The City That Reads [3/4]
Title: The City That Reads
Author: summerdownturn
Rating: PG-13 [Overall]
Pairing: Alex Gaskarth/Jack Barakat
POV: Jack's then Alex's
Summary: "Baltimore's quiet and cold, and there's no ship in the bay to take me back home in time for the holiday..."
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people in this story, they rightfully belong to themselves. This is purely fiction and never happened to my knowledge in real life. Please don't sue. I don't own the lyrics or song to The City That Reads by The Graduate.
Warning: Unbeta-ed. Language.
Dedications: redhotshorty because she's still the best BFFL =]
Author Notes: This is based off of a song by The Graduate called The City That Reads. Go check it out (Some of the lyrics posted below). Please enjoy and tell my what you think =] Sorry it's so short! Today's a horrible day. Everything seems to be pissing me off. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. LAST CHAPTER is going to be posted TOMORROW.
(Previous Chapters)
Jack’s POV
I would do anything to get out of band practice right now. Anything! Alex hasn’t even said one word to me since we got back from the airport. He hated me. But he was keeping it professional, unlike me.
Alex sang and strummed along with the rest of us, putting all emotion behind and putting all of his effort into the song. I wish I could do that.
But unlike Alex, I was half-heartedly singing backing vocals and strumming on my guitar, missing more notes than I usually do. I didn’t mean to stare, but there was no way I couldn’t, at least not while Alex was playing. He was like an angel, his voice, his looks, his personality. And it showed the most when he was playing his guitar and singing. He was perfect. And it crushed me that he would never return the feelings I felt.
I caught him looking at me a few times; catching my stare as I quickly looked away, when we were playing Circles. Practice felt like it would never end. But it did, thank God, and we made a quick set list for Tuesday’s gig. My face scrunched up in confusion when I saw that the last song was named ‘Untitled’.
“Uh, what’s the last song?” I asked, trying to make it sound like I could be asking anyone. I looked up at Alex to see him hesitate.
“Um---It’s a song that I wrote while in Essex. We’ll go over it tomorrow,” he quickly said and then looked away. I stared at him for a bit before setting the set list on the coffee table in my basement. They all said their goodbye’s, a small one from Alex, and left my house.
I sighed and fell back on to the couch, thinking about what the song could possibly be about. Who the song could possibly be about. But I shook all ideas out of my head. He probably wrote it about some whore he met on vacation.
Alex’s POV
The next day passed surprisingly quick, but not quickly enough. My parents thought that I should take a break from the band, thinking that I was spending too much time on a hobby and that was what made me a walking zombie over our vacation. They were far from right. Well, not that far.
Practically all of my days in Essex were involved with me venting out what happened between Jack and I and turning it into a song. And when I found out that we were playing a show soon after I returned, I couldn’t have been more excited to share it. I wanted to make it a surprise, so I suppressed the title from the guys and never let them hear the lyrics.
Now it was time to play our last gig of the year, being tomorrow New Year’s Eve. We waited back stage until the band before us started their last song. We headed to the stage from one of the many hallways in the building. I peaked out at the crowed from the side of the stage and found it to be probably one of the biggest crowds we have ever played for.
I gripped the neck of my guitar a little tighter. I wasn’t nervous. I’m not nervous. I was just startled by the crowd’s size and curious to see if they would like my new song. I looked back at the guys to find them gazing out in awe.
As we waited to go onstage, I listened to the song that was being played by our opening act. Their name was The Graduate, as I remember. They were pretty good. Maybe even better than us. That even made me more nervous--err---startled to be playing this gig. I cleared my mind of all thoughts and focused on the song.
"In your smile there’s a certain lack
Of muscles strained from front to back
So I’ll do anything to get me right back home
So here’s to being alone
To anyone on their own
If anyone’s listening
Think of me when I’m gone
It’s not gunna hurt for long-
So here’s to being alone
To anyone on their own
If anyone’s listening
Think of me when I’m gone
It’s not gunna hurt for long
And you can just forget
And I can live without regret"
“Thank-you Baltimore! We have another show coming up here in January, so be sure to come back to see us,” the lead singer shouted out into the cheering crowd. They must have put on quite the show. “Hey, your Alex, right?” He said as he exited the stage and came up to us.
“Yup, that’s me,” I nodded, “You guys were really good out there,” I complimented. And no. That was not jealousy that shone in my eyes, it was amazement.
“Thank-you. Oh--the name’s Corey. Corey Warning,” he smiled, shaking my hand. I heard Jack mumble, “Sweet name.” He laughed in acknowledgement to Jack. “Thanks. We got the crowed all riled up for you guys. Break a leg,” he waved politely as he took a water bottle and made his way back stage.
“Thanks,” I mumbled. Okay, nothing to be scared---startled about. It was just the largest crowed we ever had. And if we didn’t do as good as the band before us, then that might be very bad. And the awkwardness between Jack and I could tone down our performance. But if we messed up, no one would notice, right? Right. And now it was time to walk out in front of this crowd, not knowing if we would make fools of ourselves or not.
I took a deep breath in, prayed that none of us would mess up, wished that Jack would realize the meaning behind the lyrics of the last song, let the breath out, and walked on stage. Showtime.
