Barely Breathing//Ethis

1||

Chris' point of view:

"What's his name again?" I ask Ethan for probably the billionth time

"Jakob Delgado, I've known him for a while, he's around our age and he's as serious about his music as we are." He tells me for the billionth time, turning off the music he was listening to through his headphones

"So you know him pretty well?" I ask another question, he doesn't seem fazed by all my questions but instead he's looking at me patiently waiting

"Yeah we're pretty good mates" he replies

"Do you uh think he'll like me?" I ask a little anxious, what if he doesn't?

"Of course he'll like you, just don't worry about it and be yourself" he tells me gazing out the car window.
Ethan and I have been talking seriously about starting a band and Ethan suggested a close friend, Jakob. Ethan has told me a lot about him and he seems like a nice guy I'm just really nervous about meeting him. I hate meeting new people, it makes me
anxious. Everything makes me anxious.

"I mean we were once strangers and now we're best friends" he says smiling, he's completely oblivious and that both makes me a little sad and thankful.
We pull up outside a big two story house that looks pretty expensive, even the flowers in the garden bed look immaculate. I stand beside Ethan staring at the house ahead becoming more and more uneasy with each passing second.

"Take a deep breath" Ethan whispers before striding up the driveway, I quickly follow him up to the front door and he knocks on the door only waiting a matter of seconds before it swings open and a bright eyed boy with a goofy smile is standing before us.

"Hey Jake," Ethan greets him with a hug and I can't help but feel a little jealous by this action of affection, I know they're friends and that's generally what friends do but I can't seem to shake the feeling. "Jakob this is Chris, Chris this is Jakob" he introduces

"Hey" Jakob smiles excitedly

"Uh hi" I wave awkwardly

"Come in" Jakob says stepping out our way.

I let Ethan walk in first because I don't really know what to do, how to act.
Jakob seems nice, definitely excited about all this. I just hope he likes me too because if he doesn't I don't know how this band is going to work out.

"So, should we just dive right into this or get to know each other first?" Jakob asks directing his question at me

"We could get to know each other first?" I reply but it comes out as more of a question, he smiles and walks down a hall, he doesn't say anything so I follow him with Ethan in toe. His house is so big that I almost lost him and if it weren't for his distinctive cologne I just might of. I follow him into a room that looks like it must be his own little recording studio. It looks amazing the way he's set it out, he has all these different instruments around the room and if I'm completely honest I am extremely envious right now.

"Make yourself comfortable" he speaks sitting down on a beanbag, I do the same and so does Ethan.

"Well I'm Jakob Delgado, I'm 14 and I really really want this to work out. If this band is going to work out we need to need to be committed." Jakob says breaking the silence

"Ethan Karpathy, 14 and I just want to do what I love and maybe make some people happy along the way" Ethan smiles leaning forward, the room falls silent once again and I realise they're both looking at me waiting for me to speak.

"Oh right. I'm Chris Lanzon, I'm 15 and I just want to fulfil my dreams I guess..." I say looking at my hands.

"I think we're off do a good start, would you like something to eat or a drink?" Jakob asks standing up

"Just water please" Ethan says and Jakob glances at me waiting for an answer

"I'll just have what he's having" I answer meeting his gaze, he nods and swiftly exits the room and I breathe a sigh of relief

"You're doing great" Ethan tells me

"Are you sure? I feel so awkward, you know how I am with people" I say kinda hoping he doesn't think this is going as badly as I think it is.

"I'm positive, Chris you're doing great just try to relax a little" he tells me patting my knee.

Jakob comes back into the room and hands Ethan and I our drinks

"Thank you" I smile taking a sip and it immediately makes me feel that little bit calmer.

"Should we sing something?" Jakob asks all of his excitement returning

"Sure" Ethan agrees standing up
looking equally as excited, this could be the start of something amazing.

I cautiously walk over to one of Jakob's guitars and I take it off the stand, I put the strap on my shoulder and turn back to the boys

"What should we sing?" I ask feeling at ease holding a guitar, it calms my nerves.

"Amnesia by 5sos?" Ethan suggests looking between Jakob and I for approval, I nod stepping closer to them waiting for Jakob to decide. He smiles a yes and I start to strum the chords to the beginning of the song.
Our voices blend perfectly together and the harmonies send chills down my spine. Now I know this is meant to be, it's right. I find myself smiling at how amazing we all sound, I'm going to work my hardest to make this work, it just has to.

"Wow" Ethan laughs slightly

"That was amazing" Jakob adds not being able to keep the smile off his face and I nod in agreement.

"We still need a name" I remind them, they both furrow their brows in
thought and I begin looking around the room hoping that maybe something will give me a spark of inspiration. We need a name that will stand out, a name someone is going to remember when they hear it. Something unique, original. Nothing seems to be coming to me until my eyes land on Jakob's set of surround sound stereos and I know exactly what we are

"In Stereo" I suggest looking at them, they both smile

"It's perfect" Ethan nods
"It's so us" Jakob says proudly.

"What now?" I ask putting down the guitar

"We announce it, tell the fans. But we should introduce Jakob to them first and let them get used to him" Ethan says and he's right, we can't just Spring something like this on them. I'm not even sure that I have fully processed this. I'm in a band.
I'm both excited and scared about what's to come.
Success or failure.
Acceptance or rejection.
Fame or forgotten.
This is my whole life on the line, this decides if I have fame; everything I ever wanted, performing and doing what I want for the rest of my life or failing miserably and becoming a laughing stock that gets forgotten in a matter of hours and I definitely don't want to go through that again. Not after what happened last year on The Voice Kids, I know that it was a long time ago and I have definitely improved since then but a part of me can't forget it, a part of me doesn't want to let it go and it is slowly destroying me from the inside out.

"Chris are you listening?" Jakob asks shaking me lightly

"What?" I ask looking at him

"It's your turn to announce it" he half laughs

"Oh yeah, sorry" I reply a little embarrassed, I reach for my phone on the beanbag and I quickly repost the photo Ethan posted.
I take a deep breath and post it moving onto my next social media site.
This could make or break me and I don't know which one could turn out worse.
I lock my phone and look up at the boys who appear to be laughing about something and I immediately get another pang of jealousy in my stomach.
Why does this keep happening? I know their best friends and they've known each other way longer, it shouldn't bother me but for some reason it does.

A/N: So this is the first chapter and I know it's not very interesting at the moment but it will be soon "so just keep looking at our stuff" anyway if you liked this chapter please vote and maybe comment and tell me what you think. It would be much appreciated. So until next time

*winks* byeeeee