11. Electric Guitar and Jam Sandwich
We left Gran and Pop's at about lunch time, and headed back to the house, where the others were. I grabbed a banana and headed back to the room I was sharing with Bob. I finished off my banana, discarded the peal, and pulled out my sketch book. I started doodling some funny little cartoon things, and finishing off other drawings. At one point, I set my sketch book down, and headed off to the bathroom. When I returned to the bedroom, Bob was on my bed, flicking through my sketches.
"Hey! Do you guys not understand what privacy is around here?" I asked, storming up and snatching my drawings back.
"We don't perve on you, do we?" He countered.
"I most certainly hope not!" I screeched.
"Before you explode, I was sent to ask if you wanted to jam."
"What? Seriously? Fuck yes!"
"Good! Let's go." Bob stood up, and led the way to a small practice space. Before we left the room, I grabbed my pick. Frank's face lit up as we entered the room. He had his guitar slung over his shoulder; Mikey stood behind him with his bass guitar in hand. They were both plugged into amps. Mikey was tuning up, and I just looked around in awe.
"Stop gawking! Do you wanna play or not?" Frank asked, laughing at my amazed expression.
"Uh huh." I said absentmindedly. Frank handed me an electric guitar, which he plugged in for me. I put the strap over my head, and let it just hang there.
"Helooooo! Earth to Jadis!" Mikey called to me. I snapped out it, held the guitar properly, and started playing a few power chords. My fingers then moved to a chord and played two quavers. I changed the chord and played another two quavers. I did this a few times, then started playing the intro to Famous Last Words, without even really thinking about what was going on. When it was time for Gerard to start singing, again, my fingers slipped. I shrugged and sat down on the amp.
"You never fail to amaze us, Jadis." Bob remarked in awe.
"How'd you learn that?" Mikey asked, astonishment in his voice.
"I'm a total dork. I listened to the song like 50 million times, and then eventually learnt it by ear." I confessed.
"You learnt that by ear?" Frank asked incredulously.
"That is what I just said, Frank." I told him, annoyed at his disbelief that I could accomplish such a task.
"Know any others?" Mikey smiled. Without saying anything, I started belting out Ray's solo in Dead!.
"Hey! That's Ray's solo!" Bob yelled over my guitar, in mock anger.
"I can play it better!"
"No way you can! I could play it better than you!" Frank argued
"Prove it!" I stopped playing, "Frank Iero, I challenge you to a solo off!" I called, a large grin on my face.
"Challenge accepted." Frank gave me an evil grin, and took hold of his guitar.
"Rules are: You have to have one good improvisation, and play one solo that you have learnt, prior to this challenge. What ever solo you decide to play, I'll play and Vice Versa. There will be three rounds, best two out of three." I smiled mischievously, "You go first." Frank started playing out a wicked riff. Then he started playing Ray's solo from I'm Not Okay (I Promise). I guessed that it was one of the solos that he knew best. He finished, and looked at me expectantly. I held the guitar, and improvised a hardcore melody. I saw Bob's jaw drop, but continued concentrating on my playing. I played the solo Frank had played, and finished with a strong power chord. Looking up from the neck of the guitar, I noticed the open mouths of the guys.
"You guys catching flies?" I asked smiling, very proud of their reaction, even if it was creepy and wierd.
"Who's judging this?" Frank wondered aloud.
"I will." Gerard and Mikey said at the same time, raising their hands.
"I'll judge too. That way there'll be a deciding side to the voting." Bob told us.
"So who won that round?" Dad asked quietly.
"I think that was Jadis." Mikey voted.
"I'm going with Frank." Bob added.
"Um…" Dad thought for a moment then turned to me, "Sorry Jay. I think that was Frank." I shrugged.
"My turn!" I squealed. I played another hardcore improvisation, then went into a serious solo from American Idiot. I'd obviously caught Frank off guard by playing a non-My Chem song – perfect. I finished, and Frank did his best to copy the solo, but because he was so annoyed with being suprised, his improvisation was a little off. He ended shakily.
"Woah, dude! She totally owned you that time!" Mikey laughed.
"Jadis!" Gerard voted.
"I agree." Bob said.
