Changing the Girl

About a week after Damien and I got together and the point I’m bringing us to is when we were telling everyone. We had the ENTIRE, and when I say entire I mean entire, tour was in the mosh pit area.

I nervously stood (awkwardly I add) swaying back and forth a little. Damien decided to be late to something he decided to have. Jackass. “Hi, sorry I’m late.” The green eyed man breathed, running on the stage.

“Quite.” I answered in short. Then I noticed the stool and guitar he carried. I gave him a confused look and he just smiled.

“M’lady!” My boyfriend announced, putting the tall chair down next to me. I sat down with a puzzled smile. Damien cleared his throat lightly. A crew member brought out another stool, and Damien looked over and thanked him quickly. He hopped up on the stool and got the guitar situated. “Hi! So, we wrote a song. Which is why you’re all here. We wrote it about a year ago which is why she seems confused. But I’m sure once I mention the name, she’ll get it. This is What Stopped the Show.” I sat staring in disbelief at him.

The opening notes play out. With the lack of screaming from our “crowd”, all the sound carried out. I opened my mouth, “I’ve got a couple addictions. But I swear that I’m coming clean.”

“I tried to read between the lines. I tried to look in your eyes. I want a simple explanation.”

“I’ve got a bit of a history. I’ve been a bit of a mystery. But you’re telling me that you don’t care.”

“Just let go, leave your drama in the backseat. Just let go, just let go of it.”

“You make this so damn easy.”

Together we sang the chorus. “We don’t have anywhere to go but up. So sit back and watch us fall. Take it back, don’t react. Don’t ever forget: We’ll make it by.” A instrumental part comes, and I look out to the audience. My brother looks unamused but impressed. I scanned quickly through the crowd, and my eyes landed on Gerard. He looked…proud. He saw me looking and grinned, giving me a thumbs up. Suddenly, I wasn’t nervous about telling them. I wasn’t nervous at all. All thanks to Gerard.

“I’m the only thing left you got.” Damien sang out next.

“I need to step outside. Just to see if I can breathe. I gotta find a way out.”

“Maybe there’s a way out.”

“A thousand puzzles runnin’ through my head.”

“But I think that you could solve them.”

“You’re always one step ahead.”

Together again, “We don’t have anywhere to go but up. So sit back and watch us fall. Take it back, don’t react. Don’t ever forget: We’ll make it by.”

Then I sang first. “Baby we don’t have to say goodnight. I just can’t stand to be myself.”

“Not anyone or anything about you. Could ever change these feelings.” Damien sang so sincerely, straight into my eyes, that I almost cried.

“Let’s be all of the things they said we couldn’t be.”

“Let’s take a chance, let’s make it right.”

“You’re the only thing keeping me going tonight.”

Chorus comes round, “We don’t have anywhere to go but up. So sit back and watch us fall. Take
it back, don’t react. Don’t ever forget: We’ll make it by.”

“And I don’t know about you, but I am so into the things we do.” Damien smirked to me. A few
laughs could faintly be heard for me. It sounded well with the song though.

“We’ve got all night to see, if this is meant to be.”

“Just hold on tight, I’ll treat you right. I promise I’ll get you home safe tonight.” Damien

“It’s a broken heart that scares me.”

“You have nothing to fear, I’ll stay with you my dear.”

“We don’t have anywhere to go but up. So sit back and watch us fall. Take it back, don’t react. Don’t ever forget: We’ll make it by.” We synchronized.

“You’re all talk!” I snapped in a singing voice.

“But you just gotta give me time.” He pleaded with his own melodic tune.

“Strike me down with lightning.” I sang in a miserable voice.

“Let me feel you in my veins. I wanna let you know how much I feel your pain.”

“you just gotta give me time.”

“So sit back, and watch us fall.” We slowly sung out. The chords became few in between, and we sang the last few words even slower. “Don’t ever forget, we’ll make it by.” Damien grinned at me. We looked to the crowd. They were smiling in that “awww” kind of way.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement.” Damien’s voice rang out. Skeptical and interested looks passed throughout the group. “First, I know how you all see her. She’s like a little sister and you all want to protect her. But I wasn’t lying. I will treat her right, and keep her safe. And now I am just going to say it.”

“You make ‘it’ sound horrible.” I said teasingly.

“It is far from it Rebs. Okay,” He took a breath, nervously glancing at my older brother, “I am dating the most beautiful, kind, gentle, even tempered, harmonic, gorgeously voiced, sweet, strong, understanding,” By now I was blushing like all hell. I looked away and Cassadee (Pope) caught my eye. She gave me a nod and mouthed, ‘good job’. I smiled. “creative, funny, rhythmic, lovely, bold, thankful, wonderful, beautiful, and amazing girl in the entire everything. I’ve known her for so long and I want to know her forever. I am dating the show stopper of a million life times. I am dating Elizabeth Gaskarth.” I just stared at him. Then I smiled while looking down.

“Thanks…” I mumbled.

“YOU’RE DOING WHAT WITH MY SISTER?” Alex all but screamed at him. I jumped so high I almost fell off my chair. I hated, absolutely hated, it when people yelled when they were mad.

Even if they were aggravated and swearing, I got nervous. Jack reflexively grabbed Alex’s shoulders as the light haired man took a step to the stage. I slid off my chair, and Damien followed suit. “NO! NO FUCKING WAY! GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!” Alex flipped the hell out. I made a soft whimper like sound out of fear. I knew Alex wouldn’t hurt me, but it still terrified me.

Damien obviously heard me. He wrapped his had around my forearm, and pulled me behind him slightly. “Stop yelling.” Damien said clearly.

“EXCUSE ME!?” Alex exploded.

“Calm down, stop yelling. You’re scaring your sister.” I couldn’t take it. I got out of his grasp and ran off the stage, and to my bus. But I didn’t want to be there.

I turned on my heel, tears blurring my vision. I let my feet take me to a different bus. A bus I knew I was welcome and I knew the bus contained the people I really needed. I ran all the way across the parking lot to go to a bus I never would have gone to had the previous week not happened.

I ran to the Declared bus.

I ran to Damien’s bus.

And I found in the next few years, I would run to Damien always.