The Concert

Excitement. That was the only thing Jay could come up with as a reason to the nervousness coursing in his veins, making his insides do somersaults. He was sitting in the backseat of his mother’s new car that she was driving, trying not to squirm, for he was anxiously waiting to get to their destination. Even the awkward silence between him and his mother wasn't bothering him, not now at least.

You see, Jay was going to a concert, and not just any concert; he was going to see a band called Morning Maze, a fairly unknown newcomer in the music business. He had stumbled upon them when he had been browsing through the Internet, trying to find a decent cover of Wheatus’s song Teenage Dirtbag. The one they had made had been by far the most interesting; the singer’s voice had been so clear, but still there had been a hint of gruffness, making it sound perfect, and their bassist who was a girl, had sung the girl part of the song. The band had played the song so energetically that it had made Jay go to their channel and watch their other videos and boy had he been sold. It had been love at first sight –or first listening actually.

Morning Maze’s music was a mixture of pop punk and alternative, with a little bit of screamo thrown in here and there. It was slightly heavier than what Jay usually listened to but this band had quickly made its way to become one of his favorite artists. And now he was going to see them live, as his first real concert ever.

Jay hadn't been sure he would even get to go see them, because his dad had had other, work-related things to attend to, so he wouldn't have been able to take him. The concert was held in the band’s home town the next town over, and it would've been too much of a distance to travel by foot or bicycle and the public transport didn't operate that late. The only option Jay had had was to call his mother and try to persuade her to be his chauffeur. Strangely enough, after a deafening silence, she had said yes. Even Jay’s dad had been baffled. They hadn't actually been in touch after the divorce, although they didn't live that far from each other. His mother just seemed to want to shut her ex-husband, and Jay along with him, out of her new life.

But she had showed up on her old doorstep the agreed time with her new environmental-friendlier car, coming to pick Jay up, after four years of not seeing him. Reluctantly, but still. It must count for something, right? That somewhere deep, deep down, on a some level, a mother still cared for her child.

Jay sighed. He knew that most likely his mother would not keep contact after taking him back to his home, he just couldn't see her do that. This was a onetime thing, and he had to accept it, no matter how much he missed the good old times when they were a happy family.

He shook his head to get rid of those depressing thoughts, and pushing his mud brown bangs away from his eyes, he looked out of the window, spotting a traffic sign. He could feel his stomach twisting and turning. They were near, only six miles away from the town. An excited smile spread across his lips.

--

Jay climbed out of the car and said a muffled ‘bye’ to his mother before slamming the door shut. He turned towards the entrance of the club, A Friend’s, and breathed in deeply. Finally he was out of that car. He would leave the ride back home a worry for after the concert. As he heard his mother gassing off, he smiled widely, for he couldn't wait to see Morning Maze actually playing live in front of him and the other teenagers that had surely come there. Lifting the waistband of his skinny jeans higher, Jay walked to the entrance with butterflies inside his stomach and his heart beating uncontrollably in his chest.

Having already bought his ticket earlier from the club’s website, he presented the piece of paper to the bouncer, who just smiled at him before wishing a pleasant night. She didn't ask for an ID, because A Friend’s was a club that didn't have any age limits; it offered live music to people of all ages for a fair price, mostly attracting teenagers.

As Jay stepped inside, he was momentarily blind, for the lights in the club were dimmed. It, along with colorful spotlights, created a shady atmosphere that made him feel giddy, in a good way. As his sight came gradually back, he noticed that the place was already filled with teenagers; they were in groups sitting at the tables that were furthest from the stage, talking to each other excitedly. Some were standing closer to the stage in the back of the room, and there were a few ones that walked around the floor, swapping a couple of words with their acquaintances. A lot of them were wearing Morning Maze band shirts that had the band’s name in bold letters over a square labyrinth.

Jay looked at the clock on the wall next to him and just barely distinguished the hands; it was a few minutes over seven. The show wouldn't start for another hour, so all of them seemed to have wanted to be at the venue early. Besides the tables and the people, the room was empty; all unnecessary furniture must have been carried away to make more room.

Jay couldn't really see anyone’s facial features precisely, but he didn't need to, because he knew that just like him, everyone else in the room was sporting a smile of sorts on their face. He could almost feel the excitement on his skin.

When he walked further in, trying to find a spot to sit on, he couldn't help noticing how some people around him turned to take a quick glance at him before joining back into their conversation. It felt like they were whispering about him, especially about his height. It made Jay’s mood drop, and he frowned slightly. Was it that obvious?

