Status: Finished, check out the sequel
How Many Times Can You Race Around the Tree Before You Catch Me?
Goodbye
He kissed my cheek before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the hotel.
When we arrived the bus was back and everyone was piling in.
“Did you decide on a bunk?” Chris asked as we walked up.
“Actually if it’s ok, I’d like to stay in the back room tonight. We could change that after I get my shit off the other bus.” He nodded.
“Alright, just lemme know.”
THE NEXT MORNING
I woke up in the back room and immediate put my clothes from the first night on. I smelled really bad and needed a shower, however I was going to go on a run first so that was pointless. What I didn’t expect was for Vinny to be sitting on the couch in the front lounge.
“Well good morning.” He walked over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
“I honestly didn’t expect you to be up.” I admitted as he handed me a water bottle.
“I didn’t want youth go get your stuff by your self and I knew you were going to want to go on a run. However, you might change you mind when you look outside.”
I raised an eyebrow before walking outside. It felt like I walked into hell. There was a wind the whipped around dust and dirt and it was hot. I felt like I was being pelted with small pellets of molten metal.
“So no run today, sounds good.” He chuckled as I walked back inside.
“Wanna go get your stuff though?” I nodded and we both stood.
“I think we should go to catering first. I’m starving.”
We both hopped off the bus and all but ran to catering in an attempt to get out of the dusty, windy grounds.
“I hope catering is under tent today.”
Fortunately, it was. We grabbed a plate of food and sat down to eat.
“We get up way too early.” I chuckled.
“No, weed just want more time to do things.” He nodded while he picked apart his muffin.
“Fair enough, so tell me. Are you regretting not working for the guys yet?”
I let my head loll from left to right as I thought. Did I regret it? Not this second I didn’t. No one can really understand what it’s like to suddenly be free like this. Later on, perhaps even just when I see them, I could cave. Would I want to go back to feeling the way I did with things between me and Jake? No, I wouldn’t.
“No, and I won’t. There are very few things that could fix that and none of them seem worth it to me.” He nodded slowly.
“Well, I understand that that’s hard for you. I’m sorry that it came to that but,” he grabbed my hand, “ if you need anything I’ll do my best to be there. I’m not expecting to fill the shoes of your childhood friends. I’m just here for you.”
I couldn’t help the smile the mad it’s way onto my face. leaning forward, I gave Vinny a quick kiss.
“That’s all I could ever ask.”
We finished our breakfast and went in search of the bus. With there being two separate lots it was kinda of difficult for us to find. Of course they had just pulled in and were on the end of the lot.
“I’m surprised they even made it with out someone here to kick their ass.” I chuckled and walked over to the bus.
Vinny tried to follow me up into the bus and I stopped him.
“I think I should do this on my own. I don’t want to bring you in if there is a potential fight.”
“Alright, do you have anything in the bays I could grab?” I smiled.
“My bay is the first one on the driver’s side up front. Everything is labeled and I should have 4 bags I think.”
He nodded and kissed my cheek before walking away. I took a deep breathe before going up the stairs. No one was in the front lounge, but it was completely trashed. There were beer cans and pizza boxes all over the couches, table, and counters. Clearly, the boys had thrown a party. Did Bryce and Jake tell the others that I quit? From the looks of this, no they hadn’t.
I stepped over the mess with a disgusted look on my face. The best option seemed to start in the back room and move forward. Quietly and quickly, I made my way to the back room. The boys were all sound asleep, Christian was hanging half out of his bunk cradling a bottle of white chocolate liquor. Swiftly I opened the back door and turned so watch it and make sure that it was closed. I nearly jumped when I turned around.
Jake was asleep in the corner of one of the couches. There was a bottle of Fireball spilled over next to him and his hand was clutching a notebook. There were crumpled up pieces of paper everywhere. What really got me was the music his phone was playing, if you could call it music. It was a 20 hour ‘demo’ track from when I was writing our first full length with him. Memories washed over me from that night.
