For the last time....NO!!! At least, I could have sworn that's what I said...I could be wrong. Oh, are you confused? Sorry, let me back up for a moment. Here's some background info...
My name is Sameera Jackson...but my girls just call me Mira. I'm 20 and attending one of the best colleges in the world, well…at least to me. My friends are all scattered at different colleges now, but we still meet up every summer for "reunions". Let me introduce them. First off, there's Hayley Griffith, the most AMAZING person in the world, and the bestest friend I've ever had. She's the only person who half-way understands me, and is always introducing me to new music and stuff. Next, there's Jes (short for Jessica) Nathans, the most RANDOM PERSON EVER!!! She's totally crazy, and is completely different from my orderly and organized lifestyle, but hey, that happens sometimes. Then there's Valerie "The Walking Computer" Jenkins, who (who guessed it) is the techno-whiz in the whole bunch. Got a problem with technology? Ask Val. Got a problem with life? Ask Dr. Phil. Also, there's Summer Styles (I know...her name is funny, but she lives up to it), the fashion diva in the bunch. She's always trying to get me to "get out more" and to "get more style", whatever the hell that means. And finally, there's Samantha "Sam" Barker, the only "emo" one of us. I say that with quotes because although she acts kinda "weird" and "pissy", she's actually the nicest person you'll ever meet (just watch out for her hugs....they make a boa constrictor look like a wimp). I love my friends deeply, since I've known them since high school, but they really get on my nerves sometimes. They're the best things to have ever happen to me, but they're not enough. No matter what they do, nor how much I care for them, they can never fill the void in my soul. I can't really pinpoint when it developed, but I'd guess somewhere around the time my parents split up when I was four? Five? *Sigh*
Anyways, where was I? Oh, yes, now I remember. Okay, so there is gonna be this big concert during the summer, but I didn't plan on attending. See, I JUST DON'T DO SOCIAL, okay? I'm not "socially graceful", as Jes kindly put it. I just have this...how can I say it....fear of loud noises and crowds of people. They just scare me. Hayley sometimes
understands this, but usually, she just ignores it and drags me music events with her anyway. So there I was, minding my own business, reading a book, when my friends "kidnapped" me and literally forced me to come to the "greatest concert of the year", according to the girls. They didn't even let me change, so here I am...totally out of place. Sure, there were some fan girls with too much makeup and too revealing clothes. But
my friends all had on jeans and t-shirts of the bands that were gonna play. I, on the other hand, was wearing non-concert attire. Translation--my favorite jeans with Indian beading, a t-shirt with a wolf howling to the moon on it, my sneakers, my favorite pair of silver hoop earrings (small, barely noticeable), my small silver chain with a heart locket (with nothing in it, duh), and my hair loose and wild in the wind. Not very concert-y, right?
Anyway, I was sitting on the blanket that Val had so wonderfully laid out, and watching my friends have all the fun. Jes and Val were trying (and failing) to crowd-surf, Hayley was up front, singing along to some band called “The Cab”, Sam and Summer were off randomly dancing in the crowd, and so I was left to wonder how in Hell did I get forced into this? After a while, I noticed somehow they all got separated from me. Well, damn. This is just peachy. With the band blaring, the crowd screaming, I was about to explode. If I didn't go somewhere right then, I was gonna be
SICK!!! Feeling the tightness in my chest like I always do when I'm surrounded by strangers, I quickly ran outta there. Somehow, I managed to escape the panic that was building inside of me, and made it to a grove of trees behind the band stand. I sat down beneath a particular shady tree, and held my head in my hands. What am I gonna do
now? My friends are missing, they don't care, and I'm gonna throw-up. Life's just grand, I thought. Suddenly, I saw a shadow fall over me. Then I heard a voice...It was filled with genuine concern and was definitely male.
"Hey, are you alright?" I snapped my head up, and banged it against the tree. "Ouch! Sorry, you scared me...I'm fine...not really, but who the hell are you? And why are you sneaking up on people?" Normally, I'm not that bitchy, but when a random guy shows up in front of me, asks if I'm okay, and scares the s**t outta me, I get a little pissed off.
"Whoa, slow down! I'm only here to help," he replied. Sure, like I haven't heard that before, "I was just trying to get some air and I noticed a girl under a tree. I get curious sometimes. Sorry?"
