A/N: Chapter Title: We Are Young by Fun
Just a quick warning: I've went through this chapter five times over the last three days and cannot for the life of me get it to not feel so rushed. There's a time jump that feels really abrupt and it's driving me nuts but I don't want to keep you guys waiting while I try and fail to figure it out so here it is, in all it's messed up glory. I apologize if it pulls you out of the story, I couldn't get it to flow more cohesively.
It's the night before the Orpheum and Reggie should be asleep, Luke would kill him if he knew that it was two in the morning and he was still awake the night before their biggest break yet. It was hard to fall asleep though, with the sounds from the kitchen drifting up into his room.
It was two in the morning and his mother was still awake. She was talking to herself, the words slurred and barely audible. The banging, however, was perfectly clear. She had started drinking again. In the last week he'd found multiple bottles in the garbage, noticed the fridge becoming steadily emptier, and though she hadn't gotten angry at him, he knew it'd only be a matter of time.
His father was gone and if she did decide to go into one of her rages, he was the only one there for her to focus on. It scared him, but what scared him even more was his friends finding out. He didn't want to burden Rose and Ray. He didn't want the rest of them to worry about him. It was enough that he was losing sleep, the rest of them didn't need to suffer for it too.
He knew Rose was already suspicious. She didn't do too good a job hiding her contempt for his mother. Ray, he was sure, felt the same but at least the man hid it better. He loved them for it, it almost felt like Rose was looking for any sign that she could take him back. He looked over to his book bag where the keys to the Molina house lay. He wanted so badly to go back there but he couldn't leave his mother.
His phone vibrated next to him, the screen lighting up to show a new text from Julie. Almost like she could read his thoughts from her house a block away.
Jules?￢ﾭﾐ: I miss having you across the hall. I could really use some Reggie cuddles right about now.
Reginald? ﾟﾎﾃ: Can't sleep? Me neither.
Jules: Just nervous/excited. Why are you up?
Reginald: Same.
Jules: ? You sure?
Jules: You'd tell me if something was wrong right?
And just like always, she could read him like a book even through text.
Reginald: Of course.
Jules: Be there in 5
Reginald: No it's fine. You should sleep.
She stopped answering though. She was on her way over and Reggie dreaded every second of it. Anyone but her and Flynn, they worried too much. They kept a close eye on him the same way Rose did when he was at their house. His mother was still banging around in the kitchen, every so often breaking something he'd have to clean up in the morning.
A knock sounded from his window where Julie crouched in her pyjamas and converse sneakers. She was smiling at him expectantly and he got up to let her in. She climbed through, took his hand and forced him back on the bed, sliding in next to him. She threw her arm over his stomach and laid her head against his shoulder. He prayed that his mom had passed out.
No such luck. Another clatter, another crash of shattered glass. Julie flinched next to him and hugged him tighter.
"It's happening again, isn't it?" She whispered.
"Yeah." He left it at that, knowing she wouldn't need him to elaborate.
"I'm going to talk to my mom in the morning. You can come back to us." She said it like that was that. It would just happen the way she said, without any complications. He didn't miss the hopeful tone of her voice either.
"No!" He shouted and then cringed, waiting to see if his mother had heard. She hadn't.
"No, please. I can't leave her by herself and I don't want to stress anyone else out. Please don't tell anyone. Please, Jules." She looked up at his face, confusion warring with worry. Did he not want their friends to know? What about Flynn?
"Reg, we've all been so worried. You can't hide this, especially from Flynn. She'd never forgive either of us for keeping it from her." She said.
"It'll be fine. It won't be like last time. I'll make sure of it." He responded.
"How?" They both knew he didn't have an answer to that. There was no guarantee, no way to promise that everything would be okay. So, he just lay there quietly and eventually Julie fell asleep against him. He followed shortly after.
She helped him clean up in the morning, sweeping up shattered glass and throwing out empty bottles. They both pretended that Alice hadn't passed out on the couch clutching a bottle of whiskey. After that night she kept a closer watch on him. She didn't tell anyone and the longer it went on the guiltier she felt. If something happened to Reggie, it'd be her fault for listening to his pleas.
Caleb Covington was standing in front of them, offering the very thing they'd been working towards. Sure, they'd all thought it would take more work, more time, more years to mature before a record deal was offered to them, but here he was, looking exactly how Carrie had described.
