Worlds Apart, chapter 1
“How much would my tickets sell for on eBay?�, I asked Ellen, as I lay on the sofa in my pajamas.
“About £150� said Steve, answering for her, “It sold out in like two hours�
“Score� I smiled, “You know…I could really do with that kind of cash right now�
Ellen stared at me.
“Oh, no you don’t� she said, “It’s Green Day, Sophie. There is no cash alternative. You’ve been a fan for years, you can’t let some teenie go in your place�
I sighed, wearily rubbing my eyes.
“I can’t go� I said, “It feels too weird. I was supposed to be going with Tom. I can’t take anyone else�
“So ask if he still wants to go?� Steve suggested, “Its no big deal. We’ll all be there.�
“He won’t. He hasn’t taken the break up well. He hates me�
“Soph. you guys were together four years. He doesn’t hate you. You’ve only just broken up, you need to give him time. And stop moping and actually leave the house. Preferably to see Green Day�
I sighed,
“Last time you convinced me to go out it turned into an alcohol-fuelled rebound mission and I ended up snogging Andy�
“Well, who knows? You might find a sexy Green Day fan next week�
“Doubtful� I said, rolling my eyes, “They’ll probably all be about twelve�
I was aware I was moping. And I knew they were only trying to help. They weren't just my housemates, they were my best friends. And I knew they worried about me. But breaking up with someone after four years is surely an excuse to mope. Especially when I had no money and a 10,000 word thesis due in a months time. I wasn’t in the best of moods. I felt like I didn’t know how to be single. I’d been one half of Sophie and Tom for so long that I didn’t know how to just be Sophie anymore. What made it worse was I had to leave the band. I played drums and Tom was the front man. I told them I had to leave because I had so much uni work, what with my finals coming up and all, but really I couldn’t face the awkwardness with Tom, and knowing all the songs he’d written lately were about me. Especially the bitchy ones. But I decided to take Steve’s advice and ask if he still wanted my ticket anyway. And it turned out he did. I started to think there was hope for the “just good friends� plan after all.
The night of the gig, Tom and I had been split for two weeks. He walked ahead with Steve while I hung back with Kirsty and Ellen. I couldn’t believe they had talked me into this. I felt like shit. I had to keep reminding myself we weren’t a couple anymore. But once we got into the arena, the atmosphere hit me and I felt better. Green Day were awesome. From the moment they came on stage, they blew the roof off the place. And suddenly all the shit with Tom didn’t matter and we were jumping about and shouting till we were hoarse. We managed to get right down in front of the stage, and then Billie Joe announced he wanted people to come and play with them on stage.
“Who knows how to play drums?� he shouted.
The screams were deafening as hands shot up around the arena. I jumped up and down for a while, then gave up as he moved to the other end of the stage.
“You can?� he was saying, “You or him…For how long?...Ah, that’s no good….this guy? How long have you been playing for?�
He was coming back now, running across the stage, guitar in hands.
“Ok, can anyone play the fucking drums well?�
I started jumping again. Then before I knew what was happening Tom had hoisted me onto his shoulders and I shot up in the air above everyone else. Kirsty, Ellen and Steve were pointing at me and screaming,
“She can! She can!�
And then Billie Joe was looking at me.
“You can? For how long?�
My stomach tightened and my voice caught in my throat. He was talking to me. To ME.
“Three and a half years� I managed to get out.
“You can play that?� he asked, pointing at Tre who was playing a pretty simple beat.
I nodded,
“Ok, get the fuck up on the stage�
As the hysteria continued, one of the crowd control guys helped me over the barrier and onto the stage. It was huge. Billie Joe was way over the other side picking out a bass player and I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I shakily started walking towards him. Then he turned back round and said,
“Hey drummer� and started jogging back towards me. When I got close, I realised he was only a little taller than me. He took my hand to shake it, but in a star struck frenzy I just hugged him. I felt him laugh as the crowd cheered.
“Whats your name?� he asked me
“Sophie�
“Ok, great. You’re the first girl drummer we’ve had on stage this tour. Don’t over-excite Tre�
“Ok� I grinned. My heart was thumping and my head felt foggy as Billie Joe put his hand on my shoulder and steered me in the direction of the drum kit.
