here is the setlist of the Fonda Theatre
performance
here the playlist while reading the next
2 chapters
T W E N T Y
Tongue-tied like we've never known
Telling those stories we already told
THE FONDA THEATRE WAS PACKED WITH PEOPLE.
"Quick! Take a picture of me next to the sign!" Exclaimed Ella, giving her phone to her sister as she quickly ran underneath the sign, raising her foot from the ground and extending her arms.
"Ok, say "Sunset Curve"," told her Peyton with a smile.
"Sunset Curve!" Yelled the girl as her sister take the picture. "How does it look?"
"Beautiful, really. I'm really excited for tonight."
"You even put on your pretty clothes," pointed out Ella as both entered the theatre.
She was wearing her white flannel shirt over her black crop top. She had her tied to her waist, over her black belt who kept up her skinny black jeans, and she was wearing black doc martens.
"Who are you trying to impress? You already have a boyfriend."
"Well, I'm actually trying to impress the executives that are coming," Peyton reminded her as both walked towards the VIP section. "It's really important to give a good impression."
"Well, who dressed you?" Asked Alex, spinning Peyton slowly. "You look like you just got out from Milan."
"How is posible that someone like Luke got you?" Asked Julie. "And Ella does not get left behind. I love your dress."
"Thank you for taking your eyes from Marcia and looking at Jan instead," whispered Ella, making Luke, who was the only one who understood, chuckle.
"Aren't you going to tell me how pretty I look?" She asked her boyfriend, who slowly took his eyes from his songbook, looking at her.
"You look gorgeous," he said before looking down at his notebook, biting his blue pen before writing on the page.
"Don't worry about it," told her Reggie, "he's worried about the setlist."
"I thought the setlist was ready."
"It is, but Luke isn't convinced," added Alex. "Bro, you've changed it five times. I thought we agreed it was great that way."
"I'm just... worried that we aren't going to keep the audience alive till the last second."
"Ok, you need to lose it up a bit."
Peyton closed his notebook and put it under her arm, making him claim, but she didn't listen to him.
"Power circle!" She exclaimed, grabbing Luke's hand and pulling him closer to her, before grabbing Alex's hand.
Everyone proceeded to do the same until they were forming a circle. Luke was the only one who didn't seem excited.
"Today guys... you are going to make history," she started saying. "And that's not true. You guys have been building your history since the first day you picked up your instruments... since the first time you stood up next to each other and discovered your sound... the sound tonight, you'll be sharing with the audience. Your music has the power to move people. Now, it's your chance to give the audience the experience of their lives, for them to get out of here singing your songs in there heads, for them to listen to them when you guys are sad. This is your chance, boys, take it... and live it."
Everyone chuckled. Luke seemed less worried as he let go of their hands, hugging his bandmates as the four grabbed their instruments, walking to the prepping station where they will plug the microphones.
"Wasn't that the speech that the drama teacher gave last week?"
"I heard her rehearse it so many times, I had to put it in practice. Let's go to our section."
They walked to their places on the VIP section. Casually, Flynn, Carrie and Willie were waiting there too next to Alex and Reggie's parents.
Well that should be awkward.
"Hi, how are you doing?" Peyton asked everyone. "I think we are all here."
"Hey, you didn't count us," exclaimed Carlos, who just arrived with Ray, both holding big cups of soda. "We are part of the VIP too."
"I can see," replied Peyton.
"Hey, how's Luke been doing?" Asked her sister to her as both stared at the stage. "He's still at Julie's?" Peyton nods.
"I was waiting to see his parents here. I sent them the tickets but they just... never replied to see if they were coming."
The lights of the theatre turned off, making everyone stopped their conversations and looked over to the stage.
"Did we arrive late?" The voice of Emily surprised Peyton, who quickly turned around.
"It's just going to start," Peyton let them know as Luke's parents looked at her. "You can stand next to us if you wish."
Emily and Mitch stood next to Peyton and Emily, the four looking at the stage when the strumming of a guitar broke in.
The spotlights turned on, pointing at Alex, who played his drum solo. Then, it turned on at Reggie, who did his bass part.
The spotlight hit Julie, who joined them with the piano, before Luke's guitar broke in. The spotlight hit him and next, the entire stage was illuminated with lights.
"You call me up, It's like a broken record. Saying that your heart hurts. That you never get over him getting over you, and you end up crying, and I end up lying.
'Cause I'm just a sucker for anything that you do."
"And when the phone call finally ends, you say, "Thanks for being a friend, ". And we're going in circles again and again."
"I dedicate this song to you, the one who never sees the truth, that I can take away your hurt, heartbreak girl. Hold you tight straight through the daylight. I'm right here, when you gonna realize that I'm your cure? heartbreak girl."
Luke's voice made the crowd yell. He was joined by Julie's vocals, and Alex and Reggie would some times join him. But, such as Peyton was, everyone was enchanted by his voice.
Even his parents
When the song ended and the rhythm of Now or Never started, Julie's voice interrupted as she stood up from the piano, Luke joining her on the background vocals.
"I'm dying to hear their new songs," said Ella to Peyton's ear, and she nodded. "Hey look! The Columbia woman!"
Peyton turned around to see the woman from Columbia Records watching the performance.
"How do I look?"
"Like you represent a rock band. Which is perfect?"
"Don't look down. Cause we still rising up right now. And even if we hit the ground. We still fly, keep dreaming like we'll live forever, but live it like it's now or never!"
"Fallon!" Exclaimed Peyton, approaching the woman. She smiled, both greeting each other with a handshake. "You ready for the new songs?"
"Never been more ready." Peyton chuckled. "Have the guys already decided?"
"Oh, yeah, they have. I'll let you know at the end. Enjoy the show!"
Peyton walked towards the next executive as the music of Now or Never faded away, being replaced by Julie's voice.
"How are you doing Fonda Theatre!?" Yelled the vocalist with a wide smile. "Or next song is called End Up Here, hope you like it!"
The guitar entered passionately before Luke approached the microphone.
"You walked in. Everyone was asking for your name
You just smiled and told them "trouble". My head spins. I'm pressed against the wall. Just watching your every move. You're way too cool and you're coming this way, coming this way."
Emily was surprised to see her son on stage. He's never seen as happy as he looked in that moment. She's never seen him so excited before.
"How did we end up talking in the first place? You said you liked my Cobain shirt. Now we're walking back to your place. You're telling me how you love that song about living on a prayer. I'm pretty sure that we're halfway there. And when I wake up next to you I wonder how... How did we end up here? How did we end up, how did we end up here?"
Peyton ran towards the VIP section again, standing next to her sister with a big smile.
"I really love this song!"
"Me too!" Replied the girl. "I talked to Columbia, Atlantic and Sony." She noticed how Emily turned around to look at her, but didn't say anything. "I told them that the guys made a decision."
"Next day out, everybody thought you were so insane. 'Cause you were so far out of my league. My friends say I should lock you down, before you figure me out and you run away. But you don't and you wont as you kiss me. And you tell me that you're here to stay"
"How did we end up talking in the first place? You said you liked my Cobain shirt. Now we're walking back to your place. You're telling me how you love that song about living on a prayer. I'm pretty sure that we're halfway there. And when I wake up next to you I wonder how. How did we end up here"
Willie approached the girls with a wide smile. "Everyone is having a great time. People are streaming the concert and it has over five thousand viewers."
"That's awesome!" Exclaimed Peyton with a smile.
"Call me lucky 'cause in the end, I'm a six and she's a ten. She's so fit, I'm insecure. But she keeps coming back for more"
The four stopped playing their instruments, starting to clap their hands and Alex his drumsticks. The crowd was quick to follow them.
"How did we end up talking in the first place? You said you liked my Cobain shirt..."
Luke spun his guitar around before continuing to sing, the instruments joining him.
"Now we're walking back to your place. You're telling me how you love that song about living on a prayer.
I'm pretty sure that we're halfway there. And when I wake up next to you I wonder how... How did we end up here? How did we end up, how did we end up here. How did we end up, how did we end up here"
The song ended, making the crowd scream and cheer loudly as the soft sound of the piano entered, being followed by Julie's voice.
"Ok, I'm gonna look for some food. You want some?"
Ella nodded before Peyton turned around, walking towards the bar. She bought some popcorn and awaited for them.
"Hey Peyton," someone said to her.
"Hey Bobby," she said dryly, awaiting for her popcorn.
"Could I just... explain myself?"
"There's nothing for you to explain. You guys stole Luke's songs and tried to sabotage the most important event of the band's career. What is there to discuss?"
"Could I least tell you what happened?"
"Do I have another choice?"
Bobby exhaled, stepping closer to her. "Isaac called me the day of the Battle of the Bands. He told me that you and Patterson were a thing. That Luke had told him that."