Apparently it was, and Jay knew it too, although he didn't like to always feel so uncertain about it. But whenever he went to places with unfamiliar people, he was reminded of it. Jay was abnormally tall. He was only 15, but his body had achieved the whopping height of six feet and six inches. The doctors weren't sure whether his body had stopped growing or not, so along with the fact that he was already among the minuscule part of the population that was over six foot two, he felt quite self conscious about his height.

Jay found an empty chair in the corner of the room and sat there, waiting for the concert to begin. As he remembered why he had come there, he felt the familiar feeling of his insides making somersaults coming back. He couldn't really believe that he was actually going to see Morning Maze! He must have looked a bit weird, smiling in the corner by himself, but he didn't care. He was excited beyond anything before.

Jay sat there and watched as more and more teens came to the club, and eventually the room was completely packed. As the clock was nearing eight, they all seemed to slowly but surely get closer towards the front of the stage, making a tight crowd there.

He knew that it would be rude of him to push his way to the front, no matter how much he wanted to be closer to the band when they started, for he would block the view from everyone behind him. He had noticed that no one in that room was taller than him, which wasn't surprising, at all. So, although reluctantly, he made his way to the right side of the crowd, next to the wall, where he wouldn't be in anyone’s way.

Gradually the mass of people in the club became quieter, all of their gazes fixed towards the stage. No one was moving either; the air was thick with anticipation. In the stillness, a moving figure a few feet closer to the stage caught Jay’s attention. It was a boy with bleach-blond hair sticking in every direction, taking photographs of the crowd and the still empty stage. He stood a little off from the crowd, right in front of Jay. He looked like he was on a mission to take as much photographs as possible, for he spun around, sometimes even facing in the direction where Jay was standing.

When the boy took a break and lowered his fancy looking camera from his eyes, Jay was able to see his face better in the lights coming from the stage. And boy was he a sight to see; big eyes framed by long eyelashes, small nose that had a ring pierced in the other nostril, and plump lips that where curled in a dazzling smile. Jay could feel his heart skip a beat, and it wasn't because of the fact that at the same time, Morning Maze had finally come on stage.

Shaking his head to get rid of his daze, Jay focused on the band walking to their spots on the stage, accompanied with loud cheers coming from the crowd. Apparently he was standing on the bassist’s side of the stage, for she was the closest to him. Jay felt like his cheeks were ripping from his smile. This was it, the moment he had been waiting for almost a month.

The singer grabbed his microphone and said loudly in it, “What’s up, guys?!” The crowd cheered again, Jay with them. “We’re Morning Maze, and it’s nice to see that so many of you have found your way here tonight! I’m not gonna talk on forever here, so let’s start this shit.”

As Morning Maze started their first song of the night, Jay let himself get lost in the rhythm of the drums, the riffs of the guitars, the low hum of the bass and the sweet melody of the vocals. He forgot all about his problems, with his height and his mother, and enjoyed the music with everything in him. The stage lights pointing to the audience blinded him.

--

The concert had been a blast. After the last song ended, most of the teenagers who had come to see Morning Maze left the club. They flowed out of the front door while some stayed behind to talk to the five members of the band, who had come off the stage and were chilling near it. Jay wasn't part of either of the groups. He was standing in the same spot he had been the entire show, looking at the group where the band was. As some people walked past them, they shouted compliments and words of commendation. He would have the possibility to talk to them, if only he could gather enough courage to walk up to them and open up his mouth like the people who just did so. That didn't seem to happen, though.

Instead, Jay stood in his place, not wanting to go out to wait for his mother to arrive, and just looked at the group longingly. He noticed that the blond boy was among them, standing next to the bassist. He looked even better in the normal lighting, wearing a Morning Maze band t-shirt, light green skinny jeans and that camera hanging around his slender neck. His facial features were more distinguishable now, and he looked to be around the same age as Jay, if only Jay looked like his age, not some giant. Jay didn't miss the opportunity to stare at him, trying to memorize his looks. Oh how he wished he had the guts to just go there!

Then something completely unexpected happened. The beautiful boy excused himself from the conversation and started to walk towards the place Jay was standing in. Jay quickly glanced around trying to spot anything that would explain why the boy was getting closer and closer to him. Surely he couldn't have been too obvious with his staring? He could see nothing that would be worth coming over though, and before he knew it, the boy was in front of him, looking up into his eyes with a friendly and curious glint in his own eyes. Now that the boy was standing closer, the difference in height was quite noticeable; he must’ve been about a foot and three inches taller than the boy. Jay gulped.

The boy didn't seem to notice his nervousness, and just smiled at him and extended his hand for Jay to shake.

