Dirty Work

Since graduation, we've done nothing but track songs and are almost finished with our first EP. It's been a different experience but its been fun and time consuming. We've gotten two songs completely done, ones still in the process of being finished and then we only have one more. Then we're starting a short local tour while we start the recording process over for our first full length album. I can't wait to actually go on tours with other bands and going out of state to perform. I also can't wait for my birthday to come and it's only a week away. I'll probably stay home and chill with Alex. Who knows though, I don't know what he has planned, if anything. I know this will be the best birthday since my life is finally falling into place and is starting to make sense. My dad has finally stopped being weird around me and Alex. I think he's finally gotten over his way of thinking that he had had before. I know neither of my parents approve of it, but they both accept it now and fully support me so I can't complain. I've started bouncing back and forth between my house and Alex's and they're trying to get me to enroll in college now. I keep putting it off because I really think All Time Low is the only thing I want to invest my life into since its been going well and probably will as we go on. I know they're trying to help just so I can have a back up plan but I don't have the time nor the patience for that at this moment. Unfortunately, they didn't like that and keep pushing it. I refuse to comply with them though. College, at this point, is a waste of money and time that would be better if invested into the band. Which they don't understand or they just refuse to wrap their heads around that fact. I don't even care anymore.

"Jack, will you please stop complaining."
"Can I open my eyes yet? I would like to know where you're taking me and what I'm going to be facing at that point."
"No, you can't. Just wait a little bit longer."
"Alex, I'm getting real tired of your shit."
"Oh shut up. We'll be there soon enough. Just be patient."
"You do realize who you're talking to, right?"
"How could I forget."
"Can I at least have a hint?"
"Nope. I want it to be a complete surprise. Just a few more minutes."
"Ugh. Fine."
"I could always turn the car around and go home."
"We've gotten this far might as well just go through with it."
"Not if you're gonna be a little bitch about it. I dunno how Vinny's put up with you for so long."
"He, unlike me, has patience and he's had enough practice by now to know not to complain."
"Sure, pin it back on me. That makes sense. Okay, we're here, now hold on."
"Can I take it off now?"
"No, I said hold on. Now watch your head. You can take your blindfold off now."
"Yay. Holy sh..shhh...Are you fu... Are you messing with me right now?!"
"No, this is really happening right now."
"You brought me to a soldout blink-182 concert and holy fuck Mark Hoppus is walking over here."
"Don't die before he gets over here."
"You must be Jack." He said as he finally got to us after being intercepted by another fan.
I opened my mouth and tried to say yeah but no sound came out. Instead I shook my head.
"He can talk right?"
"Yeah, he talked quite a bit on the way here. He's just in shock, you know how it is when you meet someone you look up to."
"Ah, I see. I'm sure having me come over and already knowing his name didn't help."
"This is probably true."
Tom had walked up and started talking to Alex so Mark turned back to me and I finally got myself together.
"So I hear you guys are in band that does quite a few blink covers. I've heard some of them along with some of your own stuff. You guys are pretty good for only being a band for a little less than a year."
"Thanks, that means a lot."
"You're welcome, happy birthday by the way."
"Thanks."
I couldn't stop smiling. I, for the life of me, was having trouble wrapping my head around the fact that this was reality. That I was really standing in front of Mark Hoppus and he'd just complimented our band and wished me a happy birthday. It was so surreal. One of the crew members called them back since they had to go on now. After they left we headed to where everyone else was and took a spot close to the stage. Halfway through their set they took a moment and called me onstage. I went up and Tom handed me his guitar while on his way offstage to grab another. I didn't really know what was happening and then Mark told the audience that this was their way of celebrating my birthday. Then we started playing together. I instantly went into performance mode and treated it like it was just another All Time Low show. We played two songs and had the time of my life doing it. After the two songs though I had to give Tom his guitar and go back into the crowd. They played a little longer and then it was over and time for the actual meet and greet. We headed backstage and over to their table. Tom and Travis were busy talking to and signing things for other fans so Mark started talking to us again. He signed some of their things and gave it to Alex and I. He gave me a signed tee shirt that only the three of them had, a couple piks for both of us and got Tom to sign a blink-182 beanie for Alex. On the way home I went into that after-concert depression that some people go into after a show. I literally couldn't believe all of that had happened. When we got to Alex's, we quietly went up to his room since it was past midnight and his parents were already asleep. As I fell asleep I whispered something simple that I knew would make him smile.
"Thanks for being the best boyfriend ever.. I love yo..u..."

We just finished recording and producing our first studio album. And now we're planning to go on tour with one of the bands from our label. Our first show with them is next week here in town, then we head to their hometown in Jersey. It should be fun and they seem like pretty cool guys.
At our first show they opened for us, which was somewhat strange since we'd always been the opening act to other bands, and it was a great way to kick off the tour. When we went to Jersey it was a whole new attitude with the people surrounding us. Most of the people we were around were into The Misfits and there was even some talk about My Chemical Romance. Both bands were amazing at what they did. When the show started, we opened for them and only some of the people knew who we were. And when they took the stage the place erupted in sound, people were chanting 'Hometown Anthem' and lots of people had homemade tees dedicated to them. It was what we were used to having back home, which completely made sense since this was their hometown so they should have more of a fanbase here. The entire tour seemed to fly by so quickly and before any of us really knew it, the tour was over. Three months of constant touring, sleeping in a van, and writing new material any time that we could was over. I don't think I'd ever been happier to see my own bed until after those three long, eventful months. I couldn't wait to get back into the writing process so we could get an actual cd done and be able to move further ahead with this band. The dream was slowly shaping up and hopefully we'd be able to play tours like Warped soon enough. I could only hope everything would at least stay as is or get better if that was even possible...