The Stars in Your Sky Aren't the Same Stars in My Sky

We spent a good two hours just telling each about ourselves back and forth before we did fall asleep. I was a little upset when we woke up late, but relieved that Matt had actually slept through the night. He looked so much better when we woke up. He kissed my cheek and then wordlessly left the room.I got up and got ready for the show day. I refused to bring the crutches on stage, so today I finally had both my shoes on. I put on cut off jean shorts and my long sleeve Amity shirt. When I hobbled downstairs with my bags trailing behind me the boys immediately rushed to grab them from me.

"Guys I had it...."

"But you don't have to." I groaned at Nikki but let them help me to the vans and we all got in.

Our mixed groups left me sitting in between Joel and Ahren in the front bench of one van with Deez Nuts occupying the back two rows.

"What did you do to Real Bad last night?" I frowned at Ahren.

"What do you mean?"

"He looks better..." I chuckled.

"I bored him to sleep. I just started talking and kept talking. It worked." We all chuckled.

"Is that going to be a regular occurrence?" I shrugged.

"I dunno. Why?" They looked at each other.

"He's coming with us to both of the other headliners." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm an adult you two. It's not like we're still sleeping together."

When we got there they told me that everyone else had been here yesterday and the venue was ready to go. Amity did a one song run through before they left for their meet and greet.

"Are you sure you can even do this tonight?"I shrugged.

The boys and I were standing in the middle of the stage thinking about how to proceed with tonight. I obviously wasn't going to be at 100% but I also hadn't tried to sing. My voice had just lost it's gravelly tone. I wasn't going to be able to scream at all and I knew that at the very least.

"Well I can't scream, I don't even wanna try. I'm worried that would be pushing it too much too soon."

"So we're doing a setlist of covers and new songs?" I shrugged to Mikey.

"I'm sorry guys, I'm really clumsy." Christian put his hand on my shoulder.

"Jax, we're in Australia. You tripped and shit happens but we wouldn't be here without you." They all smiled at me and I returned it.

"Well let's try some easy acoustic songs or some just keys songs and go from there yeah?" They nodded and Christian and Andrew sat down against the drum riser since they knew they wouldn't be needed.

I had James pull a chair over for me to sit in since the ground was impossible to get to and Nikki handed me an acoustic.

"acoustic homesick?" He nodded and we counted in.

Andrew and Christian did the gang vocals and chants while Mikey and Nikki did the harmonies and backing vocals. It went over surprisingly well, but I still wasn't doing too hot. I kept coughing and finally had to stop towards the end.

"Why don't you guy go grab some food and I'll see if I can get warmed up better ok?"

They left me alone on the stage, guitar still in my lap. I sighed and propped the guitar up to my left before using the crutches to help me up.

"This shit sucks...." I grumbled to myself as I situated myself standing in front of the keyboard.

At first I played through some of our songs, trying to just get used to standing with my ribs. Then I started paying some of my personal songs. First was Haunting, something I had written when the band first started. It was still a song that brought tears to my eyes.

"Damn," My head snapped over to Real Bad sitting on the edge of the stage,"For someone that punctured their lung a few days ago they have one hell of a voice." I chuckled.

"It's close just not 100. I have more if you wanna hear 'em" He motioned for me to continue, so I busted in my favorite song I'd written on just keys called Break In.

I happily had played and sang the song to my best ability then and he laughed when I smiled proudly at him.

"You're amazing." He smiled back.

"Thank you, I've had more practice then you think." He chuckled and I moved back to the guitar. I wanted to be able to play if required.

He came over and sat against the drum riser while I started practicing some random songs.

"Thank you for last night..." He start after a few minutes of silence.

"Matt you literally saved my life... I'm pretty sure sharing a bed is chump change compared to that." He sighed.

"You're right, but it was an accident, complete chance that I found you..."

"Yes, but you did something when you did. Now don't fight me on this." I chuckled and moved everything off my lap before standing.

"Aye Aye Captain. What are you doing now?" I pulled my phone out of my back pocket. It was almost two.

"Well, I haven't eaten yet?" He nodded.

"Shall we?" He held all the doors open for me and we went out onto the street.

"String says there's some place down this way. What are you feelin'?" I thought for a second as we went in the direction.

"I want Mexican but it all tastes like shit here because it's not Arizona." he chuckled.

"I will give you that. However you don't have good pizza." I laughed.

"No of course we don't, back east pizza is way better than anywhere else." He chuckled.

"Well there's a cafe?" He pointed to the first place we saw and I agreed, mostly because my arms were starting to hurt.

"I want something vegan, I don't know why I just do." He gave me an odd look as we started looking over the menu.

"cravings ya weirdo." I chuckled as I looked at him.

