmy laughed at me from his place next to Brian. It was so strange, he looked entirely there I could have sworn that he was. Ghosts are always said to be translucent, that’s a lie. He was entirely there, I could feel his touch and I could see him entirely, just… no one else could.
“Kid, I don’t know how many times I have to remind you that you are part of the band.” Matt shouted without looking at me. I about jumped out of my skin at his outburst.
“That translates to get over here and sit with us. Stop being such a loner.” Brian smiled, patting the seat Jimmy was currently sitting in. I got up and made my way over slowly, watching as Jimmy stood up and bowed mockingly at his place. Johnny got up really quickly before I could actually sit down and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I winced as his shoulder went straight into my newly un-bandaged tattoo.
“Johnny, put the kid down.” Brian laughed but still demanded. He set me down on the couch with my feet on Brian’s lap. “Good bassist.” Brian cooed him like a dog.
“Are you all good? Sorry, Johnny has sharp shoulders.” I guess my wince was noticeable.
“Fine, just a bit sore from before, is all.” I laughed, they looked at me. That was a re-occurring theme. They stared at me as if, like a map, I would unfold and reveal all my secrets or something. “I got a tattoo like… two days ago.”
“Well then show us, you see ours, we see yours.” Zacky pushed me as if to hustle me along. With a quick nervous giggle I pushed my shirt up and my pants slightly lower to reveal my inked up pelvis.
“Why’d you get it?” Matt asked, I figured someone would say it. Jimmy nodded, that was pretty much the universal signal for “tell the damn truth”, like I wasn’t going to or something. I have nothing to hide anymore.
“Someone important told me that if I got a tattoo it had to be important to me, that it meant something. This means something. I didn’t know him, but I idolized him. He was my hero.” I got a pat on the back from the guys as I pulled my pants up and shirt down.
“You’re alright, kid.”
“Guys… and gal; meet and greet time.” With a bit of pep in his step, Brian pulled me along to the outside where everyone would be. Everyone kind of dispersed through out the crowd and signed autographs.
“Nat!” I heard a girl shout. I turned around to see a crowd of kids around me asking for me to sign stuff. It all went well and a thousand and one pictures were taken of me and kids or the entire band and kids, it was really exciting.
“Nick-Nat-Kitty-Cats-In-Paper-Hats!” I was alarmed to hear that nickname because no one in the world knew it other than…
“Cam! Mack! What are you two doing here? I thought you were in Seattle.” They were the closest things to best friends I’ve ever had in my life. We went through hell and high water together, when it all got bad, together we got it better.
“You act like word didn’t get out and your dad didn’t call everyone and their mother to brag about how his daughter is drumming for Avenged Sevenfold!” I got a punch in the arm. “You little bitch, how could you not tell us?” I laughed, they laughed.
“I was busy trying to learn five albums worth of songs.”
“Excuses, excuses, but we weren’t going to miss our best friend’s first show.” Cam laughed at me. It felt so good to see them again.
“Hey kids, meet and greet is over.” I heard Matt say from behind me. I turned around to see everyone kind of having an epic staring contest. Even Jimmy was in on it.
“Oh, it’s cool. They’re friends of mine, from a past life. Cameron and Mack, this is the band.” It felt nice introducing everyone to everyone. Jimmy smiled mischievously; it almost felt like he had something to do with all of this. I stayed outside with them for a little longer catching up and saying fare-well.
“Make us proud, you little punk.” Cam said as they walked away. Mack never did talk much, but it comforted me to know he came. I was walking back to the dressing room when Brian came out of the men’s room and bumped right into me. He gave me a hand and we walked in together, like usual he had his arm around me.
♠ ♠ ♠
I still leave this open to critique and commentary and other such things that help me become a better writer.Tomorrow is the last chapter. This really wasn't a long story at all. I have this like, writing curse that will kill me one day. I can't get past writing ten pages in Microsoft Word, every time I do my ADD kicks in and I loose interest.
I was actually thinking of writing a prequel, just to fill in a lot of blanks I clearly left in this. Like how Jimmy found Natalie, how Natalie lost her band and all the little things that I mapped out in my head but did not put into words this time around. It's just, a thought though.