Luke clutched the business card in his hand, crumpling it in the process. The look on his face said it all. He was about to curse this man out and possibly get them black listed in the process. Thankfully, Trevor Wilson chose that moment to show up.
"Caleb. I'm shocked to see you here. Didn't think The Orpheum was your scene." Trevor said as he placed himself between the kids and Caleb's greedy stare, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Trevor. Always a displeasure." Caleb answered, his own disdain clear. "Just thought I'd check out this up and coming talent." He waved in the direction of the band, a false smile plastered on his face as he looked them over. Julie cringed as his eyes passed over her.
Flynn, Carrie, Willie and Nick had made their way backstage to congratulate them but stopped short when they saw the looks on the adults' faces.
"Hey guys, why don't we go relax in the dressing room, they'll be right behind us in a minute." Ray said as he ushered all eight of them through the door. He followed them in and closed the door behind him.
Trevor, Rose, and Robert stayed out in the cramped hallway with Caleb.
"Were you going to tell them that you'd be signed as a fifth member of the band? That you'd get the highest percentage of them all? Or that you'd own all of their masters if they signed on? No, somehow I don't think so." Trevor spat at the purple clad man.
"I'd never let them sign that. I'd go through that contract with a fine tooth comb." Robert added.
"Oh I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself, I'm Robert Ryder, Esq. Of Ryder, Pasternak, and Goldstein." Robert smiled, icy and mean. He pulled out a business card in the process and held it out to Caleb. He looked at it as if it was diseased, his face the very picture of disgust and ignored the offered card.
"I'd never do that. They'd have every right to look over the contract before signing." He answered.
"I'm sure the fact that they're minors and right on the edge of their dreams coming true had nothing to do with your eagerness to have them sign onto Covington Records. It's why you tried to corner them back here, without their parents present. Just like I'm sure what happened to JoJo was just a misunderstanding too, right?" Rose snarled at him.
She was fully aware of what kind of predators inhabited the music industry. What happened to young artists too eager to realize their dreams to read through contracts, without parents who understood the ins and outs.
JoJo had been one of them. A beautiful song writer and an amazing talent who was screwed over by the man in front of her so thoroughly that it took her a decade to be able to make a comeback, she still didn't have the rights to any of the songs that had kick started her career.
Well, her kids had parents who knew what to look for. Adults who were willing to go to the wall for them. He'd have a hell of a time getting his greedy hands on them.
"You know as well as I that the media is full of half truths and inaccuracies. Can't believe everything you read." Caleb responded. His smirk was still firmly in place, smiling at Rose. She cringed, the mad was slimier than any snake she'd ever seen.
"I didn't need to read anything, I happened to work with her on her new album. The point is, you won't get anywhere with them so I suggest you leave." Rose was done. She wanted to go see her kids and this asshole was quickly ruining whatever excitement had been pumping through her. Robert and Trever were smirking on either side of her.
"It should be their decision, shouldn't it? It's their dream, their lives." Caleb needled.
"They're barely sixteen, they won't be signing anything without their parents and an attorney present. I'm pretty sure we've already made that clear. It's a no, by the way, in case you didn't understand the first two times. From all of their parents. Please leave before I get security to make you." Robert replied.
"I hope you all are prepared to explain to them why their first chance at a record deal was ripped away. Most record labels would refuse to work with an act whose families are so… overbearing. This industry is not kind to stage parents. Wouldn't want that getting out, would you?" Caleb threatened.
"Oh, well then it's a good thing Second Chance Records is fully invested in signing Sunset Curve. We don't mind overbearing parents either." Trevor said. "This conversation is over, I'd appreciate it if you went and fucked yourself, Caleb." Trevor finished.
"You'll regret this." Caleb said before stalking off towards the back exit. Trevor held up his middle finger over his shoulder in answer as he turned back to the door of the dressing room. He opened it and ushered Rose and Robert in. They found the kids seated on the couch excitedly discussing the performance.
Nick was talking to Luke and Reggie about their ad libbed riffs, asking for advice. Carrie, Flynn, and Julie were fawning over Flynn's inspired wardrobe choices. Willie and Alex were in the back laughing and sipping on the complementary sparkling cider. They all looked up when the sounds from outside became louder through the open door.