"No more Mr. Nice-guy." Frank said evilly. He played a freakin' awesome improvisation, then headed straight into a solo, which I didn't recognize. I studied him very carefully, noting every movement, melody and rhythm. I kept a cool head, and stayed confident throughout my improvisation. When I got to copying his solo, I did my best and in the places I was a bit unsure, I added my own fills. I finished off confidently, regardless of the fact that it hadn't been perfect. Frank looked satisfied.
"Oh. My. Fucking. God!" Mikey exclaimed, "Have you been getting our stuff illegally?" This confused me.
"What the fuck are you on about?" I asked, in a very puzzled tone.
"That's material we wrote last week. We haven't even recorded it!" Bob explained in the same amazed tone.
"So that's why I haven't heard it before!" I muttered, understanding finally.
"Wait, you mean you just did your best to copy that from hearing it once?" Dad asked, finally joining into the conversation.
"Yeah. I screwed up quite a bit, but I practice fills and improv a lot, so I sorta covered that."
"I vote Jadis!" Bob said abruptly, raising his hand to emphasise the point.
"I second that vote!" Dad agreed.
"Ditto." Mikey said, looking at Frank apologetically. I gave Frank a very big grin.
"Still say you're better?" I taunted
"How can you play like that? You're only 14!" Frank babbled, finally getting his mouth to work.
"I played to rebel against my mum. It gave me the want to be fantastic. Plus you lot are my idols. Learnt everything I know from you, and a little from Dean." I swallowed hard against the golf ball in my throat. Frank gave me a sympathetic look, "So now that I've beaten your rhythm guitarist in a solo off, what are we going to do next?"
"Are you some sort of bionicle-woman?" Bob joked.
"My God! You guys are such nerds!!" I laughed.
"Well, we're going to practice a little – we've got an appearance thing next week. What are we even going to play for that?" Mikey started thinking, answering my previous question.
"Untitled?" Frank suggested.
"Don't you even know the name of it?" I laughed.
"It's changed like twenty thousand times! I can't keep up!" Bob explained.
"Let's call it Boa-tacular Pie." Gerard decided randomly.
"What the fuck?" Mikey laughed.
"You and your boas!" Frank laughed as well. The guys started planning the appearance. While they planned, I turned the amp down and played some random tunes. I worked on getting my fingers gliding across the fret board smoothly. I jumped and fell off the amplifier, suddenly, when Gerard put his arms around me.
"Holy shit!" I squealed as he swung me around. In a swift movement, he removed the guitar from around my neck and put it on the ground. I laughed as he cradled me in his arms. "Are you ok?"
"Of course." He smiled, "We have this interview next week, and we've decided – if you're fine with it – that you should come." I stared at him in horror.
"You've already let the world know you're with us, you might as well let them get to know you!" Mikey complained.
"I-I-I g-guess I c-could…" I stuttered.
"It'll be ok, Jadis. Why are you so worried?" Frank asked, walking over to where dad was holding me in his arms.
"I'm a very shy person?" I tried. He gave me a look which said he wasn't buying it, "Just thinking about all the people who are going to see me," I shuddered.
"You get stage fright?" Bob asked in disbelief. I nodded shyly.
"What's there to be scared of?" Mikey enquired.
"I dunno. I'm really self-conscious I guess." I blushed.
"Forget about what people think. I learnt a long time ago not to give a fuck about trying to fit in. If people don't like me, fuck them! We weren't born to be puzzle pieces." Dad said enthusiastically. He hugged me tightly as he put my feet back onto the ground. Kissing my forehead he added, "You're beautiful, Jadis. People should love you. If they don't, they're fucking idiots!"
"Thanks." I mumbled, looking at the ground shyly.
"Ok. Well, we should practice what we're going to play. But without Ray, we'll need a fuckwit stand-in." Frank muttered, more-or-less to himself.
"What are you going to play?" I asked, intrigued.
"What are we going to play?" Mikey corrected, implying that I was going to play with them.
"Wait…what?" I looked at them all. They looked back at me, their eyes telling me what I refused to believe. "No way! No, no, no, no, no, no! I am not playing in front of…NO!" I said, in a frightened but strong voice, backing away slowly. I backed up against an amp, and fell on top of it. I sat down and crossed my arms in frustration.
"Jadis, curiosity killed the cat." Frank said randomly.
"What the fuck do you mean by that?" I asked.
"I mean that people are going to get very curious about how you are involved in the band. They're going to start to stalk you and shit. You might as well show them your talents."
