THE TOUR

Natalie Petersen

It all started one day at school when the principal called me down to the front office. "Natalie Black to the main office." I kind of hesitated until my teacher, Mrs.. Kooks yelled "MOVE!". So I went down stairs to the main office where my dad was sitting he looked at me and said "a letter came for you" and I was just standing there in a cold sweat thinking something bad had happened and he hands me a letter. I was thinking about how I get letters all the time, what makes this one so special that he had to interrupt my class and bring me letter? But whatever, so he handed me the letter and left like he didn't want to see my reaction. So I looked at the letter and it was clear that he already opened it, then I sat down thinking that it was going to be bad, like a rejection letter from one of the colleges I applied to. I braced myself for the worst, but I opened it anyways because whatever it was about I needed to face it. Which was kind of frightening seeing as though my dad, this bearded manly person at 6'9, had to leave before I even opened it. The letter read: "Congratulations Natalie Black for winning our song writing contest." Which kind surprised me seeing as first of all I am a song writer but I certainly never entered a contest for any of my songs and secondly I don't even know where my song book is so... Who entered me in this contest? And where is my song book? But I kept reading the letter it said, "you have won the first place prize of a record lable, and you get to go on tour with Fall Out Boy with Paramore. I was bouncing up and down and screaming then the lady at the front desk shushed me. So I called my best friends, Kendra, and Annabel, and told them to get out of class right now and we were going to go get frozen yogurt down the street. So we all just walked out of school because the rest of our days were electives because we all took our classes early so we could graduate early and get out of that prison called Brooksville Highschool.

We then went to get frozen yogurt at "Sweet Toppings" in my blue 2014 Toyota Camri. When we got there we picked out our flavors and loaded them with toppings. We sat down at the little round table in the back corner at our normal seat, we all started chowing down on our fro-you. I could'nt wait to tell them the news but I could tell Kendra had something to say so I asked her what was on her mind. She said "Here" and handed me a journal I looked at it and realized it was MY song book. I said " OMG you found it" she commented and said "you left it at my house one day some of your songs are really good". It was then that I asked "Did you enter me in this contest?" I slapped the letter on the table she looked down at it with guilt and said "OMG I'm so sorry I should've asked" I tried to play it off with a look like yeah you should have asked but all I managed to say was "read it." She opened it looked at it read the first line and squealed with joy. Annabel said "TELL ME, TELL ME" I said " I have two words for you, Tour, Fall Out Boy" she looks at me and gets up totally calm and reserved and then starts screaming and jumping up and down and going crazy. Then the person that was running "Sweet Toppings" (her name is Katie) decided to yell at us so I said "okay" then when she turned around I threw the whole bowl of frozen yogurt at her. Of course we got kicked out but it was totally worth it because my friends and I didn't like her in the first place and I was definitely not dealing with her being rude to us today. But whatever she can be mean but I just wasn't feeling her rude attitude today. So then we all got back in my car but Kendra wasn't feeling to good so I offered to drive her home but her car was still at school so we drove back over to the school. Then Annabel decided she was going to go home with Kendra to make sure she was okay. So they both went to Kendra's house and then there was just me. I didnt know why my dad went home earlier without seeing what I thought about the letter but I did know that he probably went home to think about it.

So I didn't want to go home quite yet and play twenty-one questions hosted by my dad. Especially considering he probably wanted to spend this last summer with me before I went off to college. But what usually happens over summer is I end up having to stay home and babysit my little nine-year-old brother Thomas. And I'm usually fine with it because after my mom left in my eigth grade year I kind of shutdown my feelings and hid them from my dad so he wouldn't know how much that actually hurt me because I am his "Brave Little Soldier". But I am not okay with doing that this summer becuase its my last summer before college so I know he needs to think this conversation out before I go home. So I decided I was just going to go sit in the band room all day and play my music. Because I never went through that awkward teenage rebelion phase where eveyrone is into to heavy metal because I was already into rock but, at the same time I loved classical music. And because I'm super metal and hard-core I decided to play the flute and the violin. So then when the last bell rang and everyone went home I stayed a little longer because I had keys to the school from being the president of student government. So I locked up when I left and got in my car and drove myself home.