"What?" She questioned in her head. Luke was telling them they were dating that back then? She thought he had told them the day of Carrie's party, after his confession.
"And I got angry. Like really angry. So I went to the Battle, got backstage and... just... saw how he was singing to you and... it pissed me off. Everything that Luke does kinda pisses me off, actually."
"And then you stole his songs."
"Just because Isaac told me to. He said that if I wanted to be in Sin & Tragedy I had to do it. Isaac is terrified of Sunset Curve's success."
The slowly beat of Last First Kiss was starting when Bobby finished his sentence.
"Why would you want to join a band like that?"
"Why? Do you know how hard it is to start a solo career? Not have anyone to share it with? Luke, Alex and Reggie were my bandmates, my friends... we were on it together and from the night to the morning they just stopped caring about me."
"I wanna be last, yeah. Baby let me be your, let me be your last first kiss. I wanna be first, yeah. Wanna be the first to take it all the way like this."
"They didn't stop caring, Bobby, you left them."
"Just because Luke told me to."
"No, you left them when you started caring less about rehearsals. Luke just told you the truth and deep down you know that."
Bobby scoffed. "Why do you always take his side?"
"How could I take yours? You pulled a Ben Stiller in Tower Heist, how could I take your side?"
"It's always been like this. Luke says something and you agree with it immediately. He kicked me out of the band, not Alex nor Reggie. Luke did. And they all just swiped me off their lives because Luke told them. Aren't you tired of it? I'm not in his life and I still feel like he's controlling mine."
"That's just in your head." Last First Kiss ended, giving room to Wonder. "You need to stop blaming others for your failures and mistakes. Why would you join Sin & Tragedy, knowing that they are Sunset Curve's rivals? It's like you want them in your life."
"They were my friends, Peyton, I just want things to be the way they used to be before the band even existed."
Peyton sighed. "Then you should be willing to do it. Stealing songs it's not the way."
"It was the only way that Isaac would let me in."
"Well, Isaac is a jerk. You should know that."
Peyton grabbed her popcorn and left towards his group, standing next to Ella.
"What happened?"
"Just... nothing. Eat, come on."
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
"So kiss me kiss me kiss me. And tell me that I'll see you again. 'Cause I don't know if I can let you go. So kiss me kiss me kiss me. I'm dying just to see you again. Let's make tonight the best of our lives. Here's to teenage memories..."
The song ended, making everyone cheer.
Luke was tired. Really tired. He's never done more than three consecutive songs. The last time he was this tired was when they did eight gigs in one night.
He looked over the balcony waiting to see Peyton, but being surprised about who he actually saw.
His parents.
Suddenly, the next song seemed a little inappropriate.
He started playing his guitar, trying to drive his eyes away from his mom and towards the audience.
"Little black dress just walked into the room. Makin' heads turn. Can't stop looking at you. It's so right. It's so right. It's so right you know."
He continued to play, trying to focus on the lyrics instead of the sharp sight of his mother on him.
"He saw her," whispered Peyton under her breath.
"Little black dress. Did you come here alone? It's too late. It's too late. It's too late to go home. It's so right. It's so right. It's so right you know. It's so right. It's so right. It's so right you know."
He turned his eyes towards Reggie, who walked towards him to share the mic.
"I wanna see the way you move for me baby. I wanna see the way you move for me baby. I wanna see the way you move for me."
The guitar played important part in this song, and he tried to focus on his riff the most he could, instead of focusing on his parents.
As soon as the song ended, he was supposed to say something to the audience, but he didn't want to stop. He didn't want to lose focus on the thing he loved.
"Give it up for Julie Molina everyone!"
He exclaimed, surprising his bandmates. He just stepped back while Julie grabbed her microphone, stepping on the middle of the stage before starting to sing.
"Can't count the years on one hand that we've been together. I need the other one to hold you. Make you feel, make you feel better. It's not a walk in the park to love each other. But when our fingers interlock, can't deny, can't deny, you're the worth it."
Luke remained on Alex's side during the first verse and pre-chorus, only to step up to the mic for the chorus, where he would do the background vocals for Julie.
"I should be over all the butterflies but I'm into you, I'm into you. And even baby our worst nights, I'm into you, I'm into you. Let 'em wonder how we got this far,
'cause I don't really need to wonder at all. Yeah, after all this time. I'm still into you"
He stepped back again, this time Alex's turned to see him.
