Keeping Secrets

The Concert

PEYTON

The seats we had were incredible—just a few rows back from the stage, slightly off-center, with a perfect view. We were close enough to see everything clearly but elevated enough that we didn't have to strain our necks to watch the show.

The stage itself was dark, but the arena wasn't, yet. It was dusky outside, and it'd be at least another another hour until the sun would fully set.

"There's a lot of people here," Amanda commented as she looked around. And she was right. Our college loved football, but the stands hadn't been this filled when I watched the game.

Suddenly, a single spotlight turned on, and everyone's attention turned toward the stage. It got surprisingly quiet, but only for a second. Beau stepped out onto the stage and right into the light, and the crowd went nuts. He carried himself with a new kind of confidence, but with the grin he flashed the audience was the same. As soon as he strummed the first few cords of their hit song, the entire arena exploded into cheers.

It only took a few seconds before Dane joined in on the drums. Another spotlight zeroed in on him, seated behind the drum set like a king on his throne. The beat thundered through the arena, and it was a powerful, hair rising experience.

Amanda screamed beside me once Justin joined in on the bass. There was a keyboard next to him and I knew he'd be playing that, too, later on. Justin was talented with any kind of instrument.

Then the entire stage lit up, and colorful lights swirled around like a kaleidoscope. There was a loud boom, and smoke billowed across the stage, creating a dramatic effect as Lucas strode out like he owned the place. The screams and shouts from the audience reached a fever pitch, and when Lucas opened his mouth and unleashed his powerful voice, the noise level hit the imaginary roof.

That man could sing. His growly voice cut through the air with such an intensity it demanded attention.

Holy shit.

They were all incredible. To say their skills had improved over the last two years would be an understatement. There was a tingling sensation along my spine as I watched them play. Justin's rhythm was flawless. He anchored the band's sound while Beau's guitar riffs were precise and impressive. Dane's drumming powerful and rhythmic, and Lucas's voice—the sound that sealed the deal, captivating the audience. They were made to fill stadiums.

The concert was so much better than I had ever expected it'd be. They had come a long way from the days of playing in Justin's parents' garage. Their sound and the way they handled themselves were so professional. So impressive, and just awe-inspiring. They looked and sounded like they were seasoned professionals, like they'd been doing this for years already. To think that these men, these performers, had been just like us a couple of years ago—just regular college students—was almost surreal.

I was so damn proud of Justin. He'd actually made something out of his dream. The group was standing on the edge, ready to take on the world and from the look and sound of it. They were ready. I could only imagine what Amanda and his parent's felt. They must be so incredibly proud.

The band received standing ovations and was called back for an encore, which they rocked just like the rest of the concert. A couple of the songs were new, and I expected at least one of them— the one called "Lights Out"—to be another hit on music charts. It was heavy on the drums and had a bit more of old school rock sound compared to their other music, which went more towards southern rock.

"It's so weird," Amanda said slowly shaking her head from side to side as the concert came to an end. "I never would've thought they'd be that good."

"Very weird," her aunt Rita responded, just as a fan near us shouted that she wanted to have Justin's babies.