Once I arrived at my house I decided to prepare myslef for the questions the awaited me once I opened that front door. I sat in my car preparing for a good twelve minutes then it started snowing so I decided to go inside. Once I reached the front door I was shocked it was locked seeing as though both of my dad's cars were in the driveway so I had to dig through my big black bottomless hole of a purse to find my keys that I had just thrown in there. I eventually found them, unlocked the door and walked in the front door. I almost fainted in shock when I walked in and evryone yelled "SUPRISE!" To quote my dad it was a party to celebrate my awesomeness. Apparently Kendra was not sick and she was just going to my house to help my dad set up. All my friends showed up and congratulated me on winning, but all I could think about was how all the people who didnt win weren't having parties right now. Annabel, and Kendra were so excited for me and they didnt even know the best part which was I could bring two friends to the first show in Chicago which is an amazing coincidence seeing as though I only really have two mbest part ain friends. So I told them after everyone else left and I thought they were excited before. They went crazy! I also told them about how we had to leave in two weeks. Which was fine becuase even thought it was the middle of the second semester we were graduating early and didnt really have to be there anyways. So we would have to suffer through those two horrible weeks at school and they moved our graduation since I was the valedictorian and there was only five people graduating early and if they didnt move it up then three out of the five people werent going to be there so that would be a waste of a graduation. So we graduated the next Saturday then left the following Sunday.

We left the following Sunday after graduation for the tour. The tour started on Monday in Chicago, Illinois so we had to fly to Chicago from Atlanta, Georgia. It was a long flight which wasnt too fun but I was way too excited to be complaining about a long ass flight. When we finally got to Chicago there was a limo driver holding a sign that read: Natalie Black. So we walked over there and he took our bags and we followed him down to the limo. We got in the limo and had a pretty rad dance party we were so excited we were on fire. I waas totally ready for the dance party to end because that meant that we were there. At the place that I would meet my idols and probably my best friends for the next three months. I was ready for this big change that would kickstart my future and my music career. I got out of the limo not thinking it was going to be like BAM! I'm famous but it was suprisingly full of paparazi which I guess made sense seeing as though it was the first stop on a brand new world tour. But I didnt expect people to start questioning me and pointing their cameras at me because let's face it I'm just a little nobody, but thats exactly what they did. Then Patrick came out and brought me inside and I went on the bus and set my friends and I's stuff down in the back and left because there was no one in there yet they were all doing there vocal exercises and whatever.

Then we went backstage to meet everyone and talked to Hayley. I said "hey" to her, she looked me up and down and said "you look fun we are going to best friends now" I laughed and said "okay thats fine with me." So we started following her around like lost little puppy dogs because we didnt exactly know where to go. So then we met up with Taylor who seemed realy shy which you wouldnt expect seeing as though he's a rocker but whatever. Then we met Jeremy he seemed pretty cool. Kendra said "OMG i know you, you are Jeremy Davis". He looked at her and goes " OMG seriously I thought I was you. Dang we could've been twinzies." Then slapped his knee.

Hayley all of the sudden looks at us and says "I know who you guys are really here to meet". And walks over to a door that has a star on it and had FALL OUT BOY written all over the door she opened the door and said "after you ladies." We stepped inside and all the boys look at us and it got pretty awkward. They were all in there except for Pete becuase no one knew where he was. Then Joe goes "this must be Natalie Black and her friends" and I'm just standing there trying not to flip out that Joe Trohman just said my name. Then Patrick looks at us and winks and says "yeah the little one is Natalie, the blonde one is Annabel, and the tall person is Kendra." So I winked back at him before saying "yep that's us" because I couldn't think of anything else appropriate at the moment to say. Key word in that sentence being appropriate. But sadly then they had to leave to go get ready to perform. Which I got to whatch them from backstage and that was amazing.

