Chapter Twenty Four: Critical Acclaim

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            Rory stood next to Matt, Brian’s custom Schecter clutched tightly in her hands. To say that she was nervous would be an understatement. In a few short moments she would be out there playing for thousands of kids. Not to mention the fact that they were all expecting to see Synyster Gates walk out on stage, not her. Her palms started to sweat as she watched Jimmy walk out onto the dark stage.

            For hours yesterday they discussed how tonight’s show would go down. They planned to start with Critical Acclaim, but leave out the intro that way Rory wouldn’t have to open with a guitar solo on her first night playing with them. So instead, they would start the song at Jimmy’s vocal part.

            “Shhh quite, you might piss somebody off,” Jimmy’s voice echoed through the venue. That was their cue, her cue.

            The four of them ran out from the side of the stage, Matt and Rory from one side, and Johnny and Zacky from the other.

            Rory’s feet seemed to move on their own, marching her right out on stage as she attempted to hide behind Matt.

            Everything felt like it was going in slow motion once she was standing in front what is usually Brian’s microphone. Trying to focus on the beat of the drum, she started to play.

            She couldn’t exactly see the audience due to the blinding stage lights, but she faintly heard more than just a few of them asking where Synyster Gates was. Ignoring them to her ability, she repeatedly told herself that wasn’t hundreds of people gathered around the stage, watching her every move.

            “So I’m sure some of you have heard that Synyster Gates broke his wrist the other week,” M. Shadows said after the song was finished. “I don’t know how many of you have ever tried to play guitar with a cast on, but according to Syn, it’s pretty fuckin difficult,” he chuckled, his smile growing at the sight of all fans that had come out to see them tonight. “And we didn’t want to cancel our first month of this tour, so we got one of our lovely friends to fill in for Gates,” he announced.

            There was a mixture of cheers and boos. Matt resisted the urge to yell at the people who were booing. If only they would give Rory a chance. “So without further ado, I’d like to introduce you all to Rory,” he shouted, grabbing Rory and pulling her over to center stage. “She’s going to be our lead guitarist until January, at which point Syn will have his cast off and will be able to play again.”

            The rest of the concert went fantastic. They crowed seemed to enjoy Rory playing, even though they were kinda upset that Syn couldn’t play. He made up for it by running out onstage on more than one occasion, mostly to make fun of Johnny.

                        Brian sneakily and quietly tiptoed out onto stage during Beast and the Harlot. Johnny was near the edge of the stage, rocking out on the bass, completely unaware that Brian was right behind him. So as Johnny turned around to walk to the other side of the stage, he practically ran into Brian while getting the shit scared out of him. It was so funny Matt actually stopped singing to roar with laughter, his dimples causing all of the teenage girls swoon.

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            It was about 3 AM one morning when Lyric heard noises coming from another one of the bunks. Unfortunately, she knew exactly what Matt and Val were up to. She also that they wouldn’t do that unless they thought everyone was sleeping. So feeling like she was invading their privacy, she carefully slipped out of Brian’s embrace and headed out to what they considered the living room, which also doubled as their kitchen.

            Grabbing the first thing she found in the fridge, which happened to be Gatorade, she walked over to one of the couches and had a seat. She was surprised to see Johnny sitting on the couch opposite of her, talking on the phone.

            He too, was apparently surprised to see another person up at 3 AM. He quickly muttered something to the person on the other end before hanging up.

            “So what bring you out to the living room at this hour?” Johnny asked, sipping on a beer, acting as if he hadn’t just been on the phone.

            “Matt and Val are uh… yano,” she trailed off, not really comfortable taking about some of the tings she heard back there. “How ‘bout you? Who were you just talking to?”

            “A uh, friend of mine,” he told her, looking at the ground and running a hand through his now sad-looking mohawk.

            “Just a friend, huh?” Lyric questioned, not believing him.

            “Yeah,” he sighed.

            “So if Brian is asleep, Matt and Val are… busy, and you’re here, who’s driving?”

            “Jimmy came out here about an hour ago and said he couldn’t sleep, so he offered to take over for me,” he said.

            After a few they sat there for a few minutes in silence, Johnny stood up and stretched. “Well, with another concert tomorrow… err today, I better go get some sleep. See ya in the morning, Lyric,” he said, going back to his bunk.

            “Good night, Johnny.”

            After much debate, Lyric decided to make her way to the very front of the bus where Jimmy was. Quietly, she climbed into the seat next to him.

            “What’s up, Baby Vee?” Jimmy asked, turning his eyes away from the road for a few seconds to look at Lyric.

            “Not much. Can’t sleep – Matt and Val are going at it in their bunk, Johnny was on the phone out in the living room, and Zacky snores like a Goddamn bear,” she laughed.

            The rest of the morning she spent with Jimmy. They had talked for hours on end about pretty much anything and everything. And since Jimmy didn’t want to arrive super early at the next town they were playing at and sit there, waiting until they were allowed to set up, he droved aimlessly through Pennsylvania, taking the long route to Scranton, which was normal only two short hours away from where they played last night.

So i feel like this chapter is just kind of a filler... but i was running out of ideas... so the next chapter  should be better :D

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