CHAPTER 18
Taylor's POV
"Alright guys you can wait right in here until your set starts in ten minutes." Dave, one of backstage assistants pointed out the room to the five of us. It consisted of a couch, a table and a few other bands waiting inside also. "Thanks man." Jeremy shook Dave's hand and he returned the same. He then disappeared back out towards the stage. Hayley's body then suddenly stopped still in her tracks beside me.
"Hey." I got her attention by turning her face towards me. "You're gonna be great. We're all here with you too okay?"
Hayley took a deep breath and nodded to herself. I know that she's starting to get nervous, honestly all of us are. We just don't like to show it too much. The five of us moved over towards an empty corner of the room, it smelt like hairspray and deodorant, along with the smell of sweat. Jeremy, Justin and I spent the five minutes before going out onto side stage fine tuning our guitars together, double checking over everything we could.
While our friend Brandon who was playing drums for us drummed away on his legs and talked to Hayley, she'd already warmed up before coming in here so she was already good to go. We all nervously glanced over at the clock a few times as the clock ticked past each minute.
"Paramore? You guys are next!" Another stage assistant yelled out, looking around the room. Hayley held her hand up to let the girl know we were here as we all gathered ourselves towards her.
Hayley stood next to me and the others were ahead during the short walk through the hallway to side stage. The hallway was narrow, and the only sound present was another band performing, which blasted through the walls and is only making my nerves jitter more. I took Hayley's hand in mine, and sent a reassuring smile down to her. She stopped biting her nails and looked up to me, returning the same.
"So these guys will finish up and take their gear off stage in a few minutes, then you all go out quickly and set up. The drums, mic and amps will stay, but you gotta get your pedals and whatever else you need out there." We all nodded, taking in what she said as she pointed to all of our gear that was already next to us, from bringing it in earlier.
"Good luck you guys!" She yelled with her thumbs up, trying to hype us up a bit and it worked. "We have to be as energetic as we want to be on stage, otherwise we'll crap our pants." Jeremy said, motioning for us to join him in a huddle. We spent the next few minutes boosting ourselves up and praying to god, to thank him for everything and for good luck to be brought.
Then it was time.
Time for Paramores first band performance. I walked out with Jeremy first, we both quickly adjusted our pedals on in the little light that was provided on stage. It was just enough to see.
We're ready now. I checked to my right and Jeremy was ready too. So I started playing the intro to our set, the intro starts off with just my guitar. A small repeated melody, which then followed with Hayley walking out onto the stage, positioning herself steadily in front of the microphone. The stage is still dark and that's how we want it to be. For now.
"So your father told you once, that you were his princess. But you won't see the castle, and you cannot find your prince. And now you've grown a lot, but the dresses don't fit right. Your daddy's not a hero, he stole your chariot."
The lights flash on once Brandon starts smashing down on the drum kit, with all of the strength he can use in him. The crowd responds with a welcoming cheer, some people using cellphones to record us already.
"So here you are in pieces, trying to prove to us it's real. The softness of your smile, and the lies you want to feel. The scales beneath your skin are showing off today, there's evil in your heart. And it wants out to play."
