the Reckless and the Brave (Sequel to Scream, to be Heard)

Let it Out

We both woke up about noon the next day, and found a note saying the guys were at sonudcheck until one-thirty and that we should go get food or something. I pulled on a pair of high-waisted shorts and a cropped red and gray top that showed about a centimeter and pulled my hair into a bun on the top of my head. Then I waited for Alex and we got off the bus, finding a Mc.Donalds across the street. I had an awkward tan line where the shorts ended, but the shorts covered it which was fine. The skin was super tanned and made me look like I had spent a lot of time in the sun, when in reality I hadn't. "Nice tan," Alex said. I rolled my eyes and entered the resturaunt.

"Haha, very funny Gaskarth," I replied as I ordered a plain bigmac with extra cheese and large fries plus a large Rollo Mc.Flurry, then went to sit down.

"Hungry much?" He asked, sitting down with a happy meal with chicken Mc.nuggets and a medium coke.

"Yeah. Why? I'm just glad I have high metabolism or else I'd be fatter than the pillsbury dough boy," I replied, sticking three or four fries in my mouth and taking a bite of my Bigmac.

"Well you're lucky. Because I eat a happy meal and I get fat," he replied, sticking a nugget in his mouth.

"Sorry, but you're already fat. You have dunlap, honey," I said, slapping his stomach.

"Well love you too. You're just lucky that you're super skinny. Well, have stayed that way. Even though you have the, uh, condition," he said absentmindedly, taking the last of his fries and eating some of mine. I nodded. See, when I was ten I was diagnosed with anorexia. I don't know how I could have it, considering I was just born skinny and wanted to stay that way. I was just obsessed with calories and not eating too much, and almost never ate lunch. But apparently that was a sign of anorexia and I was put in a rehabilitation center for a few months out of the year, and Alex and the guys always had to monitor what I ate and how much of it. I hated it, but apparently that's just the way it was.

"Yeah. Stupid doctors," I said, laughing. I finished off my food and we headed back to the bus, where the guys were seated on the couch.

"Hey," Rian muttered. I went over and sat between him and Zack, and changed the channel to Disney. The guys and I all groaned at the sight of the new shows. Man i missed the good stuff like That's so Raven and Kim Possible and Phil of the Future. Now all that's on is crap like ANT Farm and Good Luck Charlie. Well, Good Luck Charlie is okay, depending on the episode. But most of the other shows are terrible. Instead we turned it to HBO, where the movie Home Alone was on. Much to our dismay, Jack turned it up as loud as it would go and commented and laughed at every single thing that happened. We eventually just walked out back to the venue and hung out with some of the other bands. I ended up having a good chat with Paul about his song Little Willow, which was my favorite song by him. He taught me how to play it on the guitar in just a few minutes and an alternate harmony that sounded better with the vocals, and said I should do a cover of it sometime and that he'd enjoy hearing it. He signed my copies of his album Flaming Pie and Alex's copy of Abbey Road.Then it was time for the concert, and I decided to do a cover of Little Willow and Stay by Mayday Parade.

I went backstage after, and found Alex putting a new strap on his guitar. He jumped up when he saw me, and we watched Yellowcard perform.

"You were great out there," he said over the crowd singing along to Hide. "But you're holding back your emotions. Let them out."

"I know. I can't help it. I want to let them out, but when I do I feel like I'm letting myself down. Like there's not enough of it," I replied. "If you know what I mean."

"I do. I used to feel the same way when I showed the guys Lullabies for the first time. I felt like I wasn't emotional enough. But it turns out that I wasn't letting it all out. You have to let it all out, everything. Everything you can possibly feel," he explained. I went backstage and followed him to a practice room, which was set up with a small piano and several guitars, plus a drum set. "Just try it. Play anything," he said. I sat down on the piano bench and started the opening chords to the song Safe by Westlife. I looked up at Alex, who gestured for me to start the vocals.