During Volume - A 5SOS FanFic

"Di-Did that just happen?"

It was Tuesday. I went to school early. I had something important to do. The previous night I messaged this guy from school, through Facebook, who knows everything that happens in school. He knows every student's hobbies, what they like... I know, it's creepy, but he's the one I need for this job.

I walked through the, still empty, corridors, to the library, where we were meeting. I had what he asked for in exchange, I just hoped I got results out of this. I entered the library, my backpack only hanging on one shoulder, and searched for the Math's section, where anyone, but the nerds, dared to go. And I guess he picked this place for that same reason. No one would bother us here.

"So, Evans, you brought what I asked?" The dark haired guy, a bit bigger than me, asked, a serious gaze on his face. He was a little scary, I have to admit.

"That depends... Do you have what I want?" I retorted, getting closer to the table, and him.

He reached for his backpack, taking a paper sized beige envelope out. "Here." He threw the envelope on the table. "Every name of every student in this school that does what you're looking for." He rested his hands on the table, his eyes locked on me "Now, where is it?"

I took a brown paper package off of my bag and handed him it. Reaching, then for the envelope.

"You got the right ones?" He asked me opening the package, while I opened the envelope.

"It wasn't easy at that time of the night, but I found them. The red velvet ones, right?"

"Yeah." He said taking out the Oreo package he had asked for exchange.

While he opened it and took one of the smaller sets, I read the paper that was inside the envelope. "Are these all the names?" There was a list with only four names.

"Yeah, they are." He ate one of the cookies. "I also put their schedule in there." He pointed, and I saw the schedules under every name. "Goodbye, Evans, It was a pleasure doing business with you." He left, leaving me alone with the paper.

I looked at the names. Rylie Moore, Jonah Dun, Hugh Matthews, Jim Anderson. How come only four students out of, I don't know how many, we're just too many, know how to sing and play guitar?! God... I just hope that at least one of them is 'good enough' for us.

As I walked out of the library, and went to my locker, I looked through the schedules. I had one class with each of them, which would be the perfect time to talk to them. I had English with Jonah, today. History with Rylie, also today. Physics with Jim, tomorrow. And Math with Hugh, Thursday.

In English class, when the teacher was calling each student, who, name by name rose their hand, I waited for his name to be called. Mr. Simon then called Jonah's name, and a boy, just a few seats ahead of me, rose his hand. His hair was blonde, but not like Alex's hair, it was lighter. He was wearing a black shirt, dark jeans. And he seemed bored out of his life. The target was marked. When the class had its end, I just grabbed my backpack, went straight to the door, and waited for him to come out.

"Hey, Jonah?" I called as soon as he passed, and I guess a bit too harshly, because he sent me a quite fear-provoking look. "Can a... can we talk for a sec?" I changed my tone, even though I didn't intend to sound harsh in the first place. "I just want to ask you something..."

"What?" He looked me up and down, coming near me, trying to intimidate me, well he didn't even need to try.

"A... You know about the 'Band Wars' thing, right?"

"Of course I do, everyone does."

"Well... I ... I have a band, and I heard you can sing and play guitar... I was wondering if you wanted to join us...?"

"Sorry, dude, but I already have a band." He said, now changing his posture to something not so intimidating, more like friendly and sympathetic. "You have a member missing?" I nodded. "If you have other people in mind I suggest you to go ask them right now, man. A lot of people are trying to form a last minute band, there will be no one decent available left soon."

And Jonah was right. Well, I still had to ask Hugh, but I was not really sure about his yes anymore, since both Rylie and Jim, gave me a big no, telling me the same Jonah did.

Band practice was supposed to be at Logan's house, that Wednesday afternoon, but his mom was having some kind of tea party, so we ended up staying at mine's. We were on the garage, with the garage door open, as usual, setting things up.

"How's that search going?" Logan asked me, tuning his guitar.

"I'll find someone..." I sighed, playing with my bass strings. I heard Alex muttering an 'I hope you do', from behind the drum set.

A few minutes later, we started to play. And at some point, while playing, we looked at each other, proud of ourselves. It was clear that we kept getting better, but it was also evident that something was missing.

I started to hear someone clap, and I looked behind me to find Michael Clifford with a smile on his face, clapping at us. We then stopped.

"You guys are great!" He stopped clapping, still a smile on his face.

"Thanks!" Logan said playing with a few strings on the guitar.

"Hey, I know you!" He looked at me. "You're in my Math class! Max... Evans?"

"Yeah..." That I wasn't expecting, not to mention that Michael Clifford had actually clapped us.

"So... Have you guys signed up for Band Wars, yet?"

"We're thinking about it, but..."

"We're missing a singer..."

"We're trying to find someone, but all we get is no's..."

"Oh, I see..." His smile faded. "You guys were great, though." He smiled again. "I hope you find someone! I'm really looking forward to see you guys in the competition! I'll see you around, then...!" He gave us a quick wave, and left.

"Di-Did just that just happen?" I looked at guys, skeptical. "Did Michael Clifford, actually came to us, and complimented us, and clapped us?!" I sounded like a complete fangirl, well, fanboy, but I couldn't help it, he was one of the great four! Having one of them to say something like that would be a dream come true, and it actually came true!

"I think it did...!"

Thursday came. The last day I had to find someone who wanted to join our band. The day that Hugh's simple yes or no was a matter of life or death.

I walked down the corridor to my second class of the day. Backpack bouncing on my shoulder, while I gathered all the hopes I had left. Million scenarios running through my heads, most of them negative, but I tried to push them away. My heart was beating faster than it ever did. I had to stay positive. He was going to say yes. He had to say yes.

I entered the classroom, and just waited for it to start. My foot tapped the floor, and my leg wouldn't stop shaking. I've never been this nervous in my whole life.

"Hugh..." The class was now over. Everyone was leaving. I went up to the dark haired boy, who was shoving his notebooks in his backpack.

"Hey, what's up Evans?!"

"Hey, I want to ask you something..."

"Okay, shoot!"

"Band Wars is about to start, but me and my band are still in need of a singer..."

"Max, I'm sorry, but... A guy from another school asked me, yesterday..."

No, no, no, this can't be happening... What would I do now?! Chaz can't come back to band! It would be the end of it!