Okay, I admit it. He was sweet, and cute. But if life had taught me anything, it's that never to trust your heart...it's too damn fickle. Besides, there are three constants in life...death, taxes, and the fact that guys don't talk to me. So now, the third rule of the universe was being broken.
"I'm sorry. It’s just that my friends have gone MIA, and I feel horrible. No big whoop." I told him, hoping that he'd just grow tired and leave, but for some reason, he was standing there, smiling at me, like I was some kinda circus poodle. But it was a nice smile, I could see that.
"Well shame on them, leaving you alone. A pretty girl like you should be surround by guys, am I right?" He asked. I was shocked...no I was FROZEN WITH FEAR. Did a guy, that I just met by the way, call me "pretty"? Holy Hell. That just did not happen. I mean, sure, I looked okay. My friends called me the "Amazon girl" because I'm tall and independent, but "pretty"? "PRETTY"? I swear, I think my heart actually stopped for a full minute and a half. I finally got my breath back, and stared at him with what was called my Do I look like I'm kidding? look. "In case you haven't noticed...I'm not as pretty as you think. The sun must be in your eyes. Besides, if I had guys all around me, every second of every day, I'd be in jail or in a mental institution for murder." I was obviously using my store of sarcasm to the extreme. Apparently, he knew that, and was laughing his head off. Why weren't my defensive tactics working? Why hasn't he left yet? What the hell was going on, and when will this dream end?
"Look, you just can't see yourself the way I do. So, let's just drop it, okay?" he asked, finally getting some sense. "Okay, fine by me." I said, glad he could stop saying things that weren't true. "Hey, you still look a little sick, wanna come to the tour bus and get outta the sun? We have Fruit2O!!!" he said, like that would entice me. But as I opened my mouth to say "No way in Hell", the most unexplained thing happened. I said "Sure, that'd be great." Who was I kidding? I was scared to follow him, but at the same time, I felt oddly safe with him.
As we walked, it finally dawned on me..."Did you say tour bus? Wait a second, you never answered my question earlier, did you?" I accused him playfully. "Sorry about that, guess...it's because I'm tired of fan girls always screaming once they find out who I am. Since, you didn't recognize me by face, hopefully I'm safe. My name's John...John O'Callaghan. Like, the lead singer of this band called ‘The Maine’." He closed his eyes and winced, like he was waiting to be pounced upon. I stared back at him, my mind completely blank. I guess sometimes it was good to ignore Hayley's rants on music. "Um, I'm sorry, but I have absolutely no idea who that is. I'm not into the music scene, really. But my friend Hayley would probably know you...she's like obsessed with a thousand and one bands." I admitted. He sighed with relief..."That's good. You know, you're not like other girls. You're unique. Most girls, once I revealed myself, would be all over me trying to get me to kiss them. Yuck." He said with a laugh. He had a wonderful laugh. "So, you never told me your name either, you know," he smiled at me. I blushed, which I don't normally do. "It's...um....Sameera. But my friends call me Mira." I responded. I was still reeling over the fact that he had called me unique. He turned to look at me, and his brown eyes had a look in them that made me wanna dive into them and run away at the same time. "Sameera...that's a beautiful name,” he said, and then we reached the bus. He walked in first, and introduced me to the other members: "Everyone, this is Mira!" I stood next to him and blushed for the second time in five minutes.
"What the hell are you doing, John?" shouted a voice from the back. "We go onstage in an hour, and we need to practice. What were you thinking bringing her here. How do you know she's not an ax-murderer or something?" the guy said as he walked from the back of the bus towards us.
"Ken! Stop being such an a*****e, man. She's cool, she's with me. So cool it, okay?" John sounded so angry, even the other guys looked worried. He must not normally be like this. I was just tired, and so I did what I always do when guys get on my nerves...
"You know what? I can tell when I'm not wanted. I'm just gonna go." I turned to leave, when a thought struck me. "Oh, and by the way...if I was an ax-murderer or whatever....you all would have been dead before your second word." I then fled the scene, trying to hold back tears. What was wrong with me? Sure, I asked myself that daily, but for some reason...I had wanted to impress his friends. Why? I really couldn't say, I was trying so hard not to cry. I didn't belong here, I wasn't a "fan girl", I wasn't into music like Hayley, or a techie like Val, or an "emo" like Sam, or a random like Jes, or even a fashionista like Summer. I didn't fit anywhere. I just had to get out of there, to Hell with my friends, they could stay at this concert for infinity, I was going back to my apartment, and never coming out until the end of summer. That was FINAL!!! However, despite my plans...that never happened. As I approached the clearing that headed back to the crowds at the concert, someone grabbed my arm to turn me around. The electricity that ran through me nearly killed me, it was that strong. It looked like John felt the same way, since he quickly let go but continued to look at me.