"What? You want me to chuck my sketch book and crap into the audience?" Frank crossed his arms, "I'm not performing!"
"We do need a stand in for Ray…" Bob muttered.
"Well, get some tall scary man with a fucking freaky fro, and who is fucking great a guitar. Do not look at me!"
"That's a brilliant idea, Jadis!" Mikey exclaimed.
"That wasn't an idea! That was a no!"
"Can you play all of Ray's solos?" Gerard enquired.
"Pretty much."
"Then why not?" Bob wondered.
"I…don't want people to judge me." I sighed. I allowed my head to flop down and my arms fall to my sides.
"Jadis, why do you care so much?" Dad asked, walking over and kneeling down in front of me. He took my hand and looked into my eyes.
"I've always been…rejected, really. I want to fit-in." I mumbled.
"Fitting is fucked up. If everyone 'fit-in' the world would be black and white, and totally boring." Frank commented.
"If everyone 'fit-in' then no-one would fit-in; everyone would stand out. It all depends on how you look at it: is the glass half full, or half empty?"
"Good point." Frank sighed.
"How about this: You practice with us, and if you feel you can, you play. If not, we get some tall scary man with a fucking fro to play." Gee suggested.
"A fucking freaky fro." I corrected.
"So, it's a deal?"
I sighed, "Fine." We shook hands.
"Yay! Let's play!" Mikey said, happily throwing his hands in the air like a poof. We played until it was dark, and would've continued if the girls hadn't come down and dragged their husbands away.
"So did you have fun today?" Lyn-Z asked me. We were lying in the grass outside, watching the stars. Gerard and Mikey had been there a few minutes earlier, but went inside to see what Bob and Frank were laughing about. Alicia had quickly followed, worried that if it was something stupid, Jamia wouldn't be able to handle it by herself.
"It was pretty fucking awesome." I smiled, "I'd only ever dreamed of something so cool!"
"Was your room really as 'fanned up' as Gee says?"
"Probably worse. He's too nice." I blushed. We heard the door open and close behind us, and people walk out. It was Gerard, Mikey and Alicia. They had a big bag of marshmallows with them. They sat down next to us, and we sat up.
"Hey Hon. What you talking about?" Dad asked, sitting down next to Lyn-Z and pecking her on the lips. Mikey opened the bag of marshmallows. I took one, and ate it slowly. I started thinking: I was surrounded by my ever-growing family. I was probably going to play on a TV show next week, and I was about to be introduced to the world!
"Jadis?" Mikey called, waving his hand in front of my face.
"Huh?" I snapped out of it.
"Are you okay?"
"No, Mikey. I'm not oh-fucking-kay!" I groaned as I flopped back onto the grass.
"Smooth." Alicia giggled.
"What's the matter, Jay?" Gerard enquired.
"I'm scared shitless." I sighed, then noticed something move in the bushes close by. "What the fuck was that?" It moved again.
"BLAH!" Frank roared jumping out of the bushes, and practically giving me a heart attack.
"Fucking hell, Frank! Don't scare me like that!" I screeched at him, though I doubted he cared what I was saying – he was almost falling over he was laughing so hard. I stood up, while he was still cacking himself, and strode over to the porch. Looking underneath, I selected a harmless spider, but a large one none-the-less. I cupped the arachnid in my hands and walked back to where Frank 'stood' laughing.
"Hey, Frank." I said. He managed to stop laughing long enough to look at me. "I found you a nice pet. He's nice and whiney" I opened my hands to him, and showed him the spider.
"Holy motherfucker!" He screamed running backwards into the bushes and falling over. I dropped the spider and started laughing myself. Frank straightened up, "That wasn't funny."
"You're right. That was hilarious!" I managed before bursting out in laughter again.
"Okay, you two. I think it's time you both caught some Z's, before you catch a cold. It's freezing out here." Jamia called from the doorway to the house. I looked at my family sitting in the grass.
"It's a good idea, Jay. We're going to be working hard tomorrow. You don't want to be tired." Dad told me, hopping up himself, then helping Lyn-Z to her feet.
"Yes, daddy." I said sarcastically. Dad followed me inside. I went and got changed into my black skull/rockstar pyjamas, after a having a warm shower. I brushed my teeth, and returned to the bedroom. Dad tucked me into bed, and kissed my forehead gently, before singing me to sleep.