Disclaimer: No Copyright Infringment intended. All recognizable characters and songs belong to thier respective owners/writers. This disclaimer is for the entire story and any chapters posted to this story.
Author's note below, please see.
College is supposed to be about new experiences but I have not had too many. I am not much different than I was in high school except now I have a college degree and I am four years older. I have not ventured much outside my comfort zone, accept when it comes to my music. In high school I never dreamed I would be able to perform in front of a group of people. Even at my best friend Jasper's insistence I never entered a talent contest or a showcase of any sort. I never even tried to live out that high school band goes famous fantasy that many teenagers have. I never did anything remotely risky or took chances on anything. The only thing I took a chance on was moving to California to go to college with Jasper. He made it sound like an adventure and I was all for something new. He majored in Psychobiology with a minor in cognitive science and I majored in Music with a minor in music industry. I never wanted a career singing or performing I wanted to work behind the scenes to make the music great.
With college behind me I was moving forward and I had gotten a job at a record label. I was starting at the bottom so to say but I had a lot of benefits from access to concert tickets, new tracks before everyone else and even the studio if I was interested in working on my own stuff. I would have to pay for time out of my own pocket but it was at a discount. I had no intention of doing that. Jasper got a job as a research assistant at the university since he was going forward to go to medical school to become a neuropsychologist. My dad wanted me to move back to Washington and teach or something of that sort but this is where the industry was at. Well LA and New York unless I wanted to go country then Nashville. After I explained this to him he understood.
Besides our big adventure of going to college in California I did not step out of my comfort zone too often. I never put myself out there and never even had a steady boyfriend. Jasper and I used to joke around that it was going to be just the two of us growing old as best friends with a million cats. I told him there was no way I was dying a virgin and he said he could fix that for me but it would be awkward. We never brought it up again after that strange conversation. He was my very best friend. Our dad's had served in the Navy together and fell in love with two women who happened to be best friends from Forks, Washington. They were going to college at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA; where they were stationed. They had a double wedding and Jasper and I were born 3 months apart from one another. It was destined for us to be best friends. Our dads hoped we would fall in love and then they would be family for real, but we never developed those types of feelings for one another.
Jasper was my date to prom, and held my hair the first time I drank enough to get drunk. He taught me how to dance and we even shared our first kiss together because we wanted to have our first kiss with someone we wouldn't regret or hate. It was awkward and we avoided each other for a week after. We have always stuck together so when he suggested that we try an open mic night and play together I was all for it. He wouldn't let me embarrass myself and I wanted to prove to myself that I could perform in front of others not just in front of him or my dad.
This is how I ended up here at Mike's for his weekly open mic night. It was a popular place in our college neighborhood to let loose. They also had some great bands and I have had the privilege to say that I knew some of the bands when they performed at Mikes before they were famous. As the last band finished I steeled my nerves and waited for it.
"wow, wasn't that great everyone. Now we have a real treat for you. One of our regulars is actually going to perform tonight for the first time. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage. Bella Swan and Jasper Whitlock." Mike announced.
I heard the applause and Jasper grabbed my hand and pulled me on stage. He had his guitar. He started the first chords and I closed my eyes and started to sing.
The sun is filling up the room and I can hear you dreaming
Do you feel the way I do, right now?
I wish we would just give up
'Cause the best part is falling, call it anything but love
And I will make sure to keep my distance
Say "I love you" when you're not listening
And how long can we keep this up, up, up?
Please don't stand so close to me, I'm having trouble breathing
I'm afraid of what you'll see, right now
I'll give you everything I am
All my broken heartbeats until I know you'll understand
And I will make sure to keep my distance
Say "I love you" when you're not listening
And how long can we keep this up, up, up?
And I keep waiting for you to take me
You keep waiting to say what we have
So I'll make sure to keep my distance
Say "I love you" when you're not listening
And how long can we keep this up, up, up?
Make sure to keep my distance
Say "I love you" when you're not listening
How long till we call this love, love, love?
The last noted ended and I looked out at everyone. They all had this look on their face and then the applause started. Jasper stood up took my hand and we took a bow and walked off the stage. Mike then went on stage to announce the next act.
"Wow. Just WOW. Bella, Jasper I never knew you had that in you. I look forward to seeing you two up here more often. What do you say guys?" He asked and the crowd burst into applause again.
"Well maybe we can get them out here again tonight if you all are real nice to them. The next act is a regular here at open mic night here is Jaycee Watkins." The crowd started clapping again and Mike came off the stage right for us.
"Hey guys, that was great. You have been coming here for four years, why have you never gotten up on stage until now?" He asked.
"I never really had it in me to perform. Jasper kind of dared me to break my boundaries and try something new." I responded.
"Well it was great and I have someone here that wants to talk to you guys. This is Seth he plays drums and This Colin he plays bass. And this is their manager Monroe Jackson" Mike said.
We all shook hands. "Look guys you both are great and we are looking for a singer and a guitarist what do you say?" Seth said.
"Um, well I wasn't looking to participate in a pipe dream. I was just doing something that I enjoy doing. I wasn't looking for a band or anything." I told them.
Jasper nudged me and said, "Bella, hear them out."
Monroe nodded in thanks to him and said, "look Bella, I know this is going to sound crazy and it is a long shot for anybody but you have a magical quality in your voice. Jasper is amazing on guitar and I don't doubt that you have some original songs you have worked on as well. You look like a smart girl and we aren't asking you to put all your eggs in one basket. These guys don't do this full time either but isn't it worth giving it a shot. One practice is all we ask."