“Hello, I’m Mason. Who you might be?” the boy said, a beautiful smile adorning his lips. Jay pried his eyes off that mesmerizing sight and grabbed the awaiting hand, engulfing it with his before awkwardly shaking it. He could feel his cheeks starting to redden, and tried to take his attention off the embarrassing action by answering the question.

“Uh… I’m Jay.” Damn he hated meeting new people, it was always so awkward.

Mason didn't say anything about the blush on Jay’s cheeks though, but continued to talk to him like nothing was wrong, “So Jay, this must be your first time at Morning Maze’s gig, right? I haven’t seen you at the previous ones, and trust me, I've been to all of them, right from the start.” Wow, he must be a devoted fan to have done that.

“Yeah, this was my first, and it has been the best,” Jay answers smiling brightly. The concert had really lived up to his expectations. It was just amazing, they had played with such enthusiasm and the crowd had eagerly responded to everything they did. This night was definitely one of the best nights Jay had had.

The short boy standing next to him looked at his expression, and it must have looked weird or something, for he laughed out loud. “You really seem to like them.” All Jay could do was nod. The laugh was still ringing in his head, making him lose focus and glue his eyes to Mason’s lips, where the sweet sound had come from. He didn't want to seem like an idiot by just staring at Mason and not talking though, so he came up with a question,

“Um, you said you've been to their every show. Is-is that really true? If it is, you must be one devoted fan.” Mason started to laugh again, clapping his hand on Jay’s shoulder. Or the closest he could reach. Jay knew that his blush was back, and he felt like he had just asked the stupidest question ever.

“Yes, I've been to every single one of their shows, but you could hardly count me as a fan. You know the bassist, Rebecca?” Jay nodded, confused about where Mason was going with his question. “I’m her little brother. Been the past seventeen years and it most likely won’t change even if I have sometimes wanted it to. I’m here to give my support to the band and her.”

Jay’s eyes widened in surprise. He had never thought he would be talking to someone of the band members’ immediate family! It was a really absurd thought. But he didn't mind talking to Mason, it was nice and kind of exciting, and not just because of the fact he was Rebecca’s brother. There was something special about him, Jay could feel that.

Mason got his attention back, when he started to speak again, “But hey, I didn't come to talk to you about me. I saw you lingering around here, and you looked like you wanted to come and talk to the guys. So, do you want to come with me to meet them?” Jay couldn't believe his ears. Was he actually being invited to do the thing he had wanted to do ever since the concert ended? Not trusting his vocal cords to produce anything sane, he only nodded timidly, a slight blush on his cheeks.

Mason led him to the group which most of the other fans had parted from to go home, leaving the band with only a couple of other people talking to them. Mason took his previous place next to Rebecca, Jay standing close to him, feeling quite out of place and awkward. The group, including the band members, eyed the newcomer curiously.

“Hey Mase, you actually got this fellow to join us! What’s your name, dude?” The singer of the band directed the last part to Jay, who blinked a few times before managing to blurt out his name, looking confused. Did they all notice him staring at them?

Jay didn't want to bother his mind with that now, no matter how embarrassing it might have been, and instead focused on the group as they introduced themselves. There was the band; Rebecca, the bassist and Mason’s big sister, Wesley and Jordan who played the guitar, the drummer Robert, or Rob for short who was also the screamer of the band, and last but not least Dylan, their singer and front man. The rest of the group wasn't fans actually; they were friends and occasional roadies of the band.

When the introductions were over, they started to ask all sorts of questions from Jay. He answered them the best he could, trying not to let his awkwardness get the best of him. Luckily Mason was there to restrain them when they got a little too out of hand. But all in all, they were all very nice and friendly people. They talked about Morning Maze and what did he like about it, and about music in general. Jay was a bit surprised that none of them had asked anything about his age, for people usually wanted to know it because of his height.

And speak of the devil, and he shall appear. It was Rob who voiced the question Jay had been waiting for out loud, “Jay, how old are you?”

Jay tried to act nonchalant about his answer, “I’m fifteen.” They all looked surprised, including Mason who was looking at him with wide eyes. “Is that a problem or something?” Jay said worriedly, biting his lower lip and letting his bangs hang in front of his eyes. He didn't want the confusion caused by his abnormal height compared to other kids his age to make them feel like he had tricked them.

Wesley was the first one to react. “No it’s not, it’s just that you’re so tall, taller than any of us in fact. You don’t exactly look like a 15-year-old.” The others were quick to agree with him.

