Join the Black Parade

Immediately after Mike and I arrived at our house, we leaped up the steps to Mike's room to work on our music. This morning I was not planning on learning anything at all. After I saw Kellin and how well he played bass, I decided that I want to impress him. Mike had several pairs of drumsticks, so I simply borrowed a pair and a practice pad. We pulled out our music and Mike started to teach me how to hold the sticks correctly, where to hit on a drum, and started to teach me warm ups. My forearms really started to burn after hitting consistently with both hands at the same time. Mike called it "chopping out". I call it a fucking waste of time, I don't care if Mike says it will make me a better player. I just need to be good now. Not later. We work for a couple hours on warm ups before our mother calls us downstairs to eat dinner. My hands ached, my arms hurt, and my head was buzzing from all of the information Mike was giving me. You know how everyone assumes deadbeats play drums and have no skill? They have no clue what they are talking about. This is one of the most difficult things I have done in a while.

Apparently in bass music you don't hit on all of the notes on the page. You only hit on the note in the space corresponding to your drum. That itself took me some getting used to, but I am glad it isn't like a wind instrument where I would have to play every note on the page. That, my friends, would get annoying. After we ate our enchiladas we ran back to Mike's room just to talk about what we thought about drumline. Our parents interrogated us a lot at dinner, but we didn't give them much of an opinion. We layed side by side with our hands behind our heads in Mike's room. I asked Mike, "So, how do you think this whole marching band thing is going to turn out?"

He replied, "Well, I like it. I met the other guys who play tenors! A guy named Gabe told me which set would be mine and he introduced me to Alex and Tony. They all seem pretty chill. Actually, I forgot to tell you that they invited me to go to lunch with them tomorrow. You are on your own, bro."

I smirked and said, "They sound cool. I might have to speak to them sometime. I met the other basses! The dude with the spikey hair on bass 5 is Jaime, bass 4 is Tino, the red head on 3 is Matty, and the boy with the Black hair on 1 is Kellin." I couldn't but smile at the thought of Kellin. Mike noticed it and poked my side saying, "Oooh! Victor has a crush!!! See, I knew it would be good for you to join band. You're gonna finally get some!" He held his hand up to me for a high five. I only rolled my eyes and pushed him off the bed. "I do not have a crush! You have no room to talk anyways because I saw the way you were eying the girl on the snare line!" Mike climbed back to his bed and said, "Yeah. I have no shame. She was pretty hot."Mike wiggled his eyebrows as I stuck out my tongue. Even with me being an adult pretty much and Mike almost getting there, we are children most of the time.

After we talked and goofed around for a while I headed off to my own room to go to sleep. Mike and I agreed to get to the band room early to practice on actual drums a bit before everyone else arrived. I stripped down to my boxers and climbed under my covers. The second I closed my eyes all I could see was Kellin's face. Well, that and my eyelids, but that isn't as special of a thing to notice I suppose. Once I was asleep I dreamt of band and Mike and I hanging out with people like Kellin and Jaime and the tenor friends of Mike's. I could get used to band. One thing I will not get used to is this fucking alarm. Seriously! It is 7:45 in the morning. This isn't necessary! I let myself trudge out of bed to go take a steamy shower to freshen my senses and my body. Besides, I am going to be standing next to Kellin all day, so of course I need to smell my finest! Once I dry off I straighten my hair once again and put on a snap back. My clothes are black basketball shorts and a blue v neck with grey vans. I need to be comfortable as well as fabulous, so this seems okay. I practically jump down the stairs and make myself and Mike a bowl of cereal. Once he comes downstairs we frantically eat in excitement for today. It is 8:20 now, so we leave to go to the school.

I practically was speeding on the way there in hopes that Kellin would be there early as well. The parking lot was about empty aside from a few cars from early band members arriving, the directors, and section leaders. Mike and I busted ass to the percussion room and claimed our drums. Nobody else was in there, so Mike decided to show off to me by doing crazy I don't even know what on his tenors. Shit man. I hit my drum a few times to get a feel for it. I attempted a few warm ups, but it just isn't the same without the other basses to fill in the empty space. I really like bass. It is different since you hold it on your chest rather than having it hang from your shoulders like other drums. Mike and I practiced for a solid 20 minutes before Jack walks in along with some other percussionists. I hung around my drum and slightly organized my music on the stand. I was so focused on sorting I didn't even notice the body standing in front of my stand.

I looked up when I heard a sweet melodic voice speaking to me. Kellin was standing there saying, "Hey, Vic right? I'm Kellin in case you don't remember. I really hope you enjoy playing bass! I know I do. You look great behind a bass. I mean, you look like you will be good at bass. Not that you wouldn't look good doing anything else, I am sure you will look good doing anything. Wait, not that way! Ugh. Uhm... you know what I mean." I couldn't help but laugh at his flustered he was getting. I knew my gaydar would never betray me. This boy was flaming, and not just because his cheeks were on fire. I coolly replied, "Hey, no worries. I get what you mean. Yeah, I am Vic,and don't worry. I remember exactly who you are." I gave him a devious smile and his face appeared to blush again and he gave me a smile. Aw, this kid is adorable. Before anything else could be said the fucking metronome went off. Ew. I will never get used to that thing. Everyone snapped into position and I just copied what the others did. I put my feet together and held my sticks against the rim of my drum while looking at Jack. He spoke up after a while and said, "Relax. Today we are not going to push too hard on music because let's be honest, this years music is fucking easy as hell. So, consider today a relaxed rehearsal. Not a free day. We will break off into subsections and you guys work on whatever you think you need to work on. Also, before I forget welcome in Vic on bass and Mike on tenors. Maybe help them out, yeah? Okay. I will be open to help anybody that needs help, but until then I will be in the office helping Mr. Grohl."