"We have twenty minutes before Panic! take the stage. I know you guys want to be there for that so I'll make this quick." Trevor pulled out a few business cards and handed them out to the parents.
"My assistant will be reaching out to you to schedule a meeting. Like I told Caleb, Second Chance Records is interested in you." Trevor spoke. Carrie beamed with pride and looked at her friend's faces.
"You should tell them, dad." Carrie said. They all turned to her in confusion and then back to Trevor, expectantly. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"When I was just starting out, a little older than you guys, I was at an open mic night. Caleb happened to be in the audience. I had just turned eighteen, and looking back on it now, I think he knew it at the time." Trevor started.
"He approached me after my set. Promised me everything but the sky and the sea. I was young and stupid and so excited to have my big break standing right in front of me that I didn't even blink when he pulled the contract out right then and there." His face contorted in disappointment at his younger self.
"I basically signed away my soul. I didn't read it, didn't even talk to my parents first. He was written into the contract as the second half of my act. He'd get sixty percent of all earnings. He'd own the masters to all of my songs for three consecutive albums. Everyone knows the first two albums make the artist. By the time the contract expired I was spent. I had nothing left to give, no music left in me. It was a really dark time in my life." The rest of them listened intently, Ray placing a comforting hand on Trevor's shoulder as he continued the story.
"I spent a while locked away in my house. Bobby and Carrie were too young to remember. I barely left the house at all. Then one day I heard Bobby messing around with my guitar and Carrie trying to sing along to the song and I knew I had to do something. I hired a team of lawyers, vicious men and women who made a living destroying men like Caleb. They found loopholes in the contract and when we took him to court, he had to pay out almost everything he'd stolen from me. Unfortunately he still got to keep the masters for my music though, so he's still making money on that." He continued.
Before he could finish his story, a knock sounded on the door informing them that Panic was going on in five. He told them he'd continue the conversation when they set up the meeting and the group of twelve made their way back to the VIP section.
When they got there, the lights were low, the Pattersons along with Leia and Jason were toasting, another shot of tequila for the bands successful performance.
Panic went on a minute later and it was explosive. The way they played their instruments and Brendon Urie's voice blended to create literal perfection. He hit notes that Luke would try to emulate later and never be able to touch, it just wasn't in his range. His band vibrated to the music. Saxophones, guitar, drums, and keyboard ringing out, blending perfectly to create a masterpiece.
The crowd was getting rowdy, jumping up and down and blocking the view for the shortest members of Sunset Curve and friends. Luke was the first to bend down so that Julie could climb on his shoulders. Reggie followed next for Flynn and Nick did the same for Carrie. The band stopped playing to allow the crowd to sing along in the silence that remained.
There was something about hundreds of people all singing together, knowing every word to the song that sent chills across the room, including the band on stage if the looks on their faces was anything to go by. Brendon Urie was giggling, bending over and clutching his knees as if he wasn't used to this reaction from their fans. As if he hadn't been performing to sold out crowds for longer than they'd been alive.
"Holy Shit!" Brendon exclaimed as he smiled watching the audience. His eyes swooped over to their section where he could just make out the boys heads singing along. He smiled at the sight of the girls on their shoulders reaching out towards the stage.
Their set finished about an hour later and the band bowed. He brought the mic up to his lips for a final speech.
"Thank you all so much for coming out tonight! LA never fails to bring the energy!" The crowd erupted once more. "Big round of applause for Sunset Curve, who we can only expect to be headlining their own show one day very soon." The crowd went wild yet again, the same signs flying up into the air. Their section cheered the loudest.
"Brendon Urie just shouted out our band...What is happening?" Luke asked. Not to anyone in particular but seven others enveloped him in a giant group hug. All smiles and teary eyes as they absorbed the enormity of this moment.
"Our new album, Pray for the Wicked, is out next month! Tickets for the tour go on sale at the same time! Maybe you'll get to see Sunset Curve again." He winked at the group of huddled teenagers before turning back to the crowd who started screaming again. "We'll see you all again in 2020!" He bowed low and the lights cut off, letting the band exit the stage.
"What?! What did he just say?" Julie screeched out.
"I think...I think he said...What the hell did he say?!" Luke was spluttering. Unable to form coherent sentences.
"Did he just imply that we'd be on tour with them?" Alex had his hands in his hair, his voice climbing up to a pitch only dogs should be able to hear. He pulled at it until Willie took his hands in his to stop him from an anxiety spiral.