"Mira, I'm really sorry about back there. Ken can be such a dick at times, but he had no right to treat you like that. I'm sorry." His eyes were filled with pain, and I hated that look. I sighed, “Look, John, its okay. Honest. I was going home anyway.” I didn’t want him to be upset…something inside of me ached when I saw him that way. When I told him I was going home, he looked worried. “No, don’t go. Please? You could listen to us play if you like.” He sounded almost pleading, and I wondered what he could be thinking. “Um, I really don’t like crowds,” I admitted sheepishly, tucking a strand of my dark brown hair behind my ear. John’s eyes shifted, and then brightened slowly. “Come backstage. Then you can hear us, and not be bothered by the crowd.” I considered this. Hayley had said something about being backstage was a good thing, and after the last band played all the fans were allowed backstage to meet members of their favorite bands. “I guess that’ll be fine. Sorry for putting you through all this hassle.” John smiled that same smiled from earlier…it looked relieved. “It’s no problem. I’ll get you a pass. Jared, Pat, and Garrett will be thrilled to have a fan that doesn’t try to jump on them. Ken’s just grumpy because I found a cute girl.” I blushed again, that was what, the third time in my life? John escorted me back to the bus, and got me a backstage pass from the guy he called Pat, and then he stayed for practice while I left to figure out how to get to this backstage area.
“MIRAIWASSOWORRIEDWHERETHEHELLHAVEYOUBEENJESCAMEBACKANDCOULDN’TFINDYOUANDSHEPANICKEDANDWEALLWENTLOOKINGFORYOUOHMYGOODNESSAREYOUOKAYYOUCOULD’VEBEENKILLED!” I was surprised Hayley still had air in her lungs after screaming that at me. “Sorry, but you all abandoned me, I felt sick, and went to sit under a tree. So sue me,” I said, wondering why the reacted that way. They know good and well that I hate, no LOATHE, crowds. Still, as soon as I returned to the blanket everyone jumped on me and nearly strangled me with hugs. Now they were staring at me like I had a second head. “What?” I asked, confused. Summer said, “You look…different.” I rolled my eyes. Of course Summer would say something like that. Then Sam pointed to my chest, “What’s that around your neck?” I looked down, and saw the backstage pass John had given me. “Oh, that. Well, as I rested under that tree, a guy came up and asked was I okay. Then he got one of his band-mates to give me this backstage pass so I could listen to them, since I told them I hate crowds.” It seemed perfectly logical to me…so why were they all staring at me like I was an alien trying to eat their brains or something? Then Hayley, who must have regained her strength after that screaming display, spoke. “Mira? You talked to a band guy? And got a backstage pass? OHMYGOODNESSWHOTHEHELLISITYOUTALKEDTOO?” I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment, “Lee, calm down. Breathe for goodness sakes. It was someone named John O'Callaghan. He’s in a band called ‘The Maine’, I think he said.” Hayley looked like she was about to choke. “O’Callaghan? THE JOHN O’CALLAGHAN?!? Oh my, Mira. That’s epic!” I looked over to the others, trying to see if they could help me figure out what was going on, but they all were jumping up and down like idiots. Had the world been attacked by aliens and humanity had been changed into moronic imbeciles while I was away or what? “So, you’re going backstage?” asked Val. “Um, I guess. If I can find it.” I answered. Then they all smiled. I had a bad feeling about those smiles, they seemed to have something hiding behind them. I gulped. I was in trouble.
