Adventures in Babysitting
Chapter Four: Band Practice
Chapter Four: Band Practice
I woke up at three am. I really don’t know why, I just did. Why the fuck am I up so damn early? You wake up when the sun burns your eyelids. Not when the moon is looking down at you. At least that’s what my parents taught me. I then figured out the reason.
“Adele, what is it?” I asked her, still half asleep. Do kids always wake up this early? I don’t think that’s normal. Then again, look who’s talking.
“Um,” she mumbled. She looked down at her feet. What’s with little kids looking at their feet? That’s not normal either.
Too tired to think! But I have to, otherwise, Adele will be standing there all night. I can’t fall asleep with her looking at me. It’s just some thing I have. If someone’s looking at me intently or talking to me, I can’t fall asleep. It’s really weird. I kept trying to think of what might have happened. Then I noticed. The tear stains on her cheeks.
“Did you have a bad dream?” I asked her. She nodded her head. “Do you want me to sleep in your bunk tonight?” Again, she nodded her head. I swear to god, if she keeps banging her head like tis, she’ll lose it in a month. No, I’m kidding. That can’t happen!...Can it?
I got up and rubbed my eyes to wake up a little. Adele then took my hand and we went into the bunk area. I took the wall side of the small bunk (of course mine’s the smallest!). Adele curled up next to me, her head resting on my chest. We laid together awake for about twenty minutes. I got an idea.
“Adele,” I started quietly. She looked up. “Do you want me to sing to you?” She nodded her head, but gently this time. Thank God!
“Okay.” I thought for a moment. A song came to me. I started to gently hum the melody to ‘Disenchanted’. I continued to softly sing the song. By the time I reached the chorus, Adele was fast asleep. I continued to sing anyway. She was cute when she slept. Why can’t we all stay this cute for long?
Singing while she slept reminded me of a lot. When we were staying in the Paramour mansion and had first written Disenchanted, Mikey would keep bugging us about it, even when we were asleep he would whisper “Disenchanted” to us. I was really creepy. But whatever.
I was pretty much having a flashback now of memories of when I was a kid. When I was little and my parents would sing to me (though I never fell asleep) and the bands I was in. Then memories struck of My Chem. Gerard getting over his addictions, Matt being fired, Bob coming in, Mikey leaving the band. All the memories just flooded back. Eventually, everything in my mind got quiet and I fell asleep, still singing to Adele.
+++++++++++++++++++
Gerard was the one who woke me up. Adele had already been up for a while I guessed, because she wasn’t in the bunk. Gerard was though. He had attacked me and was laughing when I woke up. “You bitch.” I said to him. I pushed him out of the bunk. He was okay though! I made sure he didn’t have hs head crack open. No blood. It’s all good!
I went into the kitchen area to find Mikey and Adele talking together at the table. “That’s cool,” is all I heard Mikey say. Curiosity strikes again!
“What’s cool?” I asked. Hey, like a said. Curiosity stroked.
“What?” Mikey turned to me and jumped back a bit. I guess I scared him. “Oh, um, Adele’s music taste. That’s all.”
“What bands do you like Adele?” I had to know.
“Um,” Adele thought for a moment, “I like Muse I guess. And whatever band’ song you sang last night.” Holy shit! I’m so happy now! Adele’s a fan! Yea!
“What song?” Gerard asked. I guess he was curious too. Curiosity is contagious I guess.
“I don’t know the name of it,” Adele replied sadly. I guess I should have told her. Gerard and Mikey looked at me. Well, stared actually. But isn’t that the same thing?
“Adele,” I exclaimed, trying to save myself of interrogation. “Do you know the words?” Please say yes! Please say yes!
“Mhm!” Score!
“What were the words?” Gerard asked. He stole a glance at me. What? It’s not like I sang ‘Family Reunion’ to her last night! I mean, seriously. Would I do something like that? ...Yea, I would....
“You're just a sad song, with nothing to say, about a life long wait for a hospital stay, and if you think that I’m wrong, this never meant nothing, to you,” she repeated the line perfectly. I’m so proud.
“Disenchanted?” Mikey said. He looked towards me, then back at Adele. “I like that song too.” He smiled at her. Mikey’s so sweet...
“Is that the name?” Adele asked. Is she okay? She seems a little...out of it.
“Yep,” Gerard replied smiling, “And do you know what band sang that song?”
“No,” Adele admitted. She looked down ashamed. Was Gerard trying to brag? That’s not like him. Not at all. I think he hit his head too hard when I pushed him.
“My Chemical Romance,” Gerard told. Adele perked up.
“That’s a cool name!” She’s a true fan already!
“You think so?” Mikey asked bluntly. Okay, I know he was bragging. I think I’ll punch him later....Maybe not. Adele nodded her head. Okay, the nodding is starting to piss me off!
“Adele, we have their CDs if you want to borrow them,” Gerard offered. I know what he’s doing. He’s gonna get her to figure out on her own that it’s us. That’s pretty cool. Why does Gee always come up with the cool ideas? I’m so jealous!