Then at the end of their set Patrick stopped and said "I would like to call out here a very talented writer and singer, Natalie Black." Everyone started shouting and I just looked at him like what have you done but then he came off of stage to come get me and bring me onto the stage. He said "this is Natalie Black a very good friend of mine and she will be touring and performing with us for the rest of the summer." Everyone screamed "Sing It, Sing It!" So Patrick handed me his guitar, and I started singing my song and everyone got quite then Andy came in with him playing drums and then Joe and Pete started playing guitar. Then Patrick brought out another microphone and started to sing with me. And the whole time I was just thinking to myself that I could definitely get used to playing and singing with them and having Patrick refer to me as "a very good friend" of his. When the concert was over we did some meet and greets and I got to meet alot of amazing people and take photos with people which some of the photos got pretty interesting. Like in one the girl, Sarah said "okay now you kiss Patrick and I kiss Pete and that picture was pretty amazing".

Then we got back on to the tour bus and then I finally got to meet Pete and he said "Hey" to us but was also kind of a smart ass and was like "awwe Natalie you kissed Patrick in that picture." Then Patrick started to blush and patrick said "yeah" and started looking at me a little embarassed but a cute kind of embarassed. Then Joe decided to join in on the conversation by saying "Pete it's fine I'm sure the picture is adorable and they probably made that girl, Sarah's day." Then Kendra added "it's not like they're dating or anything they just kissed." Then Patrick decided "it would probably be a better idea to step out towards the back of the bus instead of being in the front living room, being harrassed about a one time thing" he said. So I stepped into the back as well and he said it probably wasn't a good idea that I was out there with him. I responded by saying "well if it was just a kiss then why can't I be out here we're friends?" He asnwered by saying "it's just going to be misinterpreted." I siad "well apparently we are just really good friends. Right? Then we slowly stepped towards me and brushed the hair out of my face. Titled my head and gently touched his lips with mine and kissed me. This kiss wasn't like the last one it was meaningful and deep and passionate. He looked deep into my eyes and whispered into my ear so softly " No. it wasn't just a kiss" and walked back to the front. Annabel came up to me and said "OMG how was that kiss?" and I was still really shocked and said "woah that kiss." She just looked at me smiling and had the "my little girl is growing up look" in her eyes which made sense I was always the baby in my group of friends.

The next day we had to drive my friends to the airport so they could go back home. Patrick had been talking to me like nothing happened and I knew I should probably forget about it. But I couldn't every time I thought about it I still felt his lips pressed against mine and I couldn't let that go. Patrick became my best friend really fast becasue we had this unmistakable chemistry. It also helped that I was super dorky and so was he. We could practically have a conversation about everything and he would actually understand what I was talking about and I hadn't known very many people like that in my lifetime. So that was super amazing to meet someone so interesting and nerdy but not in a bad way like in an super intelligent fascinating person way.

One day at one of the concerts I sang in the same microphone as Patrick and our faces were so close and this girl came up to us and said "are you two dating" and I looked at him and he looked at me then thought about it. He finally came up with an answer it wass "not yet" and she just looked at him then at me and back and forth for almost five minutes. Right before she walked away she grabbed his hand and my hand and put then together so that we were holding hands then goes "perfect". She started to walk away but as she did she yelled "you two would be perfect together." I thought about that conversation alot for the next couple of days, but I decided that I wasn't going to ask Patrick about his answer that he gave her about "not yet". But then it became a trend to ask Patrick and I if we were dating and he kept telling then "not yet" or "soon" or "I'm waiting for the perfect time." So it got pretty interseting.

