Feel Alive(Adopted By Mikey Way)

4~Mikey

Tonight we have a concert. Right now we're getting ready for rehearsals. Shallan is standing in front of the stage. Frank is tuning his guitar as is Ray, Gerard is fixing the mic stand and I'm basically just standing here waiting.

"Are we ready?" Gee asks looking at us. We all nod and Frank starts the opening cords of Helena. We finish and Shallan claps.

"You guys are good." She tells us. We play a couple more songs and then Gee, Ray, Bob and Frank walk off stage all with different things they need to do. I sit down cross legged and set my bass in my lap. Shallan gets up on the stage and sits down in front of me.

"Could you play for me?" she asks.

"Sure." I decide to play Give 'em Hell Kid. She rests her elbow on her knee and rests her chin in her hand. I play through the entire song.

"I love the sound. It's so..." she struggles to find the right word," Pretty. You play really well."

"Thanks."

"Do think-could I-would you teach me to play?" she speaks so quietly that I almost don't hear her.

"Sure. I haven't taught anyone before so I probably won't do a very good job, but I'll try." Her face lights up.

She scoots over next to me and gives me a hug. It's very unexpected.

"Thank you." she whispers.

"You're welcome." I reply. She lets go and gets off the stage. She pulls a small notebook out of her pocket as well as a pen then she sits down and begins to write. They guys come back and we continue to practice. Practice comes to an end and we head back to the bus for an hour before the concert. We all rest for a little bit and then we go back to the venue to get ready. We all have our own dressing rooms. Shallan just went to the bathroom so I'm actually alone right now, but she'll be back soon. I sit down in front of the mirror. My hair is sticking up weird. I grab the straight iron and begin the long process of straightening my hair. The door opens and Shallan walks in. In the mirror I can see her standing behind me.

"You straighten your hair?" she asks, trying to hide a smile.

"Yes. Otherwise it does weird things."

"Oh yes, because this isn't weird." She gestures to the straight iron. I stick my tongue out at her reflection. She smiles and sits down. She pulls her notebook out again.

"What do you write?"

"I write poetry."

"Cool."

"I started writing poetry when I was ten. That was the year my b-br-br-" She bursts into tears. I put the straight iron down and start to get up.

"I'm-I'm okay. Really I'm fine." she wipes her face and takes a few deep breaths. I sit back down and continue to straighten my hair.

"You don't have to tell if you don't want." she nods and goes back to writing.

"I will sometime. Just not now." she tells me.

"Alright." She smiles ever so slightly and keeps writing. Finally I finish my hair. I take my glasses off, fix my hair right and put my glasses back. I spin around in my chair and look at Shallan.

"How do I look?" she looks up and cocks her head to the side. She stands and steps in front of me. She takes my glasses off me, hands them to me and then proceeds to fix my hair. She takes my glasses back and slides them back on my face. She spins me around so that I face the mirror. She did a good job. I smile and turn again.

"Now you look good." she tells me.

"Thanks." I stand and grab my bass off the couch. We walk out into the hall. Gee and Frank are standing there.

"What happened to your hair?" Gee asks.

"Shallan did it for me." he nods and turns back to Frank. Ray and Bob show up eventually. Fall Out Boy walk off stage.

"Good luck." Patrick says as he walks by.

"Thanks." I reply. They dim the lights over the crowd. The crowd begins to scream and chant. Bob runs on stage. Then Frank, Me, Gee and Ray. Shallan stands by the edge the stage to watch the show. Every now and then I glance at Shallan. The first couple times she's standing there talking with Pete, but the third time she's nowhere in sight. I frown, but assume she just went to the bathroom or something and continue playing. When we're done preforming I'm the first one off the stage. Shallan never came back. I go to 'my' dressing room. She's sitting on the couch writing. She looks up when the door opens.

"Hey. Why'd you stop watching?"

"I got a headache. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I just wondered." she nods and goes back to her writing.

May I read one of your poems?" I ask. She nods and flips through the notebook and then hands it to me.

Don't grow weary with your wonder

For there are sunsets still to see

Lands you must get lost in

And other selves you'll come to see

Don't grow weary with your wonder

For this is only the opening act

And if wonder's what you search for

Wonder's what you will attract

So when weary be your world

And darkness drags the sunlight under

Turn your face up to the stars

And don't grow weary with your wonder

-S. C. M.

"This is really good." I tell her.

"Thanks." I stand and walk towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Bathroom." She nods and I walk out. When I get back Patrick is sitting on the couch beside her. Shallan is still writing and Patrick is reading what she's writing.

"You have a real knack for poetry." he tells her. Her cheeks go pink at his comment. I don't think I like what that means.

"Thank you." she looks up and notices me. Patrick looks up too.

"Hey." he says.

"Hey." I reply. Patrick looks back at Shallan.

"It was nice talking with you Shallan."

"You too, Patrick."

"I'll see you both later. " he says and walks out. She watches him go. Her cheeks are still tinged slightly pink.

+++++++

9/23/16

I can't even breathe. I saw it and grabbed my brother by the shoulders and started shaking him violently and he thought I was having a mental breakdown. When in reality I was just really fucking happy. Like he has no idea.

Comment and vote. Thanks!

Savannah(-: