A Friday Night Like This (Kellic)

I Don't Want To Live Like A Broken Record

I hightailed out of Nandos after being yelled at by several staff members and the manager. I'd stayed there for two hours, slowly eating my food and, after I'd finished, slowly sipping the drink I had ordered while checking out different jobs. I typed out a roughly crafted resume and matched it to different criteria. It was unlikely that Gabe, Jesse, Justin and Jack would take me back, so I needed to have my options covered for when I returned home. The staff had gotten fed up, because I was taking up seats for potential customers. But it was a very slow day, only three other groups arrived while I was there. I didn't see any reason for them to worry.

I start walking towards the venue. There's a line outside a mile long, so I go around to the back. Zach and Rian are walking into the venue and I call out their names, hoping that they hear me. I slide past security without any troubles and Zach hands me a spare pass. He gives me a lop-sided smile.

'I knew you'd be here. Pay up, Ri.' He turns to his companion who, in turn, rolls his eyes and digs into his pocket. He hands a twenty over reluctantly.

'Only twenty bucks?' I say. 'I'm disappointed, Zach.' Zach shrugs, pocketing the twenty.

'I wasn't that confident.' He says. We continue walking. It's about seven forty-five.

'Gotta run, Kellin. We play in a few minutes.' Rian says, tugging on Zach's shirt. They start running to where I presume the stage is.

'Oh, and guys?' I shout at them. They stop and turn back.

'Yeah?'

'I was never here.'

They nod knowingly and continue their sprint for the stage. I laugh quietly and begin walking to one of the doors that I know is near the back of the venue. I see Vic and Jaime walking this way, and skitter to the side, crouching behind a few boxes.

'Hime, get real. It isn't going to happen.' I heard Vic say, their footsteps echoing along the abandoned hall.

'How do you know?' Jaime asked, passing right by me.

'I just have a feeling. He won't forgive me. I saw it in his eyes. Deep down, like, really deep, he doesn't. It's just the truth.' Vic sighed and opened a door, presumably going into an interview because I could hear Mike's laugh and an annoyingly familiar voice say,

'And look who it is guys! It's Vic and -'

Bryan. I rolled my eyes and darted along the hallway. I exited the becoming-claustrophobic space and joined the crowd that was filing in from the front entrance. I managed to walk all the way to the other side of the building, snapping up a spot midway from stage to doors.

I watched Alex, Jack, Rian and Zach run onstage to begin the night. They started off with "Reckless and the Brave", a much older song from their 2012 album "Don't Panic". A few songs in and they played one of their singles off the new album, entitled "Lovesick". They ended with another much older song, "A Party Scene". During the entire show, Zach's eyes had flitted around, until they had met mine, which was accompanied by a small smile afterwards.

All Time Low ran offstage and were quickly followed by Memphis May Fire. I recalled singing with them, lending my voice to them for guest vocals.

‘Matty, how do you think we should start this?’ I asked. We were sitting in Matty’s living room, thinking about lyrics for a new song. Matty already had an idea; we just needed to put it on paper. I had my lyric book with me and I was tapping a blank page. Matty had his out and was flicking through it feverishly.

‘I had, uh, an idea… It’s here somewhere… I know it is! I was looking at it this morning.’ He continued turning page after page, his eyes glancing at the scribbled mess.