“And, not to offend you or anything, but you kind of stand out with your height. That’s why we wanted you to come and talk to us. You actually caught all of our attention when we were on stage, and coincidentally Mase saw you too,” Rebecca added. Jay could feel himself blush profusely; it felt like his cheeks were glowing brightly under his eyes. To think that the one part in him he didn't like was the reason he was now talking with the band he had liked since he first heard them! Maybe his height wasn't that bad after all.

They continued talking for a while, and Jay found out that the band had gotten their name from Mason. The boy had been obsessed with solving labyrinths in elementary and middle school. Eventually it had gone to the point where he had started his morning with one, when most people drank a cup of coffee, hence the name ‘Morning Maze’. He had gotten rid of the habit but still liked to solve them from time to time.

The entire time they were talking the smile on Mason’s lips and the way his eyes lit up was a sight Jay just couldn't keep his eyes off. At some point he just stopped trying.

--

Sometime later Jay looked up to the clock hanging on the wall and sighed. It was already a few minutes over ten thirty when his mother was supposed to come and get him. Reluctantly he turned back to the group and announced, “Uh, hey guys, I have to go. My mom’s picking me up and she must be waiting for me already.”

“That’s too bad, you were a nice chat. Well, hopefully we see you the next time you make it to our show!” Dylan said and grabbed Jay from his arms to give him a quick hug. All the others did the same while Jay stood there, a baffled look on his face, but smiling none the less. When it would've been Mason’s turn to hug, instead of doing it, he took his jacket from the edge of the stage and looked up into Jay’s eyes briefly before putting the jacket on.

“I’d like to come with you outside, if you don’t mind? I really need some fresh air before we start to pack the stuff away,” Mason asked. Jay agreed easily, for who he was to deny himself the opportunity to talk to the blond boy a couple of minutes longer than he thought possible?

So, walking in the same pace, the two of them made their way to the front door and outside. It was a bit chilly, and the sky was dark with a few stars beginning to sparkle in it. Jay was clad he had brought his thicker jacket with him, because he couldn't spot his mother’s car anywhere. She must not have gotten to the venue yet, and Jay had left his phone home to avoid anything bad happening to it, so he couldn't call her either. It looked like he just had to wait.

“Your mom’s not here yet, is she?” Mason asked and got a nod in response.

“I guess I’ll just have to wait for her. Nothing too bad, hopefully she’s still going to come and get me,” Jay said and sat down on the edge of the sidewalk. Mason walked next to him and surprisingly sat there, quite close to him actually.

“I can keep you company if you’d like. It’s not fun to sit outside in the dark by yourself,” he said with a smile. Despite the cold weather, Jay could feel his cheeks redden for the thousandth time that night. He nodded shyly, giving a small smile in return.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

They talked about nothing important after that and at some point Jay thought how odd they must’ve looked there sitting next to each other; a tall boy with his knees bent in front of him and a small boy who would be most likely crushed if the tall one was to lean on him. It was quite a funny sight.

After couple of minutes sitting in comfortable silence, Mason interrupted Jay’s thoughts when he began to speak, his voice casual, “Have you ever thought that you have been born with the wrong height?”

That blew Jay’s composure away completely; he had not expected that question. Sure, he wasn't good enough in socializing to predict what people were going to say, but that came out of nowhere, literally. They hadn't talked about anything even remotely close to that subject. And to Jay, his height was a touchy subject.

Somehow he was able to form a response, “Wh-what do you mean by that, Mase?” He sounded defensive even in his own ears.

Mason looked at him with an expression on his face Jay couldn't really read, chuckling a little. “I mean what I said. Have you ever felt like you should be at a different height?” Jay just stared at him, blinking. He couldn't answer the simple question, but deep down he knew the answer. Yes.

Apparently Mason could see it in his eyes or something, because he smiled, kind of sadly, and sighed, rubbing his hands together to warm them. “Well, you wouldn't believe how many times I have thought that myself.”

Jay couldn't believe his ears. How could a boy, so gorgeous moreover, say such a thing? He didn't see anything wrong with Mason’s height. Sure, he was a little on the short side, well actually quite a lot, but to Jay it was nothing short of beautiful. Mason was in balance with his appearance, he didn't see himself full of flaws and things to better. Unlike Jay.

“But you, you’re not the wrong height at all. You’re just perfect,” Jay said finally. And right after finishing the sentence he realized just how cheesy that sounded, and quite obviously revealed his tiny crush to Mason. He was quick to splutter, “I-I mean, like, it suits you to be like that, and uh, you’d be weird if you were different. Ah, that came out wrong, I mean you’re not weird, you’re kind and pretty cool and uh…” Feeling his cheeks burning, Jay decided to just shut up, to not cause any more damage with his idiocy. He hung his head, defeated by his own inability to express his feelings.