Author: summerdownturn
Rating: PG-13 [Overall]
Pairing: Alex Gaskarth/Jack Barakat
POV: Jack's then Alex's
Summary: "Baltimore's quiet and cold, and there's no ship in the bay to take me back home in time for the holiday..."
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people in this story, they rightfully belong to themselves. This is purely fiction and never happened to my knowledge in real life. Please don't sue. I don't own the lyrics or song to The City That Reads by The Graduate.
Warning: Unbeta-ed. Language.
Dedications: redhotshorty because she's still the best BFFL =]
Author Notes: This is based off of a song by The Graduate called The City That Reads. Go check it out (Some of the lyrics posted below). Please enjoy and tell my what you think =] Sorry it's so short! Today's a horrible day. Everything seems to be pissing me off. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. LAST CHAPTER is going to be posted TOMORROW.
(Previous Chapters)
Jack’s POV
I would do anything to get out of band practice right now. Anything! Alex hasn’t even said one word to me since we got back from the airport. He hated me. But he was keeping it professional, unlike me.
Alex sang and strummed along with the rest of us, putting all emotion behind and putting all of his effort into the song. I wish I could do that.
But unlike Alex, I was half-heartedly singing backing vocals and strumming on my guitar, missing more notes than I usually do. I didn’t mean to stare, but there was no way I couldn’t, at least not while Alex was playing. He was like an angel, his voice, his looks, his personality. And it showed the most when he was playing his guitar and singing. He was perfect. And it crushed me that he would never return the feelings I felt.
I caught him looking at me a few times; catching my stare as I quickly looked away, when we were playing Circles. Practice felt like it would never end. But it did, thank God, and we made a quick set list for Tuesday’s gig. My face scrunched up in confusion when I saw that the last song was named ‘Untitled’.
“Uh, what’s the last song?” I asked, trying to make it sound like I could be asking anyone. I looked up at Alex to see him hesitate.
“Um---It’s a song that I wrote while in Essex. We’ll go over it tomorrow,” he quickly said and then looked away. I stared at him for a bit before setting the set list on the coffee table in my basement. They all said their goodbye’s, a small one from Alex, and left my house.
I sighed and fell back on to the couch, thinking about what the song could possibly be about. Who the song could possibly be about. But I shook all ideas out of my head. He probably wrote it about some whore he met on vacation.
Alex’s POV
The next day passed surprisingly quick, but not quickly enough. My parents thought that I should take a break from the band, thinking that I was spending too much time on a hobby and that was what made me a walking zombie over our vacation. They were far from right. Well, not that far.
Practically all of my days in Essex were involved with me venting out what happened between Jack and I and turning it into a song. And when I found out that we were playing a show soon after I returned, I couldn’t have been more excited to share it. I wanted to make it a surprise, so I suppressed the title from the guys and never let them hear the lyrics.
Now it was time to play our last gig of the year, being tomorrow New Year’s Eve. We waited back stage until the band before us started their last song. We headed to the stage from one of the many hallways in the building. I peaked out at the crowed from the side of the stage and found it to be probably one of the biggest crowds we have ever played for.
I gripped the neck of my guitar a little tighter. I wasn’t nervous. I’m not nervous. I was just startled by the crowd’s size and curious to see if they would like my new song. I looked back at the guys to find them gazing out in awe.
As we waited to go onstage, I listened to the song that was being played by our opening act. Their name was The Graduate, as I remember. They were pretty good. Maybe even better than us. That even made me more nervous--err---startled to be playing this gig. I cleared my mind of all thoughts and focused on the song.
"In your smile there’s a certain lack
Of muscles strained from front to back
So I’ll do anything to get me right back home
So here’s to being alone
To anyone on their own
If anyone’s listening
Think of me when I’m gone
It’s not gunna hurt for long-
So here’s to being alone
To anyone on their own
If anyone’s listening
Think of me when I’m gone
It’s not gunna hurt for long
And you can just forget
And I can live without regret"
“Thank-you Baltimore! We have another show coming up here in January, so be sure to come back to see us,” the lead singer shouted out into the cheering crowd. They must have put on quite the show. “Hey, your Alex, right?” He said as he exited the stage and came up to us.
“Yup, that’s me,” I nodded, “You guys were really good out there,” I complimented. And no. That was not jealousy that shone in my eyes, it was amazement.
“Thank-you. Oh--the name’s Corey. Corey Warning,” he smiled, shaking my hand. I heard Jack mumble, “Sweet name.” He laughed in acknowledgement to Jack. “Thanks. We got the crowed all riled up for you guys. Break a leg,” he waved politely as he took a water bottle and made his way back stage.
“Thanks,” I mumbled. Okay, nothing to be scared---startled about. It was just the largest crowed we ever had. And if we didn’t do as good as the band before us, then that might be very bad. And the awkwardness between Jack and I could tone down our performance. But if we messed up, no one would notice, right? Right. And now it was time to walk out in front of this crowd, not knowing if we would make fools of ourselves or not.
I took a deep breath in, prayed that none of us would mess up, wished that Jack would realize the meaning behind the lyrics of the last song, let the breath out, and walked on stage. Showtime.