“Go see Tre. He’ll show you what to do� he said.
When I got up on the drum platform, Tre greeted me with a hug. It felt so weird to touch him, like I couldn’t believe he was real. He sat me down next to him, gave me a pair of sticks and showed me the beat, then I took over and the crowd started cheering. I couldn’t believe all those people were cheering for me. Meanwhile, the bassist and guitarist had been chosen and started to play. Before I realised it we were playing on our own, with Billie Joe accompanying us. Then the guitar kid did a solo. Next thing, Billie Joe called out,
“Drum Solo!�
I went for it like crazy, bashing all the toms and relishing in the insane amount of cymbals this kit had. It was definitely the most expensive kit I’d ever played. I was in heaven. The crowd cheered and then it was over. I handed Tre the drum sticks, and he passed them back
“Keep ‘em� he said, “I have heaps�
“Thank you so much…I’m sorry…I’m kinda…overwhelmed�
“S’ok� he said, “Its pretty weird being up here when you aren’t used to it�
I nodded, then looked towards Billie Joe. The guitar kid had just left the stage carrying his guitar, and the bassist had gone too. I knew I never wanted this moment to end, but that it was already ending.
“Great meeting you� said Tre, shaking my hand
“It was amazing meeting you� I smiled.
I hopped back down from the platform.
“Hey� said Billie Joe, taking my hand. I got shivers up my arm, “You were great too, drummer-girl�
I grinned, looking out at the 8000 pairs of hands and worrying if he was at all nervous.
“Well, look we cant give you the drum kit, but to make up for it you can choose the next song we play, ok?�
I nodded. There was a deafening roar as the crowd tried to influence my decision, but I wanted to pick something they weren’t guaranteed to play anyway.
“2000 Light Years Away� I told him. Its always been one of my favourites.
“No problem� he said, “Now get the fuck off my stage�
I grinned. He grinned back and then he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I thought the teenies in the side seats were going to tear their vocal chords as I got down off the stage. I heard Billie Joe say,
“This is for Sophie the drummer then right� and start the opening chords for 2000 Light Years Away.
As I made my way to the barrier a crew member smiled at me and handed me a piece of plastic. I looked at it, still dazed from the experience. It was a backstage pass.
“About £150� said Steve, answering for her, “It sold out in like two hours�
“Score� I smiled, “You know…I could really do with that kind of cash right now�
Ellen stared at me.
“Oh, no you don’t� she said, “It’s Green Day, Sophie. There is no cash alternative. You’ve been a fan for years, you can’t let some teenie go in your place�
I sighed, wearily rubbing my eyes.
“I can’t go� I said, “It feels too weird. I was supposed to be going with Tom. I can’t take anyone else�
“So ask if he still wants to go?� Steve suggested, “Its no big deal. We’ll all be there.�
“He won’t. He hasn’t taken the break up well. He hates me�
“Soph. you guys were together four years. He doesn’t hate you. You’ve only just broken up, you need to give him time. And stop moping and actually leave the house. Preferably to see Green Day�
I sighed,
“Last time you convinced me to go out it turned into an alcohol-fuelled rebound mission and I ended up snogging Andy�
“Well, who knows? You might find a sexy Green Day fan next week�
“Doubtful� I said, rolling my eyes, “They’ll probably all be about twelve�
I was aware I was moping. And I knew they were only trying to help. They weren't just my housemates, they were my best friends. And I knew they worried about me. But breaking up with someone after four years is surely an excuse to mope. Especially when I had no money and a 10,000 word thesis due in a months time. I wasn’t in the best of moods. I felt like I didn’t know how to be single. I’d been one half of Sophie and Tom for so long that I didn’t know how to just be Sophie anymore. What made it worse was I had to leave the band. I played drums and Tom was the front man. I told them I had to leave because I had so much uni work, what with my finals coming up and all, but really I couldn’t face the awkwardness with Tom, and knowing all the songs he’d written lately were about me. Especially the bitchy ones. But I decided to take Steve’s advice and ask if he still wanted my ticket anyway. And it turned out he did. I started to think there was hope for the “just good friends� plan after all.
