toxic ✰ ponyboy curtis

chapter 1

oklahoma, 1969

-the hippie-

"We're Lucy and the Gems!" Lucy's voice rang out in the microphone.

"Here we have yours truly, I'm Lucy Scott and I'll be singing for you lovely people tonight. Then we have Joan Miranda on guitar and backup vocals, Eleanor Hansen on bass, and Martha Howard on drums and more backup vocals!"

Joan smirked to herself as she looked out into the bar full of drunk, loud people. People of all ages had their drinks, some caught up in conversation while others awaited eagerly for the band to strike up.

"We're gonna start off with a song you might all know. This one's called I Wanna Hold Your Hand by The Beatles." Joan leaned forward into her microphone to announce the song. There were cheers as she backed away from the microphone, listening as Martha hit her drumsticks together.

"One, two, three, four!"

They all jumped into action. Joan's fingers danced across the frets, the chords she formed seeming effortless. Martha hit her drums, nodding her head with the beat. Eleanor let her fingers pluck out the bass line. Lucy gripped her microphone and the stand as she shortly awaited her cue to sing.

The audience clapped along as some people danced, drunkenly swaying.

The three girls sang together, sending each other smiles. They had performed at this small bar many times before, it was nothing special. Yet they couldn't deny the fact that each time they started playing together, they came alive.

The audience couldn't deny it either. They felt the energy of the teenage girls on stage and something about it made the audience come alive right along with the band.

Joan let herself sway gently as she kept her attention on the guitar and her vocals. She let her eyes rise from her guitar to the audience and she looked out into the crowd of people. Everyone in the room was either dancing or at least tapping their foot and she couldn't help but feel pride wash over her.

The song slowly came to an end as Joan strummed out the last chords and sang the last line with her two friends' voices accompanying her.

"Thank you guys! This next one is called 'The Night Before, by, you guessed it, The Beatles!" Lucy giggled to herself, shaking her head.

The song went by pretty quick. Joan's heartbeat still soared during her guitar solo when she heard whistles and cheers from the crowd urge her on.

Joan almost faltered when she looked out into the crowd and saw a teenage boy sitting at the bar, bags under his eyes as he blankly stared off, drink in hand. He looked dead. It was as if nobody else was in his world, he had blocked everything out. He looked sad. Numb.

Once they finished up the song, Joan leaned over to Lucy, whispering to her.

"We should play 'Hey Jude', Lucy."

"Why do you want to play that all the sudden? Isn't that a deeper song?"

"Look at that poor kid out there. Besides, have you heard the end of that song? The crowd will participate, they'll love it."

"Alright, Joanie. You seem to know what you're talking about." Lucy shrugged, leaning over and picking up her acoustic guitar. 

"We don't have a piano up here, but you know how to play it on acoustic right?" Lucy asked. Joan smiled.

"You bet." She removed her electric guitar, gently placing it on the stand where the acoustic guitar previously was.

She wrapped her hands around the acoustic guitar, pulling the strap over her head and allowing it to rest on her shoulder.

Once everyone was ready, Joan spoke up.

"We're doing something a little different if that's alright with you wonderful people." Joan grinned at the audience as there were scattered shouts of approval.

"This song is pretty popular, and if you're not feeling too great tonight, it might help you out. This one's called 'Hey Jude'."

The audience roared, seeming to have no problems with the song choice at all. This time the teenage boy looked up at the girls, seeming intrigued.

Joan locked eyes with the boy. She held eye contact with him for one more moment before she let her eyes fall down to the guitar in her hands. She looked over at Lucy and was given an approving nod of the head.

Lucy silently counted and began singing. Joan immediately strummed out the first chord, transitioning at the correct time.

The boy watched in wonder, slightly confused by the slow pace of the song.

-the dead man walking-

The song sent chills down his spine.

He sipped his beer which he was too young to be drinking. It may have sounded dumb, but it felt as if the band was playing for him. He didn't see the crowd dancing, he didn't hear their off key singing along. He just saw and heard the band. He could feel the band. It was as if they had taken over his senses.

He locked eyes with the guitarist again. The girl whose chords gave him goosebumps.

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song, and make it better..." Lucy's voice was slow but strong as she sang out the words of comfort.

He continued to watch as they transitioned into the end of the song, all of the girls smiling as the crowd began to take over. The song was famous after all.

"Na na na na na na na na na na, hey Jude!" The girls' voices sang the line once before the crowd had completely stolen the show. They all smiled at the sea of people singing.

Joan locked eyes with the boy once more and gave him a small smile.

And for the first time in a long time, the boy mustered up the energy to shoot a smile back.