Chapter 1
Chapter 1- I Write Sins Not Tragedies
"Where's Pete?" Patrick asked, looking around not seeing him in sight.
"Last I saw of him, he was in room.. on the phone with Ashlee," Joe said, looking up from his book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Joe had already read the book once before, but was sure that he had missed some important details and was rereading it for good measure.
"Oh, well, that's not good. But I just checked there and he's not there. Any other ideas?" Patrick asked. Joe shrugged.
"Try the studio. I walked by there and thought I saw him earlier," Andy said from his drum set. Andy never gave up a chance to play on his drums. It was a past time he loved doing since he was a kid.
Pete sat on the floor with his back to the door. He didn't want to be found. The argument that he just had with Ashlee was the biggest they had ever had. He couldn't believe someone could be that infuriating. The light that she had brought in his life was quickly dwindling and the hole he was falling into was continually growing deeper. They seem to argue over everything now. The smallest things set them off. There was a knock at the door.
"Pete? Dude, are you in there?" Patrick's muffled voice came from the other side of the hardwood door. Pete groaned. He wanted nothing more than just to be alone right now, but he knew that wasn't going to happen.
"Yeah, Patrick, I'm in here," Pete said, getting up off of the floor and opening the door. Patrick looked at Pete as he walked in the studio. Pete knew right away by the way Patrick was looking at him that he was not going to get away without spelling his guts out about his phone call to Ashlee.
'For straight guy, Patrick sure likes to discuss and talk about feelings a lot,' he laughed to himself.
"Well, what did she have to say this time, or should I say, complain about—"
"Patrick," Pete interrupted.
"Well, what do you want to say Pete? That I like her? I can't. I used too. The old Ashlee. The new Ashlee; this 'Ashlee change-her-image-to-trap-a-man Simpson' is just too much Pete. I wish you would see. We all do. We try to make you see it. It's getting bad and it's only going to drag you down. Even Hemingway sees it! Have you ever wondered why he always growls and snarls and snaps at her? He's not playing with her, that's for damn sure," Patrick ranted, going a light shade of red in the face.
"I know all of this Patrick, but I can't help that found it out just a little too late, and that I can't help my feelings back! For some God awful reason there's still something there for her in me. I know it's not good for me. But I can't bring myself to give that up. I can't go back to the way I was; I was an empty shell Patrick, you remember how I used to be. Walking around like a zombie! Besides, she's one of my best friends, and as much as I love you guys, it's different talking to her.. you know, during the good times she was one of my best friends," Pete sighed, sliding down the studio wall. Patrick walked over and sat down by Pete.
"I know when the times with Ashlee were good, they were great, but weigh them next the bad. They don't equal up, do they? We all remember how you used to be Pete. No one will ever forget it. But if this doesn't work out with Ashlee, who's to say you won't find happiness with another in the future? And before you give the emo speech about 'I have no redeeming qualities, I'm fugly, I'm short blah blah blah...' listen, do you hear the thousands of screaming girls and boys for that matter that come to our concerts? And I know how much you hate hearing this, but bear with me; a lot of them come to see you, Pete. Not one of the think your fugly, albeit you can't deny your short by guys standards, but your still taller than most girls so stop you sulking in the studio and join the real world.. well at least Joe, Andy and me," Patrick laughed.
Pete smiled, "You think I'm fugly, do you? I knew it!" Patrick rolled eyes and shoved over. They talked about their recording sessions for a few more minutes before planning to rejoin Joe and Andy.
Just then the door open and Joe, Andy the band's manager's walked in. He held a bunch of papers in his right hand and some sunglasses that looked like they barely blocked the sun. He was a tall man, with a cool business look about him. And when he spoke, he spoke with a thick Brooklyn accent.
"Guy's, we have a problem. The show Mississippi had to be cancelled. The coliseum burned down, they were testing out fireworks or something and things got out of hand, but no one hurt and everyone was refunded. But you guys have two options. Take that weekend off or play a show in Birmingham, Alabama? What do guys say, and we have to know quickly," Charles Dickenson said, laying some papers out in front of the guys.
Andy picked up the papers, reading over them, "Birmingham. We've never played there, have we? I'm game if you guys are," he said, looking between all of his friends.
And it was all up to Pete. All the others guys had said they would be willing to do it, but would Pete? He sat down in a chair and thought about it. A weekend off would mean getting to spend some quality time with Ashlee; to patch things up. Did need to stay and spend it with Ashlee, or was this supposed to be? Was the Birmingham gig fate?
