Let the Flames Begin

“Andy, wake up! It’s 2 o’clock and your phone has been ringing with that obnoxious fucking song all morning!” my aunt scolded.

I grunted and rolled over, the light shining through the curtain she’d just opened. It was true, my phone was presently ringing, the song Shots broadcasted loudly through the room. I sat up and silenced it without even looking at the caller.

My aunt stood with her arms crossed. She was already dressed in jeans with a cardigan over her embroidered blouse. She was always very careful and meticulous about how she looked, which was a direct contrast to me who liked jeans and t-shirts more than anything else.

“Sorry Aunt Lynn, I guess I was really tired still from last night,” I apologized, throwing the covers off of my body and stretching. I should be tired still. I’d been out late with my friends, seeing a new band that had been premiering at the Sounds Asylum. Of course, that had turned into going to a party which had turned to an even later time of arrival.

“Oh, it’s alright. You should pick it up though sweetie, it could be important.”

“I’m sure it’s just Jen calling me about hangover remedies,” I countered, stepping into my bathroom and turning on the shower. She came in after me with a patronizing look.

“She really needs to slow down her drinking.”

“Can I take a shower in peace?” I asked, stripping out of my pajamas. I stepped under the water without her leaving. After living with my aunt, one realized that privacy was something you learned to live without.

“Are you going to see your mother today?” she asked delicately. I heard her sit on the toilet and I rolled my eyes, running water through my hair.

“Not today I don’t think. I’m kind of tired and I have a lot of stuff to get done.”

Truth was, I had nothing to do and I would probably end up going over there to see her anyway. I loved my mom and her permanent room in the peaceful mental ward was basically my second home. Today, I didn’t really feel like driving over and sitting there though, staring out the window or walking around the grounds.

“Well, your grandma and I are going over later on and then we’re going out to dinner so you might want to join us,” she said. I heard her get up and leave the bathroom then. I sighed in frustration and stepped out of the shower.

I got dressed quickly and took the time to do my hair nicely. I straightened it and pulled it up into a ponytail. I made my bed and cleared the debris from the previous night and brought my dirty laundry to the closet in the hallway.

My white-haired grandmother sat in the living room watching her soap operas. I plopped down on the couch next to her in a huff and smiled over at her. She barely glanced at me, leaning forward in her chair and gripping the remote forcefully, her knuckles turning white.

“Kendall! Are you stupid? Get your ass out of there!” she screamed in frustration at the TV. A few more tense seconds and a commercial popped on. That’s when she turned her attention to me.

“Oh hello Andrea, are you coming with Lynn and I to Glen Arden later?” she asked sweetly. I shrugged and stared down at my hands, her wide brown eyes guilt tripping me.

“I’m not sure, maybe.”

“Ah well, did you have fun last night? Any cute boys?” she asked. I giggled and rolled my eyes, hitting her thigh as gently as possible. She was constantly worried about my love life and ever since I broke up with Bryan, the next door neighbor, she was seriously concerned.

“Gram, I just saw a band and basically took care of Jen last night,” I explained patiently. My aunt came in then with a hand on her hip.

“First of all, you need to slow that girl down and second of all, pick up that goddamn phone,” she said impertinently. I huffed and ran toward my room to get it on this ring. I dove onto my bed and grabbed it from the table, pressing send and holding it to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Andy?” a male voice asked.

“Um, yeah. Who’s this?” I asked back, confused. I wasn’t drunk enough to give some creepy stalker my number last night, was I?

“Oh, it’s Jeremy Davis,” my heart stopped beating, “From Paramore.”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” I squeaked, a nervous giggle erupting from my throat. “What’s up?”

“Would you be able to meet me and Hayley at four at Puckett’s?” he asked, my heart still flying in my chest. Puckett’s was a small grocery store and restaurant in Franklin. I would definitely be able to meet them.

“Yeah, definitely. Have you been the one calling me all day?” I asked.

“Why didn’t you pick up?” he countered.

“I was sleeping,” I explained shortly. He laughed and then repeated it, presumably to Hayley. I snorted to myself and laid back on my bed, fidgeting.

“Good answer. We’ll see you later then?”

“I’ll see you guys later.”

“Bye!” he chirped and hung up.

I screamed. I screamed for a straight minute until I couldn’t breathe anymore and my grandma and aunt were stumbling into the room. When I was done screaming and my aunt was yelling at me for scaring her, I started laughing like a maniac and dying a bit on the inside.

