Forever Chapter 7: Lazy Day Afternoon, a misc. plays/musicals fanfic

Quick Disclaimer... I do not own ANY of the songs used in this chapter. Not a single one.

Songs used...

Remembering Sunday - All Time Low

Stop and Stare - OneRepublic

Glycerin - Bush

Misguided Ghost - Paramore

There's an amazing story behind this chapter. Okay, it's not amazing. But this chapter has been sitting in a notebook for somewhere around four years. I know, I should win the procrastinating award. Hey, at least I stick with my stories! No matter what. And trust me, this chapter has changed immensely in the time of four years. It was a LOT shorter, like it was part of chapter six, that short. But when a demo on Haylie's iPod changed to her playing guitar, it kinda took on it's own chapter. I REALLY hope y'all enjoy this one, it's one of my favorite chapters. So I'll stop bugging you! ENJOY!

"Haylie! Hurry up!" Alex yelled as she tried to make me run by pushing me forward.

"Nooo!" I protested. "C'mon, we're gonna get to the dorm either way. Why do we have to rush it?" I looked back behind me and saw that everyone else was itching to hear me play that guitar. Frank was kinda bouncing as he talked to Gerard and Mikey animatedly, and all the girls were crowded up behind Alex, like walking right behind her would automatically make her go faster. I rolled my eyes. "Why is this such a huge deal to you guys?"

Kelsey answered me. "We wanna hear you play! It'll brighten up a bad day at school... If you're good." She added jokingly.

"Thanks." I laughed.

When we reached the dorm, Alex urged me up the stairs and told me they'd be waiting outside on the east side of the building. There was a little patio out there where we could hang out, and of course, I could play.

I actually started running when I got upstairs, with the horrible realization that I was kind of enjoying this. No one had ever cared that I was really into music, let alone played an instrument, and now, here, almost everyone did. It was cool to know I had friends here who wanted me to play for them.

I unlocked my door in a hurry and practically dove under the bed to grab my guitar, who I'd named Phil. (I know it sounds lame that I named my guitar, but I don't care.) With the case in my hand, I rushed out of the room, relocked the door behind me, and headed out for the patio, almost falling down the stairs on the way there.

"Hey guuuuyyysss!" Alex said in a singsongy voice when I came outside. "Haylie's heerrree!"

The atmosphere almost buzzed with anticipation as people moved to give me a spot to sit in the circle they'd created. Gerard sat to my immediate right, and Frank had made a point of sitting by me to my left. Some people sat in chairs, but most sat on the floor with me.

I unlatched the case and pulled out my guitar, and some people "oo"ed and "ahh"ed. I laughed and put my guitar on my lap, ready to play.

"Soo..." I started awkwardly, "any...uh... requests?"

People started talking at the same time, trying to agree on a song. Eventually Illia turned towards me from across the circle. "You said you know Remembering Sunday this morning, right?"

"Yeah. It's one of my favorite to play." I nodded. Everyone looked at me expectantly. "Uh, do you guys want me to sing too?"

The response was a chorus of duh's and of course's and well yeah's!

I laughed. "Okay! Okay. But y'all gotta join in if you know it."

Everyone agreed, and I started playing.

He woke up from dreaming and put on his shoes
Started makig his way past two in the morning
He hasn't been sober for days.

C'mon, you guys obviously know this! Join in!

Leaning now, into the breeze
Remembering Sunday, he falls to his knees
They had breakfast together
But two eggs don't last like the feeling of what he needs.

Now this place seems familiar to him.
She pulled on his hand with a devilish grin.
She led him upstairs, she led him upstairs
Left him dying to get in.

Forgive me I'm trying to find
My calling, I'm calling at night.
I don't mean to be a bother but have you seen this girl?
She's been running through my dreams
And it's driving me crazy it seems.
I'm gonna ask her to marry me.

Someone was singing really well, I could to pick it out from everyone else. It was coming from my right. As I continued playing, I tried to figure out who it was.