Cara set the bowl popcorn and container of parmesan cheese on the coffee table as Casie popped the DVD in. It was girl's night and they were watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Leila was on the computer checking her normal sites; Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, Pete Wentz's blog and Friends or Enemies.
"C'mon, Leila, get off that thing. Pete has not updated his yet, and you have already checked it twice within twenty minutes. So let's watch Harry Potter and quote it," Casie complained, dragging Leila away from the computer. "Besides, you're supposed to love Harry Potter more than Pete Wentz anyways. I don't know what's gotten into you?" Casie questioned, worriedly putting her hand to Leila's forehead to check for her temperature.
"Oh hush up, I do love Harry Potter more than Pete Wentz, I love it more than I Johnny Depp; it's just I'm in one of my phases. I could still kick anyone's butt on the Harry Potter Scene it? Game," Leila said, puffing her chest out. "Besides, not all of us can have hottie boyfriends like you!" Leila said with a hint of jealousy.
"Well, I can't help it that he is incredibly sexy. That he's 5'11, with pearly white teeth and has these amazing blue eyes; dark brown hair with cute dimples in both sets of cheeks!" Casie said proudly and possessively, with a smile on her face. "But seriously, Parker is really great. He's sweet and thoughtful and the best of all... his favorite type of movies is horrors!"
"Sounds like a keeper Casie," Cara said bringing in some canned sodas from the kitchen.
So the girls settle down to watch Harry Potter, with Leila and Casie quoting it. From "You're just as sane as I am" to "How was it? Wet." When half way through the movie, Cara gets a text message. She picks her phone and checks the message.
Message From: TicketMaster
Cara! Breaking News!
Fall Out Boy has just scheduled a stop
In Alabama, tickets go on sell at 12 AM
General Admission. Get yours now!
Her eyes bugged out. "Oh my gosh! LEILA! What time is it?!" Cara screamed.
Leila jumped out of her skin, "It's 11:58, why?" Leila watched Cara turn from calm to crazy.
"Hand me my laptop please, fast!" Cara pleaded.
Casie and Leila watched for the next 10 minutes as Cara typed and giggled on the computer. They shared puzzled glances and finally Cara put the computer down. She was looking between Leila and Casie, finally settling on Leila.
Cara's voice got really soft, "Leila, come here. Ok, now I want you to breathe, ok? Because what I'm about to tell you both, actually, is going to flip you out. In three days, for general admission, all three of us, are going to go see Fall Out Boy!"
Casie screamed and jumped up and started dancing around. Cara laughed at Casie's dancing around like a mad woman.
Fall Out Boy
Leila couldn't believe it. A huge smile just ran across her face and she could the feel the scream in her dying to come out. She had to remind herself to breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Was this really happening? She was getting to go see her favorite band! She was really going to get to see them. In three days!
The bus rolled to a slow stop and the air breaks let out a loud hiss into the morning. Pete grabbed up his dry shampoo, sprayed it in his hair and left the bedroom bunks. Andy took his drum sticks down from the overhead compartment with Joe and Patrick already waiting for them at the head of the bus. Pete and Andy met up towards the middle and headed towards the front of the bus. As the tour bus door slid open, a beam of light hit the boys; bathing them in the morning glory. Fall Out Boy stepped off the bus to a roar of cheers and cat calls. Hundreds of fans had come out to see them, before the concert.
'These guys are hardcore fans; they had been camping out just to get a glimpse of these ordinary guys that got lucky,' Pete thought.
Screams ranged from "Marry me Pete!" to "Love the sideburns, Patrick!" Upon hearing all the screams of engagement and offers to have his first born child, Patrick looked back at Pete, smiling. Pete knew what Patrick was thinking and didn't want him to throw it in his face.
"Shut up," Pete smirked, looking away.
And as the boys went into the auditorium to prepare for the unplanned, unprepared for, unexpected concert, they had no idea that the events of the night ahead of them would change their lives dramatically. With all of the sound checks finished, the boys rehearsed a few of their songs, to get the acoustics right. Soon the state of Alabama was ready for a Fall Out Boy concert; including three brunette girls. Check one, two.
-Note from the author-
Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! It only gets better! Well I guess that's up to you. Obviously this is a fiction and I'm throwing a lot of my own opinions about Ashlee in here, but as the 1sy Amendment clearly states, freedom of speech, so yeah.. ).. stay tuned for Chapter 2 entitled "the concert"