For You |Buckin|

Everyone of Us is Scared

        The celebrations lasted for a fleeting moment. Work started up again almost instantly. The fear of only reaching success once was a horrifying idea to all of them. They couldn't let their sudden fame halt the progress towards their next album.

November 2001

Songwriting and recording were well underway. August 2002 was the release date and they showed no sign of slowing. They all sat in a room messing around with their respective instruments. Chords, strumming, and the occasional curse words were all you could hear. Chris muttered to himself as he played scales and any note that came into his head. He eventually came up with a melody to share with the group. He waved his hand, "Guys, this sound any good?" He began playing something comparable to the introduction of clocks. Guy shook his head, "Sounds like shit." Jonny shook his head, "Nah, keep going." Chris squinted and kept playing. He said while playing, "It's still shaky." Will added, "Then continue working on it, could be something." Slowly they began to write riffs and melodies only occasionally interrupting others asking for their comments.

Guy looked at the clock, "It's 5 PM. I'm gonna get some takeout, I'll be back later. Anyone want anything?" Chris shook his head and Jonny politely declined. Will shrugged, "I could get some food. I need a change of scenery too. We might as well just go together." Guy shrugged, "Yeah, guess we have enough time." Chris rubbed his eyes, "What have you been working on?" Jonny shook his head, "Just messed around, practiced Amsterdam too." Jonny walked over to sit next to Chris, "Always a mess here." Jonny picked up a folder and papers came flowing out. "Oh sorry let me just," Chris cut him off, "Nah I got it."

Jonny picked up a paper from the floor, "Green Eyes, hm, have you showed everyone this yet." Chris shook his head and awkwardly said, "It's not ready anyway." Johny read through the lyrics. He asked as if it were a statement, "Gwen has green eyes?" Chris exhaled sharply, he just noticed that he might have written this song unintentionally or intentionally for the man in front of him. "Uh yeah," he grinned even though he knew she had lied about her having green eyes. Jonny handed it back to him, "Play it then." Chris blushed and nodded. He got up and grabbed his guitar. He began to play and Jonny listened intently as he rocked back and forth. Chris looked at him with a smile as he played and at the end, he looked up and asked, "Like it?" Jonny nodded, "A lot, her eyes must be something amazing." Chris awkwardly wanted to reply with something along the lines of your eyes are amazing too but, he didn't let himself say it aloud. Jonny snatched the guitar from Chris' hands and he began to play, "What you played was just fine but, what do you think of this?" Jonny starred down at his guitar as he strummed. Chris hummed along and smiled. "Wonderful," he said while a smile. Jonny grinned, "Thanks."

Jonny asked, "Could you play me that song you showed us earlier?" Chris turned his chair towards the piano. "Alright, let's see." He dug into his folder and pulled out an already crinkled sheet of paper. Jonny sat at the edge of his seat while he listened to him play. Chris made up words but, most of them didn't seem to stick. Jonny clapped at the end and grinned. Chris chuckled and shoved the paper back into his folder. Jonny said, "I do like that one but, I think I like 'Green Eyes' more." Chris grinned, it felt like he won something but, he wasn't sure what it was.

Once Guy and Will came back it was 6:30 PM. Jonny almost seemed too enthusiastic as he said, "Guys, Chris came up with a pretty good song he's been hiding from us. Go ahead and play it again." Chris shook his head, "It really isn't so good." Jonny raised an eyebrow and mouthed out a, please. Chris shrugged, "Fine." Everybody paid their attention to Chris as he played and sang. Will squinted, "Don't you mean blue eyes. Don't you know your girlfriend Gwen has blue eyes." Chris awkwardly grinned as everybody laughed. Chris awkwardly muttered, "This song isn't for her." Nobody heard him over Guy gushing about the food he had just eaten and how they tried to poison him. Jonny chuckled and grabbed his jacket and began to head for the door "It's seven, I should get home or something." Everyone gave him their goodbyes and slowly others began to leave too.

The next day they met like they did every day for the past few years. In a cramped room filled with instruments, Chris and Jonny sat next to each other arguing about what chords completed each other for a new song. It started off with simple disagreements, not liking the words or the notes together then it was starting to get more drastic. Jonny scoffed and talked about how Chris was too selfish to realize it sounded so awful. Chris rolled his eyes and gave jeering comments right back at him. Jonny huffed and said quietly, "I'm gonna take a walk." With that, he stomped out. Chris didn't feel bad immediately. Selfish, never! Guy, Will, and Chris all looked at each other with confusion. Guy sighed, "Just apologize quickly, I wanna brainstorm some interludes with him later." Will nodded and shrugged, "He might just be having a bad day or something."

Chris walked after Jonny. Jonny walked around the parking lot with a frown. Chris frowned, "Hey buddy, you ok." Jonny shook his head. Chris sat down on the curb near him and pat the spot next to him. Jonny sat down next to him. "Sorry, I kind of just blew up there." Chris shook his head, "So did I, it's stressful I know." Jonny looked down, "Do you think we already reached our career's peak." Chris shook his head, "No but, there's only one way to find out." Jonny rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, whatever you say." Chris shrugged, "Wanna go back in, or do you need a second." Jonny shook his head, "You know I'm not a child, I think I'm ready to go back now." Chris stood up and pat Jonny's back. "Come on then," Chris said. As they walked back Chris asked, "Do you really think I'm selfish?" Jonny didn't answer as he opened the door and pretended as if nothing happened. Chris went back to the piano and began hammering away playing anything that came into his mind. Jonny took his guitar and practiced his scales. Chris still wanted to hear if Jonny thought he was selfish.

After a few hours, Chris grinned evilly. "Guys, I think I got it!" Jonny, Will, and Guy stood around the piano. Chris played and sang something eerily similar to clocks. Everybody looked surprised. It sounded wonderful, catchy, and mystical. One question was left what would it be called? Jonny hummed, "It should be called Clocks." Will scrunch his nose, "Clocks? The song never even mentions clocks." Guy shrugs, "I mean it's different, rememberable." Chris smiled, "Yeah, great name."

Jonny patted his back, "I have a feeling Clocks will be a hit." Chris smirked, "Guess we will have to find out." Jonny walked back to his desk and played A Rush of Blood to the Head quietly trying to engrave the chords in his brain. Will interrupted the group and asked, "Y'know that green/blue eye song. I think with some work that could be on the album too, we should work on it right?" Chris cringed as he pulled it from his folder. "Yeah sure," he said. Jonny asked, "Are you gonna change it to blue eyes to make it accurate." Chris shook his head, "Nah, it's already accurate as green eyes." Chris got up, "Let me make copies to give you guys, I'll be back." He came back and gave everyone a copy. He sat at his piano and waited for them to look through it. Guy replayed some of the notes in a different octave and began scribbling on the paper. Will aimlessly tried to keep in beat while reading. Jonny just sat there and read it. Chris began trying to come up with his piano part and Jonny got over reading it and began to play.

Green eyes your the one that I wanted to find

Author's Note

Was that good? Cause I can't tell.