Even though she doesn't believe in love
He's determined to call her bluff.
Who could deny these butterflies?
They're filling his gut.

Waking the neighbors
Unfamiliar faces
He pleads and he tries but he's only denied.
Now he's dying to get inside.

With a start, I realized it was Gerard who was doing the amazing singing. I looked over at him fleetingly, but his eyes were closed.
My heart stuttered a little.

The neighbors said she moved away.
Funny how it rained all day.
I didn't think much of it then but it's starting to all make sense.
Oh I can see now
That all of these clouds are
Following me in my desprate endevour
To find my whoever
Wherever she may be.

I'm not coming back.
I've done something so terrible.
I'm terrified to speak but you'd expect that from me.
I'm mixed up I'll be blunt now the rain is just
Washing you out of my hair.

Almost everyone's voice dropped off, and those who I still heard were a very quite falsetto, but I kept my voice going strong.

And out of my mind.
Keeping an eye on the world.
So many thousands of feet off the ground.
I'm over you now I'm at home in the clouds
Towering over your head.

Everyone joined back in.

I guess I'll go home now
I guess I'll go home now
I guess I'll go home now
I guess I'll go home.

"AUGH that was awesome!" Kelsey spoke first.

I laughed, then Illia spoke, "Yeah, Haylie, how do you hit those notes in Juliett Simms' part so well?" (Sorry if I spelt her name wrong)

I hesitated while everyone agreed. "Well, I guess... uh, I wanna pursue a career in music, specifically singing, so I focus on my voice a lot... Um, anyway, any other requests?" I added to take the attention off me for a moment. While everyone was discussing, I turned to Gerard. "Hey, you sing really well."

His eyes widened. "You could hear me?"

I laughed. "Well yeah, you're sitting right next to me. Seriously, you're really good."

He looked down, embarrassed, and my heart took another jolt.

"Hey Haylie!" Leena called my attention.

"Yup?"

"Do you know Stop and Stare, OneRepublic?"

Kelsey started bouncing.

"Yeah, is that what you want me to play?"

I got some agreement, so I went on and played it.

This town is colder now, I think its sick of us
It's time to make our move, I'm shaking off the rust
I've got my heart set on anywhere but here
I'm staring down myself,counting up the years
Steady hands, just take the wheel
Every glance is killing me
Time to make one last appeal
For the life I lead

Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be, oh

Stop and stare
You start to wonder why you're here not there
And you'd give anything to get what's fair
But fair ain't what you really need
Oh, can you see what I see

They're trying to come back, all my senses push
Untie the weight bags, I never thought I could
Steady feet, don't fail me now
Gonna run till you can't walk
Something pulls my focus out
And I'm standing down

Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be, oh

Stop and stare
You start to wonder why you're here not there
And you'd give anything to get what's fair
But fair ain't what you really need
Oh, you don't need
What you need, what you need

Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be
Oh, do you see what I see

I got a little applause for that one, and Pheobe blurted out, "GLYCERINE!"

"By Bush?" I asked.

She nodded violently.

Must be your skin that I'm sinkin in
Must be for real, cuz now I can feel
I didn't mind, it's not my kind
Not my time to wonder why
Everything's gone white
And everything's grey
Now your here now your away
I don't want this
Remember that
I'll never forget where your at

Don't let the days go by
Glycerine
Glycerine

I'm never alone, I'm alone all the time
Are you at one
Or do you lie
We live in a wheel
Where everyone steals
But when we rise it's like strawberry fields
If I treated you bad, you bruise my face
Couldn't love you more
You got a beautiful taste

Don't let the days go by
Could've been easier on you
I coudn't change although I wanted to
Should have been easier by three
Our old friend fear and you and me.
Glycerine
Glycerine

Don't let the days go by
Whoahohoho
Whoaohohohwuhoh
Glycerine
Glycerine

Bad mood white again
Bad mood white again
Bad mood white again
And she falls around me.