JUNE 29TH 2009
“Come on! One take. If you don’t like it I’ll scrap it forever!” I swatted the mike away.
“No Jake, I’m not a singer. I’m barely a drummer.” He scoffed and hugged me.
“You will never know until you try.” I looked around our bedroom. Mikey, who usually shared with us, was in California for a conference for school.
We had decided to do some writing since there were labels interested in us. Niki and Andrew had left about an hour ago to go to work. They would be back to help in the morning.
“Come on, why don’t you sing something you know instead of improvising. I know that you’d do really well with just about anything.” I rolled my eyes at Jake’s attempt to get me to sing.
“No Jake. Now move over.” I pushed him further towards the headboard of his bed and moved over a bit as well. He and Mikey shared a bunk bed while I used the pull out bed under the bottom bunk.
“How about this, you sing one song for me and I’ll never bug you about it again.” I bit my lip ring to think about it.
“Fine, one song. I pick, but you have to finish on song for the album before you get to hear me sing it.” He groaned and fell back on the bed.
“We barely have half a song.” I chuckled and poked his stomach.
“Then get to work. I have to go make a phone call.” I stood and left him behind while I thought of what song to do.
After I left the bedroom, I went out to the hallway of our apartment building.
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Jax.”
“Hey! So did you think about my offer?” I sighed.
“Yeah and I can be on a flight to New York on Monday.” The girl on the other end, my new boss, just squeaked.
“Great! I’ll start pulling everything together for you! I’ll call you tomorrow!”
I smiled at my phone as I put it back in my pocket.
“Jax!” Jake came running out of the apartment and nearly shoved me into the wall.
“Where’s the fire?!” I laughed.
“We’re going on tour with Alesana.” I went wide eyed.
“We are?!” When he nodded I couldn’t help but to jump up and down with him. He pulled me back inside and to our room before he started explaining the details.
“-and we leave on Monday. I know it’s last minute but we….” Everything from that point on went in one ear and out the other.
I was leaving on Monday to start Warped tour. My first real touring job to start me on the path I wanted.
“Jake,” I tried at first quietly but he kept going on with tour details, “Jake,” I tried a bit louder this time. It didn’t work, he kept going on so excited about what was finally happening for them and us.
“JAKE” I finalled yelled. He stopped talking and his face dropped.
“I leave for tour on Monday.” He rolled his eyes.
“Yes this is really happening. We’re going on tour leaving Monday.” I frowned at his excitement.
“No, I leave for Warped on Monday…” His face fell as he realized what I meant.
“How long have you known?” He asked after a few minutes of silence.
“I was on the phone confirming it when you came out. I’m sorry…” He sighed.
“Well I guess I’ll have to cancel the tour…” I shook my head quickly.
“No, have Christian play drums. He knows all the songs anyways and he’s a great drummer.” I smiled, but Jake wasn’t having any of it.
“Hey, don’t be so down. Everything will work out….” He still looked depressed.
I shoved him lightly.
“Come on Jake stop looking like I kicked your puppy,” I looked around the room and saw the keyboard, “Do you still wanna hear my song?”
He finally looked up and nodded.
PRESENT DAY
I played Warmness on The Soul for him that night. It was playing right now. It took him 3 years to tell me that he had this recording, but I couldn’t be mad. I knew now that I was actually a decent singer. However, now that I was leaving them this was only going to be more difficult.
I grabbed my bag out of the back cabinet and carefully put everything I could into it. Jake stirred towards the end of me packing. It was only to turn over and cuddle the fireball bottle.
“I’ve lost all I ever had.” He mumbled in his sleep.
I almost cried there. Jake would regret what he said to me, but knowing him he wouldn’t say anything until it sent him spiraling out of control to the point he needed professional help.
“I told you! You’re a fantastic singer!” The recording bellowed. I winced at the memory and quickly paused the recording.
That file was still in his dropbox. He never deleted it from there and that was the only file.
“You will listen to this on repeat for years if I don’t get rid of this.” I sighed before sending the file to my dropbox and then deleting it.