"I-I think he did." Reggie answered. Flynn was screaming next to him, in absolute raptures at the turn the night had taken.
Before they could even process what had happened, a tall woman with curly hair and dressed more for a business meeting than a night at a club came over to their section. Brendon Urie was right behind her.
"Hello. I'm Andi Parker of Destiny management. Are these your parents?" She asked as she smiled at the assembled crowd of parents and teenagers.
"Yes, we are. Nice to meet you. I'm Rose Molina, Julie's mother." She continued introducing the adults at the table. Andi's eyebrow went up when Reggie's mother was the only one missing. "I'll be answering for Reggie as well." She added at the look Andi shot to Reggie.
Reggie smiled at Rose in response as Julie wrapped her arms around his arm and scrunched her nose as she smiled up at him.
"I was just talking to Andi about getting you guys on tour with us as an opener." Brendon added.
"I'd love to discuss management as well. I assume you don't have one yet?" She asked.
"Actually, We already have a manager. None of this would have been possible without her." Luke said as he pulled Flynn forward to stand directly in front of Andi and Brendon.
"Wow! How old are you?" Andi asked. It was a simple question but Flynn bristled just the same. Like her age somehow impeded her from being able to manage a band. A band that happened to be made up of her very best friends in the world.
"Fifteen." She answered. Her tone was dry and slightly cold. Andi seemed unaffected though and continued on.
"Fifteen! And you're responsible for all of this?" She waved her arm in the band's direction as if encompassing everything that they'd achieved so far.
"You all must be so proud! The talent here is just...insane!" Brendon said, interrupting whatever Andi was going to say.
"So listen" Andi clapped her hands, turning back to the parents. " I would love to set up a meeting. Both for management and to maybe set up an internship for Flynn here. Destiny would be lucky to have someone like her on our team. We'd allow you to continue working with Sunset Curve, they'd be your client only but you'd have myself right beyond you for any help you'd need." She turned back to Flynn who's mouth had dropped open. Reggie placed a finger under her chin, pushing up and laughing as he did so.
Brendon and Andi stayed at the table to continue discussions with their parents. The table had become extremely cramped so the kids left to go dance to the DJ who was currently playing. Once in a while being stopped to ask for a selfie from random people in the crowd.
It was one of the best nights of their lives and all of them thought they'd never come down from this high. They made it home passed one in the morning and Rose insisted that they all stay over. They had ordered a bigger bed for Julie and all six of them fit on it comfortably.
The next day they had performed for their halloween dance at Los Feliz. The band dressed in a group outfit. All of them painted as skeletons, in ripped up suits and top hats, Julie wearing striped stockings, combat boots, and a poofy black dress that made her look like a zombie bride. Flynn and Carrie had designed the looks and Willie had done the body painting for all of them.
Flynn had gone as scary spice, complete with space buns and leopard print bodysuit. Carrie had gone as baby spice, pink mini dress and platform sneakers completed her look. Nick had gone as Troy Bolten from Highschool Musical, a fact which all of them had laughed at. It wasn't even a costume, he just wore his letterman jacket.
The next day had been Reggie and Julie's joint birthdays. Where they ate amazing food prepared by her aunt Victoria. Received gifts they had no idea what to do with. The parents had set up meetings with both Trevor Wilson and Andi Parker for the following week. Over all it had been only three days but it felt as if a lifetime had passed and all their dreams had come true.
It continued on like this for months after. They had signed with Second Chance records after Trevor had explained that the goal of the company was to do right by it's artists and his attorney's worked hard to try and free those that had already signed onto Covington Records.
Andi had created an entire internship position within Destiny management to accommodate Flynn, who the band refused to work without. They would remain Flynn's first and only clients, she would have control over everything with Andi right there to help along the way. It was a way for both Flynn to build experience and for Andi to see what Flynn had to work with.
The band had agreed to go on tour with Panic! At The Disco, starting right after the last day of school. The contract had been signed and the compensation agreed upon. Even principal Lessa had gone out of her way to create a curriculum they could work on while on tour since they'd only be back in January of 2021, the middle of their Junior year. Ray would be going with them, to chaperone and because Panic! Had hired him as their personal videographer on the tour.