I needed you more
When we wanted us less
I could not kiss, just regress
It might just be
Clear simple and plain
Well that's just fine
That's just one of my names.

Don't let the days go by
Could've been easier on you you you
Glycerine
Glycerine
Glycerine
Glycerine

Everyone started shouting songs that time, but I stopped them. "Guys, I really wanna play one song!"

"What is it?" Illia asked

"Misguided Ghosts."

"The Paramore song?" Kelsey asked.

I nodded, and started the song.

I'm going away for a while
But I'll be back, don't try and follow me
'Cuz I'll return as soon as possible
You see, I'm trying to find my place
But it might not be here where I feel safe
And we all learn to make mistakes
And run from them, from them
With no direction
Run from them, from them
With no conviction

'Cuz I'm just one of those ghosts
Traveling endlessly
Don't need no roads
In fact they follow me
And we just go in circles

But now I'm told that this life
And pain is just a simple compromise
So we can get what we want out of it
Would someone care to classify?
A broken heart and twisted minds
So I can find someone to rely on

And run to them, to them
Full speed ahead
Oh, you are not useless
We are just misguided ghosts
Traveling endlessly
The ones we trusted the most
Pushed us far away
And there's no one road
And we should not be the same
But I'm just a ghost
And still they echo me

They echo me in circles

When I finished the song, Illia raised her hand. I laughed, "Yes Illia?"

"Why'd you wanna play that song?"

I paused, then answered. "Well, it really describes why I left home and came here." I shrugged. "I guess it means a lot to me."

I saw Gerard examining my face, but I tried to focus on Illia's reaction, who nodded thoughtfully before the suggestions for more songs came roaring in. I sighed, mostly out of feeling awkward that'd I'd told everyone why I chose the song, and involintarily looked over at Gerard. We locked eyes, and he smiled and nodded at me.

My heart fluttered again, but what I noticed over that was the feeling of belonging. I belonged with people like these, and it turns out Gerard had understood completely what I had said the last song meant to me.

I grinned back at him, feeling incredibly grateful that I'd found someone who could connect to music like I could, and maybe who I could even connect to through music. Pheobe called my attention back, and gave more songs for me to play.

...

After a few hours, the guitar started getting passed around. Turns outFrank and Ray could play amazingly, and Leena knew a few songs. Mikey, at some point, informed us he could play bass. By the time the guitar was back in my hands, the circle had turned into a hang out session, and everyone was talking comfortably. I started playing a song I'd written quietly, more intended for background noise, and turned to Gerard.

"So, Ray and Frank play guitar, you sing, Mikey plays bass. I'm putting puzzle pieces together!" I started.

Gerard laughed and looked at his hands in his lap. "Well if what you're thinking is that we have a band, you'd be right."

"That's so awesome!" I smiled uncontrollably. "I used to be in a band, actually I've been in a few, but... you know, I left."

He looked up at me. "Did you usually sing?'

I blushed. "Yeah. Most people assume I would play guitar. You're the first to say that." I looked up at the now darkening sky. "Alex actually played drums in a few of them, guitar in one." Something popped in my head. I looked back at Gerard. "Oh! I actually did play guitar in one."

He laughed. "Who convinced you to do that?"

"My friend Matt. Why'd you say it like that?" I joked.

"Well, if you want to pursue a career in singing, I assume you had to think about the possibility that that would be the band that made it big, and you'd kinda be stuck as a guitarist."

I nodded. "Damn, you must be a mind reader or something."

He shrugged. "Just observant, I guess."

I paused. "Well, it wouldn't have been horrible to be a guitarist. I love it all the same. But..." I sighed. "I guess I trusted Matt to forgive me if it got to that point, because I'd eventually want to be in a band where I could sing. A.K.A. eventually I'd leave." I paused again. "Maybe... maybe I was a little selfish, because if that band had made it big, I was planning on using it as a head start on my singing career..."