“Really?” Adele exclaimed. She must have really like the song, “Thank you!!!” Gerard smiled. He then ran to the bunk area. He came back five seconds later with the CDs. Even I can’t find them that quickly! I’m impressed...
Adele took the CDs and smiled the biggest smile I’d ever seen. It was definitely in the running with Gee’s. That’s for sure. She looked so happy. Makes me wanna cry. So heart melting...
For the next hour or so, Adele was sitting in the bunks listening to the CDs. By the time it was time for band practice, she was already on Revenge. I went into the bunk area and peeked in the doorway. Adele was dancing around to “Helena”. I smiled and knocked on the door. Adele jumped, stopped dancing and turned to me. “Adele, could you listen to the music on headphones for a bit? It’s gonna be loud in here for a while, and you’ll want the full effect.” She nodded. I quickly handed her my CD player and headphones. I put the CD in and hit play. When I left, I could already see her dancing out of the corner of my eye. She’s too cute!
I went the the practice space we had in the back of the bus, behind the bunk area. I closed the door behind me slightly and went over to one of the chairs. I picked up my guitar (Bella) and started to play.
We got through all of the Black Parade songs quicker than usual. “Something’s wrong,” Gee said, “We shouldn’t have gotten throught that fast. We missed a song. I know it!”
“What song did we miss?” Ray asked. We all grew silent. I counted in my head and said the names. The End, Dead!, Disappear, Sharpest, Black Parade, I Don’t Love You, House of Wolves, Cancer, Sleep, Teenagers, Blood. We are missing one. Which one?
“Mama,” Bob informed. We all turned to him. “Mama’s the one we missed.” Of course! It was Mama.
“How could we forget our favorite song?” Gerard asked himself out loud. I raised a brow at him. We then began to play Mama. That’s when Adele came in.
She opened the door silently and clung to the doorway. I don’t know if I was the only one who noticed her presence or not. It didn’t seem to bother anyone, so it didn’t really matter, did it? No, it didn’t. She wasn’t bothering us or anything. She probably just took a break from the headphones and heard the music. That’s it.
Her eyes widened with excitement and shock. Her jaw dropped. Well, I guess Gee’s plan worked! She figured out it was us. My Chemical Romance. Gold star for Adele! We continued through the song easily. By the end though, I noticed something. I turned fully to see if I was right. The final note played and I noticed I was right.
Tears were falling from Adele’s eyes, fast. She was crying. After it registered, we all ran over to her. She didn’t seem hurt physically. What’s going on? “Adele what’s wrong?” I asked, panicked. Was she okay? Well, obviously not if she was crying. They didn’t look like sobs for joy.
She looked up at me, tears still in her eyes. “Mama...” She continued to cry.
What?
I woke up at three am. I really don’t know why, I just did. Why the fuck am I up so damn early? You wake up when the sun burns your eyelids. Not when the moon is looking down at you. At least that’s what my parents taught me. I then figured out the reason.
“Adele, what is it?” I asked her, still half asleep. Do kids always wake up this early? I don’t think that’s normal. Then again, look who’s talking.
“Um,” she mumbled. She looked down at her feet. What’s with little kids looking at their feet? That’s not normal either.
Too tired to think! But I have to, otherwise, Adele will be standing there all night. I can’t fall asleep with her looking at me. It’s just some thing I have. If someone’s looking at me intently or talking to me, I can’t fall asleep. It’s really weird. I kept trying to think of what might have happened. Then I noticed. The tear stains on her cheeks.
“Did you have a bad dream?” I asked her. She nodded her head. “Do you want me to sleep in your bunk tonight?” Again, she nodded her head. I swear to god, if she keeps banging her head like tis, she’ll lose it in a month. No, I’m kidding. That can’t happen!...Can it?
I got up and rubbed my eyes to wake up a little. Adele then took my hand and we went into the bunk area. I took the wall side of the small bunk (of course mine’s the smallest!). Adele curled up next to me, her head resting on my chest. We laid together awake for about twenty minutes. I got an idea.
“Adele,” I started quietly. She looked up. “Do you want me to sing to you?” She nodded her head, but gently this time. Thank God!
“Okay.” I thought for a moment. A song came to me. I started to gently hum the melody to ‘Disenchanted’. I continued to softly sing the song. By the time I reached the chorus, Adele was fast asleep. I continued to sing anyway. She was cute when she slept. Why can’t we all stay this cute for long?
Singing while she slept reminded me of a lot. When we were staying in the Paramour mansion and had first written Disenchanted, Mikey would keep bugging us about it, even when we were asleep he would whisper “Disenchanted” to us. I was really creepy. But whatever.
I was pretty much having a flashback now of memories of when I was a kid. When I was little and my parents would sing to me (though I never fell asleep) and the bands I was in. Then memories struck of My Chem. Gerard getting over his addictions, Matt being fired, Bob coming in, Mikey leaving the band. All the memories just flooded back. Eventually, everything in my mind got quiet and I fell asleep, still singing to Adele.
+++++++++++++++++++
Gerard was the one who woke me up. Adele had already been up for a while I guessed, because she wasn’t in the bunk. Gerard was though. He had attacked me and was laughing when I woke up. “You bitch.” I said to him. I pushed him out of the bunk. He was okay though! I made sure he didn’t have hs head crack open. No blood. It’s all good!