By the Christmas holiday though, it had all come crashing down. Luke had stopped answering any one of them on Christmas eve and when they had gathered to go to his house, they found it empty. The lights were off and the house eerily quiet.
They had been calling and texting him non stop for the last three hours but the messages remained unread and the calls sent directly to voicemail.
"He wouldn't ignore us like this. It has to be bad, guys." Julie said as they stood huddled on the Patterson's porch as a thunder storm loomed above them, the clouds dark and foreboding.
"Is he sharing his location with anyone?" Alex asked. They all pulled out their phones to check. He wasn't. Willie put his arm around Alex's waist.
"No, he's not. Who spoke to him last?" Reggie asked. Flynn took his hand when his voice cracked.
"I did. We spoke last night and he sounded fine. He said he was going to write for a while before he went to sleep." Julie answered.
"Maybe he forgot his phone? He could be out with his parents. It is Christmas morning." Willie supplied.
"He has a point." Flynn added.
"No, I have a really bad feeling. Let's go back to my house. Maybe my mom can get in touch with Emily and Mitch."
They arrived back at her house within a few minutes. Rose was placing cut up chicken and potatoes in front of Carlos and Ray was sipping on coffee in the kitchen.
"Hey, kids. Are you hungry? We've got breakfast ready." Ray asked. None of them answered, Julie shook her head in denial at the question.
"Do you guys know if the Patterson's went somewhere today?" Rose and Ray exchanged confused glances.
"No… Is something wrong?" Rose asked.
"Luke's not answering any of us and he's never left this phone at home before, and we all just have a really bad feeling." Reggie blurted out. Somehow he'd ended up in a hug from Rose who squeezed him to her and kissed his temple.
"Okay, don't panic. Let me call Emily. They probably just went out for lunch or something." Ray answered. A loud crash of thunder punctuated his words bringing with it and ominous and suffocating energy into the kitchen.
Carlos started getting fussy in response to the tense atmosphere. Willie picked him up and bounced him around trying to get him to laugh. Hoping to at least spare the kid from the heaviness in the air.
Ray let the phone ring until it went to voicemail, looking back up at the kids when he ended the call. The look on his face did nothing to quell their worry. They had gravitated to each other, Carlos squeezed between them like some kind of shield against whatever horrible news they were anticipating.
"I'll try Mitch. Don't start panicking yet." Ray said as he dialed his phone again. This time it rang once before Mitch picked up.
"Hey! Mitch, is everything okay? The kids are worried, they can't reach Luke. Did he leave his phone at ho-" He was cut off by the response on the other end of the line.
They all watched as Ray's face crumpled and he looked up at them. His eyes flicking from Julie to Reggie to the rest of them. Back and forth as he listened to whatever Mitch was telling him.
"We'll be there as soon as we can." Ray said as Rose picked up her own phone, calling Victoria to come stay with Carlos.
He ushered them all outside into the van, they were too quiet and Julie's fear spiked because of it.
"Are you going to tell us what's wrong?" Julie snapped and then instantly regretted it. Her parents looked just as worried. Ray let out a heavy sigh and looked to Rose who nodded.
"It's Emily. They couldn't wake her up this morning. She's in the hospital, it's not looking good. The doctors say she had an aneurysm overnight." He explained.
There were gasps and sobs from the back. It was impossible to match the sound to the person. Flynn reached over and grabbed Julie's hand. Alex and Willie teared silently from the far back. Reggie leaned forward and put his arms around both girls.
When they pulled up to the hospital Julie hesitated before entering. Rose stopped in front of her and hugged her, leaning her head down so that her lips were right by her daughter's ear.
"I know you don't want to go back in there but, mija, he needs you. All of you." Rose whispered and Julie nodded, took her mother's hand and then Flynn's and marched in.
They got to the waiting room where they found Mitch who had his arm around Luke on the same couch Julie had sat on so many months ago. Luke was curled in on himself, his knees pulled up and his face hidden in his pyjama pants. He'd never looked so small and all of their hearts broke at the same time at the sight of him.
Ray and Rose went to Mitch who had stood up to make room for the kids. Luke hadn't spoken a word to him since they'd called the ambulance and he hoped with everything in him that his son would at least talk to his friends.