The night of the gig, Tom and I had been split for two weeks. He walked ahead with Steve while I hung back with Kirsty and Ellen. I couldn’t believe they had talked me into this. I felt like shit. I had to keep reminding myself we weren’t a couple anymore. But once we got into the arena, the atmosphere hit me and I felt better. Green Day were awesome. From the moment they came on stage, they blew the roof off the place. And suddenly all the shit with Tom didn’t matter and we were jumping about and shouting till we were hoarse. We managed to get right down in front of the stage, and then Billie Joe announced he wanted people to come and play with them on stage.
“Who knows how to play drums?� he shouted.
The screams were deafening as hands shot up around the arena. I jumped up and down for a while, then gave up as he moved to the other end of the stage.
“You can?� he was saying, “You or him…For how long?...Ah, that’s no good….this guy? How long have you been playing for?�
He was coming back now, running across the stage, guitar in hands.
“Ok, can anyone play the fucking drums well?�
I started jumping again. Then before I knew what was happening Tom had hoisted me onto his shoulders and I shot up in the air above everyone else. Kirsty, Ellen and Steve were pointing at me and screaming,
“She can! She can!�
And then Billie Joe was looking at me.
“You can? For how long?�
My stomach tightened and my voice caught in my throat. He was talking to me. To ME.
“Three and a half years� I managed to get out.
“You can play that?� he asked, pointing at Tre who was playing a pretty simple beat.
I nodded,
“Ok, get the fuck up on the stage�
As the hysteria continued, one of the crowd control guys helped me over the barrier and onto the stage. It was huge. Billie Joe was way over the other side picking out a bass player and I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I shakily started walking towards him. Then he turned back round and said,
“Hey drummer� and started jogging back towards me. When I got close, I realised he was only a little taller than me. He took my hand to shake it, but in a star struck frenzy I just hugged him. I felt him laugh as the crowd cheered.
“Whats your name?� he asked me
“Sophie�
“Ok, great. You’re the first girl drummer we’ve had on stage this tour. Don’t over-excite Tre�
“Ok� I grinned. My heart was thumping and my head felt foggy as Billie Joe put his hand on my shoulder and steered me in the direction of the drum kit.
“Go see Tre. He’ll show you what to do� he said.
When I got up on the drum platform, Tre greeted me with a hug. It felt so weird to touch him, like I couldn’t believe he was real. He sat me down next to him, gave me a pair of sticks and showed me the beat, then I took over and the crowd started cheering. I couldn’t believe all those people were cheering for me. Meanwhile, the bassist and guitarist had been chosen and started to play. Before I realised it we were playing on our own, with Billie Joe accompanying us. Then the guitar kid did a solo. Next thing, Billie Joe called out,
“Drum Solo!�
I went for it like crazy, bashing all the toms and relishing in the insane amount of cymbals this kit had. It was definitely the most expensive kit I’d ever played. I was in heaven. The crowd cheered and then it was over. I handed Tre the drum sticks, and he passed them back
“Keep ‘em� he said, “I have heaps�
“Thank you so much…I’m sorry…I’m kinda…overwhelmed�
“S’ok� he said, “Its pretty weird being up here when you aren’t used to it�
I nodded, then looked towards Billie Joe. The guitar kid had just left the stage carrying his guitar, and the bassist had gone too. I knew I never wanted this moment to end, but that it was already ending.
“Great meeting you� said Tre, shaking my hand
“It was amazing meeting you� I smiled.
I hopped back down from the platform.
“Hey� said Billie Joe, taking my hand. I got shivers up my arm, “You were great too, drummer-girl�
I grinned, looking out at the 8000 pairs of hands and worrying if he was at all nervous.
“Well, look we cant give you the drum kit, but to make up for it you can choose the next song we play, ok?�
I nodded. There was a deafening roar as the crowd tried to influence my decision, but I wanted to pick something they weren’t guaranteed to play anyway.
“2000 Light Years Away� I told him. Its always been one of my favourites.
“No problem� he said, “Now get the fuck off my stage�
I grinned. He grinned back and then he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. I thought the teenies in the side seats were going to tear their vocal chords as I got down off the stage. I heard Billie Joe say,
“This is for Sophie the drummer then right� and start the opening chords for 2000 Light Years Away.
As I made my way to the barrier a crew member smiled at me and handed me a piece of plastic. I looked at it, still dazed from the experience. It was a backstage pass.
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