"Are you alright?" He moved his lips, and Luke nodded.
"I'm fine." He replied as Julie entered the second verse.
"Recount the night that I first met your mother. And on the drive back to my house I told you that, I told you that I loved ya. You felt the weight of the world fall off the shoulder. And to your favorite song we sang along, to the start of forever."
"And after all this time... I'm still into you."
Luke jumped from Alex's platform towards his mic, making the crowd cheer.
"I should be over all the butterflies but I'm into you, I'm into you. And even baby our worst nights, I'm into you, I'm into you. Let 'em wonder how we got this far,
'cause I don't really need to wonder at all. Yeah after all this time. I'm still into you"
The instruments played for a while, Luke trying to maintain his total focus before Julie entered again.
"Some things just, some things just make sense. And one of those is you and I. Some things just, some things just make sense. And even after all this time."
The instruments stopped except for the guitar. Luke stood up next to Julie with a smile as she sang.
"I'm into you... Baby not a day goes by that I'm not into you."
Julie maintain the note for a few seconds before the instruments entered again. She shared his mic with Luke as both sang.
I should be over all the butterflies but I'm into you, I'm into you. And even baby our worst nights, I'm into you, I'm into you. Let 'em wonder how we got this far, 'cause I don't really need to wonder at all. Yeah after all this time. I'm still into you. I'm still into you. I'm still into you."
The song ended. Luke quickly glanced over his parents again before Julie took the mic again. She talked to the crowd for a few seconds before the next song started.
"I'm in the business of misery, let's take it from the top. She's got a body like an hourglass, that's ticking like a clock. It's a matter of time before we all run out. When I thought he was mine, she caught him by the mouth. I waited eight long months. She finally set him free. I told him I couldn't lie, he was the only one for me. Two weeks and we had caught on fire. She's got it out for me, but I wear the biggest smile."
Luke's guitar played an important part in this sonf, so he tried to be focused hundred percent. He closed his eyes as he sang to the microphone.
"Whoa, I never meant to brag. But I got him where I want him now. Whoa, it was never my intention to brag. To steal it all away from you now." Luke glanced over to his strings as he played. "But God, does it feel so good. 'Cause I got him where I want him now. And if you could, then you know you would. 'Cause God, it just feels so. It just feels so good."
Luke stepped next to the audience, smiling at them before licking his lips. Julie placed a hand on his shoulder as she sang the second verse, before they entered the next chorus.
"Whoa, I never meant to brag. But I got him where I want him now. Whoa, it was never my intention to brag. To steal it all away from you now." Luke shared mic with Julie. "But God, does it feel so good. 'Cause I got him where I want him right now. And if you could, then you know you would. 'Cause God, it just feels so... It just feels so good."
The rhythm became slower.
"I watched his wildest dreams come true. And not one of them involving you. Just watch my wildest dreams come true. Not one of them involving."
The instruments started again, this time, Luke played his riff. He was tired, unfocused, yet, he succeeded. His bandmates noted that he almost missed notes, but they couldn't stop the concert.
"Whoa, I never meant to brag. But I got him where I want him now. Whoa, it was never my intention to brag. To steal it all away from you now. But God, does it feel so good. 'Cause I got him where I want him now. And if you could, then you know you would. 'Cause God, it just feels so... It just feels so good."
The music stopped and Reggie, Alex and Julie quickly looked at Luke. They still had eight songs to go....
POP CULTURE REFERENCES
chapter twenty
"Thank you for taking your eyes from Marcia and looking at Jan instead."
Jan Brady is a character in the TV series The Brady Bunch that ran from 1969-1974. Jan is the middle child of her mother's. She is shown to be very jealous of her older sister, Marcia, and very insecure in general. She makes impulsive decisions to separate herself from her siblings, like drastically changing her hair when someone calls her by her sister's name
"You pulled a Ben Stiller in Tower Heist, how could I take your side?"
Tower Heist is a 2011 American heist comedy film directed by Brett Ratner. The plot follows Josh Kovaks (Ben Stiller), Charlie Gibbs and Enrique Dev'reaux, employees of an exclusive apartment building who lose their pensions in the Ponzi scheme of Wall Street businessman Arthur Shaw. The group enlist the aid of criminal Slide, bankrupt businessman Mr. Fitzhugh and another employee of the apartment building, Odessa, to break into Shaw's apartment and steal back their money.