I was sitting backstage, trying to recover my nerves and keep from throwing up. Hayley had said that the easiest way back to the stage was to crowd surf. I was like, “Hell to the no!”, but again, they didn’t listen to me. Now, that had to be the worst experience of all experiences, and I vowed never to do that again, to Hell with my friends. They enjoyed that torture, the demons. Sigh. Can’t blame them for being freaks, they are my friends after all. Anyway, I was sitting there, and just as I finally calmed down, I saw John walking towards me. “Hey, I see you’re here.” I smiled, “Well, you did ask nicely.” He laughed, and it was very nice, I could listen to that sound all the time. “Stay here after we finish, I’ll introduce you to everyone, okay?” He smiled, a hopeful look in his eyes, and I agreed to stay (against my better judgment, I might add). He smiled again, and then took off towards the front of the stage. I watched his retreating figure, wondering what kind of music he and the other guys would play. Then, before I had time to wonder some more, they began to play. His voice was amazing, I had to admit. The way the music swelled, enveloping everyone in its path. The way his hair fell just so when he tilted this way or that. I shook my head, what was I thinking? Wake the Hell up, Sameera! He’s a guy! He’s in a band! Why the f**k are you thinking about him? I mentally chided myself. It was so weak on my part, I’ll admit it. But I couldn’t help it. He was so nice and kind and…sigh, there I go again. I need to work on that.
After about four or five songs, the set ended. John thanked the fans (some of whom were trying to climb up on the stage, silly things) for coming, and then he and the guys made their ways back to the area where I was waiting. “Wow, John. That was great. You guys are all so talented.” I really meant that, I was a very good judge of stuff, so I figured I was about right to compliment them. John laughed, “Yeah, we’re okay. Thanks for listening.” I told him it was no problem, and then he began to introduce me to the other members of his band. “This is our bassist, Garrett Nickelsen.” He said, pointing to the guy, who then waved his hand at me. I waved back, and he smiled. “Call me Rett. Everyone else in the band does.” I nodded, “Okay, Rett.” Then John pointed to a guy over by the drum set, “That’s Pat Kirch, our drummer.” Upon hearing his name, he looked up and nodded at me, “How do?” I waved over at him, “Fine, thanks.” Then John playfully punched the arm of the guy standing next to him, “This wannabe rocker, world’s greatest guitar player, and my best friend is Jared Monaco.” Jared laughed and extended his hand towards me, “Don’t listen to him, miss, or he’ll have you running in circles. And call me Monaco. Hardly anyone uses my first name, except the stalkers.” I laughed and took his hand, “Nice to meet you, Monaco.” Everyone then looked over at the guy leaning against the wall, away from us, acting like he was checking his guitar. “And that’s Kennedy Brock, our other guitarist. He thinks he’s our manager or boss or something.” Ken then grunted his hello. Surprising everyone, including myself, I walked away from John and went over to Ken, who looked up at me in alarm. “Hey. I understand about earlier. I get that way with my friends sometimes.” Then I extended my hand. “Want to start over?” Ken looked at my hand, then at my face, like I was trying to trick him or something like that. Then, slowly, he smiled, and took my hand. “Sure,” he said, a slight smile beginning to emerge. I had a feeling Ken wouldn’t be so bad after that. I returned to John, who looked at me like I had tamed a wild tiger. “How did you do that?” he asked in wonder. I smiled, “I’m a mystery.” He smiled, “Yeah, you are.” I turned my head so he wouldn’t see me blush (that’s four times in one day…was I going for some sort of record or what?). Then I remembered something. “My friends are probably worried about me. They all wanted to hit the roof when I told them I had talked to you. I guess I better find them,” I said, starting to leave. I waved goodbye to everyone and turned around before they could say anything.
I was almost back out to the commons area when John caught up with me. “Can I see you again?” he asked softly, falling into step beside me. “Why would you want to?” I asked, confused. He shrugged, “I like hanging out with you. You’re special.” I giggled softly, “Really?” I looked over at him, and caught him staring at me, his brown eyes staring into my own chocolate ones. “Yeah,” he whispered. I noticed that somehow we had stopped walking, and then I felt us getting closer to each other. My heart was beating like crazy, I could hardly breathe…what was happening? Then, suddenly, I heard Hayley calling me, “MIRA!! MIRA!!” I snapped back to reality, and saw John hurriedly straighten up. “I guess I better go,” I said, even though I really wanted to stay there for some reason. “Before you go, here,” he said quickly thrusting a strip of paper into my hand. “See you around, hopefully,” he said, before walking away back to the stage area. I looked down at the paper, and read what was written on it: We’re gonna be at Danville Mall tomorrow, just a little outing for the band. It would be nice to see you there…if you want to come, that is. No pressure. John. I slipped the paper into my pocket just as Hayley and the gang ran over to me, screaming and asking how was it backstage. I didn’t hear them, my mind drifting, wondering if I would see him again tomorrow….would I risk it? I was confused, but I did know one thing. I wanted to see him more. I needed to.
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