Luckily Mason didn't seem to mind his clumsiness with words and just laughed kindheartedly. “Don’t stress over it, Jay. I know what you mean, and besides, a lot of other people have told me that too, mainly my sister. I just wanted to know whether you felt the same as me.”

Relieved that Mason wasn't judging him because of his words, Jay sat next to Mason, thinking. He could feel that the two of them were similar, despite their differences in looks; they both had problems with their height and he felt that somehow, the boy sitting next to him understood him better than anyone in his school or at home.

Maybe he had finally found someone.

“Yeah, it kinda sucks that people only look at your appearance, that they don’t bother digging deeper to see who you really are,” Jay said, almost whispering. He didn't dare to look at Mason but could feel his gaze on him, searching for his eyes. “It sometimes hurts to see them look at me and then whisper to their friends, like I’m some sort of freak. It feels really lonely. And the name calling isn't nice, either.”

“Uhhuh, that definitely isn't nice, at all.” Jay heard Mason sigh and peeked at the boy a little to see him running a hand through his bleach-blond hair. He felt the need to replace the hand with his own. Instead of doing so, he simply moved his arms from around his knees and lowered them on the cool asphalt.

“But you know, you don’t have to care about those people. Sure, they might be a bit hard to ignore, but still. Why should they matter to you if they’re not going to accept you the way you are?” Mason said that while looking into Jay’s eyes. The moment felt weirdly intense, but in a good way. “I’m sure people will give you shit about your height, but in a few years they will see things differently. They’ll realize how cool it is to be able to reach where no one else can, or see what’s happening when they’re surrounded by a crowd. Or see better to the stage.”

At some point Mason’s hand had found its way on top of Jay’s, resting there comfortably.

Jay smiled gently, feeling a lot better about his situation thanks to those encouraging words, and said, “Mase, I, uh I really appreciate your words, you have no idea what they mean to me.” Seeing the look on Mason’s face, he chuckled, a light pink dust covering his cheeks. He leaned closer to Mason. “Well, maybe you do. But there are things my body is too large for. Do you know what?”

Mason had a playful smirk adorning his lips. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”

“For example, I can’t fit under anyone’s arm. I’m just too tall for that, I’m more of the ‘holder’ type than the one to be held.” And Jay wasn't sure where his next words really came from, but somehow he was able to say them, but not without the blush on his face that had seemed to become his trademark for the night. “B-but you’re different. You look like you could fit quite nicely under an arm.”

Mason seemed to get the subtle hint thrown at his way, for his smirk turned sly as he lifted Jay’s hand with his off the ground and held it up between them. “You mean, like under this arm?” And before Jay was even aware of it, Mason was safely tucked between his arm and side, humming contently.

“You were right, Jay. I really do fit here nicely; it’s really comfy,” Mason said. Jay looked at him and could distinct a small blush on Mason’s cheeks. His own cheeks were no better.

While they continued on with their talking, Jay thought about that night’s events. He couldn't really comprehend all the things that had happened; not only had he seen his favorite band live, but actually met the members of the band, and now, he was sitting outside with this beautiful boy under his arm. It was surely a night to remember.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for a car to pull up near the two boys sitting close together. Jay peered at the driver, and sure; it was his mom, finally arriving to pick him up. He just didn't feel like leaving, not now when he was having a good time with Mason. Reluctantly he turned towards the short boy who looked up at him sadly.

“I-I guess I have to go now. Um, I’ll see you around,” Jay mumbled and started to stand up. He was quickly pulled back on the ground, though.

“Don’t go anywhere just yet. I need to do something first.” Mason started to dig through his pockets frantically while Jay looked at him, confused. What was he doing? His wonder came to an end when Mason held up a pen, grinning triumphantly. “Now, give me your arm.”

After a moment of feverish scribbling, Jay got up with a phone number written in his arm. Mason stood up too, and smiled at him, poking his nose with the pen. The street lights made his nose ring glint. “Now that you have my number, you have no excuse not to contact me. And just so you know, if you ever need someone to talk to, just call me.” Jay nodded and started to walk backwards towards his mother’s car.

When he was almost there, Mason opened his mouth and yelled, “And even if you don’t need to talk, you’ll call me anyway, right?!”

“Don’t worry, I will. First thing in the morning!” Jay turned around and got inside the car, smiling bigger than in months. His mother backed out from the venue’s parking lot and started heading towards his home. All Jay could think about was the blond haired, short boy who had made a lasting impact on him.

The night was definitely worth remembering.