“I just got a call from the bassist of Paramore and they want to talk to me,” I explained, my words coming out a jumbled mess as I shot to my closet, “They could either be telling me I didn’t make it or that I did, and either way I want to look nice.”

As I went through the clothes in my closet, it became increasingly obvious that I didn’t own any nice clothing. It was all t-shirts and tank tops. I sighed, frustrated and changed into a nicer pair of jeans and a plain white v-neck.

Within seconds I’d tied my shoes, grabbed my wallet and keys, and was saying goodbye to my aunt and grandma. They wished me luck and my aunt cynically told me to not get my hopes up. Of course, I always had the internship at the publishing house to look forward to, yada yada.

I decided to drive into Franklin this time, basically because it made me feel like an adult and also because I didn’t feel like being carted off to a mental asylum if I had a mental breakdown and started squealing in excitement.

As I got closer and closer, I started doubting myself again and completely flipping out. The chances were 50/50. They could either be telling me I was in, or letting me down gently. I was obviously hoping for the former.

I was late to Puckett’s. I knew I would be late since I was late to everything. According to my family I was three days late to be born. I was late for my high school graduation. My friend’s always told me to get places an hour before it started so I’d be on time. I was only ten minutes late this time though.

I stumbled into the small restaurant, tripping over my own feet. I glanced around, keys and wallet in hand, and spotted bright red hair in the back corner of the restaurant. I smoothed my ponytail as I walked towards them, a smile apparent on my face.

“Hey!” I said brightly. Hayley jumped up and hugged me while Jeremy offered a kind wave. I sat down at the small table and placed my phone next to my plate, sighing happily. “Sorry I’m late. I’m hopeless when it comes to time.”

“Its fine,” Hayley assured, motioning for a waiter to come over. I ordered my usual burger and fries with a Coke and waited for them to order. It was so surreal to be sitting in Puckett’s with two of my favorite famous people and as soon as my soda was placed in front of me, I sucked down half of it in awkward nervousness.

“Okay, we have a few questions,” Hayley said.

“Do you like junk food that’s really bad for you?” Jeremy asked. I turned my head to him in confusion.

“Yes.”

“Do you find it hard to sleep in cramped spaces?” Hayley asked and I turned my head back to her.

“No…” I trailed off in confusion.

“Are you in love with playing the drums?” Jeremy asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you want to travel the world?” Hayley asked. My neck started to hurt.

“Um, yeah but—”

“Well, that’s good because on the tour bus there isn’t that much sleeping space or really good food and you’re gonna be traveling the world playing the drums every night as the newest member of Paramore,” Jeremy said, not taking a single breath.

It took a minute to hit me. When it finally did, my jaw dropped to the floor and I stared at them with wide, disbelieving eyes. This wasn’t real. I didn’t believe that it was actually happen. Out of all the people that had tried out and been interviewed, I had made it as Paramore’s new drummer.

It was too much.

“You’re kidding,” I said, my voice shaking. When Jeremy shook his head and beamed at me, my hand raised to my mouth in complete and utter disbelief. I was seriously the luckiest person alive in Franklin, Tennessee. I leaped up out of my chair and wrapped my arms around Jeremy’s neck, squealing.

“Oh my god! Thank you so much, you have no idea how much this means to me!” I screamed, attracting the attention of everyone in the restaurant. I jumped around the table and hugged Hayley, who stood up to receive my hug. I held her small frame so tight, I was surprised she didn’t snap in half.

I was still jumping and shaking in complete excitement and happiness when Jeremy’s arms found their way around the both of us from behind me. I grinned widely and let the pure, untainted happiness float from my head to my toes. Life was really, really great.

I sank into my seat when our small group hug was over and leaned back in the chair, euphoria washing over me in waves. This was surreal and definitely a dream. I pinched myself to make sure it wasn’t.

“Thank you so much, I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am for all of this,” I said sincerely, my hype calming a bit. They both smiled at each other and then at me.

“No, thank you. It’s really touching how excited you are,” Hayley said.

“We made the right choice. It was always you against someone else we noticed, so we chose you. You’re obviously very dedicated, not only to playing but to our music, and for that, we’re the grateful ones,” Jeremy said, placing his hand over mine.

On those kind words, I stumbled in my own head, happy tears welling up behind my eyes. I blinked them away though and swallowed the lump in my throat. I was thrilled, and happy, and completely overwhelmed by everything that had just happened.

“Now we have a lot of paperwork to do,” Jeremy said, breaking the awkward silence that I’d left.

“A shitload of paperwork,” Hayley commented.

“I don’t even care I’m so happy right now. Where’s the pen?”