“Goodbye Jake”
When we arrived the bus was back and everyone was piling in.
“Did you decide on a bunk?” Chris asked as we walked up.
“Actually if it’s ok, I’d like to stay in the back room tonight. We could change that after I get my shit off the other bus.” He nodded.
“Alright, just lemme know.”
THE NEXT MORNING
I woke up in the back room and immediate put my clothes from the first night on. I smelled really bad and needed a shower, however I was going to go on a run first so that was pointless. What I didn’t expect was for Vinny to be sitting on the couch in the front lounge.
“Well good morning.” He walked over and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
“I honestly didn’t expect you to be up.” I admitted as he handed me a water bottle.
“I didn’t want youth go get your stuff by your self and I knew you were going to want to go on a run. However, you might change you mind when you look outside.”
I raised an eyebrow before walking outside. It felt like I walked into hell. There was a wind the whipped around dust and dirt and it was hot. I felt like I was being pelted with small pellets of molten metal.
“So no run today, sounds good.” He chuckled as I walked back inside.
“Wanna go get your stuff though?” I nodded and we both stood.
“I think we should go to catering first. I’m starving.”
We both hopped off the bus and all but ran to catering in an attempt to get out of the dusty, windy grounds.
“I hope catering is under tent today.”
Fortunately, it was. We grabbed a plate of food and sat down to eat.
“We get up way too early.” I chuckled.
“No, weed just want more time to do things.” He nodded while he picked apart his muffin.
“Fair enough, so tell me. Are you regretting not working for the guys yet?”
I let my head loll from left to right as I thought. Did I regret it? Not this second I didn’t. No one can really understand what it’s like to suddenly be free like this. Later on, perhaps even just when I see them, I could cave. Would I want to go back to feeling the way I did with things between me and Jake? No, I wouldn’t.
“No, and I won’t. There are very few things that could fix that and none of them seem worth it to me.” He nodded slowly.
“Well, I understand that that’s hard for you. I’m sorry that it came to that but,” he grabbed my hand, “ if you need anything I’ll do my best to be there. I’m not expecting to fill the shoes of your childhood friends. I’m just here for you.”
I couldn’t help the smile the mad it’s way onto my face. leaning forward, I gave Vinny a quick kiss.
“That’s all I could ever ask.”
We finished our breakfast and went in search of the bus. With there being two separate lots it was kinda of difficult for us to find. Of course they had just pulled in and were on the end of the lot.
“I’m surprised they even made it with out someone here to kick their ass.” I chuckled and walked over to the bus.
Vinny tried to follow me up into the bus and I stopped him.
“I think I should do this on my own. I don’t want to bring you in if there is a potential fight.”
“Alright, do you have anything in the bays I could grab?” I smiled.
“My bay is the first one on the driver’s side up front. Everything is labeled and I should have 4 bags I think.”
He nodded and kissed my cheek before walking away. I took a deep breathe before going up the stairs. No one was in the front lounge, but it was completely trashed. There were beer cans and pizza boxes all over the couches, table, and counters. Clearly, the boys had thrown a party. Did Bryce and Jake tell the others that I quit? From the looks of this, no they hadn’t.
I stepped over the mess with a disgusted look on my face. The best option seemed to start in the back room and move forward. Quietly and quickly, I made my way to the back room. The boys were all sound asleep, Christian was hanging half out of his bunk cradling a bottle of white chocolate liquor. Swiftly I opened the back door and turned so watch it and make sure that it was closed. I nearly jumped when I turned around.
Jake was asleep in the corner of one of the couches. There was a bottle of Fireball spilled over next to him and his hand was clutching a notebook. There were crumpled up pieces of paper everywhere. What really got me was the music his phone was playing, if you could call it music. It was a 20 hour ‘demo’ track from when I was writing our first full length with him. Memories washed over me from that night.
JUNE 29TH 2009
“Come on! One take. If you don’t like it I’ll scrap it forever!” I swatted the mike away.