I thought about it. Jasper nodded at me and I nodded my head in agreement. Seth and Colin lit up in excitement. I just hoped I knew what I was doing.
********One Week Later********
"Jasper are you sure about this?" I asked him for the millionth time since we met Seth, Colin and Monroe. We had talked to the guys several times and agreed to meet at the practice studios at my label. They were all too excited about that. I booked a practice room for three hours today so I could see if we could work together. I picked a time I knew nobody would be around. I did not need anybody I worked with to know of my ventures outside of the office so to say. So I picked Saturday night at 9pm. Nobody would be there since most of the producers and head hunters were going to be out looking for new acts to contract and make money for the label.
"Yes, Bella. It is going to be fine. Don't worry. I am not going to let you get yourself into something that isn't right for you. I will always protect you." He responded. "Hmm where have I heard that before?" I said. He laughed and we walked up to the guys who were waiting for me in the parking lot of our satellite building. To get into the practice rooms you had to have a code to punch into the keypad. You also needed a company badge to get past security.
We walked up to the security guard and I showed him my badge. "These guys are with me we have a practice room booked for 9 o'clock." I explained. He looked at it. Checked the appointment log on the smart phone he had and then gave us the go ahead. We got into the room and Seth and Colin were in awe. "Common guys, we can deal with your awe later we only have three hours to see if this is going to work with us." They all agreed and started to get themselves ready.
"Why don't we try a cover we all know first to see how we do. How about something by Paramore?" Seth asked.
"I'm cool with that how about Ignorance?" I asked. They all smiled and nodded and Seth counted it off. Within 4 minutes we were all grinning at each other. "Guys that was awesome." I said. Monroe or Roe as he said to call him had a smile from ear to ear. "Now THAT is what I am talking about. I have a great feeling about this guys." He said. Just then there was a knock on the door.
Crap, I thought that this room was soundproof. I opened it and in came Emmett Cullen. He was one of the top executives at the label and everyone tried to get him to go to their shows to see their acts they found. He was also the cousin of Edward Masen Cullen one of the hottest actors right now. "Hey, you're Bella Swan right. Our newest production assistant?" He asked.
"Yes that is me, what can I do for you Mr. Cullen. My band and I had booked the room to practice in until midnight. I hope that is ok." I said kind of nervous of getting in trouble.
"Oh, Bella. That is fine. That is why we have the perk for our employees. A lot of great bands have practiced in these rooms and not many people book at this time. Most are our doing gigs. When I saw that someone had booked the practice rooms I had to come check it out and boy am I glad I did." He explained.
I looked at him with a puzzled expression. "We have cameras with sound in every room to make sure nothing is going on that shouldn't be. I tapped into it and heard your cover of Paramore. That was great, do you guys have any originals. If not I could find one for you." Emmett told us.
We were all looking at each other not sure what to say. Roe spoke up.
"Monroe Jackson, Mr. Cullen. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am the bands manager. They actually haven't had the chance to work on any of Bella's originals yet. This is their first official practice as a band. Pretty amazing right?"
"yeah, kind of miraculous actually. Do you guys have a name yet?" Emmett asked.
We all shook our heads no. " Well you better come up with one because you just got yourself a record deal. I will work out the details with the other execs but I have a great feeling about you guys." He said. We all just looked at each other like one of us was going to transform into a werewolf or something. I snapped out of it and said, "Thank You, Mr. Cullen." He walked out of the room to talk to Roe and Jasper and I just stared at one another.
"Really? Can you believe that?" I said.
"We need to come up with a kick ass name, we already have a hot girl as our lead singer." Colin said.
Jasper wacked him in the back of the head, "Don't talk about Bella like that, she doesn't like it." We all started to laugh. "Why don't we come up with a list of names and vote on it." Seth said.
I took out my notebook and started jotting down ideas.
At the end of a half hour we had. Several all containing one or two words. None of them sounded right though. We had Breaking Dawn, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and midnight sun but they all had to do with times of day and I wasn't liking it. Nobody could agree so we spit the words up and placed them in a hat to see what we could come up with. "Argh, this is not working." I growled in frustration. "How about something with growling, Bella seems good at that" Colin said. Jasper smacked him. "That is abuse." He yelled jokingly. "How about Bella's abuse" Seth said. "That sounds like a lifetime movie" Jasper said "and besides Bella isn't abusing you I am" he said. I interrupted them.
"Ok so we have Breaking Twilight. Midnight Twilight, Eclipsing Midnight, and New Dawn. Anything else?" I asked.
"Out of all of them Eclipsing Midnight sounds the most promising." Seth said.
"I still don't like it. It isn't easy to spell or say quickly. Can you really imagine someone saying 'Oh My God there is Eclipsing Midnight' I didn't think so" Jasper explained.
"Let's think about what we have in common. Music, UCLA, Mike's, Crazy personalities. And we are all from the Northwest. Kind of a crazy coincidence but I think we need to use that" I said.
By the time midnight rolled around we were no closer to coming up with a name.
So this is an idea that came to me. I know song fics and Hollywood fics have been overdone or done to death but I have been thinking about this for a while. I have been blocked on Love is all that Matters, which is why I hadn't updated in a long while but this is a fun way for me to work past that and also provides me with a creative outlet with all the stress I am dealing with right now. Let me know if you guys can come up with any names because I cannot for the life of me figure out something not cliché. This is not going to be a song fic with a song a chapter. I only including the lyrics to the one song because not many people would know it if I just wrote the name. It is by Christina Perri and is called distance. I love her music and think she is very talented vocally. I also love Paramore and thier sound. So imagine the sound of Bella and Jaspers band being like that of Paramore, Muse and bands like them.