He didn't. He didn't even lift his head when Julie wrapped herself around him. Nor when Reggie had shoved himself on his other side, resting his head on top of Luke's. No words for Alex who had knelt in front of him and rested his head against Luke's shins. Flynn arranged herself in front of Reggie, her hand curled around Luke's ankle. Willie did the same from Alex's other side.
No, he did not speak or acknowledge them in any way but when all five of them were touching him, he broke down. His sobs were strong and sounded like they tore at his throat on their way up. He tried and failed to keep them contained, the harder he tried, though, the more forcefully they came up.
Julie took his hand and held on, trying to lend as much support as she could, trying to make him feel less alone. He still hadn't spoken, he didn't need to. They felt his pain, they hurt right along with him. Their hearts broke with his, their tears fell in tandem with his.
Rose and Ray watched, their own tears falling from their eyes, Mitch held between them like they could keep him together in the face of losing his wife.
"Mr. Patterson?" The doctor came out, calling to him. Luke finally looked up then, watching as his father walked to where the doctor stood. They couldn't hear the words he said, they didn't need to. When Mitch collapsed to his knees and the Doctor followed him down, when Rose and Ray braced him from either side, there was no other prognosis the doctor could have given.
Emily would not survive this. Mitch would lose his wife. Luke would lose his mother. Not one of them could do a thing to make this better. None of them had the power to help so when Luke's sobs got louder and his shoulders shook harder, the rest of them tightened around him and cried with him.
Three days later, after she had lain in a coma during that time, Emily passed away peacefully. Rose and Ray had appointed themselves as Mitch's right hands. Helping to plan the funeral. Cooking for them, helping to clean their house and generally doing anything they could to lighten the load.
The kids had spent every waking moment at Luke's house. He still had not spoken but he appreciated their company all the same. At least he wasn't alone. Julie and Alex had cleaned his room. Flynn had ironed and hung up his suit for the funeral. Reggie and Willie had forced him to get up and shower, they helped style his hair after. They did everything they could to help carry his burden. They tried so hard to put the pieces of his broken heart back together.
On the day of the funeral, the sun was shining bright, the temperature unseasonably warm for December in LA. It was closer to a summer day than what it should have been and Julie silently raged that the weather did not reflect the gravity of what today meant.
Luke and Mitch sat in the front row as the pastor spoke. Julie was seated directly behind him, their friends spread out in the second row. All of them had their hands on him but he only held Julie's.
Luke didn't hear a word of the speech, his ears filled with buzzing, his head felt stuffed full of cotton. His thoughts were slow, ending in the middle of one and picking up in the middle of another. The thoughts made no sense and he didn't waste time trying to figure them out.
He watched as his mother's casket was lowered into the ground, watched as the pallbearer shoveled the first scoop of dirt into the hole. All the while the only coherent thought that got through the fog was I wish it was me in there. He didn't voice it but it was loud. Louder than all of the broken fragments before it.
Julie's hand squeezed his shoulder again and his tears fell as he squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't think he'd be able to bounce back from this. The thought of continuing on with his dreams made him physically ill. He'd leave the band, he didn't want to hold them back when everything was lining up for them.
He'd have to figure out a way to do it. He just couldn't see himself ever picking up his guitar again. His music died the moment the machine tracking his mothers heart had flat lined. It hadn't been physical but he had died in that moment too. He wouldn't make his best friends suffer that same fate. He'd made his choice.
Music means nothing to me anymore. He wasn't sure anything would be important to him anymore.
A/N: I'm sorry! Don't hate me! Things are going to get DARK for a bit after this chapter.
Random Facts:
The way Caleb would have screwed them over, the way he screwed over Trevor, is the exact same way both Backstreet Boys and NSYNC among other artists were screwed over by their manager. If you want more info, I suggest watching either Show Em What You're Made Of (BSB Documentary- Free on Amazon Prime) or The Boy Band Con on YouTube (Free with commercials) Lou Pearlman was a terrible human being and I hope he's burning in whatever version of hell exists.
JoJo had a similar story with her own management and record label. Stream her music and give her the love she deserves because she absolutely deserves it. (I'm also fully aware that I'm showing my age with these references lol)
Bredon Urie's quotes and description of the performance is from their live performance of High Hopes from Rock in Rio 2019. The part of the concert where the band stops to let the audience sing along is always my favorite part and the way I described in the story is the exact way I feel every time I'm lucky enough to witness that moment live.