The Middle | ✔️

Chapter 92

Jamie

21:49pm

"How could I know? That everything you say are lies, about devotion and desire!"

I'm standing towards the back of the crowd with Patrick, nodding my head whilst watching Bayside and smiling from ear to ear. I already decided I'm gonna buy Patrick a gift sometime next week, because convincing me to come here then smuggling me in via some drummer dude he knows was the best thing he's done in a while. This was exactly what I needed tonight, after everything. I'm totally happy right now, because I'm not thinking about all of the things that are making me sad. I'm just enjoying Bayside and allowing myself to get lost in the music. Patrick asked if I wanted to find a spot up front, but I'm good at the back of the crowd. Not in the mood to jump around and have random people nudging me in the ribs. I don't feel quite that good. But, I feel a hell of a lot better than I did a couple of hours ago.

"So fucking good." Patrick comments as Devotion and Desire ends and everyone starts cheering. "John Holohan is so awesome."

"Not as awesome as you." I say to him with a smile. He knows he's my favourite drummer.

"And definitely not as awesome as me." I turn around and startle at the sight of Shaun Campbell standing just behind Patrick, with Bryan Dawson and Max Coull at either side of him. Right, I forgot he said he was coming to this show tonight.

"That's debatable." Patrick calls over his shoulder to Shaun, purposefully not turning around to face him.

Anthony Raneri is addressing the crowd now, saying something about how great it is to be in South Bridge tonight. I'm not really listening, because Shaun is still speaking.

"What are you doing here, Superstar? Thought you were going to the dance at school?"

"Change of plans." I call over my shoulder to him, not turning to face him either. Bayside have just started playing their next song.

The crowd cheer as they begin playing Masterpiece, another favourite of mine. Fast paced, frantic, and so much fun to sing along to. This is what I love about music. It can make you feel some type of way, and there's nothing I love more than the buzz of performing on stage for a crowd of fans, or being part of that crowd and getting lost in the music of other artists I love listening to. Like Bayside. And as the night goes on, that's exactly what I do. Patrick and I barely talk at all, other than to throw rude comments back at Shaun every time he tries to talk to us, because Bayside have our complete and undivided attention. I even smile all the way through Don't Call Me Peanut, because even though the melody and lyrics are making me think about Noah, I really do love this song. Noah Adams doesn't get to taint the things I love the most in the world, especially not music.

The show ends with Duality, and the crowd go wild before most people start quickly heading towards the exits. It is very hot and sweaty in here now, everyone is dying to get outside. Besides Shaun, it seems. The moment I turn around, preparing to head for the back exit of the venue, I'm faced by him. He hasn't styled his hair tonight, or if he did the sweat must have ruined it. He's dressed casually for a change; black jeans and a Bayside band t-shirt. Cute. He looks better than cute, actually. Hot, is the correct word.

"Aren't you glad you bailed on Fall Out Boy?" Shaun asks me with a smile.

"Bayside over Fall Out Boy, any day!" Bryan contributes, and his friends laugh at him.

"Did you guys get re-sale tickets or something?" Max asks Patrick and me with interest. "This show sold out instantly."

"Uh, yeah, something like that." Patrick says, not wanting to admit that we actually got in here without tickets. That could piss people off. I bet Bayside tickets aren't cheap these days.