Jack walked out and I turned behind me to see Jaime, Tino, and Matty taking their drums off of the stands and putting them into cases. I turned to Matty and asked, "Wait, what are we doing?" He pushed his glasses farther on his face and said, "Oh, sorry I forgot you were new! We normally take the basses by the school's pond and practice for like ten minutes and then swim. It is fun, no worries. I am sure you will catch on to bass fast. It isn't too difficult." I thanked him and packed my drum up like the others with some help from Kellin. I waved at Mike as we trekked out to the pond. I was the farthest back because I was taking in the school's campus. It was nice and clean just like you would expect a school to be. Jaime led us to a clearing where a nice clean pond was sitting with some canoes off to the side and a dock leading to some inflatable water toy.

We set up the basses again, but in a circle this time so we could watch each other. We simply ran through 8s and they taught me cadences which I caught onto fairly fast. After the guys helped me adjust my playing position and give me tips on my grip, we decided it was fair game to go swimming. We all stripped down to our boxers and ran to the pond. Well, everyone except Kellin that is. Before jumping into the water I turned around to head towards Kellin to see why he wasn't going to swim. Before i could make it over there to confront him Kellin yelled,"Hey! It is already noon. Lunch hour!" All of the guys ran out and headed to the school again to get their cars and go out to lunch. I almost forgot that I was alone today since Mike was with the tenors. Really, I didn't feel hungry. I put my shorts and shoes back on but decided to leave my shirt off since it was hot outside. I ran to my car and pulled out the acoustic guitar I keep in my trunk in case I need it. I noticed an awesome rock by the pond that would be perfect for jamming out on. I carried my guitar to the rock and pulled it out of its case and started to softly strum random chords to get warmed up.

I racked my brain for a song to play. Everyone was gone pretty much by now, so maybe I can sing too. I decided to play No One Does it Better by You Me At Six. I sang along to it as well and I felt myself just let loose. I am not normally a shy guy, but the past couple days I haven't felt as open to be myself as I usually am, so this was nice. In the back of my mind I was still wondering why Kellin did not want to go swimming. I mean, it is fucking hot today. A swim sounds fantastic to me. Yet, I decide to play my guitar. I have played a couple Green Day songs by now, and some 90s hits. I was on Iris right now. This was a personal favorite of mine considering I can understand feeling guarded but wanting people to just understand you. It was almost one o'clock now, so time to put the guitar away. I walked back to my car and gently put my instrument away where it belongs. I started my walk back to the pond when I was lifted up by someone. What the actual fuck? Before I could register what was happening I was thrown into the pond. Well. Then. Lucky I didn't have my phone on me.

I was submerged for a little while and rose through the surface of the water to see a laughing bassline. Joy. Jaime high fived Matty as I said, "Wow, thanks guys. Really needed that. Initiation? I can live with that." I hoisted my wet body out of the nice, cool water as the rest jumped in. Once again, without Kellin. I sat next to Kellin and said, "I might as well not get mad at them. I have heard that in band you are like one giant family. Especially with your section. So, revenge will make its way to them soon enough. Why aren't you in the water too?" He seemed relaxed and almost amused until I brought up the water. He shifted and replied, "Well, I uh. I don't like to swim? Yeah, I am scared of the water. Why aren't you in the water?" I could tell Kellin was hiding something, but he can tell me when he is ready. I won't press him on the subject. He was looking up at me with his dominantly blue eyes and I said, "I don't want you to be by yourself up here. I figured some company would be nice unless you would like to be alone. Even them I will probably stay with you. I am tired as hell." I flopped back onto the grass and I heard Kellin as he fell next to me and said, "No, I enjoy your company. Stay as long as you want." And I did just that.

Kellin and I talked majority of the rest of practice and we swapped numbers. Only 3 times was I dragged and thrown in the water by Jaime though. It was all fun and games, and I was thankful for it considering it was hotter than hell today.We packed the basses up once more and carried them to the band room to put them away. I walked out to my car with Kellin and he waited for Mike with me since we had lots of fun talking. We liked all of the same music, he was 17 and is a senior as well, and we talked a lot about our childhood. He also helped catch me up on some school and band traditions that are pretty useful to know. I really liked this kid. Our sexualities never came up in our speaking though. Mike came back to my car after parting ways with the tenors. Kellin was about to walk away when I grabbed his arm and said, "Hey, text me tonight. Maybe we can hang out?" He blushed and nodded quickly before running off to his car to go home.

When I started my car Mike said, "You know you like him, right? He looks like he likes you too bro!"
I laughed and said, "Yeah, I suppose I like him. I really hope he likes me too." Mike just smiled and turned the music up. Pantera, yes. It is way too early to tell if I really like him or if I am just infatuated. This kid looks like God handcrafted his entire being for all of eternity before bestowing him to the earth. Of course I find him attractive! He seems genuine enough too. He has a mysterious vibe to him as well. He has a lot more going on than he shows to the eye. I guess once he trusts me he will tell me all that I need to know. Until then, he is one of the greatest mysteries I need to solve. Oh, and I will solve it.