"Shorty" The Get Up Kids

Hi

So I thought this was interesting. Reading this once I finished "The Last Place You Look" and seeing how much has changed. I thought Bennett Williams' name was Adam when I staretd writing this story in my notes. Turns out in my first notes of this story, his name was Bennett.

"He had hair longer than a lot of girls at this school. He was dressed normally like himself. Tight jeans and a shirt hugging his long skinny body. But he jsut sat agaisnt the stage next to his guitar case. Talking to Jill, a girl in my math class.

With Dave backstage I sat alone closeby them. Not close enough to hear them but close. Jill got up saying goodbye. And she walked away.

I watched him. He sat back sipping a bottle of ater. He leaned his head back against the stage for a minute. And I looked away my attention drawn to a freshman belting out some showtune.

When I looked back at him. His eres were on me. We made eye contact for a long time. I tried not to blink. I felt weird maybe he wasn't looking at me. So I blinked.

He smiled. And it changed his entire face. He had been looking at me. And I smiled back at him. Before looking back at the stage.

Dave's band played next. They were a shoo-in. And I looked at him. Dave as he sand. He'd look at me occasionally smile and wink. But I watched Bennett. He actually watched Dave's band. And I knew he knew they were good. Everyone did.

The band was packing up and Dave jumped down from the stage and came over to me. I kissed him. Said how good he was. And meant it.

He sat next to me. And kissed my cheek. Saying how pretty I looked. Then we both looked up.

Bennett was sitting on a stool with his guitar. "This guy," Dave pointed. "Is all over myspace. He's legitimate. But too emo, way too emo."

I nodded as Bennett started playing. Some simple quiet chords. Then Dave got up to get a drink from a vending machine. But I watched him so, so carefully. He looked up bringing his mouth to the microphone. His eyes fell on me.

And he started singing.

And he was amazing.

* * *

The next talent show rehearsal I didn't see Bennett and I was nervous. He didn't get in. But I saw him. His hair was shorter. I stared almost. He looked very good looking.

Dave was talking to him. I went over to them trying not to be weird. Dave introduced me as I walked up. "Hi," I said.

"Hey," He said. He smiled at me. "You're in my history class, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah," I said.

Then Dave went back to talking about music with him."

I wrote this during my first sitting of Fast Times at Barrington High. I forget which song but I think it was before "After The Last Midtown Show"- which was the song I anticipated more than anything.

When that happened I sort of took the skeleton of that and applied it to this story. And if you are unfamiliar with the band The Academy Is... I can't stress enough how incredible they are and how they've impacted my life, my art, and my writing.

And I'll be working on changing the characters around so it isn't some sick creepy FanFiction. Because I think I drew too much out of their music and images associated with the band. I jsut hope I don't ruin it.

But we need to fix the things we need to fix. It won't be a complete rewrite. Maybe, but I'm not sure I want to start thinking about that.

Edit: I'm officially ten years younger than William Beckett today. Happy Birthday Billvy :]

Byesies-
JaseyRay.