I was alone with Patrick all the time after that. Since everyone else was partying and getting drunk alot, and we weren't really about that lifestyle so we stayed in the bus most of the time. Until one night we went out and had a good time then we went back to the bus because Patrick got sick so I went back with him. But let me tell you now Patrick may look all serious but when he goes to parties he is the best little dancer ever. But anyways so we got back to the bus and I told Patrick that he should probably lay down so he did. Then said "Natalie I'm going to kiss you now." So he sat up looked deep at me with his greenish-blue eyes leaned forward and then Pete walked in so he backed up. Like talk about bad timing. Thanks Pete (no pun intended) for ruining the moment. But then when I thought the moment was gone Patrick looked at me and said "maybe later."

So then later that night/early morning at three o'clock in the morning I was sitting on the couch reading a book since I don't watch T.V. and I thought everyone was asleep but apparently Patrick was still up. So he came and sat next to me and seemed completely sober so I thought to myself that he probably forget about the "later" thing. But then he looked at me and said "is everyone asleep?" I looked up from my book at him and looked downthe hall and said "I guess so." So then I started reading again and he slid towards me put my book down on the table and looked back and fourth between my lips and my eyes, until I couldn't take it anymore. So I leaned in and he took my face in his soft hands and kissed me HARD. This was an extremely passionate kiss when we kissed he started playing with my hair. We ended up standing up kissing then he picked me up, while we were still kissing and held me in his arms. Then the bus driver had to stop so he could sleep. So we stopped kissing and we both went to bed (in our own beds).

The following morning, well really the afternoon since being a singer was stressful on your voice and you can't really get sick because you have to sing so Patrick and I usually woke up around two. But anyways the next afternoon we got up and everyone was getting ready because we were almost at the next stop on the world tour, except for Patrick. So I went up to him and asked "are you okay?" He looked up at me and smiled and said "of course I am I got to kiss you again." I giggled and Andy I guess heard him and so decided to speak up and say "woah are you guys having a thing?!" I looked at him then at Patrick and didn't know what to say so luckily Patrick knew what to say. Patrick answered by saying "woah Andy you know I wouldn't date someone while we are on the tour, but between you and me after the tour of course." I looked at Patrick only to realize that Patrick was already staring at me smiling, which was great because Patrick's smile is perfection. Then Joe came up and said "this tour is going to be really awkard if you two start dating." Patrick and I just turned our heads and looked at him.

The next day was a free day which meant we could go back home and as much as I loved my dad and wanted to see Annabel and Kendra, I dreaded going home. As I was thinking about how much I didnt want to go home Patrick said "if you would like to you could come to Chicago with me." I looked at him with gleaming eyes and a humongous smile and exclaimed " I could'nt think of anything better!" Which I honestly couldn't think of anything more perfect. I would get to spend the whole day alone with Patrick, seeing all his favorite places, getiing to know him, and then at the end of the day we were going to go have dinner at his parent's house.

I didn't really know how free days worked but apparently we all get on one plane and then we all get dropped off at the places we wanted to go, and at the end of the day they pick us up at the nearest airport. So we got off the plane in Chicago and Patrick had someone pick up his car before we landed, so it would be there when we landed. We got in his car it was a 2015 black Corvette Stingray it was pretty much the car you would expect a rockstar to have. We drove around a little bit to get to the first place he was taking me but I was fine just sitting there talking to him. When we finally arrived he came over to my side of the car and opend the door for me I didn't know where we were because the last time I was in Chicago was the night of the first concert and there wasn't much time for sight seeing. I got out of the car and started looking for a sign of where we were. I think Patrick noticed becasue he announced "Welcome of Science and Industry." We walked inside and it was amazing it was like walking into Mr. Magorium's wonder emporium. I was amazed by pratically every thing I saw. We walked past the "You! The experience" and I played with that for a liitle bit. I turned to walk to the next exhibit and Patrick grabbed my hand so he could hold it then says "This is my favorite place in the world, that's why I brought you here on our date so I could share this with you." I gave him this odd look he noticed and said "What's wrong?" I tilted my head and said "so this is a date?" His face turned red and he dropped my hand, I could tell he was embarassed so I leaned forward and kissed him and said "just kidding, I know this is a date." After I said that his face re-gained its normal color and he grabbed my hand again.

