Adopted (Book 1) *EDITING*

Chapter 21: One Last Show.

Here we are, sitting in a dressing room in San Francisco before the last before tour is over. These last 3 months have changed my life so much that it will never be the same ever again. This tour I told people who I really was, I faced my fear of going back to my old school, I joined my favorite band, I became best friends with one of my enemies, and this tour, it brought Brendon and I closer together. I now know him like the back of my hand. This tour welcomed me into the world of music and I don't want to leave. So here I sit in the dressing room with the guys, just looking back on the tour. I snap out of my little trance with I here a guitar being strum once. I look across from me to see all the guys sitting with Brendon holding the neck of his acoustic guitar. Tonight, we had decided to do an acoustic show since we were closing the tour. Brendon cleared his throat. I look at him.

"So since you don't have an acoustic, I was thinking I could play tonight and you could play the tambourine tonight. And sing of course." Brendon said, looking at me.

"Yeah of course." I sit up and take a sip of someone's coffee that was sitting of the table next to me. I don't really care who's it is, we're all family here. "So what cover are we doing tonight?" I say, setting the coffee back down.

"Oh, I was just about to ask you that. What do you want to cover?" He said. The other guys just sat there listening to us talk.

I took a moment to find the perfect song. Soon, one popped into my head that I knew would be perfect. "How about Mr. Brightside?" I questioned. Brendon thinks.

"I...I don't know the lyric or the tabs and I can't really learn a song in thirty minutes so I-" I cut him off.

"I know them." I said, jumping at the chance to sing one of my favorite songs. I must of said that kinda loud because Dallon and Kenny jumped slightly. I laughed.

"Ok, we have a cover." He said, chuckling a little. He looked over towards Dallon and Kenny. "Do you guys know how to play the song?" The guys paused for a minute. They looked at each other for a minute.Kenny spoke up.

"Um... We don't really know..." He said looking at Brendon, then me. I sigh.

"I can play it on my own dad." I said. Crossing my arms. He handed me over his guitar. I carefully take it.

"Hormonal teenager alert." Dallon said in a singsong voice. I sigh and start trying to remember the chords of the song. They finally popped back into my head and I started to practice the song for the guys. They sat there in awe. I don't understand why me singing is so interesting, but they seem to like it a lot.

•THAT NIGHT, HALFWAY INTO THE SHOW•

As Brendon, Kenny, and Dallon strummed the last notes in Nine In The Afternoon mood, I hit the tambourine against my hand. We all exchanged a smile before looking back at the audience. Dallon leaned down and picked up his water bottle as Brendon started to speak to the fans.

"As most of you know, this is the last night of the Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die tour." Everyone let out a groan. "Now now, none of that. You know you'll see us again. But anyways, what the guys and I have always done on the last night of tour is tell you guys our favorite part about the tour." Some people cheered. "We're just gonna go down the line here." He looked over at Kenny who nodded. "So Kenny, how about you start." He said smiling. Kenny looked out and smiled.

"So, my favorite part about this tour. Hmmm to be honest with you guys, I think that would be the fact that I got to travel with Sydney." He said looking at me. The audience all went 'awwwww', I just smiled and looked down at my tambourine. "It has been truly a privilege to tour with her, even if she acts like a moody teenage girl all the time. Im glad your in the band." He said smiling at me. I smile warmly back. The fans all started to clap. "Brendon, what was your favorite part?" He said, bringing all the attention to Brendon.

"Well Kenny, I think that my favorite part of this tour was the fact I got to spend it with my daughter." He said looking at me. The fans were loosing it. "I feel like this tour brought us a lot closer. She is so talented and beautiful, I'm blessed to call her my daughter. I love you kid." Again, the fans lost it. I felt my cheeks grow redder. "Dallon?" He said, the attention moved to Dallon.

"My favorite part to tour? My favorite part of this tour was as a dad myself, seeing how Brendon dealt with Sydney. I haven't seen him care for someone like that in a long time. He is so protective and so careful. He sometimes acts like she's the most delicate thing in the world, it's pretty funny actually." Everyone went 'awwwww'. He looked over at Brendon. "Your a good man Brendon." He said. Brendon looked at him with a proud smile on his face. He then looked down at his guitar.

"That means a lot man." Brendon replied smiling. Now everyone was looking at me.

"So," I said clapping my hands down on my thighs. "I guess it's my turn now." I looked down and thought. "My favorite part of tour...my favorite part of tour was spending time with you guys." I said, looking over at them. "You guys, although you are very messy, you the sweetest people I've ever met. And you Brendon, I'm proud to call you my dad. Since I'm bad at talking, I'm gonna leave it at that. Thanks guys." I said looking down at my lap. The crowd then again went 'aawwwww'. There was a bit of a pause for a moment.

"Ok so this next song is kinda special because literally none of us know how to play it besides Syd. Since Syd insisted that we cover it and she's the only one who knows how to play it, she is going to cover it for you guys." Brendon said. He got up, one hand holding his guitar. People started to cheer. I smile and quickly hug him before grabbing the guitar and sitting back down. I lean down and take a sip of water as they cheer. When the cheers die down I speak up.

"So, who here has heard of The Killers?" I questioned, a wave of cheers erupted from the audience. "So I'm guessing you guys have heard of the song Mr. Brightside?" I said smiling. They all started to freak out. "Well, your in luck." I said before starting the intro. When I did that, the freaked out even more. Then it was time for me to sing.

"I'm coming out of my cage and ive been doing just fine, gotta gotta be down because I want it all. Started out with a kiss how did it end up like this, it was only a kiss, it was only a kiss." I sang with passion, the audience sang with me. I look out to find a lot of people recording this. I smile at a girl who is recording. She freaks out, I...I have fans... I continue to sing. I'm now at my favorite part.

"Jealousy turning saints into the sea, swimming through sick lullabies, choking on your alibis.
But it's just the price I pay, destiny is calling me. Open up my eager eyes cause I'm Mr. Brighside." I sang through a smile, looking at my dad who smiled at me too. I continued to sing to the large audienc. For some reason, this show seems so intimate. Maybe it's the dim lights or the slower songs. Or maybe it's the look of joy in the fans faces, but I love it. I loved this tour.

•RIGHT AFTER THE SHOW•

We walked off stage, arms around each others shoulders. I was almost in tears but I was too tired to cry. This was one of the best nights of my life. The guys gave their guitars to the tech guys. As we begin the walk back to the bus, I stop in my tracks. The guys stop and turn around to face me. I make a pouty face.

"What?" Brendon said. I cross my arms.

"I want a piggyback ride. I'm too tired to walk." I say, he sighs and walks over to me. I giggle.

"Find." He said. I hop on his back, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. "What I are five?" I nod into his neck. The guys laugh. I smile into his neck. We continue the walk to the bus. As we walked, we talked. "It's gonna fell good to sleep in your own room tonight won't it?" He said softly. I nod. "Let's get you home." He said. I mumbled as we step into the bus and he sits me down on the couch. I pull myself onto his lap and curl up in a ball. He puts his hand around me. I let myself drift away to sleep.

Suddenly I was jolted slightly. I open my eyes to see, stars above me. I look to see what was happening. I still had my arms around Brendon's neck. I look over to see his face. "Shhhh we're home. Just go back to sleep." He said unlocking to door with one hand, opening it with a small kick of his foot. I close my eyes and put my head against his shoulder. I feel him walk up the stairs and open a door. I slightly open my eyes and look around, my room. He pulls back the covers and lays me down on my bed. I feel my shoes come off and a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight sweetheart." He whispers before leaving the room. I drift back to sleep. I'm home again.