"That's not being selfish..." Gerard murmured, looking at the rising moon.

"It kinda was. I was planning on using the band as a jump start, I wasn't as serious about my part in the band..." I sighed.

"Your friend Matt... Did he know you wanted to bea vocalist?"

"Yeah..."

"Then he probably would've understood." Gerard said lightly.

I laughed. "I guess you're right. Now enough about me and my musical past."

"Oh no, I'm not going to start talking about me." He crossed his arms in mock defiance.

"Oh c'mon! I told you my story!" I stopped playing the guitar to tug at his left arm.

"Nope." He changed that subject. "Hey, what was song you were just playing?"

I grimaced. "It was something I wrote."

"Really? What was it called?"

I glared at him playfully. "You weren't gonna tell me your story!"

"No, and I'm still not planning on it. What was it called?"

I giggled. "Alright, it was called 'Gone Away.'"

"Do mind me asking what it's about?"

I hesitated. "Uh..."

Gerard backtracked. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to! Sorry."

"Oh, no no! It's okay. Um... It's about the first year after my father died."

Gerard paused, gauging what to say so he wouldn't offend me. "I'm so sorry."

I put my hands up. "No! It's okay! I don't need a pity party. You asked what it was about!" I shook my head. "Trust me, I don't want the sypathetic pity look. I get that enough!"

Gerard laughed. "Fine, I won't give it to you."

There was a short silence, and I started playing my song again before I spoke. "You're probably curious how he died, yeah?"

He shrugged. "I don't want to bug you about it."

I rolled my eyes. "Eh, it's not bugging me. I just know you won't ask." I paused, then went on. "He was an archeologist, and he was on a job in Egypt. I know, kind of unorigional, but he was there. He and his team were checking out a tomb, and they didn't have enough support for the ceiling. It caved in, almost without notice..." My voice dropped off at the end, and I thought back to my mother, who only had one immediate family member left with her, and I started feeling guilty.

"Normally," Gerard started slowly, "I'd say I'm sorry again, but you don't want that, right?"

I chuckled. "Right. No pity parties."

I locked eyes with him, and I could feel that he didn't want to pity me, but he would respect what I would and wouldn't talk about. I laughed and said, "You know what? You're awesome."

Then he laughed. "Are we just going to start spewing random complements now?"

"No, I just wanted to say that."

Gerard opened his mouth to say something, but we heard a thunderous car rolled up to the parking lot to the dorm, which was on the same side of the building as us. The headlights flashed across the group, catching everybody's attention.

I looked at the car, an old beat up Ford Focus, puzzled. "Who would show up this late?"

Gerard looked as confused as I was.

The driver side door opened, and a very familiar person stepped out.

Alex and I reacted at the same time. "MATT?"

OH NO! A CLIFFY! Don't worry, I already know how the next chapter goes (fer the most part), so writing it SHOULD be a piece of cake. OH MY GOD I'm so excited that youz guyz get to meet Matt. He's kind of a recurring OC of mine, although most people don't realize it. He's either a pretty good sized part of a story, or has a tiny cameo or something, sometimes by a different name. But I love him, and he's the bees knees. Jeez, I use a lot of 1920s slang, don't I? (If you don't know what I'm referring to, in my summary for my Vampire Knight story, A.K.A. Believe Me, I use the cat's pajamas.)

Also, I LOVE GERARD SO MUCH! XD I hope I didn't make him too out of character or anything, but I don't think it's too bad if I did. Besides, there's many Gerard interpretations on this site. The quiet, reserved antisosh, the loud, funny S.O.B.. I think I found a happy medium.

Thanks for reading! Review, inform me of typos, you know, the normal stuff. I think I did a good job proofreading, but the last time I thought that, I found "coould" instead of "could", and "the" instead of "they" in the first paragraph of a chapter. So yeah. 8D