“No Jake, I’m not a singer. I’m barely a drummer.” He scoffed and hugged me.
“You will never know until you try.” I looked around our bedroom. Mikey, who usually shared with us, was in California for a conference for school.
We had decided to do some writing since there were labels interested in us. Niki and Andrew had left about an hour ago to go to work. They would be back to help in the morning.
“Come on, why don’t you sing something you know instead of improvising. I know that you’d do really well with just about anything.” I rolled my eyes at Jake’s attempt to get me to sing.
“No Jake. Now move over.” I pushed him further towards the headboard of his bed and moved over a bit as well. He and Mikey shared a bunk bed while I used the pull out bed under the bottom bunk.
“How about this, you sing one song for me and I’ll never bug you about it again.” I bit my lip ring to think about it.
“Fine, one song. I pick, but you have to finish on song for the album before you get to hear me sing it.” He groaned and fell back on the bed.
“We barely have half a song.” I chuckled and poked his stomach.
“Then get to work. I have to go make a phone call.” I stood and left him behind while I thought of what song to do.
After I left the bedroom, I went out to the hallway of our apartment building.
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Jax.”
“Hey! So did you think about my offer?” I sighed.
“Yeah and I can be on a flight to New York on Monday.” The girl on the other end, my new boss, just squeaked.
“Great! I’ll start pulling everything together for you! I’ll call you tomorrow!”
I smiled at my phone as I put it back in my pocket.
“Jax!” Jake came running out of the apartment and nearly shoved me into the wall.
“Where’s the fire?!” I laughed.
“We’re going on tour with Alesana.” I went wide eyed.
“We are?!” When he nodded I couldn’t help but to jump up and down with him. He pulled me back inside and to our room before he started explaining the details.
“-and we leave on Monday. I know it’s last minute but we….” Everything from that point on went in one ear and out the other.
I was leaving on Monday to start Warped tour. My first real touring job to start me on the path I wanted.
“Jake,” I tried at first quietly but he kept going on with tour details, “Jake,” I tried a bit louder this time. It didn’t work, he kept going on so excited about what was finally happening for them and us.
“JAKE” I finalled yelled. He stopped talking and his face dropped.
“I leave for tour on Monday.” He rolled his eyes.
“Yes this is really happening. We’re going on tour leaving Monday.” I frowned at his excitement.
“No, I leave for Warped on Monday…” His face fell as he realized what I meant.
“How long have you known?” He asked after a few minutes of silence.
“I was on the phone confirming it when you came out. I’m sorry…” He sighed.
“Well I guess I’ll have to cancel the tour…” I shook my head quickly.
“No, have Christian play drums. He knows all the songs anyways and he’s a great drummer.” I smiled, but Jake wasn’t having any of it.
“Hey, don’t be so down. Everything will work out….” He still looked depressed.
I shoved him lightly.
“Come on Jake stop looking like I kicked your puppy,” I looked around the room and saw the keyboard, “Do you still wanna hear my song?”
He finally looked up and nodded.
PRESENT DAY
I played Warmness on The Soul for him that night. It was playing right now. It took him 3 years to tell me that he had this recording, but I couldn’t be mad. I knew now that I was actually a decent singer. However, now that I was leaving them this was only going to be more difficult.
I grabbed my bag out of the back cabinet and carefully put everything I could into it. Jake stirred towards the end of me packing. It was only to turn over and cuddle the fireball bottle.
“I’ve lost all I ever had.” He mumbled in his sleep.
I almost cried there. Jake would regret what he said to me, but knowing him he wouldn’t say anything until it sent him spiraling out of control to the point he needed professional help.
“I told you! You’re a fantastic singer!” The recording bellowed. I winced at the memory and quickly paused the recording.
That file was still in his dropbox. He never deleted it from there and that was the only file.
“You will listen to this on repeat for years if I don’t get rid of this.” I sighed before sending the file to my dropbox and then deleting it.
“Goodbye Jake”