I went into the kitchen area to find Mikey and Adele talking together at the table. “That’s cool,” is all I heard Mikey say. Curiosity strikes again!
“What’s cool?” I asked. Hey, like a said. Curiosity stroked.
“What?” Mikey turned to me and jumped back a bit. I guess I scared him. “Oh, um, Adele’s music taste. That’s all.”
“What bands do you like Adele?” I had to know.
“Um,” Adele thought for a moment, “I like Muse I guess. And whatever band’ song you sang last night.” Holy shit! I’m so happy now! Adele’s a fan! Yea!
“What song?” Gerard asked. I guess he was curious too. Curiosity is contagious I guess.
“I don’t know the name of it,” Adele replied sadly. I guess I should have told her. Gerard and Mikey looked at me. Well, stared actually. But isn’t that the same thing?
“Adele,” I exclaimed, trying to save myself of interrogation. “Do you know the words?” Please say yes! Please say yes!
“Mhm!” Score!
“What were the words?” Gerard asked. He stole a glance at me. What? It’s not like I sang ‘Family Reunion’ to her last night! I mean, seriously. Would I do something like that? ...Yea, I would....
“You're just a sad song, with nothing to say, about a life long wait for a hospital stay, and if you think that I’m wrong, this never meant nothing, to you,” she repeated the line perfectly. I’m so proud.
“Disenchanted?” Mikey said. He looked towards me, then back at Adele. “I like that song too.” He smiled at her. Mikey’s so sweet...
“Is that the name?” Adele asked. Is she okay? She seems a little...out of it.
“Yep,” Gerard replied smiling, “And do you know what band sang that song?”
“No,” Adele admitted. She looked down ashamed. Was Gerard trying to brag? That’s not like him. Not at all. I think he hit his head too hard when I pushed him.
“My Chemical Romance,” Gerard told. Adele perked up.
“That’s a cool name!” She’s a true fan already!
“You think so?” Mikey asked bluntly. Okay, I know he was bragging. I think I’ll punch him later....Maybe not. Adele nodded her head. Okay, the nodding is starting to piss me off!
“Adele, we have their CDs if you want to borrow them,” Gerard offered. I know what he’s doing. He’s gonna get her to figure out on her own that it’s us. That’s pretty cool. Why does Gee always come up with the cool ideas? I’m so jealous!
“Really?” Adele exclaimed. She must have really like the song, “Thank you!!!” Gerard smiled. He then ran to the bunk area. He came back five seconds later with the CDs. Even I can’t find them that quickly! I’m impressed...
Adele took the CDs and smiled the biggest smile I’d ever seen. It was definitely in the running with Gee’s. That’s for sure. She looked so happy. Makes me wanna cry. So heart melting...
For the next hour or so, Adele was sitting in the bunks listening to the CDs. By the time it was time for band practice, she was already on Revenge. I went into the bunk area and peeked in the doorway. Adele was dancing around to “Helena”. I smiled and knocked on the door. Adele jumped, stopped dancing and turned to me. “Adele, could you listen to the music on headphones for a bit? It’s gonna be loud in here for a while, and you’ll want the full effect.” She nodded. I quickly handed her my CD player and headphones. I put the CD in and hit play. When I left, I could already see her dancing out of the corner of my eye. She’s too cute!
I went the the practice space we had in the back of the bus, behind the bunk area. I closed the door behind me slightly and went over to one of the chairs. I picked up my guitar (Bella) and started to play.
We got through all of the Black Parade songs quicker than usual. “Something’s wrong,” Gee said, “We shouldn’t have gotten throught that fast. We missed a song. I know it!”
“What song did we miss?” Ray asked. We all grew silent. I counted in my head and said the names. The End, Dead!, Disappear, Sharpest, Black Parade, I Don’t Love You, House of Wolves, Cancer, Sleep, Teenagers, Blood. We are missing one. Which one?
“Mama,” Bob informed. We all turned to him. “Mama’s the one we missed.” Of course! It was Mama.
“How could we forget our favorite song?” Gerard asked himself out loud. I raised a brow at him. We then began to play Mama. That’s when Adele came in.
She opened the door silently and clung to the doorway. I don’t know if I was the only one who noticed her presence or not. It didn’t seem to bother anyone, so it didn’t really matter, did it? No, it didn’t. She wasn’t bothering us or anything. She probably just took a break from the headphones and heard the music. That’s it.
Her eyes widened with excitement and shock. Her jaw dropped. Well, I guess Gee’s plan worked! She figured out it was us. My Chemical Romance. Gold star for Adele! We continued through the song easily. By the end though, I noticed something. I turned fully to see if I was right. The final note played and I noticed I was right.
Tears were falling from Adele’s eyes, fast. She was crying. After it registered, we all ran over to her. She didn’t seem hurt physically. What’s going on? “Adele what’s wrong?” I asked, panicked. Was she okay? Well, obviously not if she was crying. They didn’t look like sobs for joy.
She looked up at me, tears still in her eyes. “Mama...” She continued to cry.
What?