This chapter's longer =) ENJOI
DISCLAIMER: I do not own All Time Low or any brand or band I mention in this story
Chapter 2- Don't Let Yourself Get In Over Your Head
We arrived at the planned location for the first day of tryouts for the next guitarist in All Time Low. As we walked in the front doors, our mouths dropped in awe of where we were. We had only been there months before- The Hammerstein Ballroom, the place we shot Straight to DVD.
Escorted by our security guards, there was something like a judges' panel set up, with one single notepad and a long line of names placed at each of the three spots. I sat down in the middle chair, while Rian and Zack took the ones on either side of me.
I called the first name out.
"Mary Evans."
A twenty-something blonde, dressed from head to toe in pink and holding a purple guitar struts on stage. She gets ready, and then begins to play a butchered version of Weightless. After she finishes the first chorus, I stop her and ask, "Why do you want to be in our band?"
"Well, um, I'm pretty, and talented," she giggles in a high soprano voice, "and you'll get more of a male audience with me, if you know what I mean."
I nod, and quickly thank her. Not my type, AT ALL.
The rest of the day plays out exactly like Mary. Just Wannabees, who only learned guitar to get famous, those who didn't see much more of it than an opportunity, not a lifestyle. No one I saw had very much passion for their music, as far as I could tell. But the truth may just be that I couldn't find Jack in any of them
It was down to the last name on the list.
"Julia Burnes."
An average height, black-haired girl walks on stage, carrying a simple white guitar and a well-worn pick. She takes her place in the center of the stage.
"So," Rian says as he looks down at his own paper, "Julia, how old are you?"
"Twenty-one," She replied, nervously. Just another idolizer, I figured, nothing special.
"Why do you want to play in our band," I ask, robotically.
She clears her throat.
"I want to be part of your family, not because I idolize you, but because I have been inspired by you to take action in my own life. I left home from my mother who wanted me to grow up to be a lawyer and an alcoholic step-dad, who's only goal in life was to physically and verbally abuse me. I started my new life, because of music, wandering the streets of New York, looking for jobs and playing my old acoustic guitar for petty change so I could have my next meal. To some, that would be misery, but to me, it felt exhilarating to finally have nowhere to go, nothing to be but me. And I did all of it because I wanted the band, who inspired me those 5 years ago, to recognize me as a living, breathing, passionate, human being. If I don't become you're new guitarist, I will understand. But it won't make me a different person, because I didn't shape my identity by idolizing you. I shaped myself through my music, and that's what counts." She sighed, like she's gotten something huge off her chest, which, I admit, it seemed like she had.
"Okay. Now, show us what you're made of." I sighed, bracing myself for another Dear Maria or Weightless cover, when I heard…
That familiar, nostalgic intro.
Had that song even been RELEASED?
The first song I ever wrote, the first guitar parts we ever worked on together.
My Paradise.
The lyrics came back to me as she began singing into the microphone.
Before I knew what I was doing, I was singing along with her, our voices a perfect harmony. The lyrics I had written so long ago, bringing back memories of the good times we had, practicing in my parent's basement, covering Blink-182 songs. And before I could stop the flood of memories, I was weeping into my blank notepad, wrinkling the pages. Julia stopped playing and leaned over the edge of the stage.
"Are you okay?" She shouted.
"He's fine," Rian answered for me, and I silently thanked him.
"Thank you, Julia," Zack said, and sent her off.
I calmed myself down and we went to had our notepads into Matt.
Between the doodles, the wrinkles, and the tear marks, on all three of our papers, you could make out one distinct name.
Julia Burnes.
I hope you liked it! This chapter turned out SO different than I originally wrote it XD. I wasn't even planning on introducing Julia yet, and my original one had Alex in the bathroom crying and listening to My Immortal by Evanessence. Talk about depressing…
-alltimeotaku