The next place we went was this little record shop accross town called "Reckless Records." I was kind of hesistant going in there seeing as though Patrick is a rockstar and I'm releasing my new song at the end of the summer. But Patrick started talking about "if I didn;t want to go in then we could go somewhere else" but I could see it in his eyes that he really wanted to go in. So we did and we went through records and bought some new music, some old music and it was good the only one that knew Patrick, was the store owner,Edward. Edward then came out of his office and was talking to Patrick about music and about the tour, and then he turns to me and says "Patrick is this lovely lady your girlfriend?" grabbed my hand and kissed it. Patrick looks at him and says "after the tour, yes sir I hope she will." Edward looks at me and says "what's your name?" I said "Natalie Black, sir" he looks at me and turned away and started whispering to Patrick about something they whispered back and forth for ten minutes. Then Patrick goes "we must be going now thank you for your kind hopitality."

We walk out to the car and I say "what were you guys talking about?" He puts the car keys in and says "Nothing just about hiding secrets from the band isn't a good idea." I said "okay, now where to next?" He looked at me and laughed then said "If I tell you it ruins the suprise." So instead of me asking a bunch of questions and him not answering them I decided that I was going to turn up his radio and we were going to have a dance party in the car with all the windows open. Which we did I danced the whole car ride and Patrick danced with me at all the stop lights. When we arrived at our destination I was confused because it looked like some old abandoned warehouse, but as I walked toward the building I realized it was a theatre. It played "The Neo-Futurists" for twenty-three years it was the longest running show in chicago. It had thirty shows in sixty minutes, which meant every show was two minutes long. There was a timer on the wall I asked Patrick "what is the timer for?" He said "the timer is the most important part because once the timer goes off it's over even if some of them ran long it was over when that timer was done."

The next place we went was Patrick's parent's house even though Patrick's aprents were divorced they were botht there, which I could tell made Patrick really happy. We knocked on the door and it got quiet for a second ao Patrick knocked again. Right when he knocked all you could hear was Patrick's mom yell at the top of her lungs "PATTYCAKES" and right then Patrick just looked at me and saw me trying not to laugh and looked relieved. He then looked at me deeply and bit his lip and then tryed to lean forward and kiss me but of course right when he was about to kiss me his mom opened the door, talk about awakward. His mom looked at us and noticed he was about to kiss me and shut the door. So Patrick looked back at me with his green eyes and slowly leaned in even closer and grabbed my waist and kissed me. We stood there kissing for about five minutes then I said "I don't want this to stop but I have a feeling your parents are waiting on us." Then he raised one eyebrow kissed me again and said "oh yeah I know they are satnding on the other side of the door right now." Which made me feel really uncomfortable seeing as though they were probably watching me kiss their son. Then Patrick opened the door just a creak and you could see his parents back away from the door. Patrick's mom went up to Patrick and gave him a huge tight hug. Then came over to me and gave me a hug which was great because it was snowing outside so I was really cold. She then let go of me and said "This must be Natalie, I've heard alot about you." Just then I turned to my head slightly, so I could look at Patrick but still see her, and once I was able to see Patrick he looked at me and smiled really big and said "Mom stop she can't know I talk about her in my free time when she's not around." After that the housekeeper, her name was Emma, called that dinner was ready. We all went and sat down at the dinner table, I got stuck next to Patrick across from his mom, but it was fine he held my hand the whole time. Then the man at the end of the table who had been silent the whole time said "Hello I'm David, I'm sorry for not speaking I was waiting for Patricia to stop torturing you." and it got really awkward and the tension was definitely raised. I felt kinda awkward like this was a family problem that I just wandered into. It got better when Patrick's dad, David, cleared his throat and said "So Natalie I heard you play at the first concert here in Chicago. You have a very unique sound you're sound is very first place worthy. I also saw you have a foundness for my son."