"What are you doing for those few weeks off before the next tour?" He thought about it as the waitress came by. He ordered a water and I order a two espresso shot chai.

"I'm supposed to be staying with String since I'm going on those other two tours. He said that you need to stay there though." I shrugged.

"The bed in the guest room fits two people...." I corrected him without looking up from the menu.

"What about your boys?" I chuckled.

"They're burned out after five and a half months on the road despite how much they hate being home after two weeks. So they're taking two weeks off. I'm staying here and mastering the album. It's better that I don't have them there anyways. They get stupid after just a few days in the same room." He scoffed.

"Anyone would. Recording is a frustrating process." I nodded once as the waitress came by again with our drinks and to take our orders. He ordered a sandwich and I ordered a kale salad.

"I understand it's frustrating but they act like they've been there for years when I try and get them to sit down and write or anything. I'm luck that they had done so much before I got here because I would've murdered them trying to get them to write."

"How many songs do you guys have?" I pulled out my phone and looked through the stems and songs in drop box.

"eight completed, 30 or so that need work. I'll spend the first week finishing them all and then pick and choose the ones I like best." He looked rather impressed as he took a drink of his water.

"Are those two songs you played on the piano on those?"

"No they're honestly not anything that would fit. This album is so much different then when they first started...." I thought over some of the stuff we had.

"Nikki brought me this one song that's almost complete. It's got so much potential, I just haven't found the thing to make it work.... Then there's the odd abundance of romantic songs we've all come to the table with. These will be a first for the band." I stared at the table thinking some of them over and explaining a lot of the vision to them.

"It all sounds great right now, but how are you going to release?" I had to explain the whole plan to him and he seemed extremely surprised.

"I know you worked for them and all but A Day To Remember honestly only did what they did by chance. It may not work out in your favor." I sighed.

"I know, but it's not that simple. We have the fan base and connections for it. It really just depends on the music. So I have to get it right the first time when I finish it." He nodded.

The food arrived then and we both ate in silence, there was a mini fight over him try to grab a grape off of my plate. I accidentally knocked his water over trying to exact revenge and it looked like he pissed himself as we left.

"I'm sorry." I giggled at the mess as we were walking back towards the venue.

"I'm totally blaming you for this."

"They won't believe you but ok. I need to go do some lighting stuff if you wanna come with me?"

He agreed and thank fully no one was in the venue. I pulled my laptop from the rack and plugged it into the sound system.

"Is this the track you wrote the other day?" I nodded, concentrating hard on what I wanted.

I made cascading lights that moved slowly to focus out on the crowd while we were dark. Then a blue follow up that randomly pulsed on each of us to the beat. It followed that pattern of intertwining through the first chorus and then repeated the slow transition. I pulled a bunch of pictures up and programmed the video boards despite forgetting to ask. It looked phenomenal. I program our entire set for the night and as I was finishing it the boys came in.

"Practicing?!" Mikey yelled out.

"Set's good to go. That new song is going tonight. and then acoustic version of The Crown and how would we feel about an amity cover?" I asked with a laugh.

"You can't steal the headlining band's thunder." I shrugged.

"We could always do that periphery song...." The boys chuckled.

"You cant play drums right now and you can barely play guitar...." I eyed Nikki.

"Was that a challenge?" They scoffed.

"Don't tempt fate Jax." I pushed back off the board.

"Carry me to the drums." Matt didn't question it and helped me up and into the seat. I ditched the crutches over the front of the drums and picked up the sticks.

"Remember the prepro Sam and Lukas sent us for the new VOM?" I played a small beat before making sure I had the notes right

"Jax that's too much."

"No I wanna see her do it." Matt smirked from next to me.

"If you thought I was hot before...." I cracked my neck, both wrists, all my knuckles and rotated my shoulders.

"What is she doing?" I saw Tyler from issues with his band and the guys from Amity behind them.

"Jax, you have two plated fucking ribs. You should not be playing drums."

"They said I couldn't, so I give you-" I paused trying to remember the working title for the song.

"Sam said Mikasa I think...." I tried to remember but couldn't confirm.

I sat up straight and started playing anyways. Everyone seemed thoroughly shocked when I was able to play such hard parts, but I made sure to stare right at my guys as I played through. I eventually started singing the clean parts as I played with a huge smile on my face. I didn't care how much pain I was going to be in when it was over. Of course in my overkill and show boating faze, I slammed down on Christian's China and another cymbal so hard that I broke both sticks and cracked the china.

"Jax!"

I sat there with the broken halves of the sticks still in my hands with the cymbals ringing out with a shocked expression on my face. The first thing I did was look to my right to make sure the stick pieces hadn't hit Real Bad.

